US embassy cable - 03ANKARA1907

UNCLAS ANKARA 001907 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR PRM/ANE, EUR/SE AND NEA/NGA 
DEPT PASS USAID FOR BHA/OFDA - WGARVELINK AND BHA/FFP 
EUCOM FOR JE, JR, J5, SOJ7 AND POLAD 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
CENTCOM FOR J3, J5 AND POLAD 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, MOPS, PREF, IZ, TU 
SUBJECT:  TFIZ01:  UN AND ICRC ON HUMANITARIAN SITUATION 
IN NORTHERN IRAQ 
 
 
1. (U) Over the weekend, Reuters, citing UN and ICRC 
sources, reported that up to 500,000 persons have been 
displaced in northern Iraq.  UN representatives in Ankara 
provided lower estimates of displacement.  Thus far, there 
has been no significant movement of DPs to the Turkish 
border. 
 
 
2. (SBU) Andre LaPerriere, UNICEF's Northern Iraq Field 
Representative, summarizing information provided by UN OPS 
and UNICEF, provided an estimate of 280,000 persons 
displaced within northern Iraq.  There is DP movement from 
9 cities to 14 others in the region, with large movements 
to and from Sulaymaniyah.  LaPerriere said the majority of 
these DPs had found shelter.  There has also been a 
significant number of DPs returning to their homes when 
they perceive the situation to be stable.  He stated that 
there has been movement from central Iraq (including Mosul 
and Kirkuk), but had no estimate of the number of these 
DPs.  UNHCR's Deputy Turkey Representative Steven Corliss 
and Claire Van der Vaeren, UNDP Deputy Representative, 
confirmed the information given by LaPerriere.  They also 
said that there was no movement toward the Turkish border. 
Van der Vaeren noted fuel shortages in northern Iraq. 
 
 
3. (SBU) ICRC Representative Finn Ruda confirmed that 
Sulaymaniyah had seen relatively large DP movements, but 
also an "accordion"-like movement of persons away from and 
back to their homes as their perceived security changes. 
ICRC believes there are well under 500,000 DPs in all of 
Iraq. 
 
 
4. (SBU) A Mercy Corps International representative in 
Sulaymaniyah told us that the pattern of displaced persons 
returning to their homes is not taking place in Dahuk. 
This may be due to the town's proximity to Mosul. 
Pearson