For many of us the brutalities of war are something we hear about in a far off land. They are just a brief clip on the evening news or a photograph that captivates our attention for a moment in time. But the realities of the war in Syria have been a way of life for two Pearson College UWC students.
Syrian refugee students Wahid and Ali shared some of their experiences with their classmates at a discussion on the Syrian refugee crisis at the school in Metchosin on Tuesday. Their last names have been withheld for the safety of the boysB次元官网网址� families.
B次元官网网址淒o you know what is the worst?B次元官网网址� asked Wahid, looking out over the faces of the over 100 in attendance. B次元官网网址淭he petrostates B次元官网网址� Do you know how many refugees they have taken so far? Zero.B次元官网网址� Ali echoed that last word, too.
B次元官网网址淢any of them have been helping terror groups on the ground, sending weapons and money,B次元官网网址� Wahid said, adding they have done nothing to help the people living in constant fear for their lives.
While he and Ali spoke, a picture illuminated a screen behind them showing people fleeing a square in Syria surrounded by the crumbling wreckage of buildings. Wahid said the scene was quickly becoming the normal daily way of life in Syria, and the city of Aleppo, where he was from. B次元官网网址淲hen we just hear that 30 people have died B次元官网网址� or we see old women trying to get water from a well B次元官网网址� even food is not always there B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 just hard life.B次元官网网址�
When the uprising in Syria began many outside of its borders did not expect it to last more than a few weeks B次元官网网址� months at the most. But this civil war has been decimating the country for several years and stems from a long and complicated history of third-party intervention.
Three panelist followed Wahid and Ali to try and give some context to the situation as well as providing some answers to students questions. Topics ranged from what Canadians should do, racist rhetoric, history and politics.
Ronald Crelinsten, associate fellow at the University of VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Centre for Global Studies, said B次元官网网址渢he first question we need to ask is why are people leaving Syria?B次元官网网址� His answer was the war and the Islamic state.
B次元官网网址淏ombs wonB次元官网网址檛 solve it, military wonB次元官网网址檛 solve it. It will only make it worse.B次元官网网址�
He said civil society needs to push governments into making policies for lasting changes. B次元官网网址淲e need to fight this [racist] rhetoric and see everyone as human beings.B次元官网网址�
Crelinsten said the countries with the most resources to aid Syrian refugees were the ones furthest away, like Canada, and were doing very little to speed up the process of accepting refugees.
Chris Kilford, former Colonel and Canadian Defence Attach茅 in the Canadian Armed Forces said B次元官网网址淐anada was and still is the land of opportunity.B次元官网网址�
He said the history of the region surrounding Syria had played a great role in the war. B次元官网网址淭he writing is on the wallB次元官网网址� As long as the fighting in Syria continues unabated so will the flow of refugees.B次元官网网址�
He mentioned the argument that it is B次元官网网址渘ot our issueB次元官网网址� which is often raised but pointed out that many European and North American countries did not have clean hands when it comes to intervening with less than noble intentions. B次元官网网址淲e have a moral obligationB次元官网网址� due to our own overseas meddling.B次元官网网址�
He said that B次元官网网址渢hese people should not be seen as economical or financial burdens,B次元官网网址� and it has been historically proven that refugeesB次元官网网址� contributions to society were positive in the long term. But he doubted whether Canadian agencies would be able to process the number of applications in the proposed time frame to accept the number of refugees that they had already committed to.
David Lau, executive director of the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society, said B次元官网网址渁 lot of Canadians donB次元官网网址檛 fully graspB次元官网网址� how privileged they are to be here.B次元官网网址�
He was concerned that while he had noticed a great period of an increase in tolerance, it seemed to have ended somewhere in the late 1990s. B次元官网网址淚 think Canada could be entering a really scary period of time.B次元官网网址�
He said Canada had the capacity to take in more refugees than the government targets due to its vast size and resources. But he, along with the other members of the panel were disappointed with CanadaB次元官网网址檚 commitment. B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 want to be on the wrong side of history on this.B次元官网网址�
After the discussion Wahid expressed his frustration with how the rest of the world viewed the situation in Syria.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 like a game, like political football,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t brings very terrible feelings B次元官网网址� No one really cares about the people.B次元官网网址�
His words were deliberate while he spoke. B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 really feel the pain unless you go through it.B次元官网网址� He paused for a moment. B次元官网网址淚t just hurts.B次元官网网址�
katie@goldstreamgazette.com
