HESNA MIHEMED

Shahba- The ongoing Turkish attacks and the siege of the Syrian government on the Shahba Canton of North and East Syria have doubled the suffering of the people living in IDPs camps. The Syrian government has blocked the distribution of drinking water by UNICEF to the IDPs camps in the canton, increasing the risk of diseases in the camps. The lack of drinking and clean water poses a threat to the displaced people, especially children.

Although the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) tries to distribute drinking water to the camps with its limited means, it is insufficient. NuJINHA spoke to displaced women living in the Berxwedan camp about the challenges faced by them due to the lack of drinking water.

‘We are subjected to the Turkish attacks targeting camps’

“We face many challenges especially in summer,” said Newroz Zênî. “Summer is becoming hotter. UNICEF used to distribute drinking water to the camps; however, the Damascus government has blocked it. We are also subjected to the Turkish attacks targeting camps. The Turkish state and the Damascus government aim to displace people again. We have to maintain hygiene in the camp; however, we cannot maintain hygiene due to the lack of clean water. The lack of water poses a threat to us, especially children. Our children get sick but we cannot treat them due to the lack of medications. All we want is the end of this war so that we can return to our homeland. In order to return to our homeland, we resist in the camp.”

‘It aim to weaken our resistance’

Living in the camps is already difficult for us, Erîfa Bîlal said, adding, “The most challenging thing in the camp is the lack of drinking and clean water. The Damascus government has been imposing a siege on Shahba, aiming at weakening our resistance. But it should know very well that our resistance is stronger than its power. The AANES does the best to distribute water to the camps. I call on the international organizations to put pressure on the Damascus government to lift the siege because the lack of water poses a threat to everyone in the camps. The Damascus government also blocks the entry of medicine and other medical supplies to the camps.”