The Middle Eastاالوسط الشرق

A Humanitarian Disaster

Elias D. Mallon, PhD

Catholic Near East Welfare Association,

New York

2015

The Middle East Today

Important Facts on the Region

Surprisingly Small Countries

WithMassive Problems

IRAQالعراق جمهورية

Republic of Iraq

Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of SiennaLeft: Mr. Ra’ed Bahou, Director, Amman, Jordan; 6th from right: Mr, Michel Constantin,

DirectorBeirut; Center (in Roman Collar) : Msgr. John Kozar, CNEWA President

IRAQ

• Iraq is roughly twice the size of Idaho• Population: 31,858,481• Christians: 2000 about 1,500,000;

2015 less than 300,000• Median Age: 21.3

• The figures are taken from the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNCHR) report of December 2014. The UNCHR divides its data into two large categories: residing in the country of the report and originating from the country.

• These two categories are further broken down into:– Refugees– Asylum Seekers– Returned Refugees– Internally Displace Persons (IDP)– Returned IDP– Stateless Persons– The total is called the Total Population of Concern (TPC)

• Cf http://unhcr.org.

IRAQ

• TPC in Iraq 4,026,863• TPC from Iraq 4,104,175• Total TPC 8,131,175• New York City 8,405,837• London, UK 8,173,941• Tokyo, Japan 8,949,447

SYRIAالعربية الجمهورية

السوريةThe Arab Republic of

Syria

SYRIA

• Slightly larger than the US state of North Dakota• Population of 22, 454,336 • Roughly 10% Christian; about 2,200,000 or more than half the population of the City of Los Angeles• Median age 22.7 

SYRIA

• TPC in Syria 7,947,655• TPC from Syria 11,597,748• Total TPC 19,545,403• New York City 8,131,837• London, UK 8,173,941• Tokyo, Japan 8,949,447

LEBANONاللبنانية الجمهورية

The Lebanese Republic

LEBANON

• 30% smaller than Connecticut•Population 4,131,583•Median age 30.9

LEBANON

TPC residing in Lebanon

TPC originating from Lebanon

Total TPC New York City London, UK Tokyo, Japan0

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

8,000,000

9,000,000

10,000,000

• TPC in Lebanon 1,167,179• TPC from Lebanon 8,110• Total TPC 1,175,289• New York City 8,131,837• London, UK 8,173,941• Tokyo, Japan 8,949,447

JORDANالهاشمية االردنية المملكلة

The Hashemite KingdomOf

Jordan

JORDAN

• Slightly smaller than Indiana• Population 6,482,681• Median age 22.6• King Abdullah II in his September

2013 Address to the UN General Assembly:– Syrian refugee population in Jordan

10% and could reach 20%

JORDAN

• TPC in Jordan 654,141• TPC from Jordan 3,123• Total TPC 657,264• New York City 8,131,837• London, UK 8,173,941• Tokyo, Japan 8,949,447

• Note: For the most part Jordan and Lebanon are target countries and not source countries. That is to say that Lebanese and Jordanian citizens are not leaving their countries as refugees. The Refugee TPC in Lebanon and Jordan is from outside those countries.

• Syria and Iraq, on the other hand, are both target and source countries. They are target countries in that refugees move from one part of the country to another part of the country, i.e., Internal TPC. However, Syria and Iraq are also source countries in that refugees leave those countries for other countries in the world.

REFUGEES TO TOTAL POPULATION

0

5,000,000

10,000,000

15,000,000

20,000,000

25,000,000

30,000,000

35,000,000

Syria Iraq Jordan Lebanon

Total Population

Internal TPC

Refugee TPC

Column1

CASUALTIES

• The UN estimates more that 150,000 civilian casualties

• Casualty lists are notoriously misleading. Normally they count those who are dead in place during an attack, etc.– They do not count:

• Those who died later in hospitals• Those who died at home• Those who died later as a direct result of

violence

Our PartnersIn the Region

Sister Antoinette Odisho, FMM

Sister Wardeh Kayrouz, FMM