The Future of Syria – Group Discussions in Mafraq, Amman and Za'atari, 24th to 28th of February 2019

How do you feel regarding/ how do you see the current situation of Syria?

Men in Mafraq and in Amman

(usually older and coming from Homs, left education early and worked as farmer, builder, butcher, bakery, etc. most of them do not work in Jordan and have medical disabilities): //women:

+ Tragedy for children that are exposed to such violence, bombing, rape, etc

+ Issue of corruption and extorsion: to go to one point to the other, you have to pay hundred of checkpoints and everybody want his commission.

+ surveillance and fear to speak, move, think. Completely control of the population with various checkpoint and unique entry to city that controls whoever comes and leaves.

+ “lost generation” of qualified people: of people that had studied or started to study at university and now does not have the possibility to exploit what they learn because no job opportunity fits their qualifications

+ Increase in religious and sectarian tensions

+ There is three government in Syria (???): the zones under the regime are terrible. The soldier of the government can do whatever they want, if they don’t like your name (Sunni names) or your face, even if you laugh or smile when they are there and they don’t like that, they can just kill you or take you in prison while accusing you of being a terrorist: there is no accountability for their crimes because they are with the government.

ð  Even in the zones that are more peaceful at first, the government send militias to mess them up, giving them an excuse to intervene in these areas.

ð  Hezbollah is in control of the areas close to the Syrian-Lebanese border (even Syrian government don’t go there): they have taken the houses and massacred the people that were living there.

+ Feeling of betrayal from the international actors supporting the regime: they were surprised by the international response to the crisis, the world does not seem to care about their situation and the atrocities they live, the international community has no interest in the conflict.

+ while not surprised by the regime’s actions.

* political considerations: problem of the Iranian sectarian tribes presence in Syria

1. How do you see the future of Syria?

Men in Mafraq: // women

ð  Important need of a new government that is legitimate and a new constitution, the situation can only worsen with this one. need to give the country to the people and change governance system.

+ Need to put all the weapons out and to force foreign militias to leave the country, as well as foreign powers (Russian, Iranian, etc).

+ Need of an international peacekeeping task force to restore peace and ensure that no sects has more poser than the other.  

Zaatari refugee: there might be two years chaos even if an agreement is in place, as there are groups with their own agenda and supporting foreign countries => need of an international peacekeeping force.

Final group session: need of civil elected government (and not a monarchy disguised in republic), with a new constitution where everybody is equal without security services that act with impunity.

2. How do you see your role / the role of Syrian refugees in the future of Syria?

Do you think you cold use your “experience” of living out of Syria? What would you do if the situation was better and you could return?

Men in Mafraq and in Amman (// women)

-  willing to rebuild the house, go back to their business to have the financial means to rebuild.

-  Proud to say that Syrian people are working and active people, that would need only a short period of time to rebuild everything, but they need the mean/proper conditions to rebuild. They showed they can adapt to worse situation so certainty they will manage to rebuild their country if they had the occasion to.  => people/refugees have acquired new skills and experienced situation where they have to deal with bad conditions, that would be necessary to rebuild a “better” Syria than before the war.

3. Imagine that the conflict in Syria comes to an end… What does it take for reconciliation to be possible?

How do you feel when thinking about the possibility of being back in your home town/home community?

Men in Mafraq and in Amman:

- the feeling of revenge will maybe take 15 years to disappear.

- but Syrian people are forgiving people, they will give them so bread and a place to stay. If the government is ready to “forgive” everyone and move forward (no fear of persecution, etc.) then it will be easy for people to move on and focus on the rebuilding/reconciliation: they do not want to return for more conflict => Need of a general amnesty.

- other opinion: hopefully they will understand why they left, but generally people advice to not come back and would like to leave themselves if they had the chance. Some advice the elders to come back, but no the youth because they won’t have a future and risk too much to be taken to military services or arrested.

