By Samer Yassin
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – Up until early December, humanitarian organizations operating in Arisha camp in the southern countryside of Hasakah, northeastern Syria, have only provided 30 percent of the IDPs’ basic life needs.
Unlike camps established for IDPs who fled Turkish attacks on northeast Syria, the Arisha camp is officially recognized by the UN, nevertheless its support has significantly dropped.
The camp houses 2,600 families who have been displaced since 2017 from areas controlled by the Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militias. The families consist of 12,600 individuals living in 3,000 tents.
The camp’s residents repeatedly voice their troubles about the worn-out tents, insufficient food rations, lack of heating means and sanitary conditions.
Families consisting of eight individuals receive 35 liters of kerosene for heating and cooking every ten days. The quantity lessens to 17 liters for small and medium-sized families, according to IDPs in the camp.
Some families manage to purchase fuel, while others cannot afford the costs.
Saad Ramo, administrator in the camp, said the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR and other NGOs neglect the camp, as there is a significant shortage of “life-saving” activities.
Hygiene kits have not been provided for over six months, and the food ration provided by the World Food Program (WFP) is now limited to legumes and rice only.
Ramo told North Press that winter supplies such as clothing, blankets, heaters, and fuel have not been provided for families in the camp. He added the tents that have worn-out for over two years have not been replaced as well.
The support provide by the UN, UNHCR, and other international NGOs only meets 30 percent of the camp’s overall needs.
The recent Turkish attacks also made it difficult to access the area to deliver aid, not to mention their impact on local services, according to the administration of the camp.
Saleh Sultan, 45, an IDP from the city of al-Quriyah in the east of Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria, attributed the spread of diseases in the camp to lack of hygiene kits and proper food, in addition to the little amount of fuel allocations.
The medical point of the Kurdish Red Crescent (KRC) in the camp recorded 43 cases of scabies, three cases of leishmaniasis, and four cases of meningitis in November, which were referred to hospitals in Hasakah.
The KRC, locally known as Heyva Sor A Kurd, is an independent non-governmental and non-profit organization operating in Northeast Syria. It was established in 2012 to provide medical services for the people affected by the conflict.
Moreover, Saniha Ma’o, Officer of the KRC medical point, told North Press they recorded also cases of measles, smallpox, and cholera.
She pointed out that other factors contribute to the spread of diseases in the camp, such as the population density, continuous social contact, and lack of health awareness.
Health services in the camp are offered according to sectors by the KRC, IRC, al-Yamama Association, and Mar Afram Association.
Emergency and childbirth services are limited to the KRC medical point, which for some cases is unable to provide services, Ma’o said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) provides assistance only for critical cases (red cases), and rejects what it considers “cold cases” or not critical.
The camp’s administration believes that the UN should focus more attention on the IDPs as they are unable to return to their homes and towns yet.