Relief Crisis Grows as Refugees Stream Out of Syria

[Dale_M]

International relief officials reported an increasingly grim aid crisis stemming from the Syria conflict on Tuesday, with two million people there not getting desperately needed help, and a sudden acceleration of refugees overwhelming the ability of neighboring countries to absorb them.

With less than a week before the start of the Syrian school year, classes have been scrapped indefinitely for tens of thousands of children, because their schools have either been destroyed or been sequestered as squatters’ quarters for displaced families, the officials said. In the province of Homs, so many doctors have fled that only three surgeons remained to serve a population of two million, the officials said, and laws to protect civilians during wartime were being ignored by both government soldiers and insurgents.

The United Nations refugee agency in Geneva said the number of people fleeing Syria had increased almost exponentially, from 18,500 in June to 35,000 in July to 102,000 in August. Roughly 2,000 Syrians were crossing daily into Jordan alone, trying to evade air and artillery attacks on towns near the southern border, said Adrian Edwards, a spokesman for the refugee agency.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/wo...ef=global-home

U.N.: Syrian refugees top 250,000

Edwards told reporters Tuesday in Geneva there are 85,197 in Jordan, 78,431 in Turkey, 66,915 in Lebanon and 22,563 in Iraq as of this week.

Officials acknowledge, however, the real number of Syrian refugees is likely far higher since tens of thousands are believed to have not yet registered with authorities.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/s...000/57741534/1

Turkey and Jordan have previously stated there was a limit to how many refugees their countries could accept. Two weeks ago Turkey temporarily closed its border to refugees, in part to send a message to the rest of the world.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...-refugees.html

[jeannetherese]

"God of Compassion, hear the cries of the people of Syria, bring healing to those suffering from the violence, bring comfort to those mourning the dead, strengthen Syria’s neighbors in their care and welcome for refugees, convert the hearts of those who have taken up arms, and protect those committed to peace.

God of Hope, inspire leaders to choose peace over violence and to seek reconciliation with enemies, inspire the Church around the world with compassion for the people of Syria, and give us hope for a future of peace built on justice for all. I ask this through Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace and Light of the World, Amen. "

May God have mercy on us all, and bring us ever closer in love for him and for each other. Amen.