IOM #Iraq Southern Governorates Snapshot: Basrah, Missan, Thi-Qar (September 2014)

OVERVIEW OF DISPLACEMENT IN SOUTHERN IRAQ

IOM IRAQ SEPTEMBER 2014

OVERVIEW1 The southern governorates of Basrah, Missan, and Thi-Qar have enjoyed considerably more stability than other parts of Iraq which has made them a destination for families fleeing unstable areas and seeking safer environments despite the long journey to reach these governorates. Field reports indicate that families displace to these governorates due to similar ethnic and religious backgrounds, the presence of family and friends, and the general stable security situation in the South. Accordingly, more than 80% of the families that displaced to this predominately Shia region are Shia (Arab, Turkmen, and Shabak). The Anbar crisis earlier in 2014 only pushed a small number of Arab families, Sunni and Shia, to reach these governorates, but as clashes between government forces and Armed Groups (AGs) spread and intensified, the number of IDPs reaching these governorates drastically increased. As of September 14, IOM identified 295 locations in Basrah, Missan, and Thi-Qar, together hosting 3,125 IDP families. Thi-Qar received the highest number of families, with over 1,200 , while both Basrah and Missan received more than 900 families each.

The journey for many of the families from Anbar and Ninewa usually includes an initial displacement to Erbil, taking a flight to airports in Basrah or Najaf, then a bus trip to reach their locations. Other families from Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, and Diyala travel by bus directly to their locations, passing through Baghdad and Najaf.

Although security has been mostly stable in these governorates, police and military presence has increased and tightened security measures, including a curfew in Missan, have been put in place to maintain security levels and prevent any infiltration from AGs.

SOUTHERN GOVERNORATES OF IRAQ

DISPLACEMENT TRENDS AND SHELTER Earlier in 2014, only 128 families were identified by IOM in 39 locations across these governorates, all of which displaced from Anbar. Since the start of June, the displacement movement has been overwhelmingly from Ninewa with close to 2,000 families arriving in the South, the majority of which being Shia (Arab, Turkmen, and Shabak). Three quarters of arrivals since the beginning of August have been from Ninewa. Smaller numbers of families also arrived from Kirkuk, Salah aldin, Baghdad, Anbar, Babylon, and Diyala. 40% of IDP families in these governorates are currently being hosted by relatives in the region, and more than 500 families are being hosted by nonrelative families. Close to 350 families are currently seeking shelter in school buildings, mainly in Missan. Religious buildings are hosting 183 families exclusively in Thi-Qar and 13 families are in informal settlements, also exclusively in Thi-Qar. Basrah hosts all 142 families that are renting hotels rooms, and these families are reportedly facing challenges to register with the local authorities.

Ali Al-Gharbi

PRE-JUNE 2014 128 IDP families 768 IDP individuals

JUNE-JULY 2014

Amara

TOTAL

1,709 IDP families

1,288 IDP families

3,125 IDP families

Missan

7,728 IDP individuals

18,750 IDP individuals2

10,254 IDP individuals

Al-Maimouna 39 locations

AUGUST 2014

219 locations

Al-Kahla 105 locations

MISSAN THI-QAR BASRAH

295 locations3

2 All information, unless otherwise specified, in this report is from IOM’s Figures for number of individual IDPs have been calculated by multiplying the governorate hosting new IDP populations for 2014, regardless of date of displacement.

Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) from 14 September 2014 and from field number of families by 6, the average size of an Iraqi family.

