Iraq Insists on Returning IDPs to Their Home Regions

Kurdistan 11:09 AM - 2024-02-19

IDP camp

There are 24 IDP camps in the Kurdistan Region, primarily located in Duhok province. The Iraqi Minister of Migration and Displaced has stated that they will strive to collaborate with relevant parties to resolve the issue of IDPs by July 30 and facilitate their return to their home regions.

The Minister of Migration and Displaced, Evan Faeq Jabro, stated the following during her meeting with Ghulam Mohammad Isaczai, Deputy Special Representative for Iraq in the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI): "We support the prime minister's decision for IDPs from Kurdistan Region camps to return to their homes as soon as possible, given the current well-protected security in Nineveh province."

Jabro met with Auke Lootsma, the Representative for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) of Iraq. They both promised to provide support to the IDPs returning to their homeland, particularly those from the Sinjar district. Jabro also announced during her meeting with the Italian Ambassador to Iraq that they will strive to resolve the IDP issue by July 30 in collaboration with all necessary parties.

Migration Ministry: We will assist returned IDPs

Earlier, the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displaced said that the Iraqi government will provide each IDP family in the Kurdistan Region who chooses to return home with a package that includes 4 million dinars, a plot of land, and career opportunities.

According to the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displaced, in addition to compensation, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs provides returnees with interest-free facility loans, disability benefits, assistance, social insurance salary, and allowances.

Migration Committee: The IDPs must eventually return to their home regions

Ronzi Ziad Sido, The Head of the Migration Committee in the Iraqi parliament, told PUKMEDIA: "Our committee supports the Iraqi Ministry of Migration in repatriating IDPs to their homes. While the Ministry stresses that all IDPs should return by July, we have suggested extending the process by one month to guarantee that all IDP kids successfully finish their education."

Over 650,000 IDPs are still in the Region

The Iraqi Ministry of Migration reports that there are 664,798 IDPs in the Kurdistan Region. However, PUKMEDIA estimates that 30% to 40% of this number have returned to their homes in the last two years.

According to the International Organisation for Migration, Iraq had the most IDPs in April 2016, with approximately 3.42 million people forced to leave their homes. The vast majority of the IDPs have moved to the Kurdistan Region and settled in camps. The Iraqi Ministry of Migration intends to conduct a census of IDPs who remain in the Kurdistan Region after the end of July and finally resolve Iraq's displacement crisis.



PUKMEDIA