“Initiating Peace in Crisis: The Role of International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Rehabilitation

Processes and Lifesaving Support for Syrian Refugees”

A POLICY REPORT PROPOSAL

Brief Description of Conflict Area

Our policy report looks at the Syrian Civil War, an on-going armed conflict in Syria. The Ba'ath
government is fighting against people who want to remove this government. The Conflict began on 15
March 2011, with demonstrations. These demonstrations were like demonstrations held in other Arab
countries, which has been called the Arab Spring.

Background and History

In 2002, the United States accused Syria of acquiring weapons of mass destruction and listed
the nation as a member of the so-called “axis of evil” countries. The Syrian government was also
accused of being involved in the assassination of Rafic Hariri, the Lebanese prime minister, in 2005.
After a few years of what seemed like potential diplomacy between Assad and other nations, the United
States renewed sanctions against Syria in 2010, saying that the regime supported terrorist groups. Many
human rights groups reported that Assad regularly tortured imprisoned and killed political adversaries
throughout his presidency. Revolts in Egypt and Tunisia, which became known as the “Arab Spring,”
broke out in early 2011.
In March of 2011, a group of teens and children were arrested and tortured for writing anti-
government graffiti that was thought to be inspired by the Arab Spring rebellion. Peaceful protests
broke out in Syria after the graffiti incident and became widespread. Assad and the Syrian government
responded by arresting and killing hundreds of protestors and their family members. These events
combined with other circumstances, including a lagging economy, a severe drought, a lack of general
freedoms and a tense religious atmosphere, led to civilian resistance and, ultimately, an uprising. By
July 2011, rebels had formed the Free Syrian Army (FSA), and pockets of insurrection broke out. But
by 2012, Syria was engulfed in a full-blown civil war. Estimates vary, but according to the Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights, at least 321,000 people have been killed since the start of the war or
are missing. Hundreds of people were killed outside of Damascus in 2013 during a chemical weapons
attack. The United States said the assault was carried out by the Syrian government, but the regime
blamed rebel forces. What started as a war between the Assad government and Syrian rebels became
more complicated as the battle progressed. New forces, including the Islamic State (ISIS), joined the
fight against the Syrian regime. In 2014, ISIS took over large areas of Iraq and Syria. Since that time,
U.S.-led forces have strategically bombed ISIS targets throughout the region. The United States has
stated their opposition to the Assad regime but has been reluctant to get deeply involved in the war.
Russia and Iran have declared themselves allies of the Syrian government. In 2015, Russia launched
airstrikes on rebel targets in Syria for the first time. Syria’s government forces took control of Aleppo
in late 2016, ending more than four years of rebel rule in the city. On April 7, 2017, the United States
initiated its first direct military action against Assad’s forces after accusing them of carrying out
another chemical weapons attack on civilians.
Stakeholders

The Syrian conflict features a dizzying array of stakeholders who are politically, militarily,
economically, and socially invested in the trajectory of the conflict. The split between Syrian
government and its oppositions were both driven by foreign intervention. On the Syrian government’s
side are Russia (carries out air strikes and provides political support at the UN), Iran (provides arms,
credit, military advisers and reportedly combat troops), Hezbollah (The Lebanese Shia movement has
sent thousands of fighters) and Shia Muslim militias (recruited by Iran from Iraq, Afghanistan and
Yemen). On the side of the rebels also have Turkey (provides arms, military and political support),
Gulf Arab states (provide money and weapons), United States (provides arms, training and military
assistance to "moderate" groups) and Jordan (provides logistical support and training).

Focus

Our policy report will review the initiatives of the global humanitarian aid and
nongovernmental organization in responding to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and helps people
whose lives are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and regain control of their future
that would somehow lead to sustainable peace and well rounded development.

Identification of Client

The IRC provides emergency services, health care, sanitation systems, children’s services, and
educational infrastructure. It also works to maintain and improve local governments and civil society.
The organization offers resettlement and educational services for refugees seeking asylum in the United
States. Historically, the IRC helped provide badly needed assistance to victims of many of the world’s
greatest catastrophes and conflicts. Relief projects included feeding the people of West Berlin during
the Soviet blockade of the city in the 1940s, assisting refugees in the wake of the genocide and civil
war in Rwanda in the 1990s, and aiding refugees displaced by the Iraq War in the early 21st century.
Because the IRC commands substantial resources and is internationally recognized, it is often one of
the first organizations to provide support in a crisis situation.

In 2012, the IRC began providing humanitarian assistance inside Syria both directly, and
through local partnerships. The program is managed and operated by closely coordinated teams in
Syria, Iraq, Turkey, and Jordan. The IRC strategy for inside Syria establishes where the IRC will work,
who the IRC will serve, and how the IRC will impact people’s lives. As the conflict continues and the
resources available for Syrians and their families dwindle, IRC’s work is more critical than ever. New
strategy illustrates IRC’s commitment to improving the safety, health, and economic wellbeing of
Syrian communities through 2020.

The IRC currently provides Syrians with emergency supplies, comprehensive healthcare, and
cash for basic needs, while ensuring the safety and empowerment of women and children. Teams
provide a wide range of emergency and long-term services to meet the complex needs of households
that have often been displaced multiple times.

Rationale