Described as the “worst humanitarian crisis of our time” by CNN, the Syrian crisis has resulted in the loss of millions of lives as more flee their homes. The magnitude of the consequences of the crisis can be felt in other countries, reported by CNN.
The crisis began in March of 2011 when locals took to the streets to protest after 15 schoolchildren were arrested—and reportedly tortured—for writing anti-government graffiti on a wall.
The protests were peaceful to begin with, calling for the release of the children, democracy and greater freedom for people in the country.
The government responded angrily, and on March 18, 2011, the army opened fire on protesters, killing four people. The following day, they shot at mourners at the victims’ funerals, killing another person. People were shocked and angry at what had happened and, according to CNN, soon the unrest spread to other parts of the country.
Jayson Quilondrino, a freshman social work major from the Philippines, has a father in the military. He said he has heard stories about war and violence. “There are a lot of cases of decapitated bodies, sickness and graphic images that I have heard about war from him, and it is sad. Especially in Syria because it was the government’s fault,” said Quilondrino.
Activists and the United Nations told ABC News the violence escalated due to the rise of the jihadist militant group Islamic State, known as ISIS and IS in western media.
As of June 2013, the United Nations reported the civil war had caused 90,000 deaths in Syria. By August 2015, that figure had climbed to 250,000.
The conflict, reported CNN, has caused numerous war crimes, including murder, torture, rape and enforced disappearances.
IS has also been accused by the United Nations of waging a campaign of terror. It has inflicted severe punishments on those who transgress or refuse to accept its rules, including hundreds of public executions and amputations. Its fighters have also carried out mass killings of rival armed groups, members of the security forces and religious minorities, and beheaded hostages, including several Westerners, according to CNN.
Almost five years after it began, the full-blown civil war has killed more than 220,000 people, half of whom are believed to be civilians. Bombings are destroying crowded cities and horrific human rights violations are widespread. Basic necessities like food and medical care are sparse. The United Nations estimates 6.6 million people are internally displaced.
“It is heartbreaking to see how much they are suffering because so many of the Syrians flee the country everyday,” said Gayla Prakash, a freshman hospitality and tourism major from Fiji.
She explained a home and country is supposed provide peace and safety to its residents. “I hope other countries can learn from this and avoid making the same mistake,” added Prakash.
The most recent statistics on CNN reported thousands of Syrians flee their country every day. They often decide to finally escape after seeing their neighborhoods bombed or family members killed. Families reportedly walk for miles through the night to avoid being shot by snipers or being caught by soldiers who will kidnap young men to fight for the regime.
The United Nations predicts there could be 4.7 million registered Syrian refugees by the end of 2016 – the worst exodus since the Rwandan genocide 20 years ago. According to the United Nations, more than half of all Syrian refugees are under the age of 18. Most have been out of school for months, if not years.
This statistic was mentioned in the LDS General Women’s Conference on March 26. It was followed by a plea from Relief Society General President Linda K. Burton. “Serve the refugees living in your neighborhoods and communities,” she said.
Humanitarian organizations, including Mercy Corps, are partnering with the United Nations, using both private contributions and funding from the international community to actively address the needs of Syrians caught in this disaster.
Eve Wang, a freshman biomedical major from China, said she was grateful for the organizations and efforts to help the refugees but thinks more must be done. “It is sad to think that while we are enjoying our lives, many are suffering. We should do something about it.”
Burton explained what Church members, especially sisters, can do. “These individuals have undergone tremendous difficulties and are starting over in new countries and cultures. While there are sometimes organizations that help them with a place to live and basic necessities, what they need is a friend and ally who can help them adjust to their new home, a person who can help them learn the language, understand the systems, and feel connected.”
The Church has launched iwasastranger.lds.org to facilitate relief efforts to refugees.
Elder Patrick Kearon also addressed this issue during the April 2016 General Conference. According to Deseret News, he said, “the Savior knows how it feels to be a refugee — He was one.”
Throughout His life, Christ was threatened and in danger until He “ultimately [submitted] to the designs of evil men who had plotted His death. Perhaps, then, it is all the more remarkable to us that He repeatedly taught us to love one another, to love as He loves, to love our neighbor as ourselves.”
Elder Kearon has aided the refugee relief effort in Europe. “We have found refuge. Let us come out from our safe places and share with them, from our abundance, hope for a brighter future, faith in God and in our fellow man, and love that sees beyond cultural and ideological differences to the glorious truth that we are all children of our Father in heaven,” he said.
As stated in CNN, the majority of Syrian refugees are living in Jordan and Lebanon, where since 2012 Mercy Corps has helped families meet basic needs and find employment.
More Syrians escaped into northern Iraq at a newly opened border crossing. An increasing number of Syrian refugees are fleeing across the border into Turkey, overwhelming urban host communities and creating new cultural tensions.
Hundreds of thousands of refugees are also attempting the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean Sea from Turkey to Greece, hoping to find a better future in Europe. Not all of them make it across alive, according to New York Times.