The international community is failing millions of Syrians who have fled torture, massacres and barrel bombs, says the humanitarian organization, Oxfam. Insufficient aid, meagre resettlement and arms transfers are three ways the world is failing, says Oxfam in its latest report, A Fairer Deal for Syrians.
Listen“Syria is the largest humanitarian crisis on the planet at this time with millions displaced inside the country, three million seeking refuge outside the country,” says Robert Fox, executive director of Oxfam Canada.
Resettlement offers called “paltry”
While Canada has been “generous in providing aid” to people inside Syria and those who are displaced, Oxfam urges the government to step up diplomatic efforts to end the crisis and to make a much bigger effort on resettlement.
“Canada has offered a paltry 200 spaces in Canada and we think there’s very, very much more that we can do and must do, and we should do that urgently,” says Fox.
With the exception of Germany, Australia and Austria, other rich countries are also criticized for offering safe haven to “a paltry number of refugees”. Oxfam wants five per cent of the projected refugee population to be resettled or offered admission to rich countries by the end of 2015.
Countries should do “their fair share”
The report says the humanitarian appeals for $7.7 billion are less than half funded. Many Gulf countries are giving “more than their fair share.” The UK and Denmark have been generous, it notes, but many others are not stepping up to the plate. Meanwhile surrounding countries like Lebanon and Jordan have taken in huge numbers of refugees and are “at the breaking point.”
‘Millions…have been abandoned’
At the same time, continuing shipments of arms are fuelling the crisis and should be stopped, says Oxfam.
“Millions of people…have been abandoned by the international community and are living in desperate conditions in a daily battle to survive,” says an Oxfam news release. It calls on the world to do more to help them.
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