Washington DC—Center for Civilians in Conflict welcomes the “Syrian Transition Roadmap” released today by Syrian civil society. This document presents plans for constitutional, judicial, political, and security sector reforms, as well as transitional justice goals, including compensation to victims. CIVIC commends the recommendation for compensation to victims and urges that the roadmap also include plans to help war victims rebuild their lives for the long-term.
“Recognizing and easing the suffering of civilians should be a key priority in any plans for Syria’s future,” said Sahr Muhammedally, Senior Legal and Amends Advisor at Center for Civilians in Conflict. “Syria will only be as strong as its people are—and they need help to rebuild their lives in the short and long term. Transition plans that include financial and livelihood assistance and job training to those who have experienced losses can help build a stronger Syria.”
Over 100,000 Syrians have been killed since the peaceful protests against the rule of Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011. Over 4.25 million Syrians are internally displaced and over 1.6 million are refugees in neighboring countries. Many survivors are disabled from injuries sustained from rockets, mortars, artillery, and cluster bombs. Others have survived torture and sexual violence and coping with the physical and psychological trauma of the harm. Families are struggling to survive with the loss of breadwinners and without homes.
CIVIC interviewed Syrians in 2012 and 2013 from all backgrounds who described the harm they suffered and the types of assistance they need to help them rebuild their lives in Syria. Syrians wanted job training, compensation to cope with their losses, and to reconstruct their homes. Syrians will also need assistance for the physical and psychological harm they have suffered.
“Civilians in Syria know the tools they need to rebuild their lives. Listening to what they want is an important first step: any roadmap for the future must acknowledge civilian suffering and recognize their losses,” said Muhammedally.
Center for Civilians in Conflict recommends the following to the Syrian opposition and the international community:
- Planning and funding to help war victims post-conflict must begin now. A comprehensive Victims Assistance Program for Syria needs to be created to help Syrians affected by the conflict rebuild their lives. All Syrian conflict victims should be recognized and their needs and wants for assistance post harm should be reflected in the assistance. Beneficiaries of the assistance program should include those suffering personal losses due to the conflict.
- The victim assistance program should include assistance for: medical and psychosocial services, rebuilding of homes destroyed during the conflict, job or vocational training for a sustainable livelihood—including to widows and the disabled—material or financial assistance to restart businesses and farming, and educational scholarships for orphan children or who have lost breadwinners in their families.
- Given the scale of devastation and losses, financial assistance should be provided to the next of kin of the dead, disappeared, internally displaced and returning refugees to get them started on rebuilding their lives with dignity.
- Long-term assistance for those who were injured and became disabled during the conflict warrants special attention. Assistance should include prosthetics for amputees and job training for the disabled.
- A separate community infrastructure program should focus on rebuilding schools, hospitals, and roads.
- A comprehensive plan for removing unexploded ordnance from fields, villages, and cities should also be part of the transition roadmap and should include capacity for training Syrians to de-mine and safely dispose of munitions.
Voices from Syria: What Civilians Want
Ilyad, a 30-year-old painter from Aleppo was in front of his house when mortar shelling landed near him in April 2013. The shrapnel hit his face, requiring surgery. “Look at me,” he told CIVIC. “There are thousands of us who will be forever maimed. We will be a constant reminder of the horrors of this war. But I have been given a chance to live and if the fighting stops I want my life back. It will never be the same, but I want to work and help my community.”
Disabled Syrians and widows told CIVIC they needed job training. Ahmed, whose leg was amputated because of shrapnel injuries, told CIVIC, “I don’t want to rely on government support forever in a new Syria. Show me what kind of work I can do with only one leg and I will do it.”
Recent widows wanted skills training programs to help them provide for their families. Ayesha told CIVIC, “Its hard for me to imagine the future. I have lost so much—my husband, my house, my son, but I have two daughters who need to be cared for. In a new Syria I want to learn a trade so I can earn an income to help my family with dignity.”
Some Syrians wanted financial assistance for the losses they have suffered. Fatima lost her leg when a rocket hit her house in Idlib governorate in December 2012. “I will never forget that day. It was 10:00 a.m., I heard jet fighters in the sky. I rushed to get my 1-year-old son and was holding him when the roof started crumbling. A rocket had hit my house. I fainted. A rescue worker pulled my son and me out. My son has lost his hearing. My house is gone, I can no longer use my leg, but we survived. It was a miracle.” When asked what kind of assistance she wanted she replied, “We have suffered a lot. If can get some compensation for our losses so we have a home and get a chance to live with dignity then it will help us.”
Farmers from Aleppo and Idlib governorates told CIVIC they needed fields cleared of unexploded ordnance and financial assistance to start harvesting. “We are farmers but had to leave our village because of the fighting. I want to return my family home and land, but don’t know whether I can harvest crops if bombs are in the field,” said Abbas. Another farmer said, “I grow olives, but I have lost everything: my house, my farm, my savings and [I am] now living in a tent. If a new government comes then they need to help us reclaim our lands and assist us so we can start farming and earning for our families again.”
Syrians will also need assistance from physical and psychological harm both short and long-term medical care. Arwa told CIVIC how her daughter Misran, 12, developed speech problems after her father was killed in 2012. Misran was also shot by sniper firing in March 2013 and is paralyzed from the waist below. Mohammad, a Syrian doctor, told CIVIC, “The physical and psychological scars of this war will haunt Syrians for decades. A lot of help will be needed to mend the limbs, provide rehabilitation, and psychological counseling so that Syria can be a functional society again.”
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Notes to editors:
Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)’s mission is to improve protection for civilians caught in conflicts around the world. We call on and advise international organizations, governments, militaries, and armed non-state actors to adopt and implement policies to prevent civilian harm. When civilians are harmed we advocate for the provision of amends and post-harm assistance. We bring the voices of civilians themselves to those making decisions affecting their lives.
For more information, contact Christopher Allbritton at +1 (917) 310-4785 or chris@civiliansinconflict.org.
