Syrian Refugee Crisis
Protests and Civil War
In March of 2011, pro-democracy protests erupted throughout Syria to put an end to the Assad regime that have been in power since 1971, beginning with Hafiz Al-Assad followed by his son, Bashar Al-Assad[1]. The start of the Syrian civil war is indeterminable but it is around May of 2011 that armed vehicles entered the cities of Deraa, Homs and Damascus [2]. Peaceful protests soon turned into combat, with civilians that have nothing to do with the violence suffering the most. There is speculation on who made the first violent move, but who has the more war machines? the civilians or the government?
Involved Parties
According to BBC, countries such as Russia and Iran as well as Lebanon's militia Hezbollah and Shia Muslim militias from Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen are on the Assad regime's side while Turkey, USA, Jordan, and Gulf Arab states are on the opposition's side [3]. An additional factor involved are terrorist groups such as, "Jabhat al-Nusra, an arm of Al Qaeda, and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)"[4]. It is important to contribute involving parties because of the complexity of the war, the more involved parties that joined the conflict over the years, the more violence that ensued. What began as a peaceful protest, that turned into a revolution, also turned into a fight against terrorism.
Displacement
Externally Displaced
The estimated amount of displaced persons within 2 years of conflict is 2 million (2013) [5]. According to UNHCR, over 5.6 million people have fled Syria since 2011[6]. These numbers are estimations because some Syrians have had to flee the country illegally and have not registered asylum in the country they're currently residing in. If rejected by the country they seek asylum in, they would be required to go back to Syria. To some people, the risk of living somewhere illegally is much safer and secure than being sent back to Syria.
LGBTQ+ Refugees in Lebanon
In addition from fleeing their war torn country, individuals that identify as both Syrian and gay say they face double discrimination[7]. Gay refugees in Lebanon are unable to disclose their sexuality due to fear of stigma and persecution. Although Lebanon is a more evolving within the Middle Eastern countries, they still penalize "homosexual relations" under the court of law[7].
Internally Displaced
Due to the overwhelming amount of Syrians entering the small bordering countries, there are also a significant amount of people displaced within Syria that are unable to leave the country for a variety of different reasons, for example disability or sickness.
Humanitarian Aid
In reaction to violence and destruction from the war, the lack of food, water, and electricity has become a nationwide issue[8]. Humanitarian aid is defined as, "save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity during and after man-made crises and disasters caused by natural hazards, as well as to prevent and strengthen preparedness for when such situations occur."[9] The complicated aspect about humanitarian aid is that it is usually from outside countries and a requires neutral support. In this context, neutral support means that everyone receives help regardless of whether their support is for the regime or not.
Canada's Response
To date, Canada has "committed" $1 billion to Syria's refugee crisis[10].
USA's Response
To date, the United States has provided $7.7 billion to Syria's refugee crisis[11].
European countries' Response
To date, the EU and member states have provided €10.6 billion to Syria's refugee crisis[12].
- ↑ Encyclopaedia Britannica, The Editors of (October 23, 2018). "Syrian Civil War". Encyclopaedia Britannica.
- ↑ Sinjab, Lina (March 15, 2013). "Syrian conflict: from peaceful protest to civil war". BBC News. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ↑ BBC, BBC (April 7, 2017). "Syria war: A brief guide to who's fighting whom". BBC News.
- ↑ Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada. "Population Profile: Syrian Refugees" (PDF). CPA. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ↑ Staff, World Vision (November 19, 2018). "Syrian refugee crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help". World Vision. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ↑ UNHCR, UNHCR. "Syria emergency". The UN Refugee Agency USA. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Dhala, Khairunissa (February 7, 2014). "Gay Syrian refugees struggle to survive in Lebanon". Amnesty International. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ↑ International Committee of the Red Cross, International Committee of the Red Cross. "Refugees and displaced people in Syria". ICRC. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ↑ Development Initiatives, Development Initiatives. "Definition of humanitarian assistance & aid from Development Initiatives". Development Initiatives. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ↑ Government of Canada, Government of Canada (March 3, 2013). "Canada's response to the conflict in Syria". Government of Canada. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ↑ USAID, Office of PR (January 26, 2018). "Fact Sheet: U.S. Assistance for the People of Syria". USAID from the American People. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ↑ European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (September 7, 2018). "Syria". European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. Retrieved November 30, 2018.