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Compiled by Pacific Disaster Management Information Network
As of Wednesday, March 10, 2010 the Iraq Humanitarian Assistance Report will no longer be published.
March 10, 2010
Overview
Political: After Sunday’s (March-7) parliamentary
elections in Iraq, UN officials said Wednesday (March-10) that initial results
would likely be released by Thursday (March-11) as electoral officials said
they needed at least one more day to reach the 30 percent threshold to declare preliminary
results, Reuters reported. Iraqi security forces, being solely responsible for
security, interrupted various violent attempts to disrupt elections, and by the
end of the critical day, at least 39 people were killed. CNN reported US Gen. Ray
Odierno, the top US military commander in Iraq, saying most of the casualties
on Sunday resulted from a single incident when bombers collapsed an apartment building
in Baghdad, portraying overall security on Election Day as good. Ad Melkert,
the UN special representative to Iraq, told a news conference that the tallying
of votes was proceeding at a good pace and results would probably be announced
on Thursday. Although a decisive victory by any political coalition is
unlikely, Iraqis are hoping results will promote stability after years of
sectarian strife as US troops prepare to withdraw from Iraq by the end of 2011. (Reuters, CNN, March-8, 10)
Despite attempts by Sunni Islamist insurgents to disrupt
elections on Sunday (March-7) by staging attacks, there was a 62 percent voter
turnout, which is above last year’s poll for provincial elections, Reuters
reported on Monday (March-8). Participation was better than expected as many
feared and indicated Iraqis would be deterred to vote by attacks. According to
Christopher Hill, the US ambassador to Baghdad, Iraq’s elections “really went
very, very well.” And the “Iraqi people deserve a lot of congratulations from
us,” CNN reported. CNN added that the overall feeling on election day was the
longing for change, of electing a government that will be able to provide basic
services. Also, Iraqi troops, police, detainees and the ill marked their
ballots on Thursday (March-4), ahead of the main Election Day, when 19 million
eligible voters could participate. The Iraqi election commission said there
were nearly 60 cities worldwide and voting was staggered over three days. Attacks
on security forces occurred despite strict security measures imposed to guard
the 950,000 people able to vote early, with the majority of them from Iraq’s 670,000-strong security forces, Reuters reported. Because Iraqi soldiers and police
voted instead of patrolling or guarding stations, officials viewed Thursday as
the day to be concerned about. Friday (March-5) marked the last day of
campaigning in Iraq. Due to increasing pre-election violence and messages of
insurgents vowing to disrupt the poll, security has been dramatically increased,
restricting travel around the country and authorities have cancelled all leave
for security services, the BBC reported. The parliamentary election is a
critical test for Iraq’s national reconciliation process ahead of a complete US military withdrawal. (Reuters, BBC, March – 5, 8, 10)
UN: The UN Development Program (UNDP) provided support for the
Out of Country Voting (OCV) program of the Iraqi election commission operation.
Out-of-country voting will be held in 16 countries, including Syria, Jordan, the UK, Germany and Australia. The UNDP, under the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq
(UNAMI) Elections Assistance Team, has provided specialized technical
assistance for the elections, including helping the Independent High Electoral
Commission (IHEC) for drafting the standard operations for polling, which consists
of measures to prevent, detect and address irregularities. Also, in
collaboration with UNOPS, UNDP has created post-elections, long-term program to
build the institutional capacity of IHEC developing managerial skills,
organizational know-how and strategic planning abilities. This assistance will
enable IHEC to develop into a leading independent institution that will fulfill
the aspirations of the people of Iraq to live in a democratic society. (UNDP,
March-5)
Refugees/Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs): According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (iDMC), return rates of IDPs and refugees has not
increased in the last year. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and
the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimated that some 350,000
IDPs displaced since 2006 had returned as of November 2009, while 60 percent of
them had gone back to Baghdad and 30 percent to Diyala province. Additionally,
by December 2009, the Ministry of Displacement and Migration had registered
only 44,000 returnee families or about 260,000 people. Because some families do
not meet all necessary requirements to be registered, the high number of
returnees has caused a registration backlog, the iDMC reported. Government
programs have been primarily focusing on return, but no policies of
resettlement or integration have been discussed. According to the iDMC, an
estimated 52 percent of post-2006 IDPs prefer to return to their place of
origin. However, the UNHCR did not encourage refugees to return to Iraq in 2009 due to the volatile security situation. (iDMC, March-4)
With
parliamentary elections less than a week away, Iraqi refugees hope it will
restore security to Iraq to facilitate the safe return of hundreds of thousands
of Iraqis living abroad across the Middle East. The UN High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) reports, however, that Iraqi refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt are divided on whether to take part in elections on Sunday
(March-7). Refugees registered with UNHCR are skeptical into whether elections
will end abductions, killings and suicide bombings that cause them to flee in
the first place. Because the country remains insecure and unstable, return to Iraq is not an option, and many prefer to either remain in host countries or seek
resettlement in third countries, UNHCR reported. Iraqi refugees are split on
whether they will participate in the vote. Some feel their vote will be useless
as there is skepticism whether the election will help Iraqis return to their
country, mainly due to the security situation. Meanwhile, some refugees will
vote as they still have hope that one day security might be restored in Iraq. (UNHCR, March-1)
In an
attempt to urge the Iraqi government to take action after a series of killings,
at least 1,000 minority Christians marched in protest near Mosul, 250 miles
(390 km) north of Baghdad, on Sunday (February-28). In the past two weeks, at
least eight Christians have been killed in Mosul, which now has Pope Benedict
concerned, Reuters reported. During the Pope’s weekly blessing from Vatican City, he appealed to civil authorities to make every effort to provide security
again for the population, in particular to the most vulnerable religious
minorities, Reuters reported. The influx of Christian IDP families from Mosul to the nearby districts of Al Hamdaniyah and Tilkaif in Ninawa governorate has
slowed down between February 27 and March 1. As of March 1, the total number of
IDPs is at 720 families (4,320 people) up from 683 families (4,098 people)
representing only a five percent increase. According to OCHA Iraq, there are
protection concerns for Christian families remaining in Mosul. The Governor of
Ninawa province has formed a committee headed by the Director of Civil Defense
to address humanitarian needs and response. (OCHA, Mar-1)
Civil
Society/Rule of Law: The number of deaths in Iraq since
March 2003 is estimated by Iraq Body Count (IBC) as between 95,593 and 104,291 for
civilians and 4,700 for coalition
forces, including 4,382 US troops, 179 British troops and 139 troops from other
