What Will The Refugees Do?

As we mentioned in an earlier blog posting, the World Food Programme  (WFP) announced that they will be discontinuing providing food to refugees living outside of organized camps effective August 1.  This announcement will affect over 440,000 refugees who have been receiving a small monthly stipend for food and now will receive nothing.  We are wondering what will happen when people actually realize there isn't any more food for them if they are living outside of a camp.

In the last few months it has been reported that about 3,000 refugees have moved into the camps.  The other 400,000 are still living out in fields, with relatives, in barns, in tents, etc.  Many have used up all their savings and have nothing left so what can they do?  With no jobs and no food, they are forced to take desperate measures.  Families are sending their children out to beg.  Angry, frustrated fathers are abusing their families.  Going back to Syria is hopeless and dangerous. They don't have a lot of options.

So why don't the refugees want to go into the camps?  We're not sure.  They certainly must have good reasons, but we can't understand why they wouldn't want to go there.  The camps provide shelter, food, schools and medical assistance.  The conditions aren't ideal, but many good NGO's are working hard and doing a lot of good things in the camps.  It doesn't make sense.


This article published in the Jordan Times, Aug. 11, 2015 states:

"Syrian refugees are legally barred from working in Jordan, but some are managing to find jobs while others are going back to the camps due to high living expenses, and a good number are reportedly returning to Syria. . .Also, there are those who are going back to Syria where they have fields to cultivate or they have some links. . .

We are estimating that in 2015, there will be around 50,000 refugees going back to Syria from Jordan. . . the reason for this trend are not exactly clear, but some are reportedly returning to reunite with family members.. . . also, the difficult living conditions at the camps, especially in terms of hygiene, water and electricity services, are elements that are causing this trend.. . . at present, thousands of Syrian refugees are trying to be smuggled to Europe, incurring high risks and endangering their lives, in the absence of work opportunities in their country and in the region in general.

The target for the International Organization for Migration is to help 50,000 Syrians be resettled in third countries during 2015.