Topic : Refugees in Syria
General Purpose : To look at how refugees survive in foreign countries
Specific Purpose : To investigate how Syrian refugees survive after the 2011 civil war
Thesis Statement : It is estimated that two-thirds of all refugees globally come from five main nations which are South Sudan, Myanmar, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Syria. Therefore, this paper will take a closer look at Syrian refugees in order to better understand their plight.
INTRODUCTION
How would you feel if you were forced to flee your home country in order to get away to safety? Those who are lucky enough get to carry a bag with them. However, most of those who flee only carry the clothes they are wearing with them.
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Refugees are usually individuals running away from persecution or conflict in their country. They must not be debarred or returned to situations where their liberty and life are at a greater risk, as defined in international law (AP, 2018). It is difficult to imagine the life of a refugee. For over 25 million individuals across the globe, however, it is a horrifying actuality.
Although most individuals have an idea of who a refugee is and what goes on in their home country, they do not actually know or are ignorant of the conditions under which they live in despite being free. Therefore, this paper will highlight some of the difficulties and challenges that refugees face. By so doing, it will provide a clue or awareness of what exactly goes on at the refugee camps, and what these refugees desire in terms of a better future.
Specifically, the paper will focus on Syrian refugees. It will take a look at a brief history of how they came to be refugees, and where they are situated at the moment. The paper will also discuss some of the challenges faced by refugees and the steps the government is taking to improve their living conditions. A conclusion will then be provided at the end.
Recent statistics indicate that there are over 21 million refugees across the world. This means that one in every 350 individuals is a refugee.
DISCUSSION
The Syrian civil war which took place in 2011, left many families suffering under a cruel disagreement that killed thousands of individuals, tore the country apart, and set back the living standards by years (BBC, 2018).
In 2011, anti-government demonstrations started as part of the Arab Spring. Nonviolent protests soon escalated following the government’s crackdown, and armed opposition groups started fighting back (Ward, 2019).
Separations between religious and secular fighters and between ethnic crowds increased complications in politic of the disagreement.
Army rebels managed to loosely organize the Free Syrian Army where a majority of civilian Syrians took arms and joined the opposition (Coletta, 2018).
Thousands of individuals were killed in the civil war. Crowded urban areas were also destroyed and terrifying human rights violations became widespread. Additionally, basic necessities such as medical care, food and shelter became sparse (AP, 2018).
It is estimated that over 6 million individuals were internally displaced.
The situation in Syrian went from bad to worse following external parties becoming involved in the disagreement in 2015 (BBC, 2018).
Unfortunately, only 8% of Syrian refugees reside in camps. Most of them are struggling to find settlements in strange city communities or have been coerced into informal rural settings.
About 6.2 million individuals fled their homes and remained displaced in Syria. They reside in informal settlements, jam-packed with extended family or protecting themselves in abandoned or damaged buildings.
A few Syrian refugees know individuals in neighboring nations who they can reside with. However, most of the host families are also struggling on low incomes and thus do not have the cash or room to assist as the crisis carries on (Ward, 2019).
It is reported that 35% of the population is presently relying on unsafe water sources to cater to their water needs (Coletta, 2018).
The supply is as low as 22 liters per individual, daily. This is less than one-tenth of what an average American consumes. Without the necessary medical services, illnesses can easily spread.
The youngest refugees are faced with uncertainty in terms of their future.
A few schools in the host nations have so far managed to separate the school day into two shifts in order to make more room for the Syrian learners.
There is still not enough space for all the children and most families are not in a position to afford transportation to get the children to school (AP, 2018).
Redesigning the refugee camps will mean improvement of living conditions for the Syrian refugees, resulting in less depression, anxiety, and suicides.
The government presently manages about 60% of Syria, compared to 2017 when it controlled only 17% (BBC, 2018).
Over 5 million Syrians fled the nation following the civil war. Recently, the Foreign Ministry cited that most internally displaced individuals have already returned home, and urged other refugees to do the same.
Unfortunately, the Syrian government has done nothing to assist Syrian refugees. In fact, it is presumed that lack of firm international oversight would mean imprisonment or torture for premature refugee returns (Ward, 2019).
It is important for both the Syrian and European governments to decide how and when to safeguard Syrian refugees who chose to return home. Additionally, European engagement on intentional refugee returns should be conditional, cautious, and limited.
CONCLUSION
The Syrian civil war took place in 2011, leaving many Syrian families devastated and without shelter. Contrary to what would be expected, only 8% of those refugees reside in camps. Although the Syrian government controls 60% of the country, it has done nothing to alleviate the Syrian refugee crisis.
It is important for people to be aware and knowledgeable of the conditions under which refugees live in despite being free.
To establish a genuinely sustainable solution to Syrian refugees’ plight, all foreign actors involved in the nation’s disagreement must collaborate together to address the fundamental political reasons why refugees run away from their homes.
References
Associated Press. (AP). (2018). ‘ Syrian government calls on refugees to return home .’ Retrieved on 24 May 2019 from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/syrian-government-calls-refugees-return-home-n888791
BBC. (2018). ‘ What is happening in Syria ?’ Retrieved on 24 May 2019 from https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/16979186
Coletta, O. (2018). ‘ Refugee camps: Poor living conditions and their effects on mental health .’ Retrieved on 24 May 2019 from https://sites.duke.edu/refugeementalhealth/2018/03/27/refugee-camps-poor-living-conditions-and-their-effects-on-mental-health/
Ward, M. (2019). ‘ Refugees forced to return to Syria face imprisonment, death at the hands of Assad .’ Retrieved on 24 May 2019 from http://theconversation.com/refugees-forced-to-return-to-syria-face-imprisonment-death-at-the-hands-of-assad-113159
