Erbil displacement camp families: unpaid return grants and unfulfilled promises

Last Update: 2024-08-08 16:00:05 - Source: Shafaq News

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, displacedfamilies at the Baharka camp in Erbil, Kurdistan Region (KRI), reported thatthey had not received the promised four million dinars ($3,057.53) grant perfamily for returning to their original homes.

Muhammad Abdullah, a displacedperson who decided to return home, told Shafaq News Agency, "The FederalMinistry of Immigration and Displacement promised to provide cars for ourbelongings but failed to do so, forcing many of us to return at our own expensedespite our hard financial condition."

Another displaced person, MarwanHamid, affirmed to our agency, "The Ministry of Immigration promised 4million dinars for each returning family, but we haven't received any funds ortransportation."

Displaced Samira Ali stated,"After 11 years in Erbil camps, we decided to return but received nofinancial aid from the Ministry and have no homes to return to in Mosul."

Shafaq News Agency could not securea permit from the Immigration and Displacement Department in Erbil Governorate.

Notably, the Ministry of Immigrationand Displacement, following PM Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani's directives, had setJuly 30 as the deadline for closing displacement camps and offered 4 milliondinars per family to encourage their return.

Since Iraq's victory over ISIS atthe end of 2017, the Ministry has been working to close displacement camps,primarily in the KRI, where displaced people sought refuge after the 2014 ISISattack.