More than three million Syrians have fled to other countries – one million just within the year.
According to the Guardian, more than 190,000 Syrians have lost their lives since the conflict that erupted since March 2011.
Class of 2014 alumna, Clare Pressimone worked with refugees last summer at the Nationality Service Center in Philadelphia. She worked directly with refugees from Iraq, Napoli, Sudan and others from all around the world that were coming to Philadelphia.
“Three million is an extremely huge number and it’s not something that they decide easily,” Pressimone said. “They are being forced out of their homes and live these lifestyles that they did not choose and that makes it even more hazardous and stressful to those refugees.”
On Tuesday, President Obama ordered the launching of American fighter jets and armed Predator and Reaper drones, that flew alongside warplanes from several Arab allies.
“It’s pretty terrifying that people have to suffer these repercussions,” Pressimone said. “Now they are suffering because of these airstrikes.”
The airstrikes were launched and fired from the United States Navy ships at the capital of Raqqa and along the Iraq border.
“This is something that cannot be ignored,” Pressimone said. “We’re making choices to take out these people that may be fruitful and beneficial to the people that are being tortured, so that ISIS is stopped from terrorizing the world, but the people that are displaced, that are not living comfortably are put under more stress because of these airstrikes.”
Lebanon has been the top host of the refugees, taking 1.14 million. Turkey falls second with 815,000 refugees and Jordan with 608,000, 40 percent of refugees living in sub-standard conditions.
“It makes me aware that war and conflict are not blameless in the harm caused to millions of people that are not involved by choice but are impacted to an equal force,” Pressimone said.
On Tuesday, Sept. 23, the United Nations refugee agency said that more than 138,000 refugees fled Syria and crossed into southern Turkey since Friday, Sept. 19.
“Imagine fleeing persecution or terrorist situations and you are terrified for your life, not knowing where you are going to end up and filled with uncertainty while being pushed out of a life that you’ve known your whole life,” Pressimone said. “Then you are forced into a situation that you have to adapt to extremely fast and now there are bombs dropping out of the sky putting a humongous stress on these refugees.”
According to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), even though three million Syrians have fled, the violence has also displaced 6.5 million within the country itself, meaning that nearly 50 percent of all Syrians have been forced to flee their homes.
“Airstrikes are taking out some resources and there just aren’t enough resources, talking about how it increases the damage of the situation (airstrikes on top of already being forced out by ISIS, one more thing that they have to adapt too, fear for and be uncertain).
UNHCR stated that donors have given more than $4 billion. However another $2 billion are needed by the end of the year alone to meet the urgent needs of the refugees.
“I feel helpless,” Pressimone said. “Too often we live in a vacuum, unaware of how detrimental the situation is and it is difficult to react properly and to the fullest extent possible. I also feel powered by the strength and resilience of the refugees to find ways that I can help and educate others on how serious the refugee situation across the globe.”
