2015 Middle East Report
Syria
BACKGROUND With half of Syria’s people driven from their homes, an economy in ruins, conflicting foreign intervention, and sectarianism at a fever pitch, neither President Bashar al Assad nor any constellation of rebel groups seems able to put a country called Syria back together again; it is almost impossible to envision a realistic and stable state. The Assad government insists it is winning. But can his regime hold out? He lacks the financial resources and manpower to overpower his enemies or buy back rebel towns with economic incentives. Assad’s international allies are hurting from low global oil prices. Most rebel groups remain linked to extremist factions and are divided to the point where they have no alternative government to offer — merely new forms of Islamist-dominated chaos — and are thus unlikely to gain “national” or international support. Additionally, the so-called Islamic State has proven that it is able to expand in some areas of Syria even as it loses territory in Iraq, but perhaps only through the failure of its opponents. When the Algerian Lakhdar Brahimi took on the position of United Nations and Arab League peace envoy in 2012, he warned of the “Somalization” of Syria. Very similar to the violent
overthrow of longtime Somali dictator Siad Barre in 1991, that was not followed by either democracy or a new dictatorship, but by permanent anarchy. Syria may be headed in this direction as warlords gain the upper hand before splintering and starting all over again. SYRIAN CHRISTIANS Until the civil war, Christians made up about a tenth of Syria’s population, or two million people. Up to half belonged to the Orthodox Patriarchal Church of Antioch, the preeminent Christian institution in the country. The second largest church was the Syriac Orthodox Church, while about 125,000 belonged to the Armenian Apostolic Church and about 46,000 people were members of the Church of the East. Catholics numbered some 400,000 people and included 234,000 Melkites, 62,000 Syriacs, 51,000 Maronites, 25,000 Armenians, 12,000 Latins and 15,000 Chaldeans, though this did not include the fluctuating number of Iraqi Chaldeans then seeking refuge in the country. Despite their minority status, Christians have long been among Syria’s elite. And they have been represented in many of the political parties active in the country, including the secular Arab nationalist and socialist movements.
Syria
Some 700,000 Christians, however, have since left Syria. Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch Gregory III stated that “There is no safe place left in Syria,” adding that “the future of Christians in Syria is threatened not by Muslims but by ... chaos ... and the infiltration of uncontrollable fanatical, fundamentalist groups.” Christians who remain are gathered in areas under the control of either the Kurdish militias in the northern part of the country (Hassake and Qamishli) or under the remaining urban areas under the control of the Assad regime (Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, Houran and the coastal area). Most belong to the middle and working classes, or are pensioners or persons with special needs. After four years of continuous war, which has decimated the economy, the once prosperous Christian community has slipped into extreme poverty. We estimate they will need continuous support in order to survive. CNEWA’S RESPONSE While CNEWA has long been active in its support of the churches in Syria, it has stepped up its activities since the civil war began to displace families within the country with emergency aid. The programs implemented gave priority to vulnerable displaced families who did not settle in refugee camps or registered with the UNHCR or the Red Crescent programs. As a result, these refugees — most of whom were Christians and feared reprisals should they register — did not benefit from any donations provided either by the Arab gulf countries or international donors. The approach adopted by CNEWA’s emergency response team relies on partnering with all church-affiliated groups (parish priests, congregations, patriarchal representatives, bishops, societies and others) that are already
active and efficient in collecting the necessary social data about the displaced families, have developed a team that enables them to implement the program — purchasing, packaging, distribution, etc. — and have the capacity to report back timely. CNEWA has played a major role during the past year to increase the efficiency of aid provided, through encouraging different partners to coordinate their efforts on the ground, and has been successful in more than one region. IMPLEMENTATION For the last 12 months, the geographical areas where Christians have found some refuge has contracted, as areas under Islamic militants’ control has expanded, especially in the rural areas. CNEWA has continued to respond to the needs of the displaced with a special focus on the needs of children and those most vulnerable to the horrors of this war. CNEWA shifted from distribution of food, since international publicly funded organizations were providing enough food packages for the displaced.
Syria
CNEWA instead complemented the distributed items to fill the gaps and cover particular needs as identified by our partners from the local churches:
implemented with the help of the Good Shepherd Sisters and will form and strengthen the faith of 3,800 students from both churches.
Education. For the academic year 2015-2016, CNEWA intends to continue facilitating the enrollment of around 5,000 displaced students to different Catholic schools in different areas inside Syria — Homs, Aleppo, Tartous and the Valley of Christians — through provision of school kits and daily breakfasts. The support also reached university students by providing them the cost of transportation from their villages to nearby universities.
Emergency Aid. CNEWA provided milk, diapers, winter kits, clothing, food packages, mattresses and blankets to those most in need. This work was completed in close coordination with the Good Shepherd Sisters and the Besançon Sisters through their convents that are located all around Syria, including Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Tartous and other major displacement locations. The sisters know very well the ground and can judge fairly who is in need and what support should be given to them.
