Ammon News - Ensour: Jordan succeeded in not drowning in "Syrian Crisis"
* Government not failing or lacking in handling refugee issues
* 1,000 security personnel to maintain order in Zaatari camp

By Wael Al Jaraisheh

AMMONNEWS - Prime Minister-designate Abdullah Ensour said on Thursday that Jordan has managed to successfully evade "drowning in the puddle of the heartbreaking Syrian crisis."

In his address before the Lower House of Parliament, Ensour stressed that the Jordanian leadership and government managed to handle the Syrian crisis domestically with the least "humanitarian, national, and moral" losses.

"Jordan does not wish to be part of a regional war," Ensour stressed, noting that Jordan is careful not to get dragged into the crisis.

On the Syrian refugee crisis, Ensour stressed that no country has the right to turn back refugees of war, "this is the law," stressing that "the refugees are not fighting forces, they are our people of Horan."

Over 120 Members of the Lower House spoke on Thursday during a general session to discuss the refugee crisis.

Ensour noted that the Zaatari refugee camp in Mafraq is built on 8500 dunums, 6700 of which belong to the Armed Forces and the remainder is rented from Industrial cities by the Hashemite Charitable Organization for a duration of one year to maintain the camp.

Ensour responded to MPs questions on the water resources crisis, noting that the Zaatari camp is above a 100-meter underground water pool that provides over 170 million square meters of water annually.

"This amounts to double the capacity of the water basin, which is being depleted because of increased water pumping," Ensour said about the water reservoir that feeds Mafraq, Zarqa, Irbid, and parts of the capital Amman.

On environmental pollution, Ensour said that the water reservoirs and basins are monitored and no pollution has been detected, meanwhile noting that the Jordanian government is negotiating with UNICEF to finance sewage water transport pipes to the Mafraq water treatment facility at the cost of JD 16 million.

On the second biggest refugee camp opened in Jordan, Ensour said that "Mreijib el Fhoud" was opened in Al Azraq district and is managed by the United Arab Emirates.

Ensour noted that the Azraq Water basin production reaches 27 million annually, noting that the underground water is being depleted quickly from the basin because of increased water needs in the kingdom with the arrival of over half a million Syrian refugees.

Ensour noted that the Jordanian authorities are preparing to set up a third refugee camp in Al Azraq.

"We are facing a humanitarian crisis," Ensour told MPs, noting that thousands of refugees enter Jordan on a daily basis. Ensour stressed however that the Jordanian Armed Forces are working around the clock to ensure safe passage to refugees over the 380 km long border with neighboring Syria.

"No country has the right to turn down accepting refugees of war for not carrying documentation, we view the refugees entering Jordan as brothers and family, they are the people of Sham and Horan," Ensour said, stressing that Jordan has a record of accepting refugees "from the east and west."

On the security concerns at refugee camps, Ensour said that a higher committee was formed to administer Syrian refugee camps and it includes leaders of security forces, the military, and ministers who meet regularly.

"We are handling the Syrian refugee case with complete awareness of all its details, the government is not failing or lacking in administering this case," Ensour said.

In response to MPs who called for setting up secure areas inside the Syrian territories for refugees, Ensour said that the security conditions in neighboring Syria does not facilitate for such a proposal, but stressing that Syrians in Jordan are in a safe area provided with adequate services.

On Arab and International aid to Jordan in regards to refugees, Ensour said that Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and UAE delivered half of the international aid promised so far. Jordan's share of international aid reached $500 million for the upcoming six months, Ensour said, noting that the aid is both in funds and in material goods needed by refugees.

Qatar provided refugees with tents and blankets, among other goods, and announced its intention to send caravans to house refugees, Ensour said, noting that the promised aid has not reached Jordan yet but noted that Qatar sent a team to observe the needs on the ground.

"Gulf nations provided aid to set up hospitals, tents, and medical clinics at Mreijib El Fhoud camp being administered by the UAE and houses only 5,000 refugees.

The European Union and International NGOs also provided material aid to pump water and provide medical services, "but Jordan still carries the heaviest burden," Ensour said, while noting that the cost of administering the camps is shared by UNICEF, UNHCR, and other International organization.

The Lower House of Parliament on Thursday resumed discussing the implications of the Syrian Crisis on Jordan, with MPs calling for forming a parliamentary committee to follow up on Syrian refugee affairs, while other MPs called for forming a ministry to deal with crises and emergency cases.

The lawmakers called on the government to intensify its efforts in pressuring the international community to partake in the humanitarian responsibility towards Syrian refugees, and called for holding an international conference for donor countries aimed at raising funds to continue hosting the increasing numbers of Syrian refugees in Jordan.

On the political level, MPs questioned the government's political efforts on the Arab and international level to end the violence in Syria, warning of the dangerous implications of a Syrian spillover "that poses serious dangers to Jordan."

A number of MPs called on the government to stop the influx of refugees into the kingdom and limit entry to humanitarian cases, they also called for halting all treasury funds being spent on refugee camps to pressure the international community to step up in aiding the refugees.

MPs voiced concerns over smuggling refugees out of camps and into Jordanian towns and cities, and warned against allowing Syrians jobs in the Jordanian market which is already suffering from high unemployment among Jordanian citizens.

The lawmakers also voiced concerns over the increased pressures on healthcare, energy, education, and water sectors as a result of increased influx of refugees, "these are dangers that threaten Jordan's security and the government must find alternative plans to deal with such challenges," one MP said.

The MPs questioned the government on the condition of communicable diseases inside refugee camps and the measures taken to contain them and prevent their spread outside the camps.

They criticized the results of the Arab Summit held in Qatar earlier this week for failing to recognize Jordan's role in hosting refugees, and the summit ending without any additional promises of financial aid to Jordan to enable it to continue providing services to refugees amid the difficult economic conditions facing the nation.

The MPs called for adopting an initiative that calls on all conflicting parties in Syria to sit on a negotiation table to end the violence and escalating bloodshed in the neighboring country. They called on Jordan to adopt a clear strategy in dealing with the Syrian crisis on the Arab and international level.

The MPs praised the role of security apparatus, the armed forces, and intelligence services in monitoring the camps and discovering dangerous sleeping cells that target Jordan's security inside the camps.

The House decided to prepare a list of recommendations and proposals voiced by MPs during the general session to the government, and following up on the government's performance regarding the MPs proposals and questions.