The Syrian civil war has been going on for over 7 years now and whilst media coverage and attention on the war has slowed, the destruction and disruption has unfortunately not. More than half of all Syrians have been displaced by the wars, with over 5.6 million refugees and 6.6 million more displaced from their homes but still within Syria. Although refugee resettlement has been a topical debate within the EU, the majority of Syrian refugees remain within neighbouring regions of Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon.
The refugee crisis is often looked at from a Western perspective, but the huge impact that this crisis is having on these neighbouring Middle Eastern states is massive and should not be forgotten. Turkey, for example, have spent $33bn on the 3.6 million refugees in their country but tensions between locals and Syrians has seen attempts to look for other solutions. One of Erdogan’s suggested proposals is to create “safe zones” in Northern Syria, under nominal Turkish control, for refugees to return to. However, safety concerns and international politics may hinder this from being turned into a reality. Many are suspicious and critical of Erdogan’s intentions and suggest that a “safe zone” must be guaranteed by an international or American force. However, Trump’s decision to withdraw from Syria may make this harder. The debate regarding creation of “safe zones” is one to follow, as it attempts to offer a solution of some kind.
The civil war has destroyed Syria and created a lost generation, millions of children sitting in camps, with no hope for the future- a waste of potential. Even as the media does not shine light on their plights we should not forget their hardships and struggles. Approximately 90% of Syrian refugees live outside of camps, in makeshift shelters and often in overcrowded and dangerous locations. It has been more than 7 years and we are still yet to find a reasonable solution to dealing with not just the refugee crisis but the war as a whole, which is of utmost important for as long as the war continues so will the outpouring of refugees. Whilst, this needs to be addressed, the human rights and living conditions of the millions of hopeless Syrians is a matter of urgency. In the words of the UNHCR High Commissioner, “Syria is the biggest humanitarian and refugee crisis of our time, a continuing cause of suffering for millions which should be garnering a groundswell of support around the world”.
Sources:
https://www.unrefugees.org/emergencies/syria/
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/23/opinion/syria-turkey-trump.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FRefugees%20and%20Displaced%20People
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