The Stateless Syrian in Exile

The number of Syrian refugees in Kurdistan has reached 200,000 and UNHCR expects that the number may exceed 500,000 by the end of 2013. The overall security in Domiz Refugee camp is stable. The Kurdish security police continue to ensure the security in the camp and the surrounding areas. There are around 80000 refugees are living in the Domiz camp in Kurdistan. Local authorities established Domiz Refugee Camp in April 2012. The camp located 20 kms southeast of Dohuk city, in Iraqi Kurdistan and some 60 km from Syria/Iraq border. The Kurdish authorities are keeping the borders open for Syrians of Kurdish origin. People in Domiz camp describe that at first the conflicts started between local people and after that it was a big issue and spread the whole Syria. Refugees walk the three-mile dirt road snaking through no-man’s land to the Kurdish region of Iraq. The Sahela border crossing is the main escape route for Syrians of Kurdish origin. "When a country is physically destroyed, its people dying and fleeing and a state and its services collapsing, the most important thing a neighbor can do is to keep the borders open. The Kurdistan region is an anchor of peace and stability in a very troubled part of the world," said UNHCR chief António Guterres. WFP provides US$31 per month for every family member in the form of food vouchers. Through these vouchers, refugees are providing commerce to these communities while also having access to fresh and nutritious food. WFP's programme costs US$30 million per week to feed Syrians in Syria and neighboring countries. Guterres called the Syria conflict the "worst threat to global peace and security since the last century. We are witnessing death and destruction, the collapse of the state and the enormous suffering of the people." He noted that all relief agencies are dramatically underfunded at a time when millions of Syrians are in need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria and the number of refugees is fast approaching two million. But both UN officials declared their commitment to helping all Syrians in need. “I wish to return to my home, to my land, reunite with my family. I am Syrian,” says Hasan Julie Mahmood, 63, who came here before one year. He also says, “I am angry about few countries that are not willing to solve the problem such as USA, Iran, France, Germany, UK, Russia, Italy and Turkey. Because we have no oil inside our land, so nobody care about our situation.” It’s not easy life to live in another state for the Syrian refugee people. They got every living support here, but they lost everything in Syria. Young people and children have less idea about the conflict, but elder people have more emotion for their land Syria. Bayan Naeef Abd Al Rahman, 19 years old, lived with her family in Domiz Refugee camp. After coming in Kurdistan she left her general education and now studying in short course of English language and computer training. She wants to do higher study, but she is not able to do it in Kurdistan. She will be work here in Kurdistan after finish her short courses. But her dream is to go to Europe in future for superior life. She was crying when the conflict began in Syria. She says, “I saw the dead people on the street and people was killing one another. I scared and cry to saw that incident in front of me.” A lot of the young refugees are forced to leave their studies to find low paid jobs to earn some extra cash. Though the life of Refugee camp is good for the people living here, they have not felt the same freedom like their own land. The future of the children has no hope here. Only for the conflict or only for the power few people destroy the humanity of a nation.