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Complexity of Conflict Leaves Donors Wary of Aiding Syrians Complexity of Conflict Leaves Donors Wary of Aiding Syrians
(6 months later)
DAMASCUS, Syria — When an earthquake killed 150,000 people in Haiti in 2010, private individuals donated $20 million to the international aid group Mercy Corps to help victims, most of it within weeks of the disaster. During three years of turmoil in Syria that have produced a similar death toll, the organization has collected just $2 million for Syrians. DAMASCUS, Syria — When an earthquake killed 150,000 people in Haiti in 2010, private individuals donated $20 million to the international aid group Mercy Corps to help victims, most of it within weeks of the disaster. During three years of turmoil in Syria that have produced a similar death toll, the organization has collected just $2 million for Syrians.
The pattern bears out across aid agencies. World Vision, the Christian relief group, has collected $1.6 million in private donations for Syria, a tenth of the $16 million it raised for victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.The pattern bears out across aid agencies. World Vision, the Christian relief group, has collected $1.6 million in private donations for Syria, a tenth of the $16 million it raised for victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.
Charity donations are only one way to measure public empathy. But the disparities play into a rising frustration among international aid workers, and Syrians themselves, that the enormous human toll and strategic impact of the conflict have not mobilized a stronger and more urgent international response.Charity donations are only one way to measure public empathy. But the disparities play into a rising frustration among international aid workers, and Syrians themselves, that the enormous human toll and strategic impact of the conflict have not mobilized a stronger and more urgent international response.
Aid experts say that the conflict is so complex and intractable, the details of its brutality so nightmarish, that it is difficult for people to wrap their minds around it all.Aid experts say that the conflict is so complex and intractable, the details of its brutality so nightmarish, that it is difficult for people to wrap their minds around it all.
Because of a widespread view that “they are all bad guys” and “do not deserve this help,” said António Guterres, the head of the United Nations refugee agency, “the victims become double victims — of the conflict and of the perception.”Because of a widespread view that “they are all bad guys” and “do not deserve this help,” said António Guterres, the head of the United Nations refugee agency, “the victims become double victims — of the conflict and of the perception.”
An array of regional players have turned the war into a proxy war that has forced nine million people from their homes. Even here, in and around the relatively secure and functioning Syrian capital, displaced families crowd into hotels long bereft of tourists. Within a few minutes’ drive of downtown lie areas that have been cut off from regular food supplies for a year.An array of regional players have turned the war into a proxy war that has forced nine million people from their homes. Even here, in and around the relatively secure and functioning Syrian capital, displaced families crowd into hotels long bereft of tourists. Within a few minutes’ drive of downtown lie areas that have been cut off from regular food supplies for a year.
“We can’t even tell ourselves a coherent story about the whole war — what’s at stake, which party is least insupportable, what the least bad outcome might be,” said Philip Gourevitch, the author of “We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families,” an account of the flawed international response to the Rwandan genocide of 1994.“We can’t even tell ourselves a coherent story about the whole war — what’s at stake, which party is least insupportable, what the least bad outcome might be,” said Philip Gourevitch, the author of “We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families,” an account of the flawed international response to the Rwandan genocide of 1994.
David Rieff, a scholar of conflict and aid, cited general wariness of Middle East conflict, economic fatigue and a generalized fear of Muslims among North Americans and Europeans whose governments and private donations provide the bulk of assistance.David Rieff, a scholar of conflict and aid, cited general wariness of Middle East conflict, economic fatigue and a generalized fear of Muslims among North Americans and Europeans whose governments and private donations provide the bulk of assistance.
“You couldn’t have a worse set of conditions in the history of humanitarian mobilization,” he said.“You couldn’t have a worse set of conditions in the history of humanitarian mobilization,” he said.
The United States has pledged more than $1.7 billion to aid Syrians, and neighboring Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey have shouldered huge burdens to welcome refugees. The United Nations’ appeal for Syria is the largest in history.The United States has pledged more than $1.7 billion to aid Syrians, and neighboring Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey have shouldered huge burdens to welcome refugees. The United Nations’ appeal for Syria is the largest in history.
But only a fraction of the pledged funds have been received, and international aid agencies fear that if they cannot build public sympathy, governments will lose the political will to give.But only a fraction of the pledged funds have been received, and international aid agencies fear that if they cannot build public sympathy, governments will lose the political will to give.
So aid agencies have scrambled to unleash a flurry of new initiatives in the past week, as the Syrian upheaval enters its fourth year. Many organizations began celebrity ad campaigns and social media projects around March 15, widely considered the third anniversary of the peaceful uprising, which after violent government repression morphed into armed resistance and war.So aid agencies have scrambled to unleash a flurry of new initiatives in the past week, as the Syrian upheaval enters its fourth year. Many organizations began celebrity ad campaigns and social media projects around March 15, widely considered the third anniversary of the peaceful uprising, which after violent government repression morphed into armed resistance and war.
As the date approached, people who have spent careers dealing with humanitarian disasters groped for superlatives and comparisons to past disasters to convey problem’s magnitude and urgency. They noted that Syrians would soon overtake Afghans as the world’s largest refugee population, that the exodus was comparable to that spurred by the Rwanda genocide, that a strategic country collapsing in the Middle East threatened to create a persistent geopolitical problem as thorny as the 66-year-old Palestinian conundrum.As the date approached, people who have spent careers dealing with humanitarian disasters groped for superlatives and comparisons to past disasters to convey problem’s magnitude and urgency. They noted that Syrians would soon overtake Afghans as the world’s largest refugee population, that the exodus was comparable to that spurred by the Rwanda genocide, that a strategic country collapsing in the Middle East threatened to create a persistent geopolitical problem as thorny as the 66-year-old Palestinian conundrum.
Still, said Jeffrey White, the director of emergency operations at World Vision USA, such comparisons may not mean much to those with little experience with conflict.Still, said Jeffrey White, the director of emergency operations at World Vision USA, such comparisons may not mean much to those with little experience with conflict.
“Anyone who lives on the coast can identify with a tsunami,” he said. But when it comes to armed conflict, he said, “we believe, maybe not overtly, that this could never happen to us.”“Anyone who lives on the coast can identify with a tsunami,” he said. But when it comes to armed conflict, he said, “we believe, maybe not overtly, that this could never happen to us.”
Save the Children tried to break that barrier with a video that envisions how a similar cataclysm in London would affect a little girl there. The video has been viewed millions of times on the Internet, but it remains unclear whether it will have a lasting impact on donations.Save the Children tried to break that barrier with a video that envisions how a similar cataclysm in London would affect a little girl there. The video has been viewed millions of times on the Internet, but it remains unclear whether it will have a lasting impact on donations.
In private, many aid workers speak with increasing frustration, guilt and anger about the problem, expressing pain at having to “sell” the suffering of Syrian children.In private, many aid workers speak with increasing frustration, guilt and anger about the problem, expressing pain at having to “sell” the suffering of Syrian children.
Mr. Rieff, in “A Bed for the Night,” his critique of the aid industry, argues that people tend to assume that victims of natural disasters are inherently “innocent,” but fear that donations in armed conflicts could benefit perpetrators.Mr. Rieff, in “A Bed for the Night,” his critique of the aid industry, argues that people tend to assume that victims of natural disasters are inherently “innocent,” but fear that donations in armed conflicts could benefit perpetrators.
Making the situation even harder for Syria, he said, people have trouble sustaining empathy for crises with no apparent solution. Attention fades as a conflict wears on, and violence and disruption become the status quo.Making the situation even harder for Syria, he said, people have trouble sustaining empathy for crises with no apparent solution. Attention fades as a conflict wears on, and violence and disruption become the status quo.
Many Americans, he said, are wary of involvement in the Middle East after the ill-fated Iraq intervention, perceive the Arab uprisings as largely failed, and are “afraid of the Islamic world and even contemptuous of it.”Many Americans, he said, are wary of involvement in the Middle East after the ill-fated Iraq intervention, perceive the Arab uprisings as largely failed, and are “afraid of the Islamic world and even contemptuous of it.”
That makes them susceptible to the view that in Syria, with the rise of jihadists in the insurgency, there are no “good guys,” and no safe way to make a difference — a view that has influenced United States policy.That makes them susceptible to the view that in Syria, with the rise of jihadists in the insurgency, there are no “good guys,” and no safe way to make a difference — a view that has influenced United States policy.
Mr. Gourevitch drew a comparison to the Bosnian conflict, which, over many years, bored its way into middle-class Western consciousness. Americans could identify with Bosnians in part, he said, because a Western consensus emerged that the Serbian fighters were the primary perpetrators and the Bosnian Muslims were the ones to help.Mr. Gourevitch drew a comparison to the Bosnian conflict, which, over many years, bored its way into middle-class Western consciousness. Americans could identify with Bosnians in part, he said, because a Western consensus emerged that the Serbian fighters were the primary perpetrators and the Bosnian Muslims were the ones to help.
“We all associate the word ‘the siege of Sarajevo’ with an extremely bleak situation,” he said. “Less than half the city fled even then. And now we’re seeing close to half a country gone. Empty.”“We all associate the word ‘the siege of Sarajevo’ with an extremely bleak situation,” he said. “Less than half the city fled even then. And now we’re seeing close to half a country gone. Empty.”