Health care. Due to the increasing need caused by the deterioration of the medical sector inside Syria, CNEWA developed a program to provide health care to around 5,500 patients in nine different locations inside Syria through local church partners. A major component of the project was achieved through the provision of health support in the highly war-affected areas of Aleppo, where we are providing support to the Asia al Hakim Dispensary as well as through the Marist Brothers at St. Louis Hospital in Aleppo. Other components included the provision of health care for people who are facing chronic diseases and require continuous care, such as the provision of dialysis sessions to chronic patients in Bab Touma hospital in Damascus. Spiritual activities. This activity concerns mainly the Qalamoun and Homs regions and consists of rehabilitating and equipping 14 catechetical centers belonging to the Greek Catholic and Syriac Catholic archeparchies of Homs. All centers are located in villages that were within the war zones; this project is being
FINANCIAL In addition to its many generous North American donors, CNEWA coordinates aid worldwide. Funding partners include the Archdiocese of Cologne; Anonymous; Embrace the Middle East; Kindermissionswerk; Misereor; and Missio. Together, CNEWA has collected $2,754,183 for its emergency program in Syria, of which $1,407,002 was disbursed during 2014; $940,697 is being disbursed in 2015; and the remaining balance of $406,484 will be disbursed in early 2016 as follows:
Project
Approved Amount
Received on
Amount in US$
Paid in 2014 & Before US$
Paid in 2015
To Be Paid in 2015 US$
To Be Paid in 2016 US$
HEALTH CARE FOR DISPLACED SYRIAN FAMILIES Support health care to Syrian refugees St. Asia al Hakim dispensary Aleppo
Support health care to Syrian refugees
Provide medical care for impoverished families in Syria
£19,975
Nov. 19, 2014
31,141
9,900
21,241
0
0
€50,000
Aug. 21, 2014
66,200
0
0
66,200
0
Jan. 26, 2015
168,449
0
70,507
16,428
81,514
Dec. 17, 2014
61,199
0
61,199
0
0
Apr. 15, 2015
100,000
0
0
50,000
50,000
51,620
73,370
30,000
67,090
2,395
0
79,050
40,950
135,000
0
46,750
0
€200,000
$100,000
EDUCATION FOR DISPLACED SYRIAN CHILDREN School kit for 4,500 children in Homs, Valley of Christians, & Aleppo (stationery, school bags & books)
€125,000
Dec. 11, 2014
154,990
0
EMERGENCY AID TO DISPLACED SYRIAN CHILDREN/FAMILIES Emergency help for Chritsian Refugees in Syria and Lebanon
Relief Fund
Provision of heating goods & winter and clothing kits to Iraqi and Syrian refugees and internally displaced in Lebanon and Syria
€50,000
$255,000
$95,000
May 12, 2014
69,485
0
Apr. 22
100,000
0
Jun. 15
100,000
0
Nov. 15
55,000
0
Mar. 17, 2015
46,750
0
Next page please.
Project
Approved Amount
Received on
Amount in US$
Paid in 2014 & Before US$
Paid in 2015 US$
To Be Paid in 2015 US$
To Be Paid in 2016 US$
EMERGENCY AID TO DISPLACED SYRIAN CHILDREN/FAMILIES (CONTINUED) Displaced Syrian Christians from south of Hassake (medicines, food packages, milk & diapers)
$40,000
June 1, 2015
40,000
0
0
40,000
0
Emergency aid to Syrian displaced children (students winter kit)
$253,560
Oct. 25, 2012
253,560
236,354
0
17,206
0
Emergency aid to Syrian displaced children (winter kit)
$249,698
Jul. 15, 2013
249,698
248,700
938
60
0
Emergency aid to Syrian displaced children (students winter kit)
$91,070
91,070
91,070
0
0
0
$169,443
169,443
169,443
0
0
0
66,723
46,197
20,526
0
0
132,491
132,491
0
0
0
66,365
43,370
22,995
0
0
60,413
60,413
0
0
0
49,459
70,541
0
0
5,000
0
0
0
10,000
0
0
0
150,000
150,000
0
0
0
154,605
154,605
0
0
0
Emergency aid to Syrian displaced children: provision of milk, diapers & winter clothing
€53,600
Nov. 1, 2014
$132,491 Emergency aid to Syrian displaced families
€50,000
Aug. 7, 2013
$60,413
$135,000
2014
135,000
Relief fund
Emergency aid
$154,605
Next page please.
Approved Amount
Project
Received on
Amount in US$
Paid in 2014 & Before US$
Paid in 2015 US$
To Be Paid in 2015 US$
To Be Paid in 2016 US$
PASTORAL AID TO DISPLACED SYRIAN CHILDREN Rehabiltate 7 catechetical centers & provide equipment & material for 14 centers in Homs
€57,600
June 5, 2015
€100,000 €50,000
TOTAL RECEIVED AMOUNT
Jan 26, 2015
65,482
0
40,000
25,482
0
109,970
0
0
0
109,970
56,149
0
0
56,149
0
2,754,183
1,407,002
505,707
434,990
406,484
2,754,183
a papal agency for humanitarian and pastoral support Catholic Near East Welfare Association, 1011 First Avenue, New York, NY 10022-4195 www.cnewa.org • 1-800-442-6392