A delegation of four MEPs will go to Jordan on 11-14 February to meet refugees who have fled the conflict in Syria and to see at first hand the conditions on the ground. The MEPs will also talk to local authorities and international organisations working in the field. The aim is to assess the refugee crisis and what help the EU can give to meet these exceptional challenges.
The UN Refugee Agency reported a massive increase in arrivals in January.
The EU and its member states should continue providing support to respond to the massive Syrian refugee crisis and make sure the funding arrives where it is most needed, said MEPs who met with Syrian refugees in Jordan this week. The delegation also called on Jordan and other neighbouring countries to keep their borders open to endangered civilians and continue to offer them safe haven.
A delegation from the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee visited the main Zaatari refugee camp on Tuesday. This camp, 12 km from the Syrian border, currently hosts about 70,000 refugees, mostly women and children.
Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D, Spain), who led the delegation, Hubert Pirker (EPP, Austria), Marian-Jean Marinescu (EPP, Romania) and Judith Sargentini (Greens/EFA, The Netherlands) met with the UN Refugee Agency and other humanitarian and relief organisations working in the field, and met refugees in the Zaatari camp.
Speaking on behalf of the Parliament delegation, lead MEP Juan Fernando López said, “We are deeply concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Syria and on the heavy strain it is putting on neighbouring countries. We praise the Jordanian authorities and local communities for their solidarity in hosting Syrian refugees who have fled the 23-month-old conflict, as well as the assistance provided by other Arab and Gulf countries.”
“We would especially like to thank the amazing work done on the ground by the UN Refugee Agency, humanitarian organisations and NGOs having to deal with such extraordinary number of arrivals in such a short period of time.
“It is crucial that Jordan and other neighbouring countries keep their borders open to endangered civilians and continue to offer them safe haven. As a long term solution, the setting up of a regional protection programme should be a priority and it should be extended to other countries in the region.”
“We ask on the EU and its member states to continue providing support to respond to this exceptional humanitarian crisis, which is worsening by the day. The EU is a major donor in the region and it has provided more funding in the last pledge conference in Kuwait. It should now honour its commitments and make sure the funding arrives where it is most needed.”
Outside the camp, MEPs made home visits to Syrian refugee families living in Mafraq. The delegation also went to the Mafraq transit facility and the Thnebe border crossing and visited registration centres for asylum seekers in Amman and Irbid.
The delegation visit took place as Syrian refugees are arriving in unprecedented numbers in Jordan. The UN Refugee Agency says over 250,000 Syrian refugees are registered or awaiting registration in Jordan, and the daily arrivals are expected to increase steadily.
AMMAN: The cost of hosting Syrian refugees on Jordan’s economy has in 18 months exceeded JD590 million, which is around 3 per cent of the Kingdom’s gross domestic product, a new study found.
http://jordantimes.com/syrian-refugees-cost-jordan-jd590-million-up-to-last-november
As world leaders convene in Kuwait to pledge support to address the enormous humanitarian costs of the “rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation†in Syria, it is important to recognise the invaluable contribution that Jordan is making to ensure the protection of the most vulnerable.
Since the conflict erupted, in March 2011, Jordan has received over 320,000 Syrians. This is more than any other country in the region; the figure increases by some 2,000 to 4,000 each night.
In January alone, and despite the immense difficulties of crossing during some of the harshest snow and rain conditions seen for many years, over 40,000 Syrians entered the Kingdom. The majority are children, with almost 10,000 less than four years old.
The bulk of the remaining population is extremely vulnerable: either single mothers whose husbands have been lost to the conflict, the elderly or the ill. They have fled to Jordan as they have no other option.
At the current rate of entry, over half a million Syrians could be in need of protection and assistance in the Kingdom by June 2013. This figure could again double by the end of the year. This would be a serious challenge for any more affluent country in the world, let alone one with limited natural resources and strained infrastructure.
Fortunately for those fleeing the conflict in Syria, the Hashemite Kingdom has always been at the forefront of international humanitarian efforts, often taking on more responsibilities than could possibly be expected.
Since the establishment of the Kingdom, Jordan has provided protection and assistance to persons fleeing conflict, and continues to be a role model not only for the region but also internationally. It has provided protection to Palestinian refugees since 1948, to Iraqis through both Gulf wars and now to hundreds of thousands of Syrians who have been forced to flee.
While Jordan’s generosity and traditions of hospitality are unquestioned, it desperately needs the substantive and ongoing support of the international community to reinforce this protection space.