nations. While 4,900-6,375 Iraqi military personnel are estimated to have died
during the 2003 war, reliable figures are unavailable for the new Iraqi
security forces established in late 2003. (icasualties, March-10)
Compared to
the Iraqi civilian death toll of 135 in January, officials said Monday
(March-1) that the civilian death toll in February had leaped to 211, a sign of
increasing violence as parliamentary elections near. Despite an overall
decrease in violence for the last two years, spikes in bomb blasts in recent
months has ruined peace prior to the national vote, which is viewed as a
critical test for Iraq as it emerges from decades of war, sanctions and
sectarian strife. Even as numbers in violence drops, Sunni Islamist insurgents,
such as al-Qaeda, and members of Saddam Hussein’s Baath party are still able to
stage massive attacks that attempt to undermine public confidence in Iraqi
security forces. (Reuters, March-1)
According
to the US military, the number of US troops on the ground in Iraq has dropped below 100,000 for the first time since the 2003 US-led invasion, the
Associated Press (AP) reported. As of Tuesday (February-16), there are 98,000
troops in Iraq, which is a huge drop from the initial 140,000 troops there one
month after the invasion. The vast drop also shows that the US is following its plan to steadily cut the number of combat troops in Iraq to 50,000 by the end of
August, the AP said. By the end of 2011, the US military is scheduled to
completely withdraw from Iraq. (AP, February-16)
In 2009,
the number of Iraqi civilians killed in violence dropped by half to about 4,500
from the previous year’s death toll of 9,226. Despite the decrease in deaths,
improvements in security have slowed, while large-scale bombings that have
killed hundreds of people, has become the troubling new trend. Additionally,
although there has been a dramatic drop in violence since the height of
sectarian violence in 2003, human rights group Iraq Body Count’s co founder and
spokesman, John Sloboda, was quoted by Reuters as saying, “Iraq is clearly
suffering more daily violence from terrorism and instability than any other
country, considerably more violence even than Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
(Reuters, January-1)
Humanitarian
Situation and Access:
Since early 2008, an improving security
situation has encouraged some foreign and local aid agencies to return to Iraq and resume humanitarian operations. Additionally, in February a new law was passed, granting
more freedom to NGOs. These changes have Iraqi activists hoping for a new era
of cooperation between the soon to be announced next government and
humanitarian workers. Hanaa Adward, head of Baghdad-based Al-Amal NGO was
quoted by the UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) as saying, “The
government and statesmen are still far from understanding the role and concept
of NGOs…So I hope the coming period will bring new people who understand NGOs
and the importance of having partnership between them and the government.” IRIN
also reported Ahmed Hassan Rasheed of the NGO Human Relief Foundation saying
that bureaucracy and an absence of cooperation with some ministries were the
main hurdles NGOs needed to overcome. (IRIN, March-7)
Human
Rights Watch (HRW) released a report on Saturday (February-27) saying that
political parties and candidates participating in Iraq’s elections should
promise to uphold human rights. Elections will be a critical indicator of
whether Iraq is moving toward political stability and respect for human rights
and away from sectarian violence. The NGO’s six-page report, “Iraq’s 2010 National Elections: A Human Rights Platform for Candidates,” aims on five key
areas of human rights issues, such as electoral exclusion and violence against
vulnerable groups. HRW highlights the ban of hundreds of candidates as an
example for the need for politicians to make human rights reform a priority.
Even though violence has subsided significantly, armed groups continually
persecute minorities without punishment, and violence against women and girls
remains in the country. (HRW, February-27)
The Iraqi
parliament passed a new NGO law on Monday (January-25), and now awaits approval
by the three-man presidential council, the NGO Coordination Committee for Iraq
(NCCI) reported. AKnews reported Alaa Talabany, chief of the civil society
committee, calling the adoption of the law a “big achievement” after the law had
been adjusted several times. Civil society activists are appealing to those
involved in the advocacy process to use any connections they have with the
presidential council to ensure that the law is passed. Among the many
improvements made to the NGO law since the March 2009 draft, one major change
includes the reversal of prohibiting Iraqi NGOs from receiving foreign funding
or from “affiliating” with any foreign entity without the approval of the
government. The new law has removed those provisions, enabling NGOs to
efficiently partner with the international community on reconstruction and
humanitarian assistance projects, according to the NCCI. (NCCI, AKnews,
January-26)
Economy/Oil: Iraqi crude oil production averaged
2.45 million barrels per day (MBPD) as of February 24, which is the same as the
previous week. (USDOS, February-24) Iraqi crude oil exports averaged 1.99 MBPD
as of February 24, which is an increase of 0.02 from the previous week. (USDOS,
February-24)
Iraqi oil
minister Hussain al-Shahristani said prices are at satisfactory levels, and
does not expect OPEC to make changes to output during its next meeting
scheduled for March 17. The minister told the AP that OPEC will instead discuss
lackluster member compliance with output targets. According to the AP, OPEC
announced a series of production cuts in the second half of 2008 that lowered
oil output by 4.2 million barrels per day. (AP, Feb-24)
A US$3.64
billion loan for Iraq was approved by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on
February 25 to help plug financing needs of close to US$5 billion until the end
of 2011, Reuters reported. Additionally, the gap would be filled by funding
from the World Bank and other small donors, Reuters reported the IMF mission
chief, Ron van Rooden, as saying. According to van Rooden, “The authorities
view the program primarily as a way to provide a sound macroeconomic framework
during a period of high economic and political uncertainty with elections
coming up in March.” An economic framework in place was wanted before the
elections, which would guide Iraq through this period, particularly because it
is up in the air on how long it will take before a new government may be
formed. (Reuters, February-25)
At the
annual International Petroleum Week conference in London last week, oil
industry leaders believe that Iraq’s resurgence as a major oil producer will
change the world’s energy market, but caution that Iraq still needs to improve
security, infrastructure and export paths, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
According to the AP, participant’s said efforts to boost production would have
a profound impact, but were skeptical of the country’s target to raise output
from 2.5 million barrels per day to more than 12 million in some six years, the
AP reported. In January, Iraq awarded the last of 10 international licenses to
develop oil fields. Current production levels are far below the pre-2003 war
output, according to the AP. (AP, USDOS, February-16)
Iraq’s oil ministry said January 21 that
the country’s oil exports climbed by about 8.5 percent while revenues soared
almost 43 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009, compared to the same period a
year earlier, the Associated Press (AP) reported. According to the AP, oil
exports for the last three months of 2009 averaged almost 1.92 million barrels
per day versus around 1.76 million barrels per day in 2008, while revenue from
oil sales came in at around US$12.89 billion compared to US$7.35 billion.
