Report
MRS Mission to the Middle East Report (2012)
Mission to the Middle East: Report on Syrian Refugees, October 2012
Migration and Refugee Services (MRS) of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) traveled to the countries of Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey, October 7-20 to examine the situation of Syrian refugees and to pro-vide policy recommendations for their protection. The delegation also visited Cairo, Egypt, to look into the plight of African refugees in Egypt. Members of the delegation included Bishop Anthony Taylor, Bishop of Little Rock, and member of the USCCB Committee on Migration; Fr. Daniel Groody, C.S.C., associate professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame and consultant to the Committee on Migration; Anastasia K. Brown, Director of Resettlement Services for MRS/USCCB; Beth Englander, Director of Special Programs, MRS/USCCB; Natalina Malwal, Transportation Specialist for Processing Operations for MRS/USCCB; and Kevin Appleby, Director of Migration Policy and Public Affairs, MRS/USCCB, and Jane Bloom, Head, U.S. Liaison office, International Catholic Migration Commission.
The beginning of the conflict in Syria between the current regime and its opposition nearly two years ago has introduced a second major refugee crisis in the Middle East, after the Iraqi refugee crisis which began in 2003. In fact, these two crises have overlapped each other, as Iraqis who fled Iraq for Syria earlier in the century have been caught up in the new conflict. In fact, the second refugee outflow from Syria is on pace to exceed the Iraqi crisis: the United Nation’s High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that as many as 1.5 million Syrian refugees could inhabit the region by the end of 2013.
This report focuses upon Syrian refugees in each of the countries visited; Iraqis who have fled Syria; and African refugees living in Egypt, including refugees trafficked and tortured in the Sinai. It will offer policy recommendations for ensuring the well-being of the refugees; working toward durable solutions for them; and ensuring the stability of receiving countries and the region over the long-term.