Keeping its borders open to all those in need comes at a cost. In addition to the tens of millions of dollars spent on establishing and running Zaatari and the new camp at Mrejib Al Fhood, the government of Jordan had to use its own increasingly scarce resources to cover the costs of hosting the rapidly growing Syrian refugee population.
Schools that are already overstretched are accepting Syrian children desperate to restart their learning, hospitals short of beds and overworked medical staff continue to provide life-saving care for Syrians. Subsidised energy, water and bread are freely made available to all those in need.
According to the Government, more than $226 million in costs were incurred in 2012. In 2013, and with an accelerating refugee population, this figure will be much higher.
This by itself is another reason why it is so crucial for the international community to not only recognise the enormous pressure that Jordan has come under and acknowledge its difficult economic situation, but also to stand by and support Jordan to become an even stronger, economically secure host country that is able to guarantee the safety of refugees and at-risk populations.
It is a role that we should all support, with all means necessary, and immediately.
In addition to international support to aid agencies responding to the emergency needs, particularly in Zaatari and elsewhere, Jordan requires long-term strategic and infrastructural support.
It is only fair that the enormous demands placed on Jordan’s electricity infrastructure, schools, hospitals, wastewater plants and other essential infrastructure be compensated.
http://jordantimes.com/setting-example-but-needing-support
Given the ongoing volatility in the region, and Jordan own strategically important role, it is essential that the concept of international burden sharing be translated into substantial resource support at this critical time.
I would like to emphasise that the region has a rich and generous tradition of providing protection to those fleeing violence. Jordan, which continues to be a role model, cannot, however, continue to provide this protection space without the support of its friends.
Support should not be based on short-term strategic considerations, but on a longer-term strategic partnerships providing the necessary support to host countries in the region until the displaced can return.
Indeed, it is a country such as Jordan, with its own set of challenges, that continues to set an example to the rest of the world on how to respect the needs of those who are most vulnerable and who have been forced to flee their homes.
The writer is UNHCR Representative to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, humanitarian coordinator a.i. He contributed this article to The Jordan Times.
The number of Syrians registered as refugees in neighboring countries grew to 554,000 at the end of January from 92,000 in July 2012. In Jordan, according to the government, there are more than 300,000 Syrian refugees, 73,000 of them on the Zaatari camp. In January alone, the United Nations has registered 30,000 new refugees in the country.
The UN says there has been a huge leap in the numbers of Syrian refugees arriving in Jordan, putting a considerable strain on resources.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21179835
An accelerated registration exercise begins today in Jordan, aiming to process up to 1,400 Syrian refugees a day in the Amman registration center. This number will increase further once the registration center in Irbid, in northern Jordan, becomes operational. Two teams are working between 7am and 9pm, 6 days a week, with a goal of clearing 50,000 appointments by the end of February.
Za’atri camp has experienced a massive increase in arrival numbers, with 8,821 Syrian refugees crossing the borders in the past 5 days. Refugees have arrived throughout the night and long into the day marking a significant change from earlier trends when the norm was for people to arrive at night. UNHCR estimates that 21,000 people in need of protection have crossed into Jordan since 1 January, with new arrivals reporting increasing desperation for safety.
In Jordan some 7,700 families (or 30,000 individuals) are now benefitting from cash support. This is 60 per cent more than in November. Due to a funding shortfall, UNHCR was unable to assist all 8,523 families identified for cash assistance for the month of January 2013.
With 80 per cent of Syrian refugees living in urban communities, cash assistance has been instrumental in allowing the most vulnerable households to cover their basic needs such as rental costs. Depending on their size, families receive between 50 and 120 Jordanian dinars (US$70 – 170) per month. In addition to this, and to help cope with the winter weather, families have received extra funds to help purchase fuel, winter clothes and additional blankets.
UNHCR has also strengthened its outreach to Syrian refugees, with close to 11,000 home visits carried out by dedicated field teams and our implementing partner, International Relief and Development (IRD) across all governorates in Jordan since April of last year. These visits have helped us reach the most vulnerable, including elderly refugees with medical needs and female-headed households.
UNHCR staff, NGOs and outreach workers have noticed a significant increase in the needs of urban refugees over the past couple of months, as the situation becomes more prolonged and as people struggle to support their families. Many refugees are living in poorly insulated rooftop shelters and basement studios. It is not unusual to find several families crammed into a small apartment. Many are surviving on the generosity of Jordanian neighbours, who have limited resources themselves.
The Government of Jordan estimates over 300,000 Syrians have entered the country in the past 22 months, of which 245,000 are accommodated in host communities. There is a notable impact on local infrastructure, in particular healthcare and education services.
