Name -Satendra Kumar Maurya,

College - Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University,

Lucknow.

Topic – The Syrian Refugee Crisis and Its Implications on International

Law
INTRODUCTION: -
Syria officially known as Syrian Arab Republic. It is located in the east coast of
Mediterranean Sea in southwestern Asia and its capital is Damascus. Turkey,
Jordan, Iraq and Israel are the neighbouring countries of Syria. It has a short of
coastline which stretches about 180 km along with the Mediterranean Sea
between Turkey and Lebanon. The highest point of the country is Latakia which
hight is 1562 metres. The Al-Ansariyyan mountain located at the border of
coastal plain of the country and an average width of the mountain is about 32
km. Syria is a unitary republic consisting of 14 governorates and it is the only
country that politically espouses Ba'athism

SYRIAN REFUGEE CRISIS: -

The Syrian refugee crisis started from the Syrian civil war that is,15 march 2011
and it refer to the humanitarian emergency. When the Syrian civil war started in
March 15, 2011, many families have suffered under brutal conflict that has
killed hundreds of thousands of people in Syria, torn the nation apart, and set
back the standard of living by decades. Now in its 10th year, the Syrian refugee
crisis is the largest refugee in the world and displacement crisis of our time.
Total population of Syria according to 2018 survey is 1.69 crore. Out of this
about 5.6 million Syrians are refugee and about 6.2 million peoples are
displaced within Syria. About 12 million population of Syria needs
humanitarian assistance for better living. Most of the peoples affected by
refugee crisis are children (about half of the refugee). For many Syrian children
all they have known is war, have an extreme effect on their mental, physical,
and social health, jeopardizing the future of children who will one day need to
rebuild Syria.
Humanitarian assistances are not able to access many conflict areas that’s why
there is not full knowledge of civilians what they need. Syrian army has been
started regaining their territory since 2015. Only governorates in the northeast
and northwest remain outside government control. Majority of population in
Syria living in extreme poverty, whose daily income is less then $1.69 and they
are not able to use their daily basics need. about hundreds out of thousands of
peoples are newly displaced in northern Syria, aid groups are struggling to meet
their basics needs for shelter, clothing, and heat.
SYRIAN CIVIL WAR: -
Syrian civil war started in 2011 for peaceful protest. Young people took to the
streets in southern city of Syria in March 2011 seeking government reforms.
There was many treaty and war happened during this period. The movement
was a part of the social media fueled Arab that swept through the Middle East
and North Africa. March 15 dubbed the day of rage was a turning point that’s
why it is internationally recognized as the anniversary of the Syrian civil war.
As protests spread throughout the country, they were countered by government
crackdowns and increasing violence from both government and protesters. After
two – three year, Syria was embroiled in a civil war with the Syrian military
stopping a growing number of militant groups. Conflict has torn apart the lives
of millions of country’s children and families as government forces and militant
groups fought to take and rule territory resulting in what is now known as the
Syrian refugee crisis. Some of the big crisis of Syrian refugee are given bellow.
December 2016 was very important time when Syrian regime retaking the
control over Aleppo. Government troops backed by Russian power and Iranian
sponsored militaries recaptured Aleppo the largest city the depriving the rebels
of their last major urban strong hold and second one is Astana peace talk which
was a new round of talks between the Syrian government and some groups of
Syrian rebels concluded on 24th January 2017 in Astana. Russia, Iran and
Turkey supported and brokered a ceasefire agreement.
If we will talk about violence of the civil war, From the Syrian civil war began
an estimated 500000 people have been killed including more than 55,000
children, the Syrian Observatory reported to Human Rights. The war has been
become deadlier since foreign countries powers have joined the conflict. Within
Syria, 95% of people lack of proper healthcare and 70% lack regular access to
clean water. Half the children are not able for going school. Civil war has
shattered the economy and 80% of the population now lives in poverty and they
can not get their basics needs. Syrian children, the nation’s hope of the better
future have lost their loved ones, suffered injuries, mental stress and missed
years of schooling and experienced unspeakable violence and brutality.
The majority of the Syrian refugee about 5.6 million of people have gone to the
neighbouring countries like Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon etc and many suffering
from one place to other. About 3.6 million Syrian refugee are living in Turkey
and majority of this refugee live outside refugee camp and they are not getting
their basics need too, about 9 lakh Syrian refugees are living in Lebanon it is a
one sixth of the population of Lebanon itself, nearly 6 lakh Syrian refugees are
living in Jordan and about 2.5 lakh Refugees are living in Iraq. We can see that
the Syrian refugees are scattered about all of the neighbouring countries of Syria
that’s why the people of that countries also in very great problem because their
basics needs are used by other persons.

HOW IS THE SYRIAN CIVIL WAR AFFECTING TO THE CHILDREN: -

Many Syrian children have never seen a time without war. About millions of
them the conflict has stolen their childhood and affected their long-term
physical and mental health as well as their prospects for the future because can
not go to the school. Many children caught up in this crisis have lost their
family members and friends to the violence, suffered physical and mental
trauma, and those who goes school had to leave their school. Many refugee
children have to work to support themselves and their families basic needs.
Often they work in very dangerous circumstances for low pay. Warring parties
forcibly recruit children who serve as fighters, human shields, and in support
roles. Nearly 40% of Syrian refugee children are not going for school. In Syria,
the war reversed two decades of educational progress. One-third of schools are
not having classes because they have been destroyed or occupied by military
groups. The children are suffering more problem then any other person because
they do not know how to react for any act and also they are not getting proper
education that’s why they also do not know read and write.

ITS IMPLICATION ON INTERNATIONAL LAW: -

Article 14 (I) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, considered the
foundation of international human rights law and a key determiner of customary
international law states that everyone has the right to seek and enjoy in other
countries asylum from persecution. This means that all people fearful of
persecution in one country such as Syrians fleeing conflict have the right to
asylum in another. Asylum understood as the protection that a State grants on its
territory or in some other place under the control of certain of its organs to a
person who comes to seek it, is a well-known institution in international law
with well-established historical roots in state practice. Also many countries
Come forward to help the Syrian refugee. Because this is a very bad time for
them, they are suffering from many years and they are scattering from one
country to another in between many of them last their lives too. So that many
countries like Russia, Turkey and Jordan etc are come forward for helping them.
Because this is very tough time for them, at this time of refugee crisis when
people need the support countries should come forward for helping them, as the
refugees are also not left with an option to continue to live a unpleasant life in
their own country, where they are faced with daily torture and not even
provided basic essentials.

CONCLUSION: -
Refugee is a very serious problem throughout all over the world and the global
refugees crisis continues to increase both in conflict number of refugees seeking
protection and resettlement and in technological change allowing more refugees
to seek settlement. Syrian refugees are very big problem for all of the
neighbouring as well as other countries. Because these people for get their
basics necessity scattered from one place to other place. They are not given
adequate facilities to work and inadequate shelter only providing the means to
protect their life anyhow. Enough solution need to be taken and policies in this
regard should be made by the world leader so that no people may die at the time
of crossing the border with famine and they should reach the safest place
without harassment. The whole world should stand together against the
terrorism that causes this. The refugee crisis could end if the people and nation
change their outlook towards the refugees.