𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐘𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐝𝐢 𝐈𝐃𝐏𝐬 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐚𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐫𝐚𝐪𝐢 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞?
The Iraqi government has set a deadline of July to close down all IDP camps in the Kurdistan Region, but most Yazidi IDPs are deeply reluctant to return to their hometown of Sinjar. The KRG's Interior Ministry reports that 23 camps across the region are currently home to around 157,000 people, the majority of whom are from Sinjar. Since the start of 2024, a mere 800 families have made the journey back. The reasons behind this hesitancy is multifaceted:
• The years of brutal warfare against ISIS, spanning from 2014 to 2017, left an indelible mark on Sinjar. A staggering 80 percent of the town's public infrastructure and 70 percent of civilian homes were reduced to rubble, and much of it remains in a state of disrepair.
• The Iraqi government's offer of 4 million dinars, along with a fridge, TV, and washing machine, is seen by most IDPs as woefully inadequate to restart their lives in Sinjar. They argue that they need at least 10 million dinars to rebuild their shattered homes and pick up the pieces of their lives.
• Sinjar is a far cry from the community it once was. Basic infrastructure and services, which are essential for survival, are still largely absent. The Dokri subdistrict of Snuni in Sinjar paints a grim picture: about 50 families have returned after nearly a decade of living in the Kurdistan Region, only to find themselves without national electricity for over a month, despite sweltering temperatures of 40°C. Before the ISIS onslaught in 2014, Dokri was home to 25,000 people. Now, seeing the harsh realities faced by those who have returned, the vast majority are understandably reluctant to follow suit. This sentiment echoes throughout Sinjar, where normal life remains a distant dream.
• After a decade of living in the Kurdistan Region, many Yazidi IDPs have put down roots and built new lives for themselves. They have found work, forged new commitments, and watched their children grow accustomed to this new reality. The prospect of leaving all this behind and returning to a Sinjar devoid of job opportunities and other life prospects is a daunting one, offering little motivation for their return.
• Lastly, the security situation has further complicated the situation because of the presence of multiple competing forces, including the Iraqi army, federal police, pro-Iran Hashd groups, and pro-PKK Yazidi groups. There are no clear indications that these militants will be driven out of the district, allowing the local police or Iraqi army to take control of security without the involvement of other militias.
The road to recovery for Yazidi IDPs is fraught with obstacles. The combination of widespread destruction, meager financial support, a stark absence of basic amenities, and the challenge of uprooting established lives has left them in an unenviable position. If the Iraqi government truly wants to encourage IDPs to return and rebuild their lives in Sinjar, it must address these issues head-on and provide a comprehensive, well-funded plan for reconstruction, rehabilitation, and economic revitalization. Only then can the Yazidi people begin to heal the wounds of the past and look forward to a brighter future in their ancestral homeland.