Syrian refugee children in Jordan have already been through so much. UNICEF & partners are doing everything we can to give these children a sense of normalcy – Dominique Hyde, UNICEF Jordan Representative.
UNHCR -This is a summary of what was said by the UNHCR spokesperson at today’s Palais des Nations press briefing in Geneva
Syria – doubling of refugees fleeing to Jordan
The pace of arrivals from the Syrian border to the Za’atri camp in the north of Jordan has doubled in the past week. 10,200 people arrived in the seven days between 21-27 August compared to 4,500 the previous week. More than 22,000 people have been received at Za’atri since it opened on 30 July.
Refugees say many thousands more are waiting to cross amid violence around Daraa and we believe this could be the start of a much larger influx. Some of those who have crossed in recent days (especially Friday) report being bombed by aircraft. There are also reports of shelling, mortars and other weapons-fire.
Typically, refugees cross the border at night and are taken straight to the camp by IOM and the Jordanian army. But 1,147 refugees arrived yesterday (Monday) morning and were followed by another 1,400 overnight and early this morning.
Most of the arrivals over the past week have come from the governorate of Daraa, including the villages of Mahjeh, Kherbet Ghazala, Tafas, Dael, Hrak, Al Sawar (also known as Sura), Msefria, and Hayt. Many refugees report being displaced up to five or six times inside Syria before they fled the country.
We have received in the camp over the past week an increased number of unaccompanied children. Some children report that their parents have died, or are staying behind in Syria to look after relatives, or are working in other countries. Some children, who did not have passports, said they were sent ahead of their parents who will follow later.
UNHCR, alongside its partner the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization, is racing to meet the humanitarian needs of the rapidly expanding refugee population at Za’atri with shelter, food, water and healthcare. We are urgently pitching more tents and expanding the camp, preparing new ground with a base course of fine gravel to help control dust at the site. Seventeen trucks have been dispatched from our regional warehouse in Zarqa to reinforce stocks of tents and blankets.
The fast pace of arrivals has affected our efforts to improve conditions for the existing population, but work on this continues. Over the past few days our staff and NGO partners have been identifying people among the refugee population to serve on committees so refugees can be involved in the running of the camp. We are planning to build a second road into the camp to ease congestion on the narrow road which currently provides the only entry and exit point.
By Najwa Mekki, UNICEF
RAMTHA, Jordan, 23 December 2011 – As I pull out my camera, Salwa looks at me and blurts out, “No, no pictures, please. Otherwise the police will slaughter us.” She is 5 years old.
Salwa is one of thousands of Syrians who have come to Jordan over the past few months, fleeing unrest and violence in their hometowns.
Nearly 2,000 Syrians have registered with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), though it is estimated that the actual number of people who have sought safety in Jordan is much higher. Most of the displaced are either staying with relatives or renting accommodations on their own.
Stories of fear, violence and retaliation
A large number have fled to Ramtha, a Jordanian border town 1.5 hour’s drive from Amman and 10 km from the Syrian town of Deraa, where the unrest began. Some displaced Syrians get by harvesting olives or working in restaurants, while others take shelter in a guarded facility here, receiving assistance from humanitarian agencies.
They tell stories of fear, violence and retaliation.
Um Ahmed arrived at the facility two weeks ago with her two daughters-in-law and two grandchildren. One of her daughters-in-law is nearly nine months pregnant but has just seen a doctor for the first time in four months.
One man spoke about his teenage son, who was killed in a detention facility in Syria.
A widowed mother recalls how unrest drove her and her two small children out of their home in the western city of Homs. With the help of a local charity, she and five other families are now living in a rented apartment. As she expresses her concern about family members who stayed behind, her 7-year-old son, Kamel, asks me if I can make him paper guns, instead of the paper boats I was trying to impress him with.
Helping children cope
Omar, 13, is one of about 26 children at the guarded facility in Ramtha. He arrived over three months ago with his extended family, and now spends his days playing with other children and listening to older relatives discuss the fatalities back home.
Omar and his playmates look forward to spending time in the facility’s child-friendly space, where UNICEF and the Noor Al Hussein Foundation provide informal education and psychosocial support.
“Children are visibly distressed by the events unfolding in Syria,” says Dominique Hyde, UNICEF Representative in Jordan. “UNICEF’s priority is to make sure that Salwa, Omar and other children like them recover their lost sense of safety and protection, and resume their education.”
*Names have been changed to protect interviewees’ identities
Update: Since publication the number of displaced Syrians registered with UNHCR has increased to some 5,790, with over 2,500 more individuals holding registration appointments. The Ramtha Facility now houses more than 1,300 Syrians.