Céad Míle Fáilte

A Community Response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis

Athboy

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History of the conflict

Pro-democracy protests erupted in March 2011 in the southern city of Deraa after the arrest and torture of some teenagers who painted revolutionary slogans on a school wall. After security forces opened fire on demonstrators, killing several, more took to the streets. The unrest triggered nationwide protests demanding President Assad's resignation. The government's use of force to crush the dissent merely hardened the protesters' resolve. By July 2011, hundreds of thousands were taking to the streets across the country. Opposition supporters eventually began to take up arms, first to defend themselves and later to expel security forces from their local areas. Violence escalated and the country descended into civil war as rebel brigades were formed to battle government forces for control of cities, towns and the countryside. Fighting reached the capital Damascus and second city of Aleppo in 2012. By June 2013, the UN said 90,000 people had been killed in the conflict. However, by August 2014 that figure had more than doubled to 191,000 - and continued to climb to 250,000 (50% civilians) by August 2016, according to activists and the UN. The conflict has acquired sectarian overtones, pitching the country's Sunni majority against the president's Shia Alawite sect, and drawn in neighbouring countries and world powers. The rise of the jihadist groups, including Islamic State, has added a further dimension. Almost 4 million people have fled Syria since the start of the conflict, most of them women and children. It is one of the largest refugee exoduses in recent history. Neighbouring countries have borne the brunt of the refugee crisis, with Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey struggling to accommodate the flood of new arrivals. The exodus accelerated dramatically in 2013, as conditions in Syria deteriorated. A further 7.6 million Syrians have been internally displaced within the country, bringing the total number forced to flee their homes to more than 11 million - half the country's pre-crisis population. Overall, an estimated 12.2 million are in need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria, including 5.6 million children, the UN says. In December 2014, the UN launched an appeal for $8.4bn (£5.6bn) to provide help to 18 million Syrians, after only securing about half the funding it asked for in 2014. A report published by the UN in March 2015 estimated the total economic loss since the start of the conflict was $202bn and that four in every five Syrians were now living in poverty - 30% of them in abject poverty. Syria's education, health and social welfare systems are also in a state of collapse. Iran and Russia have propped up the Alawite-led government of President Assad and gradually increased their support, providing it with an edge that has helped it make significant gains against the rebels. The government has also enjoyed the support of Lebanon's Shia Islamist Hezbollah movement, whose fighters have provided important battlefield support since 2013. The Sunni-dominated opposition has, meanwhile, attracted varying degrees of support from its main backers - Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Arab states along with the US, UK and France. However, the rise of hardline Islamist rebels and the arrival of jihadists from across the world has led to a marked cooling of international and regional backing. The US is now arming a 5,000-strong force of "moderate" rebels to take the fight to IS on the ground in Syria, and its aircraft provide significant support to Kurdish militia seeking to defend three autonomous enclaves in the country's north. Source BBC News 12

th March 2015

The Syrian conflict This publication by Athboy Development Forum is in response to

local community concerns of the developing Syrian refugee crisis and

their willingness to enable existing community resources to assist

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History of the conflict – contd.

In October 2015, Russia began launching airstrikes at ISIS targets in Syria. The bombings have continued, so far killing at least 2,000 civilians and forcing even more Syrians to flee for safety. In early February 2016, fighting around Aleppo city intensified and the main route for humanitarian aid was cut off. This has severely limited access to northern Syria having been effectively sliced in half due to the fighting. Unfortunately hospitals have been targeted directly with many of them operating on basic services with medical supplies including basic antibiotics unavailable. Humanitarian and relief efforts have been severely hampered and local domestic services are restricted or now non-existent including running water, sanitation and power. Recent joint proposals between Russia and Syria's to set up so-called "humanitarian corridors" out of eastern Aleppo are considered deeply flawed on humanitarian grounds and are hampered by groups such as the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) allegedly using brutal siege tactics and illegal attacks on civilians. Residents in Aleppo are forced to flee or stay decision without UN support on the ground to monitor the situation and give the citizens a choice. It is important to remember the residents are families with children, often fleeing at night to avoid snipers or to avoid young males from being kidnapped for recruiting to fight for the regime. More than 50% of Syrian refugees are children who have lost everything.