According to the AP, the surge in revenue is more likely linked to the rebound
in oil prices. The country produces some 2.5 million barrels of oil per day. Iraq has been trying to boost output and exports, and as of the end of 2009, Iraq has made agreements for the development of 11 oil fields with international companies.
(AP, February-2)
Water/Power: The electricity supply from
the grid between February 17-23 was nine percent higher than the year-earlier
period and met 70 percent of the estimated demand, compared with 60 percent
reported during the year-earlier period. (USDOS, February-24) During 2009,
there was a continued and accelerated growth in grid power that started in
September 2007. The growth has significantly reduced the gap between grid
supply and estimated demand for the first time. (USDOS, January-13)
Food: Head of Iraq’s Trade Ministry’s
Planning and Food Rationing Directorate, Riadh Fakhir al-Hashimi, told the UN’s
Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) that the Iraqi government has
started streamlining the state food aid system by excluding from distribution
lists for state food aid those considered well-off as a way of improving the
Public Distribution System that has been deteriorating from insecurity, poor
management and corruption. Al-Hashimi reported that the ministry had received
70,000 food rationing cards, meaning about 120,000 people had already been
excluded from the food aid system. He added that those excluded would revert
back to receiving state food aid if their incomes dropped below a certain
level. Another stipulation included that if a well-off person is head of the
family, the aid would be halted to all family members. Planning Ministry
spokesman Abdul-Zahra Al-Hindawi added that quantity and quality of food items
and their distribution timeframe was also important in improving the system.
(IRIN, February-9)
Health/Medical: As of Wednesday (February-10), the
UN World Health Organization (WHO) reported Iraq’s H1N1 flu death toll at 42,
which is the same as the previous update on Thursday (January-28). According to
the UN agency, the Eastern Mediterranean Region Office (EMRO) has cumulatively confirmed
1,018 H1N1 flu deaths in 20 member states. (WHO, February-10) The WHO says the
reported death toll is an under representation of the actual numbers as many
deaths are never tested or recognized as influenza related. Iraq is one of the countries in the EMRO to have already experienced a peak in activity
during December 2009 and in the first week of January 2010. (WHO, January-26)
Officials
from Wasit province are introducing financial and other incentives to attract
specialist doctors to return to local health facilities, the UN’s Integrated
Regional Networks (IRIN) reported. The head of Wasit Provincial Council,
Mahmoud Abdul-Ridha Talal, said incentives offered included a payment of the equivalent
between US$850 and US$1,700 to various specialist doctors, and car and housing
allowances. The continual lack of specialists in Wasit forces Iraqis to seek
the services of inexperienced junior doctors, IRIN reported. Between 2003 and
2008, 8,000 of the Iraq’s 15,500 doctors left their jobs due to violence, the
Health Ministry said, and in late 2008 called on all doctors to return,
promising secure accommodation, gun permits and increased salaries. The Health
Ministry tallied the return of 1,480 doctors by the end of 2009. According to
ministry spokesman Sabah Abdullah Karkokli, 10 mega-hospitals are now being
built, where there will be housing complexes for doctors. (IRIN, February-11)
In-Country
Humanitarian Assistance Information by Region
North Region
|
Erbil, Dahuk, Sulaymaniyah
|
|
Coordination
|
US forces handed responsibility for
security in Iraq’s three northern provinces of Erbil, Dahuk and Sulaymaniyah
to the Kurdish regional government in May of 2007.
