Lelun Afrin
On August 19, 2024, within the “Aram” project to integrate the displaced community into the host community, and with the support of the Civil Society Center in Qamishli, the Lelun Association for Victims held a dialogue session on “The reality of Afrin’s displaced people in the host community… Challenges and ways to mitigate them.”
The session included a number of representatives of the Autonomous Administration, representatives of the local media, representatives of civil society organizations, civil activists, in addition to a number of Afrin’s displaced people from different categories.
The discussions revolved around the reality of Afrin’s displaced people in the displacement areas after the occupation of Afrin in 2018 and the most important challenges and difficulties facing their daily lives. The reasons that led them to this situation were also explained, including objective reasons related to the ongoing war in Syria, the occupation of the region that resulted in the forced displacement of more than half of its population, and the loss of the displaced people’s livelihoods and properties after the armed factions of the Syrian opposition seized them, which their displaced owners have been unable to manage for more than six years.
There are also other reasons that have exacerbated their suffering in host communities; including the failure of some concerned parties to carry out their duties to the fullest extent, the failure of civil society organizations to pay attention to the conditions of the displaced, especially those residing in cities, and the failure of local media to fully play its role in shedding light on the suffering of the displaced community.
After that, the role of the Autonomous Administration institutions in supporting the displaced was discussed to alleviate their suffering until a peaceful political solution to the crisis in Syria is found that leads to a safe and dignified return for all forcibly displaced persons, including those displaced from Afrin. Civil society organizations must play their role in adopting the issues of the forcibly displaced, as the focus is only on those in camps and shelters, while the conditions of the displaced residing in cities and towns are ignored, whose suffering is doubled in light of the lack of moral and material support.
In addition, the host community, with all its categories and segments, has a major role in alleviating the suffering of the displaced, by adopting their issues, dealing sensitively with their case and supporting it more, by getting to know their culture and introducing them to the culture of the host community, through community and cultural activities and exchanging visits to strengthen the friendly relationship between the two communities.
At the end of the session, the attendees reached a set of recommendations aimed at alleviating the suffering of the displaced people of Afrin who are residing in the city of Qamishli in particular, which are:
1) The institutions of the Autonomous Administration should issue administrative instructions and decisions that contribute to alleviating the administrative procedures that concern the displaced in particular.
2) Conducting a comprehensive census of all the displaced people in the region.
3) Supporting all the displaced people in the camps, shelters and city centers.
4) Working to reduce the rents of houses for the displaced in particular.
5) Increasing the number of dialogue sessions to explain the reality of the displaced and introduce the displaced and host community in order to create a basis for integration.
6) Increasing cooperation between the host community and the displaced community in all fields.
7) Providing job opportunities for young people in various sectors, and give priority to the displaced in working and employment.
8) Establishing the idea of a safe and dignified return to Afrin for the displaced people.
9) Continuing communication with international organizations with the aim of achieving the goal of a safe and dignified return.
10) Working on the idea of integration and community empowerment between the displaced community and the host community.
11) Supporting the establishment of civil associations and unions that include the families of the displaced people.
12) Carrying out youth activities and support young people from the displaced community.
13) Employing the tax law in favor of the displaced people.
14) Addressing the affairs of organizations to provide moral and material support to the forcibly displaced in the region.
15) Supporting forcibly displaced students, and work to improve student housing conditions.
16) Working to find facilities for the movement of the people of Afrin between different areas, especially the road between the eastern Euphrates and Aleppo and the Shahba region.
17) Establishing a network that includes links of victims and workers in the field of monitoring and documenting violations.
18) Establishing what is called a legal clinic with the aim of providing legal advice to help everyone who does not have personal and property legal documents and access to the courts to resolve outstanding problems.
19) Working to solve the problems of the displaced people politically with international and local parties.