NIQASH: How much money has Iraqi Kurdistan’s government allocated for refugees
Dizayee: Provinces were given the freedom to choose how to spend the money allocated for the refugees, especially in Dohuk. Spending is not limited to providing food and supplies – there’s other less visible aid such as the provision of water, electricity, medical supplies, safety and security and the administration of the camps. Recently, around US$50 million was paid in cash to Dohuk provincial authorities, in order to cater for the refugees.
NIQASH: Some of the refugees in Dohuk and Erbil are still living in schools that were disused during the school holidays. But the holidays are now over. When will these schools be able to be used by local students again?
Dizayee: Refugees are living in around 650 schools in the Dohuk province. Almost all of the schools in certain areas in Dohuk have now been emptied of refugees though, with the refugees transferred to camps. However there is still a lot of pressure on central areas in Dohuk, like Zakho and Semel. There are still about 110,000 displaced people living in schools there. But we are in the process of building camps there too and the schools should be vacant in one to two months.
NIQASH: Has the Iraqi government in Baghdad been helping with the refugee situation?
Dizayee: The Iraqi government formed a committee that decided to help refugees by paying each family IQD1 million [around US$850]. But unfortunately they didn’t really coordinate this with the Iraqi Kurdish authorities or the provincial authorities here – so we have no idea how the amounts were distributed or who has this money.
Baghdad also said they have IQD50 billion [around US$42 million] to put towards helping the displaced people but as yet, we haven’t received anything.
NIQASH: Do you think the financial dispute between Erbil and Baghdad has delayed the sending of financial aid?
Dizayee: No. This is a humanitarian issue and the federal government should help these people because they are Iraqis.
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