Post date: Sep 03, 2013 1:50:14 PM
U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres says Syrian refugee numbers reach 2 million in "tragedy of century", with the exodus piling pressure on neighbouring countries.
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (SEPTEMBER 3, 2013) (UNTV) - More than 2 million refugees have now fled Syria's civil war in human suffering unparalleled in recent history, the United Nations said on Tuesday (September 3).
Of the total Syrian population of about 20 million, either inside or outside the country, one third is displaced and almost half is in need of assistance, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres told a news conference."We have witnessed in this conflict a staggering escalation and a continued escalation and apparently it will go on and the only thing I can tell you is that in any case we will be there to help the people," he said.
Guterres said the international community bore a responsibility to assist the families of those affected by the crisis in Syria, particularly children who have been traumatised by the violence.
"These are indeed two million of individual stories, two million people that many have lost their houses, members of their families, their possessions, many children that are now dramatically traumatised by violence, and also two million responsibilities for the international community. To protect them, to shelter them, to feed them, to treat them, to educate them. For the children that need to go back to school," said Guterres.
Guterres said the significant rise in numbers of Syrians escaping their homeland was a cause for concern.
"What is appalling is that the first million fled Syria during two years, the second million fled Syria in six months," he said.
The number of refugees stood at about 200,000 just a year ago, so the tide of men, women and children crossing borders has risen almost 10-fold over the past 12 months, figures from the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR showed.
Guterres said Syria had become the 'great tragedy' of the century, with displacement and suffering that was unparalleled in recent history.
"The risks for global peace and security that the present Syria crisis represents are I'm sure not smaller than what we have witnessed in any other of the crises that we have had since at least the Vietnam War," he added.
Guterres said the only solace in the situation was the 'humanity shown by the neighbouring countries' in accepting those fleeing from Syria.
The number of refugees has grown more slowly than UNHCR once feared. It previously projected the total would hit 3.45 million by the end of the year, based on border crossings in February-March that averaged about 8,000 per day.
So far in 2013, the daily figure has averaged between 5,000 and 6,000, which means the total is likely to be 2.6-2.7 million by the end of the year, Guterres said.
But UNHCR's figures include only officially registered refugees and those awaiting registration, and unofficial refugees probably number in the hundreds of thousands, he said.
The number of people displaced inside Syria is 4.25 million, in line with a forecast made in June.
The flow of Syrian refugees has piled pressure on neighbouring host countries, UNHCR said.
Guterres will meet the foreign ministers of Iraq, Jordan, and Turkey and the minister of social affairs of Lebanon - the four main hosts of Syrian refugees - in Geneva on Wednesday (September 4) to work out ways to raise more international aid.
"I will have the pleasure to receive tomorrow ministers of social affairs of Lebanon and foreign affairs of Iraq, Jordan and Turkey. We will be discussing our best to mobilise the international community," he said.
Guterres declined to comment on the impact of possible U.S. air strikes on Syria, but said there were contingency plans in place for a surge in refugees, regardless of the cause.
"We have a contingency plan for the increased number of refugees or internally displaced whatever causes that displacement."
UNHCR said last month its work had so far stopped the refugee crisis spiralling out of control.
But "a far more substantial and coherent strategy" was needed than the 2.9 billion USD refugee aid effort already underway, it said then.
Syria's uprising against four decades of rule by the family of President Bashar al-Assad has turned into an increasingly sectarian civil war that has killed more than 100,000 people.
The conflict has taken a heavy toll on Syria's children, 39 percent of whom have dropped out of school in the past academic year, according to the U.N. children's agency UNICEF.
More than 3,000 schools have been damaged or destroyed and almost 1,000 are being used to house displaced people.
Sweden said on Tuesday it had decided to offer all Syrian refugees in the country permanent residency. Swedish news agency TT said Sweden was the first country in the EU to do so. Some Syrians in Sweden had to date been granted temporary residence.
The Scandinavian country has received almost 15,000 Syrian refugees in 2012 and 2013. ItsMigration Board said the security situation in Syria was "extreme".