3 reports of the Rapid Assessment and Response Teams. For more information As a single location may host groups of IDPs from different waves of on the DTM, visit: http://iomiraq.net/dtm-page displacement, this figure represents the number of distinct locations in the

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Al-Mejar Al-KabiQal'at Saleh

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IOM IRAQ SEPTEMBER 2014

DISPLACEMENT SNAPSHOT: BASRAH PROFILE OF DISPLACEMENT4

22 % 92% 13% 20%

of IDP families reported insufficient access to

sanitation facilities

of IDP families noted their need for CRIs

PRE-JUNE 2014

JUNE-JULY 2014

AUGUST 2014

TOTAL

66 IDP families

903 IDP families

9 IDP families

978 IDP families

396 IDP individuals

5,418 IDP individuals

54 IDP individuals

5,868 IDP individuals5

27 locations

139 locations

3 locations

147 locations6

of IDP families reported insufficient access to

potable water

IDP MOVEMENT IN 2014

of IDP families reported insufficient access to

food

Al-Midaina Al-Qurna

OVERVIEW Basrah is Iraq’s southernmost governorate, bordering Kuwait and Iran and located on the Persian Gulf. In addition to hosting the second most populous city in Iraq after Baghdad, the governorate also contains a large portion of Iraq’s oil reserves.

The early months of 2014 saw increasing numbers of IDPs arriving in Basrah as the clashes intensified between government forces and Armed Groups (AGs), as well as the return of many Iraqis who were refugees in Syria.

The security situation in Basrah seemed to improve overall since 2013, although there are still occasional incidents such as assassinations, tribal tensions, and targeted attacks. However, as the security situation deteriorated in other Iraqi governorates, security measures have been tightened at the governorate borders and the military presence within the governorate increased. Many families displaced multiple times looking for cheaper rent prices and many reportedly moved in with relatives as a result of being unable to afford rent.

6,776

Shatt Al-Arab Basrah

Al-Zubair

0 6,776 0

Abu Al-Khaseeb Fao

LEGEND IDENTIFIED IDP FAMILIES

0 FLED BASRAH

Primary Movements

Identified IDP Families

20,001-40,000 20,001 - 40,000

0 WITHIN BASRAH 10,001-20,000 10,001 - 20,000 978 TO BASRAH

5,001 - 10,000 5,001-10,000 1,501 - 5,000 1,501-5,000 0 - 1,500 0-1,500

978 TOTAL 5 All information, unless otherwise specified, in this report is from IOM’s Figures for number of individual IDPs have been calculated by multiplying the governorate hosting new IDP populations for 2014, regardless of date of displacement.

Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) from 14 September 2014 and from field number of families by 6, the average size of an Iraqi family.

6 reports of the Rapid Assessment and Response Teams. For more information As a single location may host groups of IDPs from different waves of on the DTM, visit: http://iomiraq.net/dtm-page displacement, this figure represents the number of distinct locations in the

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IOM IRAQ SEPTEMBER 2014

DISPLACEMENT SNAPSHOT: BASRAH DISPLACEMENT TRENDS In the early months of 2014, Basrah received small numbers of IDP families who fled violence in Anbar. Since the start of June, particularly during June and July, Basrah received more than 900 families from Ninewa, Salah al-Din, Anbar, Diyala, Kirkuk, Baghdad, and Babylon. As of September 14, Basrah hosted close to 1,000 families with more than 90% of these families arriving after the start of June. Two thirds of these families are Arab Shia Muslims and the remaining third are Arab Sunni Muslims. More than 45% of post-June displacement originated from Ninewa as AGs claimed control of many areas there. The travel from Anbar and Ninewa to Basrah is a long and difficult journey, yet many families continue to make it in search for a safe environment.

Within the governorate, Basrah district hosts the highest number of IDPs with over 700 families, Al-Zubair hosts around a 100 families, with the other districts hosting small numbers. Fao district only received 6 families from Ninewa and Salah al-Din, and are all Shia families currently staying with relatives.

IDP FAMILIES BY GOVERNORATE OF ORIGIN

Pre-June

418

June-July

6 PostAugust

128 165

3 66 Anbar

22 Babylon

56

58

56

Baghdad

Diyala

Kirkuk

Ninewa

Salah al-Din

SHELTER 70% of families in Basrah are currently being hosted by relatives, whereas around 5% of families are being hosted by non-relatives families. About 15% are renting hotels exclusively in the Basrah district; these 142 families, the vast majority Shia, are facing difficulties registering as IDPs with the local authorities because their shelter suggests a tourism intent rather than displacement. However, almost 90% of the families living in hotels noted not having sufficient access to water, food, sanitation facilities, or functioning health facilities and they all noted shelter and financial assistance as their priority need. These families are using what is left of their savings to secure housing, but are looking for more sustainable shelter options as their savings diminish.

