Syrians Displaced by Civil Conflict: What Are the Implications from International Law?

Abstract

The Syrian civil conflict has caused approximately 2.7 million Syrians to leave their country since 2011, and double that many are expected to have fled Syria by the end of 2015. The Syrian displacement of what will be the refugee aspect of the crisis that has received very little attention: that is, the implications of international law at the international, regional and domestic level affecting the rights and status of the refugees flooding out of Syria. As it is described in this paper, countries currently hosting the vast majority of the refugee flow out of Syria are stretched to the limits of their resources. Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, and Turkey have huge refugee population pre-dating the Syrian Influx. Many if not most, of these preexisting refugee groups live in desperate conditions, and host countries cannot meet all the refugees’ assistance and protection needs.

Keywords: Syria, Refugees, Asylum, Right to Return, Repatriation, Non-Refoulement