Omar Khattab – Deir Ezzor 

In a rapid pace taken by the autonomous administration authorities to close many displacement camps located in the northeast of the country, and in light of talk of the security situation in areas that witnessed mass displacement during the control of ISIS from mid-2014 to 2019 , and after the Ain Issa agreement on the camps, tribal sponsorship became the hope and lifeline for thousands of women and children in camps in northeastern Syria, especially al-Hol camp for displaced persons located in Al Hasakah province, which hosts thousands of Syrians and foreigners who were living under ISIS control. The autonomous administration authorities require to leave the camp to other areas of control in the east of the Euphrates, the presence of a sponsor for those wishing to reside in those areas, and work was carried out under the Ain Issa Agreement issued by the meeting in the city of Ain Issa in Raqqa, which included representatives of the autonomous administration, both civilians and military, figures, and notables of Arab tribes. One  of the most important provisions of the agreement was the tribal sponsorship for those who desire to leave the camp . 

Destroyed Houses and Abandoned Cities

After living in a camp for three years, 70-year-old Mer’i Hamed Abdullah[1] returned to his village of Al-Sha’fa, east of Deir ez-Zor, his first time in his hometown since the defeat of ISIS, to find it to be a ruin. In order to house his family of seven, Abdullah built a tent that he had packed in haste after the autonomous administration decided to evacuate the IDPs from al-Hol camp, as part of a the administration effort to close all camps for displaced persons within their control areas, forcing him and 200 other families to return to their devastated cities and face an unknown future,. There were burning structures for destroyed houses in the village, along with some tents built by populations, where the tents were stamped with the logo of the United Nations Refugee Agency, to host them without water or electricity. The village at night becomes a piece of darkness. Abdullah is now trying to rebuild his home or build a brick house to keep his family from the harsh winter cold in the absence of any support, whether by government or by organizations operating in Syria and the east of the Euphrates River.

Um Laith, a displaced woman from the village of Abu Khater in the city of Hajin, is no different from other displaced persons who have been forced to return, without basic living supplies, such as home and daily life requirements.

“The IDPs were in the Autonomous Administration held Al-Hol camp in Hasakah governorate. Some IDPs decided to return, and others were forced by camp officials to return to their areas, including me,” says Um Laith.

“I returned back to my village, which was destroyed, and I couldn’t find my house as it was also destroyed as a result of the military operations, so I had to go to build a tent to shelter my family of five girls.  We didn’t get any help” she adds.

Conditions were Better in the Camp

Compared to the camp conditions, Um Laith said, “the situation was more streamlined for us; food and medical assistance was available, but now it is difficult to access such services. We hoped that we would not be left in the open without any assistance even though I am a widow without a breadwinner.”

Abu Walid, a displaced person from the town of Al-Sayal, Al Boukmal city,  in the western bank of Euphrates river, fled his villages after the military operations of Syrian government forces, Russian forces and foreign militias supporting the regular forces to Ajaja camp in Hasakah province. He talks about his displacement journey: 

“I left the camp in 2020 to the town of Al-Sha’fa because I have relatives there and I cannot return to the town of Al-Sayal because my house is destroyed and there are no opportunities for work. Moreover, my sons are required for conscription, and I fear for them.”

Abu Nasser Al Shabban, from Hajin, also talks about the condition of his home when he returned from a two-year displacement : “Unfortunately, I did not find my house, it was rubble. I resorted to the structure of a nearby house and settled there with my family,” he said, adding that “all the displaced people returning to the village do not have the money to start rebuilding their homes.”

“The services provided to us in the village are very poor, especially medical treatment” he said, noting that the Autonomous Administration did not provide any assistance after his returning from the camp.

Reintegration with Communities is Imperative

Thousands of displaced persons living in displacement camps in Autonomous Administration areas are still unable to return to their areas of origin as a result of the destruction of their homes during the war, as well as the lack of basic service infrastructure and lack of support. 

Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, chair of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, warned the international community[2] that while some believe that the conflict in Syria is coming to an end, the facts on the ground paint a different picture, necessitating the need to work hard to reintegrate these displaced persons, to provide material, non-material and psychological support, and most importantly to intensify and unite efforts to reintegrate women with local communities in a thoughtful and urgent manner. 

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mark Lucock and The Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Henrietta Faure[3] stressed that the present time is not the time to reduce humanitarian assistance to Syria, particularly camps in northeastern and northwestern Syria. 

The 24th report[4] by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, issued on 21 September, 2021, made it clear that the escalation of fighting and a return to violence were a cause for concern, stressing that the country is unfit for the safe and dignified return of refugees to some areas of Syria.

References

 1-The names of the witnesses in the article are pseudonyms as witnesses preferred not to mention the real names in order to maintain their personal security.

 2-Syria: UN Commission Chair warns the General Assembly that war against the Syrian people continues unabated.

https://bit.ly/3DxXcB2

3- UN appeals not to cut humanitarian aid to Syria to avoid irreversible deterioration.

https://bit.ly/3pJeEgP

4-UN committee: Syria is not safe for the return of its refugees – children should not be criminalized for what their parents have done.

https://bit.ly/3IvFQZc