Iraq is in an election year and the IDPs in the study come from the Sunni power base in Anbar province, which was ravaged during the three-year ISIS conflict.
“This drive to return displaced Iraqis to their areas of origin is taking place within the context of the upcoming national and provincial elections... Numerous reports and statements from officials have alluded to the desire to close camps and see people moved back to retaken areas to vote in the elections, as it is not currently possible to vote in displacement camps,” the report stated.
The data for the quantitative and qualitative study was released on Tuesday by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), International Rescue Committee (IRC), and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
“Around 9,000 people were forced from displacement camps back to their homes in Anbar between November and December 2017 and other displaced people in Baghdad governorate have been ordered to return to their homes,” the report stated.
The NGOs describe these as “coerced and forced returns sharply increasing in the final months of 2017.”
Most of the data collected was at five camps in Heet, Ramadi and Fallujah.
Of note 16 percent of those surveyed reported their attempts to return had been blocked, while 84 percent felt safer in the camps than at home.
Additionally only 1 percent of the IDPs reported knowing whether they had homes to return to, and more than half reported their houses “were damaged or totally destroyed.”
“There is a real risk that we will soon see more people pushed to return home before it is safe. Iraqis deserve a secure and permanent home to rebuild their lives and communities. The international community and Government of Iraq need to step up to make areas safe and welcoming for Iraqis who choose to return home,” said IRC’s country director, Wendy Taeuber. “For those who don’t want to go home they need continued support in camps and help to integrate and settle into local communities.”
Human Rights Watch reported in 2017 that displaced families from Anbar are being prevented from returning home to areas liberated from ISIS over perceived ties to the militant group.
Iraq’s parliamentary elections are set for May 12. There are 2,421,258 Iraqis still displaced, the UN’s migration agency reported on February 15.
In previous elections, IDPs have been able to vote; however, through the ISIS conflict many people either lost or lack official identification. Iraq has an IDP Information Centre with a hotline that tells people how to obtain identification.
The Iraqi High Electoral Commission warned in January that those who have not registered with them under the biometric system to receive an electronic voter card will not be able to take part in the May elections.
An official from the commission in Sulaimani has told Rudaw that polling stations designated for the IDPs will be in place on voting day.
Related video: Iraq’s closure of schools for IDPs sparks fear of forced returns