Hundreds of thousands of refugees are also attempting the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean Sea from Turkey to Greece, hoping to find a better future in Europe. Not all of them make it across alive. Those who do make it to Greece still face steep challenges — resources are strained by the influx, services are minimal and much of the route into Western Europe has been closed. There are now 4.7 million Syrians scattered throughout the region, making them the world's largest refugee population under the United Nations' mandate. It's the worst exodus since the Rwandan genocide 20 years ago. According to the U.N., it will take $7.7 billion to meet the urgent needs of the most vulnerable Syrians in 2016. That equates to approximately $8k per refugee / displaced person, not including persons that remain in war-torn areas.

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Irish Government Response Orientation Programme for Syrian Refugees in Ireland

The Hazel Hotel in Co. Kildare and the Clonea

Strand Hotel in Waterford were selected and are

being used for the temporary accommodation of

refugees displaced by the Syrian conflict.

Commencing in August 2015, initially 76 refugees

in 16 families displaced by the Syrian conflict

arrived from Lebanon. They were

accommodated in Kildare whilst undergoing

language training, orientation, medical

treatment and the children were prepared to

enter the education system. A revolving door

system was planned with new refugees arriving

as those who have been oriented are dispersed

across the country.

520 “programme refugees” were committed to

by Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald in May

2015, separate to the 600 displaced people she

committed to accepting in July 2015. This figure

was expected to be reviewed and rise

significantly following a meeting of EU justice

and home affairs ministers in Brussels on 14th

September 2015.

On 4th September 2015 the Minister outlined that

the likely figure for Syrian refugees entering the

orientation programme would be in excess of

1,800 refugees. The Minister added that she had

received approval from the Taoiseach for

flexibility on Ireland’s response to the measures

during the meeting on the 14th September in

order to take decisions on the day if necessary.

She said that the Irish Government was open to

working with Europe and has since agreed to

accept 4,000 refugees. However a slower than

anticipated arrival of asylum seekers from Greece

and Italy was a result of administrative issues in

those countries.

Of the 4,000 people committed to under the

September 2015 Government decision establishing

the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, 2,622 are

to be taken in under the EU relocation scheme

from Italy and Greece and 780 from Lebanon (520

of whom will arrive in 2016 and 260 in 2017) under

the refugee resettlement programme. A decision

has yet to be taken on the mechanism under which

the residual will be taken. Ireland is not at present

participating in the EU Turkey 1:1 programme as it

has no unused quota from the Council Conclusions

of 20 July 2015 on resettlement that could be used

to pledge under the first tranche of the

programme. Participation in the second tranche of

the EU Turkey 1:1 scheme will require the exercise

of an opt in.

The Irish refugee resettlement programme has

been in operation since 2000. 1,400 vulnerable

persons from 30 different countries, including Iraq

and Syria, have been resettled in Ireland to date.

Refugees have been resettled in 29 different

communities throughout Ireland and in all four

Dublin local authorities. 520 Syrian refugees are

expected to be resettled in Ireland by December

31st 2017. Despite this there is little evidence of

engagement with rural community leaders with

measures to assist the refugees to integrate into

communities and report back on the effectiveness

of any measures introduced.

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Irish Government Response - Contd.

Cross-Departmental Taskforce.

A Cross Departmental Taskforce chaired by the

Department of Justice and Equality, to deal with

the operational and logistical aspects of the

support programme has been established. The

Taskforce adopted a whole of Government

approach. Its membership comprises all the main

Government Departments and State agencies as

well as the UNHCR and the Red Cross.

International Support

Ireland has also provided support with continued

Navy search and rescue missions. On 12th May

2015, Defence Minister Simon Coveney

requested and received approval from the

Cabinet for a two-month tour of duty for the

naval vessel The LÉ Eithne, on a mission to

prevent migrants from drowning in the

Mediterranean. It was the first time in the Navy’s

history that it has been involved in such an

overseas operation.

Mr. Coveney said the Navy hopes to prevent a

human catastrophe, similar to the coffin ships

which left Ireland’s shores in the 1800s, and stem

the migrant’s crisis in the Mediterranean which

has already led to the drowning in recent weeks

(April/May 2015) of 1,750 people.