|
|
Population
|
Population
of Erbil: 1,392,093
Population
of Sulaymaniyah: 1,715,585
Population
of Dahuk: 954,087
|
|
IDP
Movement
|
Internally Displaced Persons
(IDPs) by province/governorate
|
Province
|
Current
|
Historical
|
|
Individuals displaced
after Feb 2006
|
Families displaced
after Feb 2006
|
Families displaced 2003-2005
|
Families displaced pre-2003
|
|
Erbil
|
55,650
|
9,275
|
76
|
32,737
|
|
Dahuk
|
104,824
|
18,406
|
22
|
22,452
|
|
Sulaymaniyah
|
49,836
|
8,306
|
35
|
50,430
|
(IOM,
Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration, August 2009)
With
support from a Quick Response Fund grant, the “Kids House,” a school and
community center for IDP children in Erbil province, brought necessary
equipment and supplies, as the school does not receive the same level of
government aid as residential schools. Thus, the quality of educational
services is far below other schools in the area. The “Kids House” educates
children of all religious backgrounds who have left violence in Baghdad and Mosul. (USDOS, Aug-26)
|
|
Food
|
No New
Information
|
|
Health
|
No New
Information
|
|
Non-Food
Items –Shelter
|
In
Sulaymaniyah province, a “Post-War Art and Culture Festival,” sponsored by
the Regional Reconstruction Team Erbil, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG),
British Embassy and local Kahk TC, was held from November 7-9. The event was
the first of its kind and was included the presence of KRG Prime Minister Barham
Salih, First Lady Hero Ibrahim Ahmed Talabani and many artists and scholars
from Iraq, the UK, the US, Spain, Turkey, Egypt, Japan, Nigeria and other
countries. (USDOS, Nov-24)
|
|
Water
& Sanitation
|
No New
Information
|
|
Security
|
No New
Information
|
|
Other/Comments
|
A language-training project at the Ainkawa Social Youth Club was
launched on November 22 by the members of the Erbil Regional Reconstruction
Team and officials from the Kurdistan Regional Government. The purpose of the
project is to teach the Kurdish language to residents from the Ainkawa
district of Erbil province who are originally from outside Iraq’s Kurdish
region and are not able to find employment or participate in local civil
life. The program will last six months and teach an estimated 480 adults
basic Kurdish speaking, reading and writing. Officials hope the efforts of
the initiative will facilitate successful integration of many IDPs in the
region into the broader community. (USDOS, Dec-9)
|
|
At Tamim, Ninawa, Salah ad Din
|
|
Coordination
|
The
Provincial Reconstruction Team Kirkuk recently facilitated a meeting between
13 ethnically and politically diverse elections-focused NGOs working in the
province. The NGOS discussed their role in the elections process and
identified voter education, helping with security and monitoring as main
components to hold successful elections. The group agreed to hold a follow-up
meeting to discuss lessons learned and best practices. (USDOS, Jan-13)
|
|
Population
|
Population
of Mosul: 2,811,091
Population
of Kirkuk: 902,019
|
|
IDP
Movement
|
Internally Displaced Persons
(IDPs) by Province/Governorate
|
Province
|
Current
|
Historical
|
|
Individuals displaced
after Feb 2006
|
Families displaced
after Feb 2006
|
Families displaced 2003-2005
|
Families displaced pre-2003
|
|
Kirkuk
|
52,788
|
8,798
|
1,068
|
184
|
|
Ninawa
|
106,623
|
19,040
|
4,625
|
1,947
|
|
Salah
ad Din
|
59,016
|
9,836
|
3,006
|
360
|
(IOM,
Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration, July, September 2009)
Due to
the growing number of IDPs in Ninawa province, governor Athil al-Nujaifi
requested that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) assist Ninawa in
dealing with the situation. At a meeting with the head of the UNHCR office in
Erbil, Charles Lynch, al-Nujaifi urged UNHCR to take an “active role,” as
there are a large number of IDPs from Mosul and tens of thousands from
Talafar and other areas along the Kurdistan region. The Iraqi Ministry of
Displacement and Migration estimated that 30,000 displaced persons are
currently in Ninawa province. (USDOS, Sept-30)
|
|
Food
|
No New
Information
|
|
Health
|
Working
with the US Army’s 364th Medical Civil Affairs Team, Provincial
Reconstruction Team Ninawa held a public-health training session for 55 Iraqi
health care professionals focusing on skills and techniques to decrease
infant mortality rates in Ninawa province. Iraqi health professionals were
trained in “identifying potential maternal risks, proper delivery techniques
and the identification and treatment of childhood disease.” According to
statistics, Iraq has a mother/infant mortality rate that is currently nine
times higher than the US. (USDOS, Jan-13)
|
|
Non-Food
Items –Shelter
|
Thirty-six
greenhouses have been completed throughout Ninawa province by the Provincial
Reconstruction Team (PRT) and local farmers associations. Finishing the
greenhouses ends the first phase of a grassroots capacity-building program to
purchase and construct greenhouses for Iraqi farmers. The program involves
local farmers entering a lottery to have a chance in winning a greenhouse
that is funded by the PRT. Winners are trained from the Ministry of
Agriculture on the greenhouse farming industry. (USDOS, Jan-6)
|
|
Water
& Sanitation
|
An
increase in population in Ninawa province has strained on the already taxed
system and has left many with little to no access to running water. USDOS
reported that eight water pumping stations were either constructed or
repaired to provide running water to the rural communities outside Mosul in the province. These pumps will increase water volume capacity to bring water to
more villages. The project brought 115 local residents jobs that helped to
boost the local economy. (USDOS, July-22)
|
|
Security
|
In Kirkuk (At-Tamim) province, a bomb attack targeting an
election rally in southern Kirkuk, 155 miles (250 km) north of Baghdad, wounded three civilians on Thursday (Mar-4). In southern Kirkuk on Friday
(Mar-5), gunmen in a speeding car shot and wounded seven people. In two
different towns in the city of Kirkuk, two roadside bombs blew up on Sunday
(Mar-7), but no casualties were reported. In Kirkuk, six people were wounded
when residents fired weapons to celebrate Iraq’s election on Sunday. Gunmen
attacked a convoy carrying a district police chief south of Kirkuk, wounding
two of his guards on Tuesday (Mar-9).
In Ninawa province on Thursday: a policeman and a soldier were
wounded when unknown gunmen hurled hand grenades at two polling stations in
eastern Mosul, 240 miles (390 km) north of Baghdad. On Sunday: two soldiers
were wounded in western Mosul after a roadside bomb detonated near an Iraqi
army checkpoint near a polling station. In eastern Mosul, a hand grenade was
hurled at a polling station, wounding seven people. In the area, a mortar
round landed near a polling station, but reportedly caused no casualties. The
police also detonated two bombs placed near polling stations. Attacks
targeting polling centers in Mosul on Sunday resulted in a woman’s death and
36 wounded. On Tuesday: gunmen shot dead a civilian at a bus terminal in
central Mosul. Nearby, clashes between gunmen and police killed one policeman
and one gunman at a police checkpoint. In Mosul, Iraqi police shot and
wounded a man who was driving a car holding explosives. The suspect was
arrested and the explosives were defused.
