Baghdad squatters told to leave occupied homes

[Barrett808]

Source: Reuters

BAGHDAD, June 22 (Reuters) - Iraqi security forces will announce a deadline next month for squatters to get out or be evicted from homes of people forced to flee sectarian violence in Baghdad, a military spokesman said on Sunday.

Major-General Qassim Moussawi, spokesman for the Iraqi military in Baghdad, said kicking out squatters to allow refugees to return was vital to restoring security in the capital.

The U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates two million Iraqi refugees are living abroad, mostly in neighbouring Jordan and Syria. More than 2.5 million are internally displaced.

A number of mixed neighbourhoods in Baghdad and other cities saw cleansing of Sunni Arabs or Shi'ites during the height of Iraq's sectarian conflict in 2006 and 2007.

Officials say a sharp drop in violence has encouraged some refugees to return home -- only to find their homes occupied.

"Next month, God willing, we will announce a final deadline to clear out the occupants (in Baghdad), otherwise the security forces will raid those occupied houses and evacuate them at once," Moussawi told a news conference in Baghdad.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L22662389.htm

[Joanne98]

1. Capitalism SUCKS!

[Spouting Horn]

3. What does this have to do with Capitalism?

You want to see a housing problem, look at Cuba...hardly capitalist.

And, back to the story...what about US Troops who have been squatting in Iraq for 5+ years???

[libodem]

2. I hope this clusterfuck

doesn't lead to more senseless violence against civilians.

[madeline_con]

4. Rest assured, sadly, it will.

:(

[Tutonic]

5. This would be hilarious if it wasn't sad.

The US blew their homes back to a stone age--then like the Katrina victims, the Iraqis that were not wealthy enough to flee the hell hole went in search of four standing walls with a roof above--and when they found one that was not occupied and begin to try to reassemble their chaos of a life --the US returns with a threat that they will "clear them out" (whatever that means in military speak). And by the way how many people that fled Iraq really intend to return to live in the midst of a full blown Civil war?

[Javaman]

6. Iraq: the trainwreck that keeps on giving. nt