We’ve all seen the headlines pop up in our Facebook feed or on the front cover of The New York Times before heading into Stav: Syrian Civilians killed Aleppo, millions of refugees trying to flee to Europe, Arab Springs, the failed agreement between Russia and the United States. However, it is hard to gage exactly what is happening and the depth of the conflict from just reading headlines. And honestly, with all the moving parts of the conflict, I don’t blame people one bit for their lack of understanding.
Syrian Migrants and Refugees Passing Through Slovenia, October 2015
Last Thursday, St. Olaf welcomed Hala Jadid al Kash, a professor at the IES Study Abroad Center in Granada, Spain to speak about the Syrian Conflict. Born in Syria, but currently residing in Spain, Al Kash has witnessed first hand the conditions at Syrian refugees face by volunteering at a camp in Jordan and is the president of the non-profit organization Souriyat sin fronteras (Syrian Women Without Borders). During her lecture, Al Kash opened the discussion by introducing the idea that “all human life is equal.” While it is indeed a simple concept, we often forget it. When hearing about crisis happening around the world, we often have this tendency to simply go on with our lives as if nothing has changed. However, what we need to understand is “just because it isn’t happening here, doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.”
Because Syria was ruled for over 50 years under the dictatorship, Al Kash believes that the conflict was inevitable. With no avenues for the opposition to create a voice in government, the build-up of tension and frustration is understandable. While it is hard to say that the conflict could have completely been avoided, Al Kash asserts that the international community, especially the US and the United Nations, should’ve intervened sooner than it did. Here is a link to a great article that gives your the basics on the Conflict.
Syrian Refugee Center on the Turkish Border, 80km from Aleppo, Syria
With over 6.6 million people internally displaced, 13.5 million people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance and over 6 million children affected, the Syrian Conflict is the largest humanitarian crisis to occur since World War II. And while the conflict seems distant, it is important to recognize that it is not. The people affected by the Crisis are just like us, they have dreams, goals, jobs, friends and family.
Budapest, Hungary
So, you might be asking yourself, how can I help? One way is to raise and donate money to the many NGOs and funds that dedicate themselves to providing medical, humanitarian, and legal assistance to the refugees. You can also volunteer your time at a refugee camp like Al Kash did. But the most important thing you can do is to educate yourself and the people around you. As Al Kash mentioned, the conflict in Syria is a humanitarian one, not a political one. And it is up to us, regardless of political views, race, gender, class, to do something about the crisis and to take a stand.
Image Sources: Thumbnail and Photo 3, Photo 1, Photo 2
Information Sources: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/UNICEF%20Syria%20Crisis%20Situation%20Report_September%202016.pdf
https://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/aid/countries/factsheets/syria_en.pdf