(Reuters, Mar 4-10)
|
|
Other/Comments
|
The Provincial
Reconstruction Team (PRT) Salah ad Din participated in a groundbreaking
ceremony on February 8 to celebrate the beginning of a road project
connecting the village of Tulul el Baq to the town of Sharqat. Funding for
the road project is being funded by US forces in conjunction with the
Government of Iraq, but will be constructed by local Iraqis. The project is
expected to bolster both short and long-term employment in the region. In
addition to the road triggering economic improvements, it will also unite
residents from both villages and enhance transportation and communication
between the two areas. (USDOS, Feb-17)
|
Central/West Regions
|
Anbar, Diyala, Karbala, Babil,
Wasit, Najaf, Qadissiya
|
|
Coordination
|
The
Government of Iraq took over responsibility of Camp Baharia and Combat
Outpost Castillo from US forces in Anbar province on September 2. Commanding
officer of Regimental Combat Team 6 said the transfer of authority was a
significant example of the progress the Iraqi Security Forces has made.
(USDOS, Sept-9)
|
|
Population
|
Population
of Anbar: 1,485,985
Population
of Diyala: 1,560,621
Population
of Karbala: 887,858
Population
of Wasit: 1,064,950
Population
of Najaf: 1,081,203
Population
of Qadissiya: 990,483
|
|
IDP
Movement
|
Internally Displaced Persons
(IDPs) by Province/Governorate
|
Province
|
Individuals displaced
after Feb 2006
|
Families displaced
after Feb 2006
|
Families displaced 2003-2005
|
Families displaced pre-2003
|
|
Anbar
|
61,548
|
10,258
|
4,685
|
218
|
|
Diyala
|
136,891
|
21,064
|
6,691
|
2,409
|
|
Karbala
|
62,022
|
10,337
|
1,328
|
17,490
|
|
Babil
|
77,197
|
12,677
|
821
|
654
|
|
Wasit
|
77,298
|
12,883
|
1,960
|
70
|
|
Najaf
|
67,056
|
11,698
|
160
|
3,833
|
|
Qadissiya
|
22,998
|
13,833
|
932
|
222
|
(IOM,
Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration, July-September 2009)
Diyala province, which has the second highest number of IDPs
after Baghdad, is slowly seeing improvement in the security situation, and
thousands of displaced families returning to their homes, the UNs Integrated
Regional Information Networks (IRIN) reported officials in the Ministry of
Displacement and Migration (MoDM) in Diyala as saying. Although the security
situation in some parts of the province are still violent, a senior official
in the MoDM reported some 12,800 displaced families (roughly 77,000
individuals) had returned to their homes between late 2008 and 31 December
2009. But, Mohammed added that 39,000 families remained displaced with 13,000
within the province and 26,000 in other provinces. About 12,500 families that
returned received the Iraqi government’s one-off grant of US$850 (1 million
Iraqi dinars) and other aid to help them resume their lives, while the
remaining 400 families would receive aid soon. (IRIN, Mar-9)
|
|
Food
|
Outside
of al-Ahrar in Wasit province, a community outreach and reconciliation Iftar
was held in a small farming town. The provinces’ PRT participated in the
event, which was designed to include the less advantaged. The dinner took
place in a humble setting by a canal which carries an inadequate water
supply. Additionally, backpacks and school supplies were given out to local
children during the event. (USDOS, Sept-30)
|
|
Health
|
Doctors in Anbar provinces’ city of Falluja have reported an
increased level of birth detects, and are blaming weapons used by the US after the Iraq invasion, the BBC reported on Thursday (Mar-4). The level of heart defects among
newborn babies is said to be 13 times higher than in Europe, the BBC
reported, and according to pediatrician Samira al-Ani, who works at a
US-funded hospital in Falluja, she was seeing as many as two or three cases a
day, the majority having cardiac defects. (BBC, March-4)
|
|
Non-Food
Items –Shelter
|
The Provincial Reconstruction Team Anbar, local tribal and
district leaders, and Marines worked together to develop a four-part plan to
increase fuel availability to Anbar province. Since implementing the plan, fuel
deliveries have nearly tripled monthly. In mid-2008, the PRT joined with the
Director General of the Anbar Fuel Distribution Company to execute Phase I of
the plan and installed 12 new pumps at the Ramadi Fuel Distribution Center. By August 2008, the upgrades doubled the center’s handling capacity from 22
million liters to 48 million liters of refined fuel per month. In late 2008,
phase II was implemented, which was the refurbishing of the Anbar Rail Fuel
Point offloading facility. Phase III of the plan was completed in September
2009, which involved the installation of additional pumping stations at the Ramadi Fuel Distribution Center. Phase IV of the plan was completed with the
inauguration of a New Fuel Distribution Headquarters building, which allows
the Ministry of Oil to consolidate its 485 personnel in one location and to
centralize its control over fuel distribution in the province. In addition, they
rebuilt the Haditha Oil Refinery that has been out of service since early 2003.
It reopened on July 14, 2008. The refinery provides benzene, diesel and
kerosene and in the future will provide heavy fuel oil to the Al-Qa’im and
Kubaysah cement factories and the Tahadi electrical generator plant. The
government is currently implementing plans in cooperation with the PRT to
revitalize its railroad infrastructure. (US Embassy, Feb-24)
|
|
Water
& Sanitation
|
In Babil
province, the severe drought is causing major issues for residents and
officials. The Provincial Council has filed a lawsuit against the Water
Resources Ministry for unfair division of resources. Making matters worse, a
number of bottling plants have been shut down in the region due to health
reasons. So far, Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Babil has eased the shortage
by delivering seven potable water tanker trucks as a part of its anti-cholera
campaign. The PRT has also provided the installation of 10,000-liter plastic
water tanks and solar-powered water purification units in rural villages
throughout the province. (USDOS, Sept-16)
|
|
Security
|
In Anbar province, near a polling
center on election day (Sunday, Mar-7), 17 mortar rounds landed in Falluja,
32 miles (50 km) west of Baghdad, wounding two policemen and four civilians.
In western Falluja, a roadside bomb blew up without causing any casualties on
Sunday. Two civilians were killed and a third was wounded by gunmen on Monday
(Mar-8) south of Falluja.
In Babil province, one person was
killed and 11 were wounded during two mortar attacks in the town of Mahmudiya, 20 miles (30 km) south of Baghdad, on Sunday. In the town of Yusufiya, a mortar
attack wounded one person on Sunday.
