‘Emergency room’ set up to look after large-scale displacement

 

By Muhsen Jassem

 

Azzaman, October 2, 2005

 

An emergency committee has been set up to cater for possible displacement of tens of thousands of people due to continuing U.S. and Iraqi military operations, according to a cabinet minister.

 

U.S. marines are involved in continuous assaults on Iraqi cities, towns and villages particularly in the so-called Sunni-Triangle.

 

Their last month’s assault on Tal Affar has displaced more than 90% of the town’s 200,000 inhabitants.

 

The troops are currently involved in fresh assaults in western Iraq with reports of thousands of people fleeing the affected areas.

 

The emergency room is set up by the Ministry of Displacement and Immigration – formed following the overthrow of former leader Saddam Hussein to help returning refugees and people his regime had displaced.

 

But since its establishment the ministry has been mainly involved in catering for Iraqis made homeless by U.S. and Iraqi troops battling a growing insurgency.

 

“The ministry leads an emergency room to provide relief in case any Iraqi city is subjected to military attack as it happened in Tal Affar,” said Suhail Abedjaafar, the minister.

 

Abedjaafar said the emergency committee includes members from various ministries and its teams were now directly involved in extending aid to Tal Affar people.

 

Contrary to expectations, the ministry has not faced an influx of Iraqi refugees returning home from abroad.

 

Iraqi refugees abroad are not willing to return due to mounting violence.

 

Nonetheless, Abedjaafar said her ministry was keen to facilitate the return of those willing to come home.

 

“The ministry tries to provide privileges to Iraqi refugees returning home. These include, among other things, a grant of $1,500 and letters of recommendation for help from other ministries,” she said.