Kurdistan
Najah Ibrahim carefully consumes water in Kawergosk camp in Erbil due to its scarcity. Date: June 21, 2023. Photo: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Refugees in an Erbil camp complain about water shortages amid scorching weather following a dramatic drop in humanitarian aid provided by international organisations.
Najah Ibrahim is from Derik (al-Malikiya) in northern Syria. She came to Erbil ten years ago, fleeing the civil war at home. She and her family live in Kawergosk camp which houses some 8,000 Syrian refugees. Water scarcity is one of their main concerns as temperature is above 40 Degrees Celsius.
“They allow the flow of water [to our homes] once every four to five days. Last night, water came but it did not fully fill the water tanks. How will it possibly suffice us for the coming four days? We need it for the house and shop,” she told Rudaw on Wednesday, referring to her small store.
The camp relies on four wells which were dug four years ago. The United Nations has provides each house with two small plastic water tanks which do not suffice the needs of people.
Abdulrahman Mohammed is another refugee from southeast Syria (Rojava). He said the last time he received water was four days ago but he had to buy more water from tankers for about $5.
“I was not alone. We all queued to buy water,” he added.
“We as Syrian Kurds have been marginalised and no one feels any responsibility towards us. No one listens to us,” he complained.
Residents of the camp have protested several times in recent years, demanding basic services, including water.
Water scarcity is common in most parts of Erbil province in summer, with local authorities promising to fix the issue.
Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF), which supervises all camps in the Kurdistan Region, said the recent fall in humanitarian aid had affected basic services in camps.
“UN agencies have decreased their focus on the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, dwindling the amount of aid they provided, Ibrahim Samin, deputy head of the BCF, told Rudaw, blaming the Russia-Ukraine war.
He also said that Baghdad does not provide any aid.
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