Syrian Arab Republic: Civilians flee within and from Syria
| Publisher | Norwegian Refugee Council/Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (NRC/IDMC) |
| Publication Date | 6 May 2011 |
| Cite as | Norwegian Refugee Council/Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (NRC/IDMC), Syrian Arab Republic: Civilians flee within and from Syria, 6 May 2011, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4dc7d1512.html [accessed 2 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Internal displacement has been reported following the violent government crackdown on protesters, particularly in Dara'a where the government has deprived the population of electricity, food and running water since 27 April. Government forces have continued to use live ammunition and tanks against protesters in civilian areas. The government's violent repression of the protests, which started on 11 March, had by 29 April caused well over 400 reported deaths and the destruction of houses, schools and mosques, resulting in displacement.
Reports of Syrian civilians trying to flee have multiplied. As of 29 April there were several reports of over a thousand individuals fleeing Syrian into Akkar in Lebanon in fear of their lives. On the southern border with Jordan, hundreds of families reportedly fled Daraa to Ramtha, despite the closure of the border by the Syrian authorities. Information from within Syria has been particularly difficult to verify. Dozens of cases of extrajudicial arrest have been reported, as well as cases of torture, including of children, despite the lifting of the emergency laws on 21 April.
The international community has been slow in responding to the crisis and failed to secure even a statement by the UN Security Council calling on Syria to stop the violence against civilians. However, on 29 April, the UN's Human Rights Council adopted a resolution calling for an urgent investigation into the killings and other human rights violations in Syria.
