Syrian Refugees - Reactions

Reactions

United Nations - The United Nations Human Rights Committee provided mattresses, kerosene heaters and jerry can to Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Iraq in April 2012.

International Organization for Migration - The International Organization for Migration provided water filters, rechargeable lights, stoves, blankets and pillows in Lebanon and Iraq in June 2012, as well as winterization kits to Syrians in Iraq throughout the winter 2012-2013.

Cyprus - Cyprus announced its willingness to temporarily receive as many as 200,000 Syrian refugees in July 2012, although no specific plans were presented.

Greece - Hundreds of refugees have drowned in attempts to reach Greece from Turkey. Upon arriving to Greece, Greek authorities force the refugees back into the dangerous waters, often using violent methods and excessive force. There have been reports of the Greek coast guard capsizing boats filled with refugees, most of them women and young children, who have subsequently drown. A cemetery has been created outside of Sidiro, a Muslim village on the Greek side of the Evros river, for the bodies of refugees that wash ashore. In May 2013, Adib Hachach, a Syrian man living in Athens, was contact by the coastguard at Lesbos, to collect the bodies and belongings of his brother, his sister-in-law and their three young children, all of whom had drowned while attempting to cross from Turkey. Hachach had spoken with survivors from other smuggling boats which had been making the trip with his family's. "They told me that their boats had been capsized and pushed back by a Greek boat. They say it was the Greek coastguard. There were nine on my brother's boat and none survived".

Iraqi Kurdistan - The Kurdistan Regional Government announced plans to construct a second refugee camp for Syrian nationals fleeing the violence in their country, as the first refugee camp named "Qamishli", which was established following the 2004 Al-Qamishli riots, became overcrowded with refugees of the Syrian civil war.

Israel - Israelis from humanitarian groups are in Jordan to assist Syrian refugees fleeing their country's civil war. Ayoob Kara, Israel's deputy minister for the development of the Negev and Galilee, said that Israelis are assisting children and infants who have been injured in the Syrian military’s ongoing violent crackdown throughout Syria. He said Israeli volunteer groups had been providing humanitarian aid in Turkey and Jordan for the past two months.

Jordan - Jordan began construction of a 30,000 square meter refugee camp in March 2012. Jordan has agreed to create camps to house the swelling numbers of refugees, including one camp already in the works in northern Jordan that could hold up to 113,000 people. Jordan has forcibly returned some newly arriving Palestinians from Syria and threatened others with deportation. Jordan has absorbed some 126,000 Syrian refugees, but Palestinians fleeing Syria are placed in a separate refugee camp, under stricter conditions and are banned from entering Jordanian cities. Since April 2012, Jordanian authorities have also arbitrarily detained Palestinians fleeing Syria in a refugee holding center without any options for release - other than to Syria. Jordan was criticized by Human Rights Watch for singling out Palestinian refugees.

Lebanon - As of 13 February 2013, more than 182,938 Syrian refugees are in Lebanon. As the number of Syrian refugees increases, the Lebanese Forces Party, the Kataib Party, and the Free Patriotic Movement fear the country’s sectarian based political system is being undermined.

Turkey - Turkey has accommodated most of its Syrian refugees in tent cities in Hatay province, which have been constructed since summer 2011. The Turkish Government underestimated the length and scale of the war in Syria and until recently welcomed most refugees into relatively comfortable living spaces. Compared to tents in the desert of Jordan (which are often blown away by sand storms) the standard of living in Turkish tents is high. Education and health services are usually provided by the Turkish government or Turkish NGOs. However, due to that massive number of refugees that have flocked to the border since 2011, some refugees are being refused entrance into Turkey while more camps are being constructed. Refugees waiting at the border are usually brought food and supplies and living communities are usually established just on the Syrian side of the border. Originally Turkey refused international aid, confident they could shoulder the burden of the refugees on their own. Recently, as the Turkish government has already spent $700 million, they have called for international assistance such as the establishment of a no-fly zone, movement of refugees to European nations, and financial assistance. Refugees with Syrian passports, which are hard to obtain due to the current state of the Syrian government, are free to enter Turkey and establish themselves anywhere in the country.

Switzerland - Switzerland announced its consideration to accept Syrian refugees per U.N. request.