Refugees between the Political and Humanitarian

The importance of this step lies in the fact that it helps to create the necessary environment to accelerate the political solution by alleviating the suffering and pains of the refugees, especially as many parties are, on the one hand, still trying to delay this solution, and on the other hand obstructing the return of refugees in order to use them as a political means to secure for themselves a place on the Syrian negotiating table, and in the subsequent influence in the country.

The principles of International Law and International Bill of Human Rights oblige all international forces not to place this issue within the processes of political polarization of the Syrian crisis. Rather, it should be dealt with as a supra-political matter, and have to be resolved as quickly as possible. In contrast, letting the issue pending until the achievement of a political solution expresses an immoral attitude, blackmail, and exploitation of the suffering of the Syrians in favour of some international interests that have nothing to do with the Syrians.

Needless to say, this problem must be dealt with wisely and rationally so as to achieve the desired goal. Neither the view asking the refugees to immediately return without any guarantees, nor the other view which asks them not to return except with guarantees, are appropriate. The matter of repatriation of refugees should be proceeded and advanced in direct proportion with the increase of guarantees, that is, with the advancement of the political solution.

The return of the refugees is the best guarantee for a real political solution. When the main bulk of them become inside Syria, this means that refugees will participate in elections that will take place while they are within Syrian territory, not in refugee camps or countries of asylum. This is positive as it eases the burden of neighboring countries and European countries and ends the issue of international supervision of elections abroad, because Security Council resolution 2254 says that all Syrians should be able to participate in the elections that will be conducted in the context of the political solution.

It is true that the refugee problem is a result of the political conflict, but to view it only from this angle, and to let it suspended on the political solution and disregard its humanitarian aspect, is meant to end the political solution itself, and, is intended to prevent the solution itself, and thus the continued suffering of these refugees. That is, preventing the advance in both the political and humanitarian process.

In addition, as a matter of immediate urgency, and from a strategic point of view, the large-scale displacement has included hundreds of thousands of Syrian scientific experts and skilled labour, which constitutes an irreplaceable loss, especially with the start of the reconstruction phase, which requires the efforts of all Syrian qualifications. From this it follows that the question of refugees is a high-level national issue in all its aspects.

Kassioun Editorial, Issue No 875, August 20, 2018