Scottish Catholic Observer

The coalition Government is to allow hundreds of refugees from the Syrian civil war in to Britain, but the leader of Syria’s Catholics says that fleeing to the West is not a real solution and more most be done to alleviate the suffering within his country.

The war in Syria, which has been raging from almost three years, has led to what the UN calls the ‘greatest humanitarian crisis in modern history.’ Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced this morning that refuge will now be provided for some of those most traumatised by the crisis in Syria, such as vulnerable women or children. Mr Clegg said the UK government ‘wants to play our part in helping to alleviate the immense suffering in Syria.” However, this UK scheme will operate separately from the United Nations sanctuary scheme, which aims to resettle up to 30,000 vulnerable Syrians in Western nations.

“The £600m we have provided makes us the second largest bilateral donor of humanitarian aid in the world,” Mr Clegg said. “But, as the conflict continues to force millions of Syrians from their homes, we need to make sure we are doing everything we can. Sadly, we cannot provide safety for everyone who needs it, but we can reach out to some of those who need it most.”

Damascus-based Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch Gregorios III of Antioch says that that, while he sympathises with refugees who seek a new life in the West, he wants to see aid programmes boosted both within Syria to help Christians stay in their homeland.

Re-asserting the calls of many Middle East Church leaders for Christians and others to stay in the region, Patriarch Gregorios said in an interview with Aid to the Church in Need that there would be little chance of Syrian refugees returning if they were given asylum in countries such as the UK, the US and Australia.

“It is better to help the [destitute] people within the country or the region and not invite them to go outside,” Patriarch Gregorios said. “Of course, we cannot decide for ourselves what response our people should make, the suffering is so great, but the real answer is to provide more help—more relief— on the spot and not outside which will encourage them to leave. But if they must go, we understand their situation.

“The danger is that if they leave the region of the Middle East, they will never go back. This applies to other groups as well as the Christians.”

Patriarch Gregorios said that, in spite of the overwhelming pressures on Jordan, Turkey and other countries neighbouring Syria, it remains possible to step up aid programmes there.

“There is more that can be done locally—within the region,” he said. “Daily the suffering is getting worse, daily the problems are growing. The level of suffering is much greater than the aid provided.”

The Patriarch’s comments come amid no sign of a breakthrough in the Geneva II peace conference in Switzerland where Government representatives have had acrimonious exchanges with Opposition groups.

A spokesperson for Scottish Justice and Peace Scotland was also critical of the Deputy Prime Minister announcement that the UK will welcome some Syrian refugees.

“It is a welcome development, “ she said. “However more can always be done and it would have been good if they had signed up to the official UN scheme, as many NGO’s have asking for some months.”

Pic: A Syrian refugee boy carries wood in the al-Yamdiyeh refugee camp near the Syrian-Turkish border in Latakia province earlier this month.