Situational Analysis

Al-Batul Compound in Kadhimiya, Baghdad

March 4-5, 2008

Situational Assessment: Al-Batul Compound in Kadhimiya, Baghdad 1

 International Medical Corps
Situational Analysis

Al-Batul Compound in Kadhimiya, Baghdad

March 4-5, 2008

Table of Contents:

Background...................................................................................................................................................... 3
Overview of Al-Batul Compound...................................................................................................................... 4
Shelter.............................................................................................................................................................. 5
Water and Sanitation....................................................................................................................................... 5
Ethnic and Professional Background............................................................................................................... 6
Food Ration Cards (PDS)................................................................................................................................ 6
Public Health.................................................................................................................................................... 6
Electricity.......................................................................................................................................................... 6
Refuse.............................................................................................................................................................. 7
Education..........................................................................................................................................................7
Previous Assistance......................................................................................................................................... 7
Recommendations........................................................................................................................................... 8

Situational Assessment: Al-Batul Compound in Kadhimiya, Baghdad 2

Background
IMC’s past IDP assessments in Iraq depict several
ways in which violence has created acute
vulnerability, triggering a wide range of needs, and
stunting development. IDPs - particularly women
and children - are currently facing malnutrition, lack
of shelter, limited access to health services,
inadequate water and sanitation, and
unemployment.
The negative impact on education, opportunities for
employment, and freedom of movement for the
most displaced families is devastating. The vast
majority of IDPs continuously seeks integration into
host communities that are already burdened by a
lack of resources and poverty. The majority of the
displaced from all sects are deprived of family
support networks, agnatic ties, livelihood
mechanisms, assets, income, and even transport.
Thus, chances of property recovery and
improvement of living conditions in the near future
are close to nil.
The general needs of IDPs can be grouped into
three sections. Healthcare, employment and shelter
stand out as the foremost priority. Food and the
transfer of rations comes second; basic
commodities like Non-Food Items (NFI) are third;
followed by the need for potable water; hygiene and
sanitation. In addition, beyond poor health and
access to basic services, IDPs are at a major
disadvantage when seeking employment. IMC
Situational Assessment: Al-Batul Compound in Kadhimiya, Baghdad
recently undertook an assessment of the economic
needs of IDPs where it found that overwhelming
poverty, illiteracy and vulnerability are serious
problem areas in every major IDP governorate
destination.
Interviews with IDPs have shown that many factors
related to displacement and violence have a serious
impact on the mental health of IDPs, particularly
children. Focus group discussions conducted by
IMC in various IDP communities (most displaced
after the Samarra crisis in early 2006), targeting
parents and children in select IDP locations of Najaf,
Karbala, Hilla, Basra, Erbil, Dohuk, and Baghdad
show that many mothers report that their children
suffer intense psychological distress when they hear
sounds of helicopters, gunfire, or explosions.
Children also show signs of pervasive anxiety and
fear; they are constantly tired and lack energy. The
symptoms include sleep disturbances and
nightmares. Among this most vulnerable group of
IDP children, some are at increased risk of physical
and mental health issues. This includes disabled
children, an already a neglected group, and
orphans.
3
Overview of Al-Batul Compound

Current Approximate Numbers:

Total no. of families: 600
Youth 6-14 years (boys & girls):1000
Others: 2,500

IMC sent a rapid assessment team to visit the compound on March 4,

2008. More than 35 interviews were conducted and the team met with
Mr. Salih Abdulla (Abo Mohannad) who is the headman and compound
spokesman (the Mokhtar). The assessment team indicated that right
after the fall of the previous regime in 2003, many people found
themselves unemployed. They had been renting houses and the loss
of income made them unable to pay rent. Therefore, many families
found their way to the compound – a deserted camp – to arrange for
temporary accommodation. Initially, 250 families arrived at the
compound. They had been surveyed by the U.S. military in coordination
with the Kadhimiya Police Station and Municipality Council. The security
authorities were supportive in protecting the families in the compound
from outside interference.

The assessment indicated that in the years of 2004 to 2005, approximately 150 families arrived at the compound
from various areas after they were displaced from their homes in Tarmia, Fallujah, and Baghdad quarters of
Bayaa and Ghazaliya. The reasons for their displacement were not sectarian segregation, but had to do with
feud, revenge, and individual conflicts. Their arrival caused the population to increase to 400 families.

The Samara bombing in 2006 resulted in increased sectarian

violence and forced migration. Approximetly two hundred
additional families sought temporary refuge at the compound
(70 from Sab Al-Boar, 50 from Haswa, 80 from Tarmia, Taji
and Baghdad quarters of Haifa, Alawi, Bayaa, Jamiaa and
Shorta Al-Rbaa), bringing the total number of families to 600.

The most recent addition of the 200 families in 2006 did not
bring many belongings with them and still have the bare
minimum, as per the assessment team’s observations, these
families have some mattresses, blankets, and some of their
personal identification papers. Though many families do not
even have these personal identification documents as the
families clamed that their homes were destroyed.

The compound sits on a piece of land scattered with the remnants of government buildings. All that remains
now is a set of walls and structures that were once safeguarded by a ceiling that no longer exists. Camp
residents benefit from the remnants of the walls and use them as temporary residence. The compound is still
surrounded by a high wall along the perimeter.

Situational Assessment: Al-Batul Compound in Kadhimiya, Baghdad 4

Shelter

Most families have constructed simple one- or two-room housing structures from blocks, mud and other available
materials. The total number of rooms/houses in the compound is 450 as some houses accommodate more
than one family. The majority of these structures are poorly constructed and leave the families exposed to the
harsh elements – winter rain leaks in the winter and unbearable heat in the summer. The temporary housing
structures are substandard making them vulnerable to collapse.

Of these 450 dwellings:

• 30% are constructed from mud;
• 50% are constructed from reeds; and
• 20% are built from blocks.

Water and Sanitation

The compound is completely without proper toilets and sanitation.

Only a small number of housing structures have semi-proper
toilets and most families have improvised a curtain of reeds or
cloth for privacy in an effort to create a “bathroom”. The sewage
system in non-existent and drainage goes into the spaces
between houses. This has resulted swamps and standing water
exacerbating the problem of flied. This increases the population’s
susceptibility to diseases that can be epidemic.

There is no water pipe network for the compound. The residents

have illegally tapped into the water pipe near the textile factory
with plastic pipes. However, after authorities constructed a
concrete bridge in the area, the illegal tapings were transferred to the 6" pipe near Kadhimiya teaching hospital
without the approval of the water authorities. Still, these tappings are not providing a sufficient amount of water
nor are they reaching all of the temporary houses in the compound.

According to Mr. Salih, the water authorities in Kadhimiya

eventually approved constructing a 4" x 400m. long
extension inside the compound so that water can be
supplied from there through hoses. This 4" extension is
financed and supervised by Kadhimiya Water
Department. The work on this project has already started
(the trench for the pipe is currently being excavated), but
this extension will not be sufficient to supply more than
150 families with water. Thus, families will need to
transport water in containers and store them in tanks.
However, most families do not have storage tanks or the
means to transport water. Among those who do have
storage tanks, they are unclean and improperly
maintained.

Situational Assessment: Al-Batul Compound in Kadhimiya, Baghdad 5

Ethnic & Professional Background

The background of most of the 400 families who came prior to the Samara
bombing is semi-skilled workers and small-scale vendors. The majority of the
200 families that arrived after the bombing are of agrarian background coming
from the agrarian areas of Sab Al-Boar and Tarmia.

The majority, estimated to exceed 60 percent, is currently unemployed and

lack the skills to enable them to find employment. Many of the younger people
work on construction sites as unskilled laborers, but construction provides
only temporary opportunities and they remain unemployed for the most part.

Mr. Salah added that the Kadhimiya municipality assisted by employing some
residents (about 100) in street cleaning with a daily wage of 6,000 Iraqi Dinars
but this is intermittent. About 90 percent of the families do not have a steady
income. The remaining 10 percent receive income through government
employment or government pensioners.

Food Ration Cards (PDS)

Food rations are currently the sole source in assisting these families. The municipality of Kadhimiya transferred
their food ration cards to Kadhimiya supply center. More than 90 percent of the families in the compound are
receiving their rations in Kadhimiya.

Public Health

The teaching hospital and Al-Zahraa PHC are in close proximity to the compound making health services
available for the compound residents. Additionally, teams from the PHC carry out children vaccinations according
to Ministry of Health program. As the hospital is 1 kilometer away and the PHC is 3 kilometers away, an
ambulance is only necessary in rare cases. There are currently no particularly untreatable illnesses in the
compound but this often fluctuates with the change of seasons. The standing water and non-existent sewage
network are likely to breed illnesses, including cholera, in warmer weather.

Electricity

The camp suffers from a shortage of power supply as there are no

transformers apart from one with a capacity of 11,000 kilowatts. This is not
sufficient to supply more than 150 families. Therefore, some families have
erected illegal wire lines as they do not have appliances that consume much
electricity. Generally, they only have fans and lights. Still, there remains a
power shortage though the compound is included in the public electric power
schedule.

Resident Profile

Regardless of the widespread poverty throughout the camp and

particularly in this family, Zahra, a woman of about 60 years of age,
welcomed IMC into her home with a wide smile. She was happy to see
IMC’s team, probably with the hope of assistance. Zahra is the head of
a family comprised of a young man and girl who suffer psychological
disorders with chronic depression. The third child, a girl, is healthy and
contributes to her home in whatever way she can. The door to their
humble home is an old blanket and the toilet is merely a hole in the
ground with a blanket for privacy. Water is transported in dirty pans.
Their ration card has been transferred to Kadhimiya, but they subsist on
charity from acquaintances and relatives and the social aid from the
Ministry of Migration of 150,000 Iraqi Dinar per month.

Situational Assessment: Al-Batul Compound in Kadhimiya, Baghdad 6

Refuse

As assessed by the IMC assessment team, the standard

average refuse from one person it the compound is 0.6 kg
per day. Thus, approximately 3,500 residents produce
approximately 2.1 tons of garbage per day. This is piled in the
compound but since it is such a large quantity it ends up
scattered between the houses. According to the residents,
Kadhimiya municipality supplied them with a steel container
near the compound entrance. When this is full, they inform
the municipality to come and remove it. However, this has not
solved the problem of garbage scattered throughout the
compound.

Education

Due to the large number of children of primary school age in the area, only some of the settlement resident
children have been accepted in the nearby schools. The schools do not have enough classrooms to accommodate
all of them, as per the assessment conducted with the residents and according to Mr. Salih who has had
discussions with the school managers.

Previous Assistance

Al-Anwar TV channel contributed a small amount of money to some of the poorer families. A Charity organization
distributed mattresses, blankets and some food items. The Iraqi Red Crescent has distributed food items on
various occasions.

Resident Profile

Um Anas, a woman in her mid-30s, was displaced from Fallujah.

She is worn out and overcome with hopelessness and pain, rendering
her unable to do the housework and relying on her daughters for
everything. Her husband suffers from chronic illnesses (diabetes,
high blood pressure, etc.). He worked as a government technical
employee in Fallujah in the military industry which has since been
abolished. He cannot go there to collect his salary so it is sent to
him; however it is only a fraction of what it should be by the time he
actually receives is. They have one girl under 5 years old, 9 year old
twins attending school, 15 and 16 year old girls, and the oldest child
is their son, Anas. Anas is 17 years old and attending the technical
secondary school. Um Anas said to IMC, “I frequently feel down and
useless, but I never lose hope.”

Situational Assessment: Al-Batul Compound in Kadhimiya, Baghdad 7

Recommendations

Though there may be the threat of eviction, there has thus far been no direct order. To provide some short term
relief to the compound residents, IMC would recommend prioritizing the following interventions:

1. Construct a 500 meter 6" pipe and a 2,000 meter 4" network to make water accessible.
2. Construct toilets and septic tanks using block or transportable toilets of plywood with necessary
accessories.
3. Remove all standing and contaminated water and backfill the area. Level the ground to prevent
the formation of cesspools. This intervention would provide temporary income generation
opportunities to numerous residents of the camp.
4. Distribute 1,000 liter capacity plastic water storage tanks and 20 liter containers to transport
and store water.
5. Distribute NFIs (e.g. soap, mattresses, cooking stencils, light bulbs, table fans, towels, small
kerosene cooker, lanterns and plastic sheeting).
6. Consider .expanding the nearby schools through additional classrooms.
7. Conduct a health education program in conjunction with the distribution of NFIs and hygiene
kits for the families in the compound.

Situational Assessment: Al-Batul Compound in Kadhimiya, Baghdad 8