IOM's latest Emergency Needs Assessment on the extent of internal
displacement inside Iraq shows that eleven out of eighteen
governorates are now severely restricting the entry and
registration of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

In the three northern governorates, entry is now only granted to
IDPs who either originate from those governorates or who are
sponsored by someone who is a resident. 

Those restrictions, according to the report, have been imposed
mainly for security reasons and because mass displacement is
putting an extra burden on already over-stretched local resources
and capacities. 

As a result, the plight of IDPs has worsened as an overwhelming
majority can no longer access assistance and basic services.

In Basrah as in other governorates, the report finds that
displaced women cannot access limited health facilities because of
chronic insecurity and in Kirkuk, traditional customs continue to
restrict the movement of displaced women.

In Anbar, although governorate authorities have not officially
imposed restrictions, the intensity of intertribal conflict
requires IDPs to have tribal ties to an area in order to stay there
safely.

The report finds that reasons for displacement are similar
throughout Iraq: many of the newly displaced are fleeing due to
sectarian violence, a rise in military operations, and generalized
crime.

As highlighted in previous reports, the majority of the
displaced rent substandard shelter or are staying with friends or
family, placing additional burdens on host communities. Others are
moving into abandoned buildings, and a small percentage temporarily
resides in camps. Throughout the country, insecurity continues to
severely restrict children's access to school.

"Entry and registration restrictions imposed by most
governorates and stricter visa restrictions said to soon be imposed
by Syria and Jordan for Iraqi refugees could mean Iraqis who remain
inside the country will be effectively marooned without a place to
go," says Rafiq Tschannen, IOM's Iraq Chief of Mission. "We hope
Syria and Jordan, which have so generously opened their doors to
fleeing Iraqis will continue to do so." 

Data from Cluster F (the Cluster for Refugees, IDPs, and Durable
Solutions, of which the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees is Coordinator and IOM is Deputy Coordinator) estimates
that the number of persons displaced since the bombing of the
Al-Askari shrine in Samarra on 22 February 2006 to be 1,011,870
individuals.

This figure, combined with the 1.2 million individuals who were
internally displaced before 22 February, results in a total of over
2.2 million IDPs in Iraq to date.

IOM, which has been leading emergency distributions among
displaced and vulnerable populations inside Iraq, has assisted more
than 320,000 people since late February 2006. Since 2003, the
Organization has helped five million IDPs and vulnerable people by
providing emergency food and water supplies and implementing
community assistance projects in health, education, sanitation and
income generation.

The report is available at:  "paragraph-link-no-underline" href=
"http://www.iomiraq.net/idp.html" target="_blank" title=
"">http://www.iomiraq.net/idp.html.

For further information, please contact:

Dana Graber Ladek

Iraq Displacement Specialist

IOM Iraq

Tel: + 962 79 611 1759

E-mail: "mailto:dgraber@iom-iraq.net">dgraber@iom-iraq.net