What Happens to the Billions Poured into the U.N.?

U.N. WFP says has no money for Syrian refugees!

The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said today it has suspended a critical program providing food vouchers to more than 1.7 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries, due to a funding crisis.

Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt have used vouchers to buy food. “Without WFP vouchers, many families will go hungry. For refugees already struggling to survive the harsh winter, the consequences of halting this assistance will be devastating,” said WFP in a statement.

“A suspension of WFP food assistance will endanger the health and safety of these refugees and will potentially cause further tensions, instability and insecurity in the neighbouring host countries,” said WFP Executive Director. “The suspension of WFP food assistance will be disastrous for many already suffering families.”

Syrian refugees in camps and informal settlements throughout the region are ill prepared for yet another harsh winter, especially in Lebanon and Jordan, where many children are bare foot and without proper clothing. Many tents are drenched in mud and hygiene conditions are growing extremely precarious.

“We are very concerned about the negative impact these cuts will have on the refugees as well as the countries which host them. These countries have shouldered a heavy burden throughout this crisis,” said the WFP Regional Emergency Coordinator for the Syria Crisis.

 

Destabilization of Middle East Intensifies

Human river of Syrian refugees cross border into northern Iraq

At least 45,000 Syrian refugees have crossed the border into northern Iraq in the past ten days, one of the biggest influxes of refugees since beginning of the Syrian conflict.

At least 45,000 Syrian refugees have crossed the border into northern Iraq in the past 10 days. Photo: UNHCR/G. Gubaeva

“There was war and looting and problems,” said a refugee who trekked with his five children to Iraqi Kurdistan.

“We did not find a morsel (of food), so, with our children, we came here.”

“We fled because there is war, beheadings and killings, and in addition to that there is no work,” said another refugee.

“The economic situation deteriorated and everything became expensive.”

“There was a shortage of food in the market, and everything became expensive, from bread to gas canisters, and unemployment was spreading,” said a refugee whose wife held their three-week-old baby in her arms outside a tent.

“We decided to save ourselves before we died of hunger.”

An estimated 2 million Syrians have fled their country, with most seeking refuge in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.

An estimated 200,000 Syrian refugees have fled to Iraq.

“Rebel militants in Syria release chemical substance near Damascus”

Original caption: Chemical reagents are seen at an arsenal of Syrian rebel militants in Jobar, near the capital of Damascus, on Aug. 24, 2013. Some Syrian soldiers on Saturday suffered suffocation after rebel militants released chemical substance around their hideouts near Damascus, the state-TV reported. (Xinhua/Bassem Tellawi). More images…

U.N. chemical weapons inspectors fired on in Syria

“A vehicle carrying U.N. chemical weapons investigators came under sniper fire Monday as it was heading toward the site of an alleged chemical attack last week that killed hundreds of people,” said a report.

Iraq Violence

Meantime, at least 55 people were killed and more than 120 others injured on Sunday across Iraq by car bombs, IEDs and gunfire.

The latest killings in Baghdad, Baquba, Balad and Mosul raises the monthly death toll to at least 685 civilians dead. The blog estimates the number of wounded at 1,500 since August1.

UNAMI Stats for Armed Violence in Iraq

According to information collected by UNAMI, a minimum of 928 were killed (including 204 civilian police) a further 2109 were injured (including 338 civilian police) in ongoing armed violence in Iraq during July 2013.

• In June 2013, 685 civilians were killed and 1610 were injured.

• In May 2013, 963 civilians were killed and 2191 were injured.

• In April 2013, 595 civilians were killed and 1481 were injured.

• In March 2013, 229 civilians were killed and 853 were injured.

• In February 2013, 418 civilians were killed and 704 were injured.

• In January 2013, 319 civilians were killed and 960 were injured.

• In December 2012, 230 civilians were killed and 655 were injured.

• In November 2012, 445 civilians were killed and 1306 were injured.

ALL figures remain estimates until full investigation and analysis has been carried out, said UNAMI.

FIRE-EARTH log on Syria – dated June 14, 2012

The joint proxy war waged by Saudi Arabia and Israel against Syria has entered a new phase. The head of UN peacekeeping operations has described the Syrian conflict as a “civil war.”

Jordan to Declare North of Country ‘Disaster Area’

Massive influx of Syrian refugees major economic burden on Jordan: Report

Jordan intends to declare the north of the country, its border region with Syria, a “disaster area,” Jordanian Prime Minister said on Wednesday.

The number of Syrians in Jordan now exceeds one million, including 450,000 refugees and more than 600,000 visitors who had arrived in the country prior to the  onset of violence in Syria.

Jordan has an estimated population of about 6.5 million.

The Jordanian PM said he is afraid that a major war in Syria could lead to a large-scale flow of Syrian refugees into his country.

Last week, the government said it would “continue to operate an open-door policy towards Syrian refugees, despite the economic burden on Jordan, and the alleged presence of pro-regime sleeper cells in the country,” said a report.

United Nations says at least 70,000 people have been killed in Syria since the 2011 uprising.

Related Links

• Middle East: Early Signs of Collapse July 5, 2010
• Drought Driving Syria to Collapse September 11, 2010

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DISASTER CALENDAR – April 3, 2013 — 
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,074 Days Left 

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,074 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human  History
• The countdown began on May 15, 2011 …

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID PLANETARY DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs