Saturday May 4, 2019
Photo- RELIEFWEB
MOGADISHU (Xinhua) -- The UN migration agency said Friday it
plans to relocate some 24,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) at
risk of eviction to public sites in Baidoa, southwestern Somalia.
International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the regional
South-West State has provided public land to humanitarian partners for
development and subsequent relocation of displaced families who find
themselves at risk of eviction.
"This effort by the authorities in Baidoa and South-West State is
vital to ensuring that displaced people in Baidoa live in dignified
conditions until they wish to return to their home areas, or integrate
into the local community," Rainer Gonzalez, IOM's senior programs
coordinator said in a statement.
The organization said thousands of IDPs are under constant threat of
eviction in the city of Baidoa which currently hosts more than 323,000
displaced people, many of whom live on private land without secure
tenure agreements.
According to statistics, more than 11,900 individuals were evicted in
Baidoa without proper notice this year between January and March.
An eviction risk assessment conducted in February by humanitarian
partners revealed that 48 out of the 391 IDP sites hosting 5,170
households in Baidoa were at very high risk of eviction and 117 IDP
sites hosting 12,697 households were at high risk.
The UN migration agency said discussions and community consultations
were held with the local leaders and communities from these 48 IDP sites
in Baidoa town to identify those who would be interested in being
relocated.
"Of the 48 IDP sites involved, residents from 15 of them showed willingness to be relocated," said the IOM.
IOM's Kathryn Ziga, a camp management consultant said communities
were shown the site and services available, including the security
posts, plot sizes, water collection points, and lockable household
latrines.
"Relocation is voluntary. If they like what they see, they can decide to move," Ziga said.