Fewer than 2 per cent of Syrian refugees displaced across the Middle East want to return to Syria over the next year, NGOs warned on Thursday, stressing the need for continued protection and support to prevent forced returns.
Despite the numerous challenges the refugees face in their host communities, the vast majority remain clear that Syria is not a safe place for them to return to, with many refugees citing security concerns fuelled by continuing conflict, armed actors, lack of law and order and fear of abuse by authorities upon their return as the main reasons stopping them.
According to findings by the UN Refugee Agency, over half hope to be able to return to their country one day – but only if their safety is no longer an concern.
“Many would like to return one day, but not while it remains unsafe and unconducive inside Syria to do so. Any discussions around refugee returns must centre on the need for them to be voluntary, safe and dignified,” Mark Kaye, MENA policy and advocacy director at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), said.
Social tensions with the host country has been recorded as one of the main challenges refugees face, according to the UNHCR survey, in addition to diminishing aid resources.
“Across the region refugees are now faced with a multitude of challenges, from reduced opportunities to earn a living, rising costs of housing and food, and, as hosting countries are affected by broader economic crisis, more tensions with host communities,” Lilu Thapa, executive director for the Middle East at the Danish Refugee Council, said.
Mr Thapa also urged regional host countries to “listen to Syrian refugees” to ensure their protection.
The EU has pledged more than €2 billion ($2.17 billion) to support Syrians across the region and dismissed any talk of their possible return, despite calls from member states to discuss safe zones.
The EU has for years said conditions for a safe and dignified return for Syrians have not yet been met by the government of President Bashar Al Assad, which was responsible for a crackdown on protests in 2011 and led to the civil war.
But regional host countries, including Lebanon and Jordan, say the burden of Syrian refugees is too heavy and are increasingly calling for international pressure for voluntary returns.
In recent months, Syrian refugees in Turkey and Lebanon have been subjected to increasing hate and violence, with local populations scapegoating them and blaming them for domestic economic issues.
Many are faced with the constant fear of deportation.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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Raheem Sterling 35', 49'
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