Families that are staying with relatives generally reported better access to food, water, sanitation facilities, and functioning health facilities, yet they are still in need of shelter and financial assistance.

IOM assesses a family staying with relatives in Basrah. September 2014.

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IOM IRAQ SEPTEMBER 2014

DISPLACEMENT SNAPSHOT: MISSAN PROFILE OF DISPLACEMENT7

37 % 99% 59% 68%

PRE-JUNE 2014

of IDP families were living in schools of IDP families noted their need for CRIs

JUNE-JULY 2014

AUGUST 2014

TOTAL

3 IDP families

433 IDP families

481 IDP families

917 IDP families

18 IDP individuals

2,598 IDP individuals

2,886 IDP individuals

5,502 IDP individuals8

2 locations

55 locations

75 locations

102 locations9

of IDP families are members of minority

groups

IDP MOVEMENT IN 2014

of IDP families originated from Ninewa and

arrived since June

Ali Al-Gharbi

OVERVIEW Missan is one of Iraq’s southern western governorates bordering Iran from the west and Basrah from the south. The governorate saw little fighting during the 2003 and 2006 conflicts and the security situation continued to be stable with no recorded security breaches throughout 2014. In recent months, government security forces imposed a 1 AM curfew in Missan to prevent any future security issues. The current security crisis in governorates such as Anbar, Ninewa, and Salah alDin caused more families to displace to Missan than before. As of 14 September, IOM had identified 917 families living in Missan, over three quarters of which are living in the Amara district. All but three IDP families who arrived from Anbar prior to June displaced throughout June, July, and August. The vast majority of these displacements are either members of the Shabak and Turkmen minorities or Arab Shia.

6,776

Amara

0 6,776 0

Al Kahla Al-Maimouna Qala’t Saleh Al Mejar Al Kabir

IDENTIFIED IDP FAMILIES 0 FLED MISSAN

All information, unless otherwise specified, in this report is from IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) from 1 September 2014 and from field reports of the Rapid Assessment and Response Teams. For more information on the DTM, visit: http://iomiraq.net/dtm-page

Primary Movements

Identified IDP Families

0 WITHIN MISSAN 20,001-40,000 20,001 - 40,000 917 TO MISSAN

917 TOTAL 7

LEGEND

10,001 - 20,000 10,001-20,000 5,001 - 10,000 5,001-10,000 1,501 - 5,000 1,501-5,000 0 - 1,500 0-1,500

Figures for number of individual IDPs have been calculated by multiplying the governorate hosting new IDP populations for 2014, regardless of date of displacement. number of families by 6, the average size of an Iraqi family.

9 As a single location may host groups of IDPs from different waves of displacement, this figure represents the number of distinct locations in the 8

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IOM IRAQ SEPTEMBER 2014

DISPLACEMENT SNAPSHOT: MISSAN DISPLACEMENT TRENDS As of September 14, IOM has identiďŹ ed 917 families in 102 locations throughout Missan. Within the governorate, Amara district hosts a 78% majority of IDPs, over 700 families. Districts of Al-Mejar al-Kabir, Ali Al-Gharbi, Qal’at Saleh, AlKahla, Al-Maimouna host small numbers of families, overwhelmingly Arab Shia. All but three of the 43 Arab Sunni families who displaced to Missan are also in Amara. The growing numbers of IDPs pushed the local authorities to consider establishing an IDP camp in Amara district. Local authorities and relief services continue to coordinate in Missan to provide the shelter and necessary needs such as water, food, health services, and sanitation to these IDP families to set up and begin receiving displaced families by the end of September. The majority of IDPs originated from Ninewa since the start of June following the attacks targeting of minorities by AGs have been mostly Shia Arabs, Turkmen, and Shabak; the vast majority of them are currently in school buildings. Missan is the only one of the southern governorates that received displaced minority populations. Many of the displaced families came to Missan seeking a place with similar ethnic and religious communities with better security, and some due to presence of family members. Over 120 families displaced from Kirkuk and smaller numbers came from Salah al-Din, Diyala, Baghdad, and Babylon.

