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Syria – A Personal Perspective
Salam Arabi- Katbi
Personal Experience
The Syrian Conflict
• The Syrian conflict is now in its third year.
• 2.4 million fled • 6.5 million
displaced • “Half of Syria's
population, some 9.3 million people, are in urgent need of aid.” (The UN Secretary General, Jan 2014)
Syrian Refugees
“The country has gone in three short years from being the world’s second largest refugee-hosting country to replacing Afghanistan as the biggest refugee population worldwide.” (The Telegraph, 2014)
How does this conflict affect us?
• Proximity.
• Global Jihad.
• Daily reports in the media.
• Significant impact on Muslims, Arabs and especially Syrians on our campuses and in the local community.
• The UK accepted more than 1,100 Syrian asylum claims in the twelve months to September 2013.
• The UK is the second largest bilateral donor with its total funding now £600m; the largest total sum the UK has ever committed to a single crisis.
Motivations for Travelling to Syria
Humanitarian Appeal
Muslim Obligation
Disillusionment
Syria Appeal
‘The Reality’ Why do we advise against travelling to
Syria? The whole of Syria is unsafe and there is a high risk of terrorism, radicalisation and kidnap.
Those travelling are beyond the help & protection of HM Government.
Possible imprisonment by the Syrian government of up to 10 years.
Support the claim by the regime that it is fighting foreign terrorists.
Legitimate Jihad? Strife between groups / double standards.
Extra burden on already limited food and medical resources.
Going causes distress and you are likely to hurt your family if you go.
Returnees will likely suffer from severe mental health problems; PTSD and some will be radicalised (1 in 9).
What do Syrian people want you to do?
• Be sympathetic .
• Fundraise through registered charities; the quickest and most effective way to help the Syrian people is to support the humanitarian effort.
“What would you like the British public to do?
Just ask them to pray for us.” (59 year old Syrian woman from
Aleppo.)
Syrians are clear that foreigners are not welcome. They want aid and diplomatic
efforts to end the conflict – visitors only add to the burden on limited resources.
21 Year Old London Undergraduate University
Community
Local Media
Mosque Network
National Media
Family
Online Searches
You can be more effective here in the UK
Look what we are doing together in the UK
Look at what the reality is for those who do travel
Islamic scholars are telling you not to go
Look at what it really does to your family if you go
It is more complex than you imagine
You will not fulfil your jihad, but perpetuate fitna
