Jordan setting up refugee camps for Syrians

The Jordanian government on Monday decided to start setting up emergency camps to accommodate Syrian refugees who have arrived in the Kingdom since the outbreak an anti-regime uprising in neighbouring Syria. The number of Syrians who fled their country to Jordan since the uprising began 16 months ago has surpassed 130,000, according to Jordanian government figures. The government has also decided to allow the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to establish a camp for foreigners fleeing the turmoil in Syria in order to allow the international body decide on their status; whether to send them to their home countries, transfer them to a third country or send them back to Syria. During a session chaired by Prime Minister Fayez Tarawneh, the cabinet tasked the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO) with running the affairs of the refugees camps whose financial expenses and logistic equipment shall be afforded by the UN Refugee Agency according to a deal to be signed later. The government said that JHCO is the only body responsible for receiving and distributing financial and in-kind assistance to the refugees. The State Minister for Communications and Media Affairs, Samih Maayta, said the government's decision to start setting up Syrian refugees camps came upon a recommendation from the interior minister in light of the rising number of Syrians fleeing the unrest there. The minister, who is also the government's official spokesperson, added that the decision aims at ensuring closer cooperation and coordination between all concerned organisations in accordance with international humanitarian law. Maayta said the large number of Syrian refugees is putting further strains on Jordan's already-limited resources, calling for more international humanitarian support to help the Kingdom provide basic services to the refugees.