ETHNICITY OF IDP FAMILIES

BY GOVERNORATE OF ORIGIN 623 Arab Shia Shabak Turkmen Arab Sunni

OF IDP FAMILIES IN AMARA DISTRICT ARE LIVING IN SCHOOLS

SHELTER, NEEDS AND VULNERABLE GROUPS

128 88 21 Anbar Anbar

3 Babylon Babylon

15 Baghdad Baghdad

Diyala Diyala

Kirkuk Kirkuk

Ninewa Ninewa

Salah Salah al-Din al-Din

36

IOM assesses IDPs living in the Al-Ghazali school in Missan.

45%

About a third of families in Missan, most Shia Turkmen and Shabak, are currently seeking shelter in school buildings in 15 locations, mainly in Amara district. This represents about 45% of all IDPs in the district (325 families). Understandably, all of these families noted shelter as their main priority need. The majority of IDPs that originated from Anbar is seeking shelter with relatives in Amara district. Although Al-Kahla and AlMaimouna districts together host only 16 families, almost all are staying with relatives in these districts. The number one priority need noted by all IDP families in Missan is shelter.

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IOM IRAQ SEPTEMBER 2014

DISPLACEMENT SNAPSHOT:THI-QAR PROFILE OF DISPLACEMENT10

16% 90% 36% 65%

PRE-JUNE 2014

of IDP families were living in vulnerable

housing11

of IDP families noted their need for CRIs

AUGUST 2014

TOTAL

59 IDP families

373 IDP families

798 IDP families

1,230 IDP families

354 IDP individuals

2,238 IDP individuals

4,788 IDP individuals

7,380 IDP individuals12

10 locations

25 locations

27 locations

46 locations13

of IDP families are being hosted by non-

relatives

IDP MOVEMENT IN 2014

of IDP families originated from Ninewa and

arrived since June

Al-Rifai’

OVERVIEW

6,776

Al-Shatra

One of Iraq’s southernmost governorates, Thi-Qar is a predominately agricultural governorate that saw a substantial wave of Iraqi returnees from Syria earlier in 2014. It received larger numbers of IDPs than Basrah and Missan. The governorate also received a small number of IDPs from Anbar in the early months of 2014 after the security in the governorate deteriorated. Additionally, a new and growing number of IDPs arrived in Thi-Qar from other governorates that experienced clashes and fighting between government forces and Armed Groups (AGs) such as Ninewa, Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, and Diyala. Similar to Basrah and Missan, IDPs identified in Thi-Qar before June were all from Anbar. Displacement from Ninewa, all of which occurred during June, July and August, accounts for over 60% of the displaced population, with almost 600 families arriving since the start of August alone. As of September 14, IOM had identified 1,230 IDP families in 46 locations, all except for 59 of these families arrived since the start of June 10

JUNE-JULY 2014

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0 6,776 0

Nassriya Suq Al-Shoyoukh LEGEND Al-Chibayish

All information, unless otherwise specified, in this report is from IOM’s Vulnerable housing includes schools, religious buildings, and informal Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) from 14 September 2014 and from field settlements.

12 reports of the Rapid Assessment and Response Teams. For more information Figures for number of individual IDPs have been calculated by multiplying on the DTM, visit: http://iomiraq.net/dtm-page the number of families by 6, the average size of an Iraqi family.

Primary Movements

Identified IDP Families

20,001 - 40,000 20,001-40,000 10,001 - 20,000 10,001-20,000 5,001 - 10,000 5,001-10,000 1,501 - 5,000 1,501-5,000 0 - 1,500 0-1,500

IDENTIFIED IDP FAMILIES 0 FLED THI-QAR 0 WITHIN THI-QAR 1,230 TO THI-QAR

1,230 TOTAL 13

As a single location may host groups of IDPs from different waves of displacement, this figure represents the number of distinct locations in the governorate hosting new IDP populations for 2014, regardless of date of displacement.

