Iraqi Minister Prevented From Visiting IDPs in Erbil, Duhok

Reports 09:54 AM - 2024-04-22

Ministr of Migration and Displacement Ivan Fayeq at press conference.

Iraqi Minister of Migration and Displacement Ivan Fayeq revealed that she is prevented from visiting Erbil to investigate the situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Erbil and Duhok.

6,000 IDPs in Duhok want to return

During a press conference, the Iraqi Minister of Migration and Displacement stated that the Erbil government has received official notices in order to shut down the IDP camps, facilitate the return of IDPs, and provide the entitlements offered by the Iraqi government. 

"It has been observed that a significant number of IDPs have already returned, and currently, there are 6,000 refugees in Duhok who express their desire to go back," she stated.

"We were surprised by a letter from the KRG that rejects the return of refugees in the Duhok camps and the decision of the Iraqi Council of Ministers, linking it to the implementation of the Sinjar Agreement," Fayeq explained.

"The Sinjar agreement is unrelated to the activities of the Ministry of Migration and Displacement. Therefore, we have taken the step of approaching the Federal Court of Iraq and initiating legal proceedings against the Prime Minister and the Interior Minister of the Kurdistan Region," she stated.

According to Fayeq, she had planned to visit the IDP camp in Duhok to encourage the IDPs to return and learn about their living conditions.

"The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has blocked my entry into the Kurdistan Region for a further motive. They will only give me permission if I retract the lawsuit that I filed against the KRG's Prime Minister and Interior Minister in the federal court," she said.

The Iraqi government will bear the cost of returning the refugees

The Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement has formulated an extensive plan to resolve the issue of IDPs, aiming for their return to their original residences by the end of July this year. As an incentive for their return, the plan includes the reconstruction of their areas, the provision of a parcel of land, 4 million Iraqi dinars, and various other services for each family.

Compared to Erbil and Duhok, things have been facilitated in Sulaymaniyah

Samer Mashkur, director of the Kurdistan Region's provinces department of the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement, told PUKMEDIA: "We are receiving more assistance and facilitations in Sulaymaniyah province than in Erbil and Duhok, which is due to the fact that the camps in Erbil and Duhok are under the control of the Interior Ministry of the Kurdistan Regional Government."

"The Iraqi government will offer each returning IDP family a sum of four million dinars, along with a refrigerator, a television, and a stove, as well as various facilities. Our aim is to resolve this matter by July 1, 2024, as there is no longer any danger to their lives in their original places of residence," stated Mashkur.

Iraq emphasises the return of IDPs

Ronzi Ziad Sido, the head of the Migration and Refugees Committee in the Iraqi parliament, informed PUKMEDIA that the Ministry of Migration and Displaced will assist in enabling the IDPs to go back to their homes, and within this particular setting, a decision has been made to provide incentives that consist of four million dinars, a plot of land, and job opportunities within the ministries.

"The Iraqi government emphasises the return of the IDPs to their original residences and is actively working towards offering essential services and facilitating the rehabilitation of their communities," said Ziad.

There are 30,000 displaced families in the Kurdistan Region

According to the director of the Kurdistan Region's provincial section of the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement, there are around 30,000 refugee families still residing in 22 camps in the Kurdistan Region, including 16 in Duhok, five in Erbil, and one in Sulaymaniyah.

The Migration Minister has filed a lawsuit

The Federal Court is scheduled to meet on Sunday, April 21, 2024, to resolve a complaint filed by Ivan Fayeq, Iraqi Minister of Migration and Displacement, against the Kurdistan Region's President, Prime Minister and Interior Minister.

The complaint seeks to ensure that the requirements of the internally displaced families are fulfilled and their hardships are alleviated. It also calls for the camps to be shut down and for the voluntary return of the IDPs to be carried out promptly, in accordance with the decisions made by the Iraqi Council of Ministers.

Minister of Migration and Displacement: IDPs must return to their homes without delay

Iraqi Migration Minister Ivan Fayeq Jabro previously stated: "We are committed to the prime minister's decision, and the IDPs living in the camps in the Kurdistan Region must return to their homes in time and without delay, especially now that security in the province of Nineveh is well maintained."

The deadline has been set

The Iraqi Council of Ministers had initially intended to return all IDPs to their homes by June 30. However, the deadline was extended to July 30 to allow for school examinations.

Returning the IDPs residing in the Kurdistan Region is ongoing. However, the Minister of Migration and Displacement has lodged a case in the Federal Court, citing impediments to the return of IDPs in the provinces of Erbil and Duhok.



PUKMEDIA