Neck of the woods
“The number of Syrians in Jordan has passed 140,000, according to relief agencies, as officials scramble to expand overcrowded transit facilities. According to interior ministry statistics quoted by the UN, over 140,000 Syrians have crossed into Jordan legally and illegally since Damascus’ launch of a military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in March 2011, a number the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says is rising by some 300 per day. Of the total, some 26,000 have registered as refugees — a number expected to hit 30,000 by the end of the month — in yet another sign that displaced Syrians are preparing for an extended stay in the Kingdom. Meanwhile, the influx of Syrian refugees has pushed so-called transit facilities “beyond capacity”, local relief agencies say, prompting authorities to establish the fourth holding centre in less than six months…….”

When Iraq was going through its min civil war, only Jordan and Syria opened their doors to the inevitable refugees. Other countries: Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, talked loudly about the plight of Iraqis but they did not open their doors. Syria and Jordan did: this almost makes up for these two countries’ lack of a sense of humor, almost. Now Syria is in turmoil, and it is Jordan as the only Arab country that is receiving most of the refugees. The other Arabs claim support for the Syrian people, but they don’t want them anywhere nearby. (The one odd exception may be a twist in Bahrain: the regime is importing many Syrians with experience in crowd control, interrogation, and torture to help it crush the uprising of the Bahrain people).
This Jordanian stand deserves some praise, given the country’s limited resources. It should shame countries like Saudi Arabia that is the loudest in support of the opposition and provides arms and volunteers but would not allow refugees. Assuming Syrian refugees want to go to the grim Wahhabi kingdom. It goes to show you: humor is not everything during a period of turmoil.
Cheers
mhg
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