Iraq: Displaced from 2003 still homeless, say analysts (Over 1 million)

BAGHDAD, 8 May (IRIN) - Local aid agencies warn that families displaced immediately following the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 still remain homeless.

"We urge international aid agencies to help us support the displaced, especially in terms of food and shelter," said Waleed Rashdi, a spokesman for the Aid Agencies Association in Iraq. "Because all the aid is now being sent to the recently-displaced, while other groups are suffering seriously."

Dina Abou Samra, a Middle East analyst at the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre at the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) agreed with this assessment. "The media has focused much attention on those displaced within the last weeks ," she said. "But it's urgent that the needs of many other groups of displaced people are also addressed." She went on to say that such people – many of whom have remained homeless for almost three years – be provided with shelter, food and access to clean water and health services.

According to experts, the reasons for the large-scale displacements are myriad. "Displacement has been caused by spontaneous returns , general insecurity and sectarian violence," said Abou Samra. "Also, many refugees returning to Iraq are becoming internally displaced, due to reasons like insecurity and the lack of housing and basic services."

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"It's estimated that there are more than one million internally displaced people in Iraq today," said NRC's Dina Abou Samra. "This is in addition to the estimated 100,000 people newly displaced last month."

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http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/56ccb8b62cb18aba1936f9a3ba3f4daf.htm