Resettlement Villages as a possible solution for the Iraqi IDP and Refugee Crisis.

(This is my opinion/idea, as far as I know this is not being looked at, I'm putting it out here for the SWC as a discussion topic based off a previous thread cited below)

It has been widely reported that Iraq is facing a monumental crisis with regard to citizens fleeing or being evicted from their traditional homes due to violence and the threat of violence. It is estimated by the UN that there are close to 2 million Iraqi refugees living in camps legally and illegally in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Further it s reported that there are nearly another million internally displaced persons within Iraq. The refugee crisis has spread as far as the U.S. Southern border, as reported by the El Paso Times, where desperate Iraqi’s have been found attempting to cross over from Mexico. The numbers in question mean that as many as 12% of the Iraqi population is either in refugee or IDP status. These refugees and IDP are generally living in squalid camps where they are at risk from many angles. They are participating in black-market economies, are targeted for criminal exploitation and are subject to potential recruitment by violent extremists. While this presents a terrific problem to the forces currently struggling to stabilize Iraq it also offers an opportunity.

The opportunity offered is that these at risk populations can be sources of strength. These people fled or were forced to flee by threat of violence and death due to a lack of security. This reason for their flight can be addressed through the establishment of secure resettlement villages. I estimate that the creation of 2,000, one hundred family, self sustaining, resettlement villages in secure areas across Iraq would go far to alleviate the refugee and IDP situation. Further, and here in lies the opportunity, the provision of safe and secure villages for these at risk populations in which to resettle would be a major public relations benefit.

The goal of this resettlement program would be to bring the refugees back home to Iraq, reduce pressure on the borders, reduce the dangers inherent with large displaced populations, and to improve the living conditions for the refugee and IDP populations. A successful effort would draw pressure away from overpopulated or at risk areas. The goal would be to win the loyalty of the displaced population by providing them with a healthy and secure living area.

The model village would be organized on a frame of one hundred families in one hundred single family homes, an Iraqi security force detachment, a volunteer civil guard from within the families and an elected town council from which a mayor and police chief would be drawn. The town would be built around a community center with both elementary and primary school facilities, be provided a medical clinic, power generator, water purifier and sanitation facility. These villages could be established quickly and efficiently by the use of prefab containerized housing units.

Containerized housing has been utilized for U.S. military base housing in expeditionary areas, but has also been utilized by universities and private groups’ world wide. The advantage is that the villages can be constructed, including the power, water, medical, schools and community center in safety outside Iraq. These prefabs can then be loaded on container ships and brought to Kuwait where they can be offloaded and driven via truck to the designated sites. While this would involve a large number of convoys the number would most likely be less than that necessary to construct the same number of villages in a more traditional manner.

List of Sources:
IDP and Refugee issues for Iraq

http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=2528

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWFiles2006.nsf/FilesByRWDocUnidFilename/0DFE4F16EEA15853C125724200492AAC-Full_Report.pdf/$File/Full_Report.pdf

http://www.internal-displacement.org...nt&count=10000

http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/82978.pdf

http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/project...200706iraq.pdf

http://www.unhcr.org/statistics/STAT.../4676a71d4.pdf

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_6684100

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...101359_pf.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNe...n_iraq&sp=true

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle...fae5b1b17.html

Historical “Strategic Hamlet” program

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel...gon2/pent4.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Hamlet_Program

http://www.tamilnation.org/armed_conflict/thompson.htm

http://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/vietnamce...sium/2002Paper
s_files/peoples.htm

http://www.psywarrior.com/VNHamletPSYOP.html

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/frus/ke...f/iv/12674.htm

Containerized Housing

http://www.fabprefab.com/fabfiles/containerbayhome.htm