EIN EL-TAL [UNOFFICIAL REFUGEE CAMP]

Ein el-Tal camp is situated on a deep green hillside 13 kilometres to the north-east of the city of Aleppo in the Syrian Arab Republic. The camp, also known as "Hindrat" (after a nearby village), was established in 1962 on an area of 160,000 square metres. Most of the inhabitants are refugees who fled from northern Palestine.

The majority of the refugees are casual labourers or teachers in local schools.

Each shelter has access to private pit latrines but the lack of a well established sewerage system still poses a health hazard for residents. Many of the inhabitants, for example, suffer from leishmaniasis, a skin disease acquired from contaminated water.

The Syrian Government in mid 2001 decided to incorporate Ein el-Tal into the overall masterplan for the development of the city of Aleppo and its environs. The Aleppo Governorate has extended the main municipal sewerage network to the entrance of Ein el-Tal, is upgrading the pumping station for the