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IOM IRAQ SEPTEMBER 2014

DISPLACEMENT SNAPSHOT:THI-QAR DISPLACEMENT TRENDS

AREA OF ORIGIN FOR IDPS IN THI-QAR

Compared to the number of IDPs Thi-Qar has received in the past, the governorate witnessed a significant increase. Though only 59 families were identified prior to June, 2014, the start of June marked the arrival of over 1,100 families as a result of the security crises in the northwestern region of Iraq.

Anbar 5%

10% 1% 5% 1%

Displacement movement has been primarily towards Nassriya and Al-Shatra districts, which host 51% and 22% of IDPs respectively. Notably, Al-Chibayish and Al Rifa’i districts, where IOM had identified no IDP families earlier in 2014, saw the arrival of 229 families since the start of June. As the security crisis intensifies and is prolonged, it appears that the displacement is reaching new locations. The overwhelming majority of families is Arab Shia who sought refuge in Shia areas, with about 200 Arab Sunni families.

13%

Babylon Anbar

Baghdad Babylon Baghdad

Diyala

Diyala Kirkuk

Kirkuk

Security in Thi-Qar has been reportedly stable since the beginning of the year, apart from a few incidents in public spaces. Military and police presence increased to prevent any future attacks from AGs. Reportedly, the economic situation worsened in the governorate and commodity prices continue to rise.

65%

Ninewa

Ninewa Salah al-Din

Salah al-Din

SHELTER, NEEDS AND VULNERABLE GROUPS

SHELTER TYPE BY DISTRICT 107

Suq Al-Shuyukh

627

Nassriya Relatives

267

Al-Shatra

Close to 300 families are renting houses, 88% of which have expressed a need for of Mosques/ Holly Shrines ‫ﺍﻟﻣﺭﺍﻗﺩ‬ /‫ﺍﻟﻣﺳﺎﺟﺩ‬ CRIs. Sum Mosques, holy shrines, and/sites have opened their doors to 183 families in Rented housing ‫ﺍﻟﺩﻳﻧﻳﺔ‬ many locations throughout Thi-Qar. In one location in Al-Shatra district, 13 Arab of Unknown or other /are ‫ﺃﺧﺭﻯ‬ / ‫ ﻣﻌﺭﻭﻑ‬shelter ‫ﻏﻳﺭ‬ SunniSum families from Ninewa seeking in an informal settlement. These Religious buildings families expressed their need for CRIs and noted shelter as their main priority need.

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152

Al-Rifai’

Al-Chibayish

Non-relatives

77

This governorate profile was developed under the framework of the Community Revitalization Programme III (CRPIII), funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM).

In Thi-Qar, over a third of families are currently being hosted by non-relatives, mainly in Nassriya and Al-Shatra districts. Over 200 families are being hosted Sum of With Relative / ‫)ﻣﻊ ﻋﺎﺋﻠﺔ ﻣﺿﻳﻔﺔ )ﺃﻗﺎﺭﺏ‬ by their relatives across the governorate. As the returnee and IDP population continues to grow, so does the unemployment rate. The growing number of Sum of With HC - non-Relative / ‫ﻣﺿﻳﻔﺔ‬ ‫ ﻣﻊ ﻋﺎﺋﻠﺔ‬to be an issue and, as they lack overcrowded informal settlements continues ‫ﺃﻗﺎﺭﺏ‬ ‫ﻏﻳﺭ‬ ) ) proper sanitation facilities and access to health facilities, often cause the spread Sum of Rented House / ‫ﺳﻛﻥ ﻣﺅﺟﺭ‬ of diseases.

Unknown/other

Other includes 1 family living in a school in Nassriya, 13 living in informal settlements in Al-Shatra, and 70 families in Al-Chibayish district whose shelter types IOM was unable to confirm.

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