In Najaf province, at least four
Iranian pilgrims were killed and 54 were wounded, including 17 Iraqis and 37
Iranians, when a car bomb detonated near Iraq’s holiest Shi’ite shrine in
Najaf on Saturday (Mar-6).
(Reuters, Mar 4-10)
|
|
Other/Comments
|
The Wasit Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) on February 26
sponsored a cultural arts festival at the Wasit Provincial Council auditorium
in Al-Kut. The event centered on themes of “reconciliation and
anti-corruption” and on voting and individual democratic responsibility. The
chair of the Iraqi High Electoral Commission (IHEC) presented videos on the
importance of voter participation and distributed election-related materials.
(US Embassy, Feb-26)
|
Baghdad
|
Baghdad
|
|
Coordination
|
On August
23, US forces transferred authority of the new Iraqi Air Force Headquarters
Complex to the Iraqi Air Force (IAF). The new name of the headquarters
complex is called “Hawk Base” and is located near the new Al-Muthanna Air
Base at the Baghdad International Airport. Currently, there are more than
2,100 IAF members and the new complex will house more than 270 IAF personnel.
(USDOS, Sept-2)
Control
over Joint Security Station (JSS) Zubaida, located south of Baghdad was
transferred to the Iraq Security Forces (ISF) from US Forces on August 10.
Two homes and a few acres of land were given back to the previous civilian
owners, but the majority of JSS Zubaida is still under ISF control. (USDOS,
Aug-19)
|
|
Population
|
Population:
7,145,470
|
|
IDP
Movement
|
Internally Displaced Persons
(IDPs) by Province/Governorate
|
|
Current
|
Historical
|
|
Province
|
Individuals displaced
after Feb 2006
|
Families displaced
after Feb 2006
|
Families displaced 2003-2005
|
Families displaced pre-2003
|
|
Baghdad
|
602,022
|
100,337
|
1,586
|
2,281
|
(IOM,
Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration, July 2009)
|
|
Food
|
No New
Information
|
|
Health
|
No New
Information
|
|
Non-Food
Items –Shelter
|
In its
first phase of a US$10 billion plan to rebuild Sadr City slum, Baghdad asked
foreign companies on Thursday (Jan-21) to sign up for a project to design and
build 75,000 apartments. The projects will span 22 sq miles (56 sq km) to be
constructed over 10 years, and will include 150,000 apartments, stores,
service buildings, a medical complex, a university and entertainment center. Baghdad has hired British-based architects, Broadway Maylan, for the Sadr city project.
(Reuters, Jan-21)
|
|
Security
|
On Thursday (Mar-4), at least seven soldiers and police were
killed and 35 were wounded in two different districts in Baghdad. Near a
voting center that will be used as a polling station on Sunday (Mar-7), an
explosion killed five civilians and wounded 22 in Baghdad’s northwestern
district of Hurriya.
On Saturday (Mar-6), six people were wounded, including three
policemen, by a roadside bomb that exploded near a police patrol in the Doura
district of southern Baghdad.
On Sunday (Mar-7), a blast at a block of flats in the Ur neighborhood of northeastern Baghdad killed 25 people and wounded at least 20. Four
civilians were killed and 12 were wounded in an explosion at another block of
flats in southwestern Baghdad. The election day also brought about dozen of
mortar rounds that landed in several locations in Baghdad. Three civilians
were wounded in the western district of Jihad, while two more were injured in
northern Baghdad. In western Baghdad, one was wounded and five more in the
western districts of Mansour, Jamiaa and al-Furat. Three mortar rounds landed
on the Green Zone government and diplomatic compound, while other mortar
rounds landed near a school used as a polling center in western Baghdad, near a mosque in Adhamiya district, and near another polling center in Jihad. No
casualties were reported from those incidents. No casualties were also
reported after 20 mortar shells were launched on Baghdad’s southern district
of Doura. Roadside bombs killed at least four people and wounded some 16
after they exploded in northern Baghdad, in western Baghdad and in the southeastern
suburb of Madaen, by a polling center in Khadra district and near a polling center
in Jihad. Four more people were killed and another 16 were wounded when
Katyusha rockets were fired into the northern district of Qreiat and the
northwestern neighborhood of al-Hurriya.
On Tuesday (Mar-9), a shootout on Abu Nawas Street in central Baghdad ended with a traffic police officer and a gunman dead, and two wounded gunmen. Officials
said a car driven by the gunmen held explosives, but were destroyed by police
in a controlled explosion.
(Reuters, Mar 4-10)
|
|
Water
& Sanitation
|
At a US military base near Baghdad, Camp Taji, US bomb disposal experts are training Iraqis to take over
once they leave at the end of 2011. Reuters reported on Sunday (Oct-11) that
four Iraqi army staff had received training this week from a US explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team. (Reuters, Oct-11)
|
|
Other/Comments
|
No New
Information
|
South Region
|
Basrah
|
|
Coordination
|
The US military on Wednesday (Sept-16) closed Camp Bucca, a prison that was once it’s largest in Iraq, according to the Associated Press (AP). The isolated Camp Bucca is located in Basrah
province, just north of the Kuwaiti border, and has held thousands of
prisoners over the years. The estimated 180 remaining detainees were to be
transferred to either Camp Taji or Camp Cropper located outside of Baghdad, which are the US military’s remaining detention facilities. The US military is trying to empty its detention facilities following an implication set in the security
pact that came into effect in January. It requires them to either transfer
detainees to Iraqi custody for prosecution or release them. Around 5,600
detainees since January have been freed due to a lack of evidence, and the
military’s unwillingness to compromise intelligence sources by bringing them
forward as witnesses. Around 1,400 have been handed over to the Iraqis, while
the US military holds some 8,400 prisoners. Camp Bucca was the target of
abuse allegations from detainees and rights groups that said that detainees
were held for years without charge and was also the site of several riots.
