Displaced Syrians in Bulgarian Camp Suffer Inhuman Conditions, Saudis Exploit Displaced Syrian Girls in Lebanon

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Agence France-Presse, Amnesty International, Bulgaria, Harmanli, Human Rights Watch, Lebanon, Saudi, Syria

Sofia, (SANA)- Amnesty International called on the Bulgarian authorities to act to improve the living conditions of the displaced Syrians at Harmanli camp in south Bulgaria, near the Turkish border, which it and international non-government human rights organizations described as inhuman and appalling.

A report published by the Agence France-Presse showed most of Syrian children in the camp suffer from cough and walk around barefooted, while women cook food in primitive mud ovens.

Based on testimonies of the displaced people, the report highlighted how the people have no access to medicines and are not allowed to leave the surrounding of the torn tens except to buy food.

The report indicated that the residents in Harmali camp suffer from moisture in the tents due to the snow, noting that most of the camp residents have undergone blackmail by smugglers who brought them to Bulgaria.

After a sharp debate, the Bulgarian government decided to build a 33 km long and 3 m high fence along the border with Turkey in a bid to cut down the flow of refugees who enter Bulgaria illegally across its neighbor.

Displaced Syrians who were forced to leave the homeland fleeing the armed terrorist groups are suffering hardships and inhuman living conditions in the camps set on the borders of Syria’s neighboring countries, particularly al-Zaatari camp in Jordan.

The Syrians are prevented from leaving the camps and going back home and are being exploited in many ways.

Displaced Syrians in Lebanon: Saudi societies exploit underage girls

Displaced Syrians in Lebanon revealed that Saudi societies are working under to cover of relief work to exploit their underage daughters, marrying them off to Saudis who would abandon them after a brief time.

Sources from Akkar area in northern Lebanon said that these societies operate as covers for Saudi sheikhs, some of which are affiliated with the Saudi-funded society “Waqf Tibeh charity.”

One of the displaced Syrians said that these so-called charities and societies exploit them and don’t support them at all, saying that a Saudi man called Ibrahim al-Kafari “married” an orphaned girl for give days then abandoned her, while another Saudi sheikh married a widow who had four children then also abandoned him.

A displaced woman said that the aforementioned Ibrahim al-Kafari “marries” from poor families without any actual legal paperwork or witnesses then abandons the women, adding that others marry widows then exploit their children to beg for money.

Earlier, Liesl Gerntholtz from Human Rights Watch issued a report saying that displaced Syrian women suffer sexual harassment and abuse in Lebanon.

It should be noted that Syrian women who returned from camps in Turkey in September 2011 testified that acts of rape and abuse were committed at these camps by members of armed groups and some Turks.

SANA