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Syria: Inside and Out

By Olivia Ferrington

Wayne State University

Com 2100, April 25, 2017

After being under civil war for the past six years, Syria was hit by a launch of 59

cruise missiles ordered by President Trump on Friday, April 6, ultimately worsening their

conditions and killing six people.

Though Trumps launching of missiles on the Syrian government airbase was in

response to chemical weapon attacks launched by Syrians on Syrians earlier in the week, it

nonetheless put the Unites States in a new position with Syria.

This attack was the U.S.s first act of military involvement against Syrian President

Bashar al-Assad since the beginning of the war six years ago. CNNpolitics.com said that this

launch could be interpreted as an act of war. The same website said Assads office referred to

it as a disgraceful act.

There are many support groups and refugee resettlement programs in Michigan and

many other states working to bring Syrians to safety both in the U.S. and in Syria.

The goal of many programs is to continue what they have been doing to provide help

for refugees regardless of the political involvement with Trump. This is due to the idea that

from any given perspective, Syrians need help now just as they did before the launch of

deadly missiles.

Ayman Jouejati, Treasurer of Sunrise USA in Franklin, Mich., said that he has been

with the organization since Aug. 2013, and has been to Syria three times on different mission

trips distributing water heaters and like items. He said the goal for them is to provide supplies

and support over in Syria and give them better means of survival in their country.
 Jouejati said they have helped build five schools in North Syria near the Turkish

Syrian boarders around refugee camps. He said the oldest students are also refugees. They

supply school supplies as well as teachers for the schools.

We stay in Michigan, but the work we do is over in Syria because bringing refugees

here will not better the conditions over there, said Jouejati.

Tonya Johnson, customer service specialist at CARE of South Eastern Michigan,

expressed the same concern for need of assistance and protection for the refugees inside of

Syria. Johnson said that CARE is about providing donations for women in Syria to help teach

them how to survive on their own.

Johnson said that they provide the women with a virtual pet that teaches the women

how to raise chickens, get the eggs, and feel themselves and their children. They also provide

means to help teach things like how to purify water for drinking.

I wanted to work for this organization because they are actually giving women tools

to learn, and they actually use the donations for what they say they are going to, which is help

all refugees in need, said Johnson.

Outside of Michigan, other states in the U.S. are doing what they can for refugees as

well. Many organizations work to provide resettlement for refugees being brought to the

United States.

One organization that resettles refugees is the International Rescue Committee,

committed to helping those affected by the crisis learn their rights, get access to education

and necessary health related resources, and have a safe community to live in.

Daley Ryan, director at IRC in Texas, said that their organization is a strong model in

the local community with involvement administered by government. He said that they work

to help refugees in the most vulnerable situations get to the U.S. before the normal process of

about 18-24 months. Ryan said that as of now, because the executive order was blocked,
Syrian refugees are still being brought and IRS will continue their work and uphold their

responsibility to help.

Ryan said, America needs to do their part in the world and help them.

Other organizations such as the Syrian American Medical Society do things like

provide humanitarian relief in Syria and other counties. They provide kits, medicine, and

make sure that medical staff over in Syria has a continuous salary so that they will continue

doing the necessary work.

Communication officer at SAMS, Lobna Hassairi, said, We are an organization that

does what we can to provide ongoing medical operations, and regardless of new events taking

place between Syria and the U.S., we continue to do what we have done for the last seven

years.

A non-professional researcher of Syrian affairs with genetic ties to Syria, Raymond

Azar, gave insight into his uncles life as a Syrian man who came to America, made a great

living, and chose to move back to Syria at a time when current Syrian presidents father was

president and it was a beautiful and welcoming country.

Azar said, At this time, there were no rebels, no ISIS, no U.S. involvement, both

Catholics and Muslims allowed, and the feeling of a very safe environment.

After everything that has taken place over the last six years involving Syria has made

for the opposite type of environment, said Azar.

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Sources

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/06/politics/donald-trump-syria-military/

Raymond Azar

Lobna Hassairi

Tonya Johnson

Ayman Jouejati

Daley Ryan