Refugee Camps Empty as Syrians Head for Europe

The United Nations, international charities and neighboring nations like Jordan have organized camps for refugees streaming from the civil war in Syria since 2012. At one point Zaatari Camp was Jordan’s fourth largest population center. But the conflict has lasted too long. Syrians are impatient for jobs, education and stability. Elisa Oddone and Alisa Reznick, writing for Time, describe a college graduate who studied economics doing odd jobs. Zaatari has now shrunk by two thirds, and despite improved conditions due to a smaller population, the refugees are restless. “Now the main activity is by the camp’s security center, where hundreds queue to collect permits issued by Jordan’s Interior Ministry to leave the camp,” the article notes. “The permits allow Jordan to monitor the number of refugees and allocate food and services in conjunction with international agencies.” The refugees study news reports, before heading to Germany while a few return to Syria. – YaleGlobal