The ship’s role is to save migrants, transport

them to Italian vessels or ports where they will be

temporarily housed before being given the

option of seeking asylum in the EU. During the

initial Mediterranean deployment in difficult and

demanding conditions, the LE Eithne rescued a

total of more than 3,400 migrants including

almost 170 children off the North African coast. A

2nd tour of duty was underway until November

2015. Source www.irishtimes.com

Separately, Italy has rescued about 250,000

migrants at sea in the past three years, with 20,000

in 2016 alone, with some 3,000 in one week.

Meanwhile Irish Naval vessels continued to support

rescue efforts throughout 2016 and to date had

rescued approximately 15,000 migrants from

unseaworthy crafts. Source www.military.ie

Still, smugglers profiteer from the refugee’s plight

often using brutal tactics on overcrowded barges

and various inflatable craft. Facilitating this

“service” has only served to increase the volumes

of crossings by economic migrants and or refugees

from neighbouring North African countries such as

Sudan, Niger, Nigeria and Eritrea. Judging by the

volumes the risk of staying in their home countries

far outweighs the risks in hazardous water

crossings. It would appear that the smugglers now

capitalise on the international rescue fleets and

often don’t load enough fuel on boats expecting

them to be rescued at sea. This has contributed to

5,000 drownings in 2016, 12,000 since 2014.

Additionally there has been a shortage of boats

reported as most boats take a one way journey and

those rescued are scuttled thereafter.

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In his State of the EU address to the European Parliament in

Strasbourg on 9th September 2015, Mr. Juncker called for

solidarity from the EU’s 28 member states in responding to the

influx of refugees from Syria and Libya, telling MEPs: “It is not

time to take fright; it is time for humanity and human dignity.”

Mr. Juncker indicated that he wants all EU states to take part in

the new programme, saying: “I really hope that this time

everyone will be on board.” “There is a reason the number of

O’Neill’s and Murphy’s living in the US exceeds the number in

Ireland,” he added.

Mr. Juncker said that Europe was “sought worldwide as a place

of refuge”, and was seen by those fleeing Islamic State in the

Middle East as “a place of hope, a haven of stability." “This is

something to be proud of, and not something to fear,” he said.

He warned that “as long as there is war in Syria and terror in

Libya, the refugee crisis will not simply go away.”

“We can build walls and fences,” said Mr. Juncker. “But imagine

for a second if it were you, your children in your arms, the world

you know torn apart around you. There is no price you would not

pay, no wall you would not climb, no sea you would not go to sea

in, no border you would not cross.”

Mr. Juncker urged EU member states to adopt the Commission’s

proposal to increase the relocation scheme from 40,000 to

160,000 migrants currently in Italy, Greece and Hungary at a

summit of interior ministers later in September 2015.

“There is a lack of Europe in this

union, and a lack of union in

this union.” - Jean-Claude Juncker 9th September 2015

European Response Refugee Quota Plan

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Community Response Ceád Míle Fáilte - Enabling Communities Athboy Development Forum is a voluntary community group managed by a dedicated committee of local persons. It has been working for approximately 20 years for the community in Athboy, increasing opportunities for positive social interaction, assisting with the stimulation, planning and evaluation of development ideas, including their business plans and funding proposals for those projects identified as important towards growth within the community. In September 2015, the committee in response to growing community concerns with the ever-growing Syrian refugee crisis, decided to take action and enable the community of Athboy to lead the way and set a standard for community response to the expected arrival of Syrian refugees to Ireland. Our response entitled in Irish, “Céad Míle Fáilte,” translates to, “a hundred thousand welcomes.” The Irish people for centuries have been renowned for the warmth of their welcome. Our community will reflect this through adapted localised response measures to assist integration for refugees. These are designed to enable and collate resources within the community to assist a small number of Syrian families build new lives, or offer shelter and comfort before these families might decide to return to their home country should the crisis end. In return our community will be enhanced by the collective approach and be proud to showcase to other communities both domestically and across Europe that there is a Europe in local community. Athboy Development Forum supports the “Integration Centres” view on defining integration. For example when immigrants move to a destination country they have to find a place in that society in the practical sense (e.g. a home, a job and income, and access to education and health services) and also in the social, cultural and political senses. Integration might thus be defined simply as “the process of becoming an accepted part of society,” both as an individual and as a group. The Integration Centre defines integration as achieved “when immigrants enjoy economic, political, social and cultural equality and inclusion.” This aligns with our Forums mission and values. No previous integration plan was in scope for the 15.6% non-Irish national population in Athboy (national average 12.0%), thus some of the community has been isolated as a result. Whilst we can’t offer a complete solution to the challenges of integration for the refugees or indeed any migrant community, we can offer a scaled and sensible approach by our community for this specific crisis and in part for the existing migrant community. It is designed to be implemented with minimum budget and no barriers. That said appropriate targeted funding from local government coupled with local fundraisers would enhance the effectiveness of these measures and help drive the implementation of our Social Integration Measures (SIM’s)© outlined below. We raised the lack of integration measures with the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) through a referrals register managed by the Meath Public Participation Network (PPN). In addition Social Integration was raised as a theme during the formation of the Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) a draft Socio-Economic-Statement has been prepared and sets out a vision for the County and it is hoped this will ensure focus on strategy and funding to support same is considered. Our plan is also dependant on local Housing stock being identified and provided for use. Measures outlined below can be adapted by any community umbrella group in Ireland or in the EU for this and other integration measures, including offering solutions to current direct provision centres. “Our Community is ready, is yours?”

