A Candid Conversation on Challenges, Solutions, and the Role of Faith in Restoring Hope
Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper), In an interview, György HÖLVÉNYI MEP for Brussels Morning shares his insights on the daunting challenges faced by Syrian refugees and proposes measures to improve their lives. As a prominent member of the European Parliament, HÖLVÉNYI has been actively involved in humanitarian efforts and interreligious dialogue, making him a crucial voice in addressing the ongoing Syrian crisis. In this candid discussion, he provides a comprehensive overview of the hurdles faced by the Syrian people and suggests potential avenues for the European Union (EU) to prevent further influx of Syrian immigrants. Additionally, HÖLVÉNYI emphasizes the pivotal role of churches in supporting refugees and offers valuable perspectives on normalizing relations with Syria’s Assad regime, as well as the safety of potential refugee returns.
Sarhan BASEM (SB): From your point of view, Mr. HÖLVÉNYI, what are still the most difficult challenges faced to help Syrian people have a better life?
György HÖLVÉNYI (GH): Syrian people continue to grapple with a multitude of challenges, according to HÖLVÉNYI. The dire lack of adequate shelter stands as one of the most pressing issues, with over 150,000 families displaced and struggling to find suitable accommodations. The slow progress in rehabilitating damaged buildings exacerbates the situation, hindered by insufficient financial resources, materials, and machinery. Additionally, the MEP highlights the alarming state of healthcare facilities, with more than 40% of such establishments throughout Syria rendered non-functional. This, coupled with the scarcity of food and safe drinking water, severely compromises public health, leading to outbreaks of diseases like cholera. Furthermore, HÖLVÉNYI emphasizes the plight of internally displaced persons (IDPs), their heavy reliance on foreign humanitarian aid, and the concerning lack of educational opportunities for approximately 2 million Syrian children, who risk losing an entire generation to the ravages of war.
SB: What efforts should the EU exert to prevent a new wave of Syrian immigrants to Europe?
GH: On my last humanitarian visit to Syria just before Easter the most shocking experience was that people have lost faith that their situation will improve. After the earthquake in February, there were a few weeks when hostility cased and people side-by-side have done to address the emergency. Also, foreign assistance has arrived, recalling the international attention to Syria. After a few weeks, the international attention disappeared, the hostility continued and people simply lost their hope.
This hope should be restored. This is our moral obligation because Syrian people do have the right to stay in their homeland. After the earthquake, the USA, the UN, and the EU also introduced a new humanitarian exemption on the sanctions applied to the Syrian regime. While the UN Security Council resolution 2664 applies for these exemptions without any time limit, EU measures are applied only for six months. This leaves the people of the country in a state of uncertainty. International humanitarian organizations, European NGOs present in Damascus, local humanitarian actors, and the local churches are all emphasizing that to take tangible steps to improve the situation at least one year-long application of the exceptions would be needed. This would highly increase the efficiency of our humanitarian assistance.
Let me explain it. Service providers and medical suppliers need more time to restore their activities than six months. We must see that they are not working as a charity but on a for-profit basis. This is the reality. If the needed medicines and medical tools are not available locally then humanitarian organizations need to take them outside the country. Of course, this comes with a higher cost, and consequently that one Euro that we could spend directly to support the work of a local, non-governmental humanitarian organization will have a much smaller impact on the ground.
Different local partners are also emphasizing the need for income-generation activities. The Word Bank estimates that unemployment among youth was already above 22% in 2022. What will happen to these young people if they do not have access to decent work in their homeland? We must also see that this is not only about the employment of one person but similar initiatives that enable young people to support their families who do not have the means to meet their basic needs to improve their living conditions.
SB: How does the Intercultural and Religious Dialogue Unit support the church in Syria to play its role in providing support to Syrian refugees?
GH: Dialogue with churches and religious communities is based on Article 17 of the Lisbon Treaty. In this regard, dialogue with religious communities is not only a necessity due to the reality of conflict-prone countries but also a legal obligation for the EU. However, the EU so far could not fully recognize the role of churches and religious communities in conflict resolution and management, peacekeeping, and social engagement. This is due to different traditions of EU Member countries, due to ideological reasons, and due to wrongly understood neutrality.
The role of the churches and religious communities in the response to the Syrian crisis cannot be overestimated. Cooperation with religious communities, being the Christian, Muslim, or belonging to any other sect could open up a new dimension for the EU’s engagement. Different churches and religious communities are providing the beginning of civil war health care, education, shelter, and food, they are engaging in projects providing decent work for people and many more. A very good example is the so-called Open Hospitals Project which was initiated by Cardinal Mario Zenari, the apostolic nuncio of Syria. These hospitals and health care facilities are providing health care for people in need without any kind of distinction made.
We must see that in the current situation when the government cannot be considered a reliable partner, while the religious communities and faith-based organizations are the ones who are present in the whole country and also people trust them. They are sound, trustworthy partners with huge experience in delivering humanitarian aid. A strong partnership with them would be highly beneficial for the EU.
The role of the faith-based actors is also important if we consider the cost efficiency of EU humanitarian actions. The churches and other religious communities are already present in Syria, they do not need to invest in field offices, hire international staff, and other highly costly investments. More their social embedders help them to reach directly the most vulnerable people, not only in the capital and in the big cities but also in the countryside. As co-Chair of the EPP Interreligious Dialogue working group, I have always highlighted this side of the activities of the churches.
SB: In the quest to stop the crisis of the Syrian people, Should the EU normalize the relations with Syria’s Assad?
GH: Let me just quote on it Pope Francis: “I hope that everything possible will be done for the people, that there will be no reasons or sanctions to hinder the urgent and necessary aid to the population.”The sanctions are targeting the regime and we must uphold the political objective of these sanctions. However, we must also see that nevertheless these measures being carefully designed on individuals, do have direct or indirect impact on humanitarian operators.
Let me elaborate here more on the sanctions affecting the banking system in Syria. A study by the International Peace Institute highlights for instance that in Syria humanitarian stakeholders can only use one bank in Syria. However, the significant de-risking motivates humanitarian operators to move to cash-based transactions. This not only makes their work less effective but also increases the untraceable flow of money.
Also, certain companies and service providers are applying self-control, meaning that they voluntarily suspended their operations in Syria for fear that they might violate sanctions. This is a serious challenge for instance for hospitals to obtain their supplies.
What is needed is certainty. This is why I argue, in agreement with a major part of the humanitarian workers in Syria that humanitarian exceptions should be applied in line with the resolution of the UN Security Council without any time limit. For this reform of the sanction regime, we would need unanimity from the Council. Unfortunately, this is still lacking and we must wait until the second half of 2023 to see if the political attitude in certain Member States will change.
SB: Some governments would seriously consider sending Syrian refugees back to Syria. Do you think Syria has become a safe place for those refugees?
GH: Conflict-prone areas of Syria still do not meet the conditions of return. However, the situation is very diverse in the different parts of the country. I believe that the return of refugees must be their informed, voluntary return. Hosting of Syrian refugees is becoming a heavier and heavier burden on host countries, notably Lebanon. We must see that Lebanon and Turkey will act on their own if the EU does not take its part to assist dignified return. When it comes to this question it is better if the EU sits at the table as well than if we are only on the menu.
