The bombing of the al-Askari Mosque launched a wave of sectarian violence that caused hundreds of thousands of families to flee their homes. Five years on, the needs of displaced families remain of great concern throughout Iraq. IOM monitoring and needs assessment staff continue to examine the needs and condition of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and returnee families by consulting local councils, mayors, mosques, churches, mukhtars, community leaders and IDP and returnee families themselves. This report highlights the current state of IDP, returnee, and vulnerable families throughout Iraq in order to present the most pressing needs and growing trends in migration.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: FIVE YEARS AFTER THE SAMARRA BOMBING
Five years after the 2006 bombing of the Al-Askari Mosque in Samarra, the legacy of violence and displacement associated with the event continues to affect families throughout Iraq. Despite the passing of time, a large number of the 1.6 million Iraqis displaced in the immediate aftermath are still living away from their homes, with little prospect of return. Recent movements in Iraq resulting from the targeting of minorities, continuing violence, territorial disputes, water scarcity, and severe unemployment further complicate the issues surrounding post-Samarra displacement.
As with any displaced population, Iraqi IDP families will continue to live in a state of limbo, unable to return home and unable to rebuild their lives in their new locations, until the difficulties which displaced them are resolved.
Areas of Continuing Concern:
-? Families displaced for extended periods of time often receive less attention than those recently displaced. Though they have different needs than newly displaced families, they are certainly no less urgent.
-? There are significant shortages of housing throughout Iraq. As many homes are abandoned or destroyed, many families are and will be left without property or land, or may face complex legal obstacles to reclaim what they own.
?- The future of Iraq?s youth depends on their access to education and the availability of jobs. Youth who are unable to attend school during displacement will suffer tremendously from a lack of vocational skills by the time they reach adulthood. Currently, approximately 50% of IOM-assessed IDPs are under the age of 18.
-? Although Iraqis of various religions and ethnicities have coexisted for centuries, recent migrations have caused significant demographic shifts throughout Iraq, creating "pockets" of homogeneous communities and reshaping the social fabric of many communities. These demographic changes will have a profound and complex impact on the nature of ethnic and religious conflict, as well as disputes over land, water, and oil.
IOM Recommendations:
?- In addition to emergency assistance for the newly displaced, increase support to address the needs of families and communities suffering from long-term displacement.
-? Provide greater security and basic services to help families successfully return or integrate and avoid further displacement.
-? Create jobs and support vocational training to facilitate longterm employment.
-? Provide shelter solutions to the many homeless families living in poorly built shelters on public or private land.
-? Provide water management and irrigation assistance to address the loss of agricultural livelihoods and rural-urban migration.
?- Resolve territorial disputes over land and service provision, especially in the north, to allow families to return to their homes.
-? Ensure that assistance for communities affected by displacement targets the most vulnerable, whether IDP, returnee or host community families.