Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds: Thousands Displaced in Dire Conditions in Northeast Syria

Northeast Syria: Thousands Displaced in Dire Conditions

Rights to Life, Health, Food, Water at Risk

In northeast Syria, tens of thousands of internally displaced people living in camps and shelters are facing dire conditions and inadequate aid, according to a report by Human Rights Watch. The lack of sustained service delivery, especially in “informal” camps, has led to health and hygiene breakdowns, shortages of essential materials, and limited access to basic necessities such as shelter, sanitation, food, clean drinking water, healthcare, and education. The current level of aid is not meeting the economic and social rights of the displaced people nor the universal minimum standards for humanitarian assistance.

Since the Turkish invasion in 2019, hundreds of thousands of people sought shelter and support in northeast Syria. However, the lack of adequate help has created a precarious situation for the displaced population, who continue to face ongoing hostilities and displacement from the frontlines between territory controlled by the autonomous administration and territory occupied by Turkey.

Political Obstacles and Inconsistent Aid

The Syrian government has long weaponized aid, dictating where it flows and obstructing its delivery across front lines from government-held parts of the country. In 2020, Russia forced the Security Council to shut down three out of four previously authorized border crossings, entirely cutting off UN-led cross-border aid for the northeast. This has left UN agencies dependent on often arbitrary and unjustified government-imposed conditions for aid delivery.

The assistance provided by United Nations agencies to camps and shelters in territories governed by the United States-backed, Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria is inconsistent. While some camps and shelters receive limited assistance from international non-governmental organizations, many gaps remain, leading to health and hygiene breakdowns and shortages in essential materials, particularly during extreme weather conditions.

The Need for Urgent Action

Human Rights Watch is calling on the UN, other aid agencies, and the autonomous administration to urgently address the humanitarian crisis in the informal camps and collective shelters. There is a need for a rights-based approach that prioritizes the well-being and dignity of the displaced population. The underserved camps, which are already at capacity, must receive sustained aid, and newly displaced Syrians should not be turned away. Collective centers and informal settlements should also receive consistent aid and protection.

UN agencies should conduct an assessment to ensure that the universal minimum standards for humanitarian response are being met in the informal camps and shelters. They should expand service delivery to include these populations and advocate for the protection of economic and social rights, such as the rights to health, food, and water. Diplomatic efforts should also be made to negotiate access with Syrian authorities to ensure consistent aid delivery.

International donors should increase funding to respond to the protracted nature of displacement in northeast Syria and support efforts to improve the well-being and dignity of the displaced population.

Philosophical Discussion and Editorial

The dire conditions faced by internally displaced people in northeast Syria raise important ethical and philosophical questions about the responsibilities of the international community and the concept of humanitarian assistance.

Firstly, this crisis underscores the urgent need for a more effective international framework for providing humanitarian aid. The reliance on political negotiations and government approvals for aid delivery is putting the lives of vulnerable populations at risk. The international community must work towards a system that ensures the provision of aid based on need, rather than political considerations.

Additionally, this crisis highlights the complex and intertwined nature of human rights and humanitarian aid. The right to life, health, food, and water are fundamental human rights, yet in situations of displacement and conflict, these rights are often compromised. Humanitarian aid becomes essential in addressing these rights violations and ensuring the survival and well-being of affected populations.

However, the provision of aid is not just a matter of meeting basic needs but also upholding the principles of dignity and self-determination. Aid organizations must strive to provide assistance that respects the agency and autonomy of displaced individuals and communities. This means involving them in decision-making processes, ensuring culturally appropriate aid, and supporting their long-term resilience and self-sufficiency.

In the case of northeast Syria, the lack of sustained aid and inadequate living conditions threaten not only the physical health of the displaced population but also their psychological well-being and sense of dignity. It is crucial that humanitarian efforts prioritize the holistic needs and rights of the displaced people, considering their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Lastly, this crisis raises questions about the broader political and geopolitical context in which humanitarian aid operates. The involvement of multiple actors, including national governments, international organizations, and non-state actors, adds layers of complexity and challenges to the effective delivery of aid. The resolution of conflicts, the protection of human rights, and the provision of aid require a coordinated and comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of displacement and conflicts.

Advice and Recommendations

Based on the findings of the Human Rights Watch report, the following recommendations are proposed to address the dire conditions faced by internally displaced people in northeast Syria:

• Urgently increase aid to the informal camps and collective shelters, ensuring weather-appropriate shelter, sanitation, and access to food, clean drinking water, healthcare, and education.
• Advocate for the protection of economic and social rights, including the rights to health, food, and water of everyone in the camps and shelters.
• Conduct an assessment to ensure that the universal minimum standards for humanitarian response are being met in the informal camps and shelters, and expand service delivery to include the people living there.
• Negotiate access with Syrian authorities to ensure consistent and sustained aid delivery to the previously “informal” camps, collective centers, and informal settlements.
• Increase international funding to respond to the protracted nature of displacement in northeast Syria and support efforts to improve the well-being and dignity of the displaced population.
• Develop a more effective international framework for providing humanitarian aid, ensuring aid based on need rather than political considerations.
• Prioritize the holistic needs and rights of the displaced people, considering their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
• Work towards a coordinated and comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of displacement and conflicts, involving all relevant actors.

By taking these actions, the international community can work towards alleviating the dire conditions and protecting the rights and dignity of internally displaced people in northeast Syria.

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