Syrian crisis: Global community,aid agencies need to do more

Islamabad
The ongoing conflict in Syria has led to massive displacements and migrations, causing a serious humanitarian crisis that warrants immediate action on part of the international community in general and aid agencies in particular.
A call to this effect was made at a round-table discussion on ‘Syrian refugee crisis: responsibilities of international community’ at the National Library of Pakistan here on Tuesday.
Organised by Muslim Institute, the event was attended by a galaxy of diplomats, ambassadors, and television anchors. Prominent among others were the former president of National Defence University and chairman of Pakistan People's Forum Lieutenant General (r) Raza Muhammad Khan, chairman of Muslim Institute Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Ali, deputy head of delegation of the European Union, first secretaries of the Russian and German embassies, deputy head of mission at the Embassy of Turkey, former foreign additional secretary Ambassador Ishtiaq Hussain Andrabi, ambassador Amir Anwar Shadani, columnist ambassador Asif Ezdi, associate dean of the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies NUST Dr. Tughral Yamin, Ambassador Tariq Usman Haider, and Ambassador Khalid Khattak.
The speakers called upon countries like the United States, Australia, and Canada, which have the capacity to accommodate refugees, to play their due role. Muslim countries including Pakistan must also help Syrian refugees to the extent possible, they maintained. Moreover, adequate funding should be provided to UNHCR, the primary UN organisation mandated to look after refugees. The European Union and the Organisation of Islamic Conference must also rise to the occasion by alleviating the plight of Syrian refugees.
According to UNHCR, over 9 million persons have been displaced in Syria as of the start of October 2015. Neighbouring countries of Syria have borne the major brunt of refugees; Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq are hosting 4 million refugees while over 400,000 Syrian refugees are reported to have reached Europe so far and many are being offered settlements by EU countries.
An alarming fact is that half of these refugees are children. Since Pakistan itself has experienced refugee’s crisis of neighbouring Afghanistan, it has a clear idea about the magnitude of the sufferings of refugees. Refugees suffer physically and psychologically, materially and emotionally, externally and internally. “Leaving one’s homeland, losing all that one has achieved through struggle of decades, foregoing the comforts of one’s life, living in camps, hearing the screams of hungry and ailing infants, unable to provide hope to one’s children, and above all, not knowing how many more woes are still there, are the shared miseries of refugees,” the speakers stated.
The discussion underlined the need for more intensive efforts for mobilization of global support to offer respectable living conditions to refugees, particularly in the coming months, when inclement weather condition will further aggravate their miseries. The international community should also support neighbouring countries of Syria to better accommodate the refugees, speakers pointed out.
“The Syrian refugee exodus is the most prominent current manifestation of this unfortunate situation, and symbolises that for reasons of commission and omission, many countries and regions have been plunged into turmoil ranging from parts of Africa to Iraq and Syria in the Middle East. Syrian people have also become victim of international conflict of interests in Syria. The Syrian refugees are part of a large continuum, which should not be lost sight. End of civil war through a quick political solution is immediately required,” the speakers stated.
The refugee’s journey to Europe is dangerous and full of pain; many have died especially while travelling by sea. Human trafficking is another issue that needs to be tackled while the refugee crisis is addressed. The creation of a zone within Syria, on the borders of Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon, was recommended to keep the refugees.
There has been an unprecedented global surge in displacements of IDPs, refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants, which is straining the capacity of the affected nations and institutions such as the UNHCR, other parts of the UN system and IOM amongst others. Efforts should be focused on resolving situations of conflict and which have been the cause for displacements, internal, regional and further afield, the discussants urged.
The speakers also called for an increase in international assistance, which has been declining for Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Sufficient funds should be provided for their voluntary repatriation to Afghanistan, it was agreed.