PNN - Palestine News Network

BADIL Issues Letter to UN Urging The Protection of Palestinian Refugees

PNN

Yesterday BADIL, the Resource Centre for Palestinian Refugee and Residency Rights, issued a letter to the UN agencies in Syria to do more to protect Palestinian refugees.

Since the outbreak of fighting in Syria 16 months ago more than 1,500,000 people have been displaced, many of whom have sought refugee in neighbouring countries Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon. Syria’s Palestinian refugee population, which at number roughly 500,000 have been particularly vulnerable. Their status as Palestinian refugees means that they are treated with suspicion by neighbouring countries and in some instances they have either been denied asylum or returned back to Syria in violation of the prohibition against non-refoulment.

The refugee rights group have urged the UN to:

1.   Highlight the plight of the Palestinian refugees who are enduring forced displacement as a result of the conflict in Syria;

2.   Urge the Syrian authorities along with all parties in the conflict to keep the confrontations away from the Palestinian refugee camps which have become a refuge to internally displaced Syrians and to exercise utmost restraint in order to prevent the forced displacement of Palestinian refugees.

3.   Provide medical relief and food supplies to Palestinian refugees who are internally displaced within Syria without discrimination from their Syrian counterparts;

4.   Urge Jordan to end its arbitrary detention of Palestinian refugees and permit them entry;

5.   Condemn Jordan’s violation of the customary law prohibition against non-refoulment; and

6.   Collaborate to identify and achieve durable solutions for those Palestinian refugees fleeing Syria, which requires the exercise of greater political will.