- Title: JORDAN: Jordan opens new refugee camp to cope with influx from Syria
- Date: 30th April 2014
- Summary: AZRAQ, JORDAN (APRIL 30, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF AZRAQ REFUGEE CAMP EXTERIOR OF HOSPITAL IN CAMP RED CROSS FLAG VARIOUS OF MINISTERS AND AID REPRESENTATIVES TOURING THE HOSPITAL VARIOUS OF MEDICINES STORED IN THE HOSPITAL EXTERIOR OF SHOPPING CENTRE IN THE CAMP SIGN READING: SAMEH MARKET VARIOUS OF MINISTERS AND AID REPRESENTATIVES TOURING THE MARKET VARIOUS OF GOODS
- Embargoed: 15th May 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Jordan
- Country: Jordan
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA3AMNP047IMIDD8P4JKPH5KJI9
- Story Text: A new refugee camp officially opened at Azraq in Jordan on Wednesday (April 30) -- the latest attempt to cope with the constant influx of Syrian refugees into the country.
The camp, located in the town 100 km east of the capital Amman, became the third refugee camp to open for Syrians in the country.
The sprawling 14.7 km-squared desert site has an initial capacity of 50,000 refugees, with this number eventually expected to reach 130,000 refugees.
At present, it hosts some 437 displaced Syrians. One of those who arrived at the camp on Tuesday said that, although conditions seemed comfortable, he would still rather be back at home.
"We don't want to be refugees, we want (the world) to solve the crisis in Syria. We are sick of moving from one location to the next. We want to return to our homes. Help us secure Syria so that it may become stable again," said the refugee, who wanted to remain anonymous.
The camp was officially opened with a press conference held by various Jordanian ministers and aid representatives.
UNHCR representative to Jordan, Andrew Harper, said the camp was set up in response to the increasing number of refugees still entering the country -- an average of 600 daily.
"What you are seeing when you drive around is possibly one of the best-planned refugee camps in the world. It will probably be one of the biggest refugee camps in the world. And what this represents is the continuing commitment of Jordan to uphold its very proud tradition of generosity to protect those who are fleeing conflict and violence," he said.
The camp currently holds 5,000 shelters, it also boasts a functioning water distribution and sanitation facilities, as well as two schools and a 130-bed hospital.
Harper told reporters that what was needed was additional support for Jordan.
"Unfortunately as the crisis continues in Syria, the numbers of refugees who came across will swell, and the ability for them to return any time soon will diminish. So we need to invest not only in camps such as this but also in host communities that surround refugee locations," Harper said, adding that the new camp has so far cost close to 45 million Jordanian Dinars.
Jordan is one of Syria's immediate neighbours, and along with Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq, has been inundated with refugees fleeing the civil war. Jordan now hosts close to 600,000 Syrian refugees.
A large number of those who seek refuge in Jordan are transported to Zaatari, which is home to around 130,000 Syrian refugees. Many other refugees have settled in local communities.
Jordanian authorities are struggling to keep up with the increasing needs of the camps' residents and only a fraction of the hundreds of millions of dollars of international aid pledged to help the Syrian refugees has arrived.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said on Wednesday that the only viable solution for the crisis in Syria was a political one.
"There is no humanitarian solution to the political crisis in Syria, the solution is a political one that will end the humanitarian suffering, and this is what we have to strive to achieve. We've had some obstacles and hiccups recently, but I think we have to restore our discussions, our dialogue, to ensure that it is the political solution and only the political solution that will resolve the current crisis and end the humanitarian disaster," he said Judeh.
Syria's uprising against four decades of rule by the family of President Bashar al-Assad has turned into an increasingly sectarian civil war that has killed more than 100,000 people, displaced 6.5 million inside Syria and forced 2.5 million more to find sanctuary outside its borders. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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