The closing of Bucca is a step towards shutting down a detention system that
was tainted by the Abu Ghraib scandal. Taji is scheduled to be turned over to
Iraqi control on January 10 and Cropper will be the last detention facility
handed over to the Iraqis in August 2010. (AP, Sept-16)
|
|
Population
|
Population
of Basrah: 1,912,533
|
|
IDP
Movement
|
Internally Displaced Persons
(IDPs) by Province/Governorate
|
|
Current
|
Historical
|
|
Province
|
Individuals displaced
after Feb 2006
|
Families displaced
after Feb 2006
|
Families displaced 2003-2005
|
Families displaced pre-2003
|
|
Basrah
|
41,808
|
6,968
|
284
|
15,494
|
(IOM,
Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration, September 2009)
|
|
Food
|
In Basrah
province, US soldiers from the 17th Fires Brigade and the 4th
Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team along with their Iraqi
counterparts distributed food and supplies to residents of Faddaqhryah and
Bahar on August 18. According to Army Lt. Col. Ross C. Scott, 17th
Fires Brigade civil affairs officer, the Iraqi army delivered more than 400
packages at an estimated cost of US$90,000. The handed out packages are able
to feed a family of eight for 30 days. The humanitarian mission by the US soldiers was held to help the Iraqi army provide much needed humanitarian assistance and lay the
groundwork for a sustained and healthy relationship between Iraq’s soldiers and its people, Scott told the American Forces Press Service. (AFPS, Aug-24)
|
|
Health
|
No New
Information
|
|
Non-Food
Items –Shelter
|
In
conjunction with the 17th Fires Brigade and prestigious citizens
of the Basrah community, members of Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT)
Basrah got together to inaugurate the completion of 14 different projects
aimed to improve electricity transmission to 15 of the districts in the
province. The PRT and military funded these projects, which will provide more
consistent electricity to 18,000 homes and 137,000 residents, and
significantly reduce the number of blackouts that normally occur. The PRT is
in the process of working with the provincial government to create a
maintenance and operations program for constant upkeep and improvement of the
region’s electrical infrastructure. (USDOS, Feb-3)
|
|
Water &
Sanitation
|
The
Basrah Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) held the grand opening for a
potable-water distribution site that is now operational for authorized
tankers to fill up and distribute drinking water across the province. Output
to the new site is close to 10 million liters per day. The PRT is now
exploring the idea of increasing water distribution to the Umm Qasr port
within the next year. Basrah province has coped with an acute water shortage
for months due to severe drought in Iraq and a reduced water flow from
upstream sources of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. (USDOS, Oct-28)
|
|
Security
|
No New
Information
|
|
Other/Comments
|
In Basrah
province, the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) delivered manual and
electric sewing machines to the Basrah Deaf and Mute Society, which trains
young women to sew and create hand-made crafts. (USDOS, Sept-30)
|
|
Muthanna, Dhi Qar,
Maysan
|
|
Coordination
|
No New
Information
|
|
Population
|
Population of Muthanna: 614,997
Population of Dhi Qar: 1,616,226
Population of Maysan (Missan): 824,147
|
|
IDP
Movement
|
Internally Displaced Persons
(IDPs) by Province/Governorate
|
Province
|
Current
|
Historical
|
|
Individuals displaced
after Feb 2006
|
Families displaced
after Feb 2006
|
Families displaced 2003-2005
|
Families displaced pre-2003
|
|
Muthanna
|
20,787
|
2,794
|
437
|
424
|
|
Dhi Qar
|
46,314
|
7,719
|
3,569
|
657
|
|
Maysan
|
49,776
|
7,269
|
406
|
18,465
|
(IOM,
Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration, September 2009)
|
|
Food
|
The Iraqi
government had ordered the renovations for the Amarah grain storage facility
and flour mill in Maysan province recently, which had not been operational
since 1976. Members of the Maysan Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT)
visited the facility and asked if it could help rebuild loading ramps and
provide belts for grain unloading vacuums. Over the years, grain production
in Maysan had drastically decreased and now, most wheat consumed in the area
is imported. (USDOS, Oct-7)
|
|
Health
|
The
Maysan Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) coordinated a “Train the Trainer”
exercise as an effort to bring specialized medical training to Maysani
doctors, nurses and healthcare administrators. Held at the request of the
Maysan Department of Health and the al-Sadr Surgical Hospital, attendees
participated in trauma and critical care sessions taught by US medical staff.
There has been high demand for the training, and Iraqi healthcare providers
are requesting additional instruction. (USDOS, Oct-28)
|
|
Non-Food
Items –Shelter
|
PRT Muthanna, along with its USG partners, has sponsored nearly
1,000 projects worth over US$300 million in Muthanna province. According to
the US Embassy, the projects include infrastructure upgrades, new and
renovated schools, agriculture improvements, business training, women’s
projects and government initiatives. (US Embassy, Feb-25)
|
|
Water
& Sanitation
|
In Maysan
province, over 20,000 Qalat Salah residents now have greater access to clean
water thanks to a partnership between the Maysan Provincial Reconstruction
Team (PRT) and the Maysan provincial government. The US$300,000 project
refurbished two water compact units to allow for better quality and
availability of water. Prior to the project, the units were operating at 50
percent, but now are 100 percent functional. (USDOS, Nov-12)
|
|
Security
|
No New
Information
|
|
Other/Comments
|
The
Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Muthanna has been working alongside the
NGO A New Dawn for Iraqi Women to provide literacy classes for more than 200
residents of Muthanna province. Of 240 residents receiving instruction, 40
are women who often face both economic and cultural obstacles to education.
The PRT and NGO hope to train the 240 over two four-month sessions and
provide them with the ability to write and read. (US Embassy, Feb-16)
The
Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Dhi Qar hosted a Rule of Law Conference
on January 7 at their Mittica Training Center to discuss issues such as the
role of the police, investigations, obstacles to rule of law efforts and the
relationship between the judiciary and police. Participants of the events
identified insufficient funding and a weak information-sharing mechanism as
the biggest obstacles to establishing effective rule of law in the province.
