Refugees
Bring In Some
Brittle Strength
By Dahr Jamail
19 April, 2007
Inter
Press Service
DAMASCUS, Apr 17
(IPS) - Syria's decision to accept Iraqi refugees streaming
into the country has brought the government of President Bashar Assad
more power within Syria and the region, but at significant cost.
The ministry of interior in Syria estimates the total number of Iraqi
refugees to be around 1.5 million.
The Syrian government has
maintained an "open door" policy towards Iraqi refugees, unlike
neighbouring Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait who have been far less
welcoming.
This appears to have earned
Assad renewed political power within his country. That position, topping
his strong stance against U.S. policy in Iraq, has won him support in
the wider Arab world as well.
The new support seems to
be holding so far despite the negative aspects of the refugee crisis
such as homelessness, inflation, unemployment and a huge shift in the
social dynamics in the country.
"The Syrian government
is becoming more powerful because they are helping the Iraqis by allowing
them refuge here in a way that other countries did not," Hassan
Maho, a 33-year- old jeweller told IPS. "Politically, the government
of Bashar Assad now has more power than these other countries in the
region."
Mazen, a 31-year-old trader
in downtown Damascus, believes Syria has gained from a failed U.S. policy
in Iraq. "The American policy in Iraq is making Syria more powerful,"
he told IPS. "Doesn't the whole world see this?"
The Bush administration pressure
on Bashar Assad by way of accusations of Syrian support to terrorism
in Iraq has in fact only "strengthened Syria's political hand in
the region," Mazen said.
In 2003 the Bush administration
brought in the Syrian Accountability Act, which was passed by Congress,
and has been renewed every year since 2004. The act outlaws commerce
between the U.S. and Syria.
The Bush administration has
recalled its ambassador to Syria, and marginalised Syria's emissary
in Washington. U.S. officials continue to say Damascus is supporting
Iraqi insurgents.
Members of the Bush administration
also regularly accuse Syria of interference in Lebanese affairs.
But Peter Harling, Damascus
representative of the International Crisis Group said the Syrian government
is unlikely to be aiding insurgents in Iraq.
"They (the Syrian government)
have absolutely no interest in fuelling violence in Iraq because it
is now threatening them," he told IPS. - You might still have informal
networks facilitating border crossings for militants, but the countries'
leaders feel extremely concerned with the situation in Iraq, and do
not wish to do anything to increase the violence and chaos there."
Harling believes that any
political gains for the Syrian government have likely been outweighed
by their negative consequences.
"Politically it (the
U.S. occupation of Iraq) could have had a positive effect (for Syria)
because one could argue that it is now easier for the Syrian government
to justify postponing democratic reform," Harling said. "But
simultaneously, the growing civil war in Iraq has become such a threat
to Syria, and the costs are so high that it is quite possible they've
negated any benefits for the Syrian government."
He added that "Syria
is in a precarious situation because of the American occupation of Iraq,
and it is probably safe to say that Syrian officials are all too aware
of this."
Many Syrians, however, have
a different perspective.
"The government here
dealt with the refugee crisis in a very good way," Mahmoud Omeri
who owns a communication business in the capital city told IPS. "When
the government accepted the Iraqis here with an open door policy they
increased the pressure on the Americans, because it showed the world
the Syrian government cares more about the Iraqis than do the Americans."
Kaldoon Safi, a business
owner in downtown Damascus said the Syrian government had made refuge
easier for fleeing Iraqis in order to gain support for their own political
position in the region. "This way they have become more powerful
in the Middle East at this time."
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