JORDAN: The United Arab Emirates is helping Jordan cope with the growing number of refugees fleeing from neighbouring war-torn Syria

Record ID: 274567

  • Title: JORDAN: The United Arab Emirates is helping Jordan cope with the growing number of refugees fleeing from neighbouring war-torn Syria
  • Date: 21st April 2014
  • Summary: ZARQA, JORDAN (RECENT - APRIL 14, 2014) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF THE EMIRATI-JORDANIAN CAMP IN MREJIB AL FHOOD CARS AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE CAMP VARIOUS OF TRAILERS IN THE EMIRATI-JORDANIAN CAMP (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SAIF BIN SULEIMAN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE CAMP, SAYING: "The Emirates camp opened in April of last year, in 2013. The number of families and children curren
  • Embargoed: 6th May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Jordan
  • Country: Jordan
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAB19T5DCIL0TVFGRGJ24NBWWZ1
  • Story Text: A refugee camp in Jordan is providing a safe haven to the growing number of Syrians fleeing the three-year-old civil war in their country.
    The camp, located in Mrejib Al Fhood, 80 km east of Amman, is spread in more 60 acres (approx 24 hectares) of land and home to thousands of Syrian refugees. It is run solely from funding from the United Arab Emirates through its Red Crescent Society.

    "The Emirates camp opened in April of last year, in 2013. The number of families and children currently in the camp is around 4,000 people, and we are working on expanding the camp so that it can hold 6,000 people," said Saif Bin Suleiman, deputy director of the camp.
    The camp currently houses 770 trailers providing shelter to the refugees.
    It also houses separate boys and girls schools, a mosque, outdoor and indoor markets and integrated health units.
    Future plans include a water treatment station, solar-powered heaters, a modern irrigation system and family entertainment zone featuring a playground for children.

    "Conditions here are truly great, we couldn't ask for anything more. The service is excellent, wherever we go and whatever we ask for we receive. We genuinely want to thank the team that is working hard here for our well-being. They are doing a great job," said Manal Zarazra, who fled from Deraa a year ago.
    It was in Deraa where protests against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad first erupted in March 18, 2011 and spiralled into an increasingly sectarian civil war that has killed more than 150,000 people, over 7,000 of them children, and displaced millions from their homes.
    Despite the relative comfort in which the refugees are living in this camp, many are longing for home.

    "We left (eds note: refers to Syria) with heavy hearts and deep wounds. We had hoped that the crisis would not last for long, but unfortunately, my family and I, and some relatives have been here for over 9 months. We thought we would be here for a month or two and return. We left behind a devastated land, broken hearts, hungry and destitute people," said Jalal, who fled from Eastern Ghouta province.
    Jordan is one of Syria's four immediate neighbours, and along with Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq, has been inundated with refugees fleeing the civil war.
    The country hosts close to 600,000 Syrian refugees.
    A large number of those who seek refuge in Jordan are transported to the Zaatari camp, which is home to around 130,000 Syrian refugees and is located about 12 km (eight mile) from the Syrian border.
    Many other refugees have settled in local communities.
    The United Nations (UN) has recently launched its biggest appeal ever, calling for 6.5 billion US dollars in aid for Syria and the region.
    On Monday (April 21), Syria's speaker of parliament announced it will hold a presidential election on June 3, setting a date for a vote likely to give Assad a third term days after he said his forces were winning the country's civil war.
    Under Syria's constitution the election is due by July, though the international powers that back Assad's opponents have described plans to hold it as a "parody of democracy".
    Assad has not said whether he will stand in the election, but his allies in Russia and in Lebanon's Shi'ite movement Hezbollah have predicted he will stand and win.
    Assad said in mid-April that the conflict had reached a "turning point" due to his forces' military gains against the rebels, state media reported.
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