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The Refugee Camp: our desert home

(38 Posts)
PRINTMISS Sat 30-Jul-16 09:48:25

Did anyone else watch the two episodes about this? We were really impressed by what has been done for I think, 80,000 refugees fleeing from Syria. It is not a good place to live, but better than the one from which the fled, and so much it appears to be being done by the Jordanian authorities, and various charities, that these people now have food and water and a basic roof over their heads. Their resilience is remarkable, and unbelievably, some of them want to return to their native country - but what, if anything, is left of that? 5,000 babies have been born since the camp was set up, and it continues to sprawl. Where will it all end, I wonder.

silverlining48 Sat 30-Jul-16 10:00:59

Yes I watched both episodes, and was very impressed by what has been provided by Jordan but also by the refugees who despite having little, are doing so much to improve things themselves. Their smiles were inspiring. It is easy to say we dont want any more people here, but these are people like us, with families, lives, jobs, homes, and through war, have been put through more than we can ever begin to imagine. My daughter has been helping refugees in Germany and she and her husband have/are sharing their tiny flat with some of them.

Gononsuch Sat 30-Jul-16 10:08:09

Why didn't they stop at home and fought for what ever they thought was right, ask yourself, would you run away, any one who threatens my family had better start looking over their shoulder, I've got no time for them all the "so called volunteers" who go to look after them.

Why are we so gullible ?

silverlining48 Sat 30-Jul-16 10:21:46

that seems very hard. lets hope you are never in that position, and yes some have stayed and are still fighting , and others, the white hats, are putting their lives at risk too, but against the syrian regieme and the russians, they stand no chance.

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 30-Jul-16 10:30:43

The ones who "run away" are likely to be the ones with the get up and go needed to change their situations. And therefore, they are the ones we need in this country. They will be the hard workers.

Gononsuch Sat 30-Jul-16 10:56:32

I will never be in that position, unless ISIS comes marching down the M1 that is.

How can they be hard workers they run away when the going gets tough.

Luckygirl Sat 30-Jul-16 12:57:05

Gononsuch - how wonderful that you are so privileged and so tolerant.

ISIS IS marching down their M1 - do you not understand that?

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 30-Jul-16 13:26:04

What do you suggest they do about barrel bombs?

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 30-Jul-16 13:27:56

(That was to Gononsuch)

starbird Sat 30-Jul-16 13:36:28

They run away because the infrastructure all around them is bombed to rubble, initially by Assad if they happened to live in a rebel held area, then by Russians, in other areas by ISIL and unfortunately, sometimes by the 'allies' in error. Their jobs are gone, there is hardly any food - there was a drought before all this started which saw rural people swarming into the cities and the lack of help by the government is what fed the rebel movement, The remaining hospitals are running out of medicines. If you had a family and could not feed them, and were living in a bombed out house without electricity or water, or the threat of that about to happen any minute, would you sit tight, or take your family to safety? If you stay to fight whose side would you be on - the rebels, who have old almost useless weapons, if any, and little chance of success, or the government - whose troops ars ordered to use chemical weapons against their own people?
Why o why does the world stand by, the UN pass useless resolutions that are ignored, and we spend a fortune trying to deal with the aftermath instead of sending in at the very first sign of trouble, an international army to stop any dictator or cruel government from mistreating its own people? Not only is that the cheapest option it is the most humane. Get rid of the veto and give the UN some teeth.
One family in Thurs night's program did go back, but regretted it when they got there.
Those in Jordan are lucky compared to Lebanon, from what I hear, where the refugees outnumber the population.
The program was sad on many levels not least because it seems they are resigned to it becoming a long term prospect.

Elegran Sat 30-Jul-16 13:41:08

You have posted previously on another thread, gononsuch, about your policy of looking after Jack Number One. I hope I am never in need of asistance when you are the only person around.

I take it you and yours are fit, solvent, and compos mentis, and living in a stable area?

At the moment.

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 30-Jul-16 13:41:27

Agree starbird. We started all this. We should have carried it through and finished it. We stirred a hornets' nest and walked away.

I think it will come. God help our grandchildren.

Deedaa Sat 30-Jul-16 21:43:07

We were watching the latest bombings in Syria and I said to DH How could you stay there and do anything? When everyone is being slaughtered regardless of age or sex and hospitals are being bombed the only thing to do is get out if you can

PRINTMISS Sun 31-Jul-16 09:19:27

It was indeed a sad programme starbird, and of course we can say why did they not stay and fight - what with? Their homes have been razed, what will there be to go back to, there is nothing there. Where they are now living many of them do not work, because there is not a lot that they can do, and I fear the children will grow up in a kind of nanny state. On the surface they seem to be content, but so many of them must have a sadness in their hearts, and although they are fortunate to have what they have, and various organisations are doing their best, it cannot, surely, be allowed to become a permanence? I don't have any answers, just feel for the innocent people caught up in a war not of their making. Perhaps too, nation should stop interfering with nation, which creates another problem.

Gononsuch Sun 31-Jul-16 11:26:25

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Tegan Sun 31-Jul-16 11:32:20

That's awful sad.

Tegan Sun 31-Jul-16 11:35:02

'and we spend a fortune trying to deal with the aftermath instead of sending in at the very first sign of trouble, an international army to stop any dictator or cruel government from mistreating its own people'...maybe not at 'the first sign of trouble' but isn't that what we did with Iraq and look where that got us sad.

PRINTMISS Sun 31-Jul-16 11:46:43

Gononsuch not in this household, whatever sort of club was that?

harrigran Sun 31-Jul-16 12:26:39

I watched the programme and was horrified at the way in which they were tapping into the electricity supply. I think this make shift city is probably better than trying to cross Europe with little ones in tow. I felt that these are the people who will return to their own country when it is safe to do so.

Granny2016 Sun 31-Jul-16 14:06:26

Our government and others blustered in and left a country in turmoil.
I don,t say 'We' as many of us did not wish for it to happen,and governments don,t speak on behalf of us all.
Many people have been left devastated,it will take them years to recover.
I have not seen the programme but am aware of the camps in Jordan.

I do not agree with Gononsuch,but he/she is entitled to voice their opinion ,as we all are.Others share the same view,which has been bolstered by poor media coverage.

petra Sun 31-Jul-16 20:42:58

I'm assuming that Gononsuch is a woman. 'She' said that the OH came home from the club and repeated that conversation. I can't imagine that a woman would get involved in that sort of conversation. Or have I got it wrong?

Luckygirl Sun 31-Jul-16 21:02:36

I think she is an agent provocateur and best ignored!

Granny2016 Mon 01-Aug-16 00:39:36

I watched the programme tonight which showed very decent and determined people.It was quite humbling.
Many have formed their opinion based on media coverage on the flow across Europe with serious incidents being committed.We know of course that many caught up in it are the same as those in the programme.

I am not sure if the original comment is genuine or not,but on other threads there has been much reference to racism and Xenophobia,and thought this comment might set it off again.

Gononsuch Mon 01-Aug-16 09:53:54

How can anyone who justifies looking after pets, giving them a better life than all of the refugees in the camps and I mean men,women and little children, you pet keepers are something else.

Now petra.

My OH was telling me because he was disgusted at the tone of what he considers to be intelligent men.

DaphneBroon Mon 01-Aug-16 10:22:51

Then say so,gononsuch instead of repeating such an offensive remark. Or better still, keep schtum

(UKIP/BNP/MCPs still clearly alive and well in some places.)