SEPTEMBER 17, 2017
Members of the Philippine Marines 1st Brigade conduct a clearing operation at the main battle zone on September 14, 2017 to liberate the ruined city of Marawi from the presence of Islamic State-inspired terrorists. INQUIRER file photo / JEOFFREY MAITEM
MANILA, Philippines – To celebrate World Refugee Day, a peace group on Tuesday sought the “safe and dignified return” of at least 80,300 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Marawi.
The Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) said IDPs in Marawi have been internally displaced for more than six years since 2017.
IDPs are defined by the United Nations (UN) as individuals who have been forced or obliged to flee or leave their places of residence due to armed conflict, generalized violence, or natural or human-made disasters.
“Today, we reiterate our calls for justice, human rights protection and peace towards the full realization of an IDP-centered safe and dignified return of all IDPs back to their homes in Ground Zero — Marawi City,” said IID in a statement.
Citing data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, IID reported that around 80,300 people, or 16,070 families remain displaced as of March 2022.
“Around 70 percent of the internally displaced population are in home-based settings while the rest are in transitory sites or temporary shelter communities,” IID added.
Apart from the dignified return of the IDPs, IID stressed prioritizing their emerging needs and safety during challenges like dispossession, militarization, and rights violations.
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