On Wednesday morning (November 11), a conference organized by Syria with Russia’s support began in Damascus to discuss the issue of the return of Syrian refugees and ways to provide the necessary resources to achieve this purpose.
The two-day conference takes place at the Umayyad Conference Center in Damascus, with the United Nations present as an “observer”, along with a large Russian delegation and representatives of some Damascus allies, such as Venezuela, Iran, China and several neighboring countries such as Lebanon and Iraq, while the European Union boycotts it, which imposes sanctions on the Syrian regime.
In his keynote speech, which was broadcast via video technology, President Bashar al-Assad accused “the Western regimes led by the American regime and the countries affiliated with it in our neighborhood, specifically Turkey” of “creating conditions to drive out Syrians collectively. ” Negotiation policy, “he said.
Al-Assad considered the refugee issue as “artificial”, adding at the same time that steps to facilitate the return of refugees “will be faster as possibilities increase, and their increase is linked to the decline of the obstacles that it represents the economic blockade and the sanctions that deprive the state of the simplest means necessary for reconstruction and lead to a deterioration of the economic and living situation “.
Russia, an ally of Assad, has sought for years to obtain the support of the international community to launch the reconstruction phase and the return of refugees, while donors link any aid to reach a political solution to the conflict.
The European Union refuses to participate
For its part, the European Union refused to participate in the conference, to which several of its members received invitations to attend. Early Tuesday, Josep Borrell, European Union Minister of Foreign Affairs, stressed that “the current conditions in Syria do not favor the promotion of a large-scale voluntary return in conditions of safety and dignity in accordance with international law.” Borrell cited the “limited” returns that were recorded during the last period as evidence that “reflects the serious obstacles and threats to the return of refugees and displaced persons”, including “forced recruitment, arbitrary detention and forced disappearance.”
The official European view coincides with the positions of leading human rights organizations that warn that the cessation of fighting in various regions does not mean that Syria is prepared for the return of refugees in light of its lack of infrastructure and services and the flagrant violations of human rights in the country.
Syrian government forces have reclaimed more than 70 percent of Syrian territory from fighting opposition factions and jihadist organizations. The country is currently experiencing its worst economic and living crises, which are accompanied by a record collapse in the value of the Syrian pound and the erosion of the purchasing power of Syrians until most of them are below the poverty line.
Since the outbreak of the war in Syria almost nine years ago, more than half of Syria’s population has been displaced and hundreds of thousands have been displaced within and outside Syria, including more than five million and 500,000 registered refugees before the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who have fled mainly to neighboring countries.
WB / AJM (AFP, Reuters, DPA)
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Influential humanitarian scenes on the Greek-Turkish borders … an escape into the unknown
Crossing in the bosom of a refugee father
A father crosses from Turkey to Greece, and appears to be embracing his heart, in a moving scene that sums up the bitter humanitarian situation suffered by thousands of refugees fleeing into the unknown between the borders of Turkey and Greece.
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Influential humanitarian scenes on the Greek-Turkish borders … an escape into the unknown
The border fence prevents refugees from crossing
The flow of migrants to the Greek-Turkish border continues for days, in very cold weather. Many of them carry only light luggage and very few supplies. Although they arrived wishing for open borders, they found barbed wire and tear gas waiting for them.
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Influential humanitarian scenes on the Greek-Turkish borders … an escape into the unknown
The numbers are constantly increasing
Despite the large number, the borders remain closed to them. At the Pazarkul border crossing, according to the International Organization for Migration, some thirteen thousand immigrants are gathering, including families and children. And Turkish Interior Minister Suleiman Soylu tweeted on his official Twitter account that some 78,000 were heading to the city of Edirne, which is located on the Turkish border with Greece and Bulgaria.
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Influential humanitarian scenes on the Greek-Turkish borders … an escape into the unknown
Gas pumps in front of the displaced
Tension hangs over the situation in the border area, given the escalation of clashes between migrants and the Greek border police in recent days, as the security forces tried to control the situation with tear gas and pepper spray, thus some migrants responded by throwing stones at the police.
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Influential humanitarian scenes on the Greek-Turkish borders … an escape into the unknown
Dangers on the border of the river Evros
A Syrian mother and her daughter tried to cross the Evros River, the border between Greece and Turkey, but before reaching the Greek shores, their boat filled with water, causing the boat to sink and hang them on a small island. . Although the volunteers managed to save them, there are many others who are trying to take this path to reach Europe.
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Influential humanitarian scenes on the Greek-Turkish borders … an escape into the unknown
Thwart attempts to cross the river Evros
The Greek coast guard authorities have thwarted some 4,000 illegal crossings to its shores via the Evros river. A Greek government spokesman in Athens said these measures are to protect the Greek and European borders. Thousands of immigrants took this path in recent years and many of them drowned in the river. But despite its danger, migrants still try to cross it to reach Greek territory.
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Influential humanitarian scenes on the Greek-Turkish borders … an escape into the unknown
The President of the European Commission visits the border area
In a gesture of solidarity with Greece, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, visited Oristiada, which borders Greece and Turkey, to closely monitor the situation. Von der Leyen said that Europe shares Greek concerns and emphasized that these borders are not only Greek, but also European.
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Influential humanitarian scenes on the Greek-Turkish borders … an escape into the unknown
An unpleasant surprise for the refugees!
Tensions rise among the residents of the Greek island of Lesbos, with the anticipation of the arrival of thousands of immigrants. In the photo: several islanders stand in the way of the refugees arriving in their boat, trying to send a message to block the path of the approaching groups. Journalists on the island also reported that residents are threatening them. The situation continues to worsen as more refugees are expected to arrive in the coming days. Prepared by Pinika Myriam / Salma Hamed
