The Syrian Refugee Crisis
The Syrian refugee crisis is one of the world’s biggest challenges. The war in Syria destroyed the country, killed and injured thousands of people, and displaced millions into other countries. Asylum countries are suffering from this crisis and facing many challenges. The continuation of the war will not spare the west and especially Europe because the smuggling of migrants via death boats will not stop but will increase if no serious actions were taken.
The main result of the Syrian war was the large displacement of Syrians to foreign countries. It is creating a big refugee crisis that needs direct measures to be taken to end the war. Millions of people were affected and spilled into surrounding countries. The continuation of the war has displaced more than half of Syria’s population from their homes, and an estimated 15.3 million Syrian nationals will need emergency aid in 2023. An average of 4.6 million refugees per year were outside Syria between years 2011 and 2021.
Since the beginning of the war in 15 march 2011, the number of Syrian refugees started increasing. The numbers increased quickly and significantly each year by year especially between 2011 and 2017. After year 2017, the numbers increased slightly and the numbers were approximately the same. In the first six years, the war was very violent and tough, this obliged many Syrians to flee from the country and search for safer places in foreign countries.
The root cause should be tackled and a peaceful settlement should be forced by great nations to end the war. Under the supervision of the UN, voluntary repatriation for Syrian refugees should be offered and those who don’t wish to return to their home country should be offered a chance to move to a third country because asylum countries like Lebanon for example can’t bear the refugee crisis anymore. Big nations should take responsibility and unburden the effects of the Syrian migration on Asylum countries by financially supporting them and by finding alternatives.
Parties who are part of the Syrian war should be brought into serious and continues discussions and meetings to reach an amicable solution that makes no party in a stronger position. Guarantees must be provided for people who wish to return to Syria and safe areas must be secured for them. Direct actions to increase the financial aid given to hosting neighboring countries of Syria like Lebanon and Jordan for example should be a priority. Syrian refugees as well must be offered a chance to move to third countries like USA, Canada, and the EU.
An immediate fair assessment of the refugees should be done to determine those who are in danger if they return to Syria and those who aren’t. Refugees that are still in danger, should be offered a chance to move to third countries that can provide them with a decent life like stated before. At the same time, the reconstruction process should start to encourage refugees to return to their homeland. The Financial support to hosting countries like Lebanon must be in terms of contributing to the development of the infrastructure especially in the sectors of electricity, water, sanitation, public Healthcare, and Education.
We must ensure that all kinds of support must be given for the sake of the Syrian people. All great nations that have their influence in Syria must put an end to this war because extremism and terrorist groups won’t spare any foreign country from their attacks. Neighboring countries and Lebanon one of them are on the edge of social collapse due to the financial and political instability. Thus, direct support must be granted to such countries and the EU along with the USA and Canada should open their doors for resettlement for refugees. If not, illegal immigration via death boats and smuggling of migrants will not stop but instead will rise significantly especially to European countries.
The war in Syria brought destruction, death, poverty, and immigration. The whole world because of globalization is a small village and any war in any place will have effects on other countries. The Russian-Ukrainian war is a good example since the whole world economy is affected. Peaceful means of solving disputes should always be the option because violent extremism is a long-term effect of war and it will generate terrorism that won’t spare humans or countries. The Recommendations and solutions proposed above for the Syrian refugee crisis should be taken into consideration in order to stop the suffering.