Refugees in Zaatari camp:

- debate between the people that look for a quick reconciliation and emphasises the good willing of the Syrian people to work together to rebuild the country (with the different sects)

>< no possibility for some to live with people that have participated in killing their families and committed crimes with the regime. The wish for revenge is strong for some and the possibility of forgiveness small, specially towards the Alawites.

4. Do you ever think about / could you imagine yourself returning to Syria before the conflict comes to an end? Why?

Men in Mafraq and in Amman:

-       Yes because: hard living conditions in neighbouring countries (no job, hope for future, difficult access to education ,etc.). the basics needs are covered but there is no opportunity and possibility of future in Jordan, specially for the kids that do not have access to education

+ no work/ social security in Jordan, no hopes and quality of life.

=> no statue that allow them to have some rights in Jordan and proper working opportunities & exploitation of Syrians in Jordan: if they are older than 50 then Jordanian do not hire you. They are paid miserably and sometimes even not. They have to work 16hours a day in order to be hired for 20-25 JD/day.

=> a lot of them are starting to have medical disease because of the stress of the war and the tough living conditions in Jordan, + the lack of hope for their future and the future of their children.

=> the assistance of international organisation and UNHCR has been cut off lately and there is less and less international aid to help them survive in Jordan: they have more and more to remove their children from school to make them work to help them paying the rent and basic food.

* zones close to the Turkish border is the best hope they got.

-       No because:

+ No future for the country with this government

+ The militaries/soldiers of governments have every rights, if they want something (e.g: a home) they can just take it.

+ their business is gone, and for example for the farmers their property have been taken by militias and they have no land/animals anymore: why would they return when they have nothing left and no guarantee?

What if the conflict was finished?

// Men and youth: if they see the situation is safe enough they would like to return and rebuild, but need for general forgiveness/amnesty for that

In case of a negative answer, what alternatives are you and others considering?

Women and men in Mafraq:

One think that the country is completely destructed and that she will never return.

-       Some alternatives considered:

• Staying in Jordan or another Arabic country for cultural reasons and because of the proximity to Syria.

• Going to western countries (Europe, US, Canada): mostly for the children education, economic conditions and work opportunities. + even if really grateful towards Jordanian, feeling of being pressured in Jordan because the economic issues/pressure is increasing, feeling to not be welcomed anymore in Jordan.

ð  Division even within families about that point, husbands are more willing to return usually.

* Usually the youth (children of participants) are more willing to go abroad because of education and work opportunities perceived as higher abroad.

* Also wish to reunite the families that for some are spread over the world (members in different countries).

Message to address to foreign countries?

Men in Mafraq and Amman:

- Hypocrisy of international actors (e.g. Russian, Iranian, Hezbollah) that are making profit of the situation : “help us or leave us”

- demand for helping in the reconstruction, to solve the crisis, to return safely, to change the regime, and the release of political prisoners: Hope that the international community would help with the reconstruction but it has to come mostly from the Syrian government

- Get rid of militias and particularly Hezbollah (// Homs areas).

- More attention from the EU and international community in general to the conflict wanted + more help and assistance than it has been done so far. They want their problem to be seen and heard. They wish there would be some legal immigration routes to facilitate immigration.

-Need of international assistance as they lack working alternatives at the moment to cover their basic needs, in order to continue the education of their children.

-They wish Jordan will treat better the refugees and allow them to have some rights regarding working and driving for example.

Additional considerations from the Za'atari camp:

Principal element is the lack of future foreseen, and the unknown scenario for their country.

-  The camp facilitations are improving but the conditions for living remain really tough in terms of housing, food and medicine.

-  They need permission to leave the camp.

-  Most of them would like to be resettled in Europe, but this is generally possible for the Syrian refugees living un urban settlements and not in the camps.

-  The assistance to refugee in general is clearly declining

-  The return will be possible if they feel safe, treated with dignity and in security

-  Rumour for one year or so that refugees in the camp will have to go