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A Community Response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis

Social Integration Measures (SIMs) © SIM processes in separate documents adapted for local community structure

SIM 1.1 Welcome and Settlement

“Meet and greet” session (with translator if necessary) with representatives from the community

including existing migrant population. Welcome packs (basic foods, toys, toiletries, clothing,

mobile phone / credit, bicycle/lock, maps, first aid, information leaflets in own language).

Practical assistance. English language assessment. Monthly rotating sponsor families for three

months to each refugee family, to assist community integration and report on the effectiveness

of the measures to the Forum. Assessment and preparation for work placement including

community employment schemes or local employment opportunities

SIM 1.2 Community Familiarisation

Adapted tour of the locality to include Schools, Credit Union / Bank, Post Office, Library and

amenities such as Playgrounds etc. Introduction to key representatives and community groups

e.g. Sports, Credit Union, Post Office, School Principal, Person of the Year, etc. Cultural

exchange evenings. Support from local “Hub” for internet access and literature / forms.

Representation on local community group committees.

SIM 1.3 Cultural and Ethnic Consideration

Understanding, respecting and protection of refugee’s values, beliefs, customs and practices. .

Adaptation to our culture for short or long term periods. Supporting and accommodating

religious beliefs. Understanding their socioeconomic background. A degree of adoption of

values. Avoidance of ethnic stereotyping and ethnocentrism.

SIM 1.4 Health and Wellbeing

Access to medicine or complimentary therapy. Counseling e.g. Psychotherapy. Physiotherapy.

Fitness or wellbeing programmes. Accommodating dietary and nutritional requirements locally.

Assigning a plot in our community allotments project to families. Safety and security advisories.

Peace of mind. Men’s Shed activities. Direct Mother and Baby support.

SIM 1.5 Children’s needs

Play therapy with local crèches, schooling, language training, access to local health services,

special or additional needs requirements. Social Interaction e.g. play-dates. Mental health and

or trauma assessment. Introduction to Local Library. Social skills development. Entry into local

school book scheme. Parent toddler group membership.

Athboy Development Forum St. James Hall Athboy Co. Meath Email: athboydevelopmentforum@gmail.com +353857117448

Acknowledgements:

The Athboy Development Forum committee would like to express our gratitude to the community of Athboy for their willingness to understand and accept responsibility to lead the way and enable resources and local assets with no budget whatsoever. We appreciate the positivity and empathy shown by the general community towards the Syrian community. The Board of Management would like to extend thanks to the following contributors: Deirdre O’Riordan Maria Nugent Dara Englishby Valérie Sinople Lydia Mulvey Janie Walthew Research: The Irish Times http://www.irishtimes.com BBC News http://www.bbc.com/news The Integration Centre http://www.integrationcentre.ie Barnardos http://www.barnardos.ie Dept. of Justice and Equality http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Home The Mercy Corps https://www.mercycorps.org/ Christian Aid http://www.christianaid.org.uk/ Cover picture used with kind permission by Ian Tabbaa “This depicts ‘Shaima’ in January 2013. She is a perhaps no older than three years old, living in the refugee camps at the Syrian Turkish border. She is a war survivor at an early age. She sleeps in a tent with 10 people and has little food and no toys or books.”

Compiled by Keith Mulvey v1.4 December 2016