What we need to remember on the fifth anniversary of the Syrian war
(originally published here)
Tomorrow marks the fifth anniversary of the start of the Syrian war. Since March 15, 2011, more than 4 million people have fled Syria to escape war and violence, while millions more have been internally displaced.
Today—as representatives of the government and opposition groups convene in Geneva for a new round of peace talks and countries continue to grapple with the influx of refugees—it’s crucial to remember that we must address the heart of the crisis in Syria.
“The most important solution for dealing with the displacement crisis is not to deal with it as a charity issue—neither by bringing them to the U.S. or other countries nor by helping them to stay as refugees and displaced people,” said Raed Jarrar, AFSC’s government relations manager during an online discussion in January. “The most important thing is to address the root causes of displacement so that people will go back to their homes. That is an important mindset.”
For more, watch a recap of the full discussion, featuring Raed and AFSC’s Giovanna Negretti, Middle East regional director, and Layla Razavi, director of Human Migration and Mobility.
Right?
(More from Raed Jarrar here)
Throwback Thursday! This week is the 25th anniversary of the beginning of Operation Desert Storm.
How have U.S. military interventions over the past few decades destabilized the region? Join us Jan 27, 2016 for our live-streamed conversation “Overwhelmed: Syrian Refugee Crisis in Context”–details and RSVP: afsc.org/hangout
Operation Desert Storm began 25 years ago today. What have we learned?
We need 5,000 more people to sign our petition in the next two weeks asking Obama not to increase military aid to Israel in order to meet our goal. Go to bit.ly/NoAidToIsrael and help stop the US’s role in militarization of the conflict. Let’s not help this level of destruction occur.
“The U.S. is considering giving Israel $45 billion in new military aid over the next 10 years. That $45 billion will purchase weapons and resources that will help Israel enforce the occupation, keep Gaza under blockade, and continue violating Palestinians’ human rights. These weapons will also encourage regional arms races which sustain regional conflicts and instability. Sign our petition to say no to military aid for Israel. “
What some of AFSC’s staff are reading this week:
- Foreign intervention ‘100 times more likely’ in oil rich states–study
Shared by Jasveen Bindra, AFSC Shared Security Fellow - Naked Economics: Undressing The Dismal Science
Shared by Kate Beale, Meeting Support Specialist - Charles Blow: At Yale, the Police Detained My Son
Shred by Renata Fletcher, AFSC Asst. General Secretary of Integration and Impact - Facilitative Leadership for Net Impact
Shared by Seth Horowitz, AFSC Senior Systems Analyst
Photos by our Middle East office staff of the aftermath in Gaza after this summer. More at: http://afsc.org/friends/we-tell-stories-countering-israeli-occupation