The attendees - local representatives from the judiciary, police and the
Human Rights Office – agreed to have similar coordinating meetings on a
monthly basis. (USDOS, Jan-20)
|
Neighboring
Countries’ Humanitarian Activities/Preparations
Jordan
Iraq’s Independent High Electoral
Commission (IHEC) established a representation office in Amman, Jordan for arranging and supervising the voting process for an estimated 500,000 Iraqis living in Iraq’s neighboring country, the Deutsche Press-Agentur (DPA) reported government officials
as saying on Friday (January-29). Iraqi government spokesman Ali Dabbagh met
with Jordanian Interior Minister Nayef Qadi to talk about measures taken by the
Jordanian authorities to make sure a smooth polling process for Iraqis in Jordan. The agreement involved eight polling stations in the cities of Amman, Zarqa and
Irabid for Iraqis. (DPA, January-29)
An
estimated 2.4 million Palestinian and Iraqi refugees are currently residing in Jordan, which has put an added burden on the country’s economy and social structure,
according to UN estimates. The Norwegian Institute for Applied Social Sciences
in 2007 conducted a study that estimated the number of Iraqi refugees in Jordan as 450,000 to 500,000. The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation,
Suhair al-Ali, also noted that the Jordanian treasury endured a burden of US$2
billion dollars in terms of infrastructure and services due to the influx of
Iraqi refugees between 2005 and 2008. Due to the crumbling security situation
in Iraq, the Jordanian government and the UNHCR teamed up to create solutions
for Iraq and other refugees who fled to Jordan. (DPA, December-9)
Iran
On
Wednesday (January-27), a small contingent of Iranian troops fully withdrew
from an area near Fakka oilfield, an inactive oil well in Iraq’s southeastern Maysan province, according to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry. The ministry
said in a statement that both Iraq and Iran’s foreign ministers agreed to
maintain friendly relations and pull out all military forces in the area to
their original positions, displaying a common goal of enhancing bilateral
relations. In mid-December, a dozen Iranian soldiers crossed into Iraqi territory
and raised the Iranian flag over the well, triggering protests from Baghdad and concerns from world oil markets. (Reuters, January-27)
Turkey
On Friday
(November-13), Turkey unveiled plans to expand the rights of its Kurdish
population, which are seen as boosting the country’s hopes of joining the
European Union (EU), and ending a 25-year old conflict with the Kurdistan
Worker’s Party (PKK) rebels that has killed over 40,000 people, Reuters
reported. Reforms include the creation of an independent body to investigate
cases of torture and loosening the restrictions on the Kurdish language.
Additionally, the reforms are designed to encourage PKK rebels to disband, as
they are seen as a terrorist group by Ankara, the US and the EU. Displaying
resistance the reform process faces in parliament, the main opposition party,
Republican People’s Party (CHP), walked out of the chamber when Turkish Prime
Minister Tayyip Erdogan accused opponents of not wanting the conflict to end.
(Reuters, November-13)
Kuwait
According
to Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Salem al-Sabah, his country is
concerned of a rise in militant attacks and sectarian tensions in Iraq that could create a new security threat for the Gulf Arab oil producer. Al-Sabah was
quoted by Reuters as saying, “I’m worried about the collapse of the security
system in Iraq, which could drive many Iraqis to seek refuge in Kuwait.” He focused on the numerous large-scale bombings across Iraq, and expressed his
fears of sectarian conflict, terrorism, and al-Qaeda groups spreading into his
country. Kuwait has been largely successful in abating violence by Islamist
militants. Last year, they defeated an al-Qaeda linked plan to bomb a US army camp and an oil refinery in the OPEC oil exporting state. (Reuters, January-17)
Syria
On Monday
(February-1), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) closed the Al Tanf
refugee camp, located between the borders of Syria and Iraq, moving the last of the Palestinian refugees temporarily to a refugee camp inside Syria, Al Hol, UNHCR reported. The UN refugee agency had been working in cooperation with
Syrian authorities to allow the relocation of 60 camp residents. Al Tanf was
supposed to be a temporary stay, but the refugees ended up staying almost four
years, and endured harsh desert conditions. UNHCR and its partners have
provided relief and have been proactive in finding humanitarian solutions for refugees
in hopes of giving them a new start at life. Although Syria’s Al Hol camp is slightly better than Al Tanf camp, circumstances are not sustainable and a
solution is needed to help over 600 Palestinians from Iraq now living there, according to UNHCR. (UNHCR, February-1)
Saudi Arabia
Former
Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi held talks with Saudi King Abdullah and other
politicians in Riyadh on Saturday (February-20), according to news reports. The
official Saudi SPA news agency said the talks were also attended by the head of
Saudi intelligence, Prince Muqrin bin Abdul-Aziz, but gave no details.
According to Reuters, Saudi Arabia, a Sunni nation, is concerned over the
growing influence in Iraq and other countries in the region of Shi’ite rival Iran. Allawi is a Shi’ite, but is a secularist. According to Reuters, Saleh al-Mutlaq, the
leader of Allawi’s Sunni allies in the Iraqiya list, withdrew his National
Dialog Front from the upcoming March 7 ballot after he was banned for alleged
links to Saddam Hussein’s outlawed Baath party. Mutlaq was one of some 145
candidates whose appeals against a decision by a Shi’ite dominated commission
to bar them from the polls was rejected, Reuters reported. The ban includes
prominent Sunnis and Shi’ites seeking secular alliances, according to Reuters. The
visit by Allawi has also stirred controversy in Iraq, with many suspicious of
Saudi interference in Iraq affairs. According to Reuters, Allawi has said that
the trip had nothing to do with the elections next month and that the visit was
about improving Iraq’s regional ties. (Reuters, Alalam, February-20)
On May-28,
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Iraq has no intention of making new
goodwill gestures towards Saudi Arabia as Maliki’s efforts have been called a
sign of weakness by Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital. Bilateral ties between the
two countries have been strained since the US-led invasion in 2003 and continue
to decline. Al-Maliki’s Shi’ite-led government accuses Riyadh of not taking
enough action to prevent its citizens from crossing the border to join the
mainly Sunni insurgency. The Agence France-Presse quoted al-Maliki as saying,
“There will be no other initiatives on our part as long as there is no sign
from Saudi Arabia that it wants to have good ties with Baghdad.” During an
April 25 visit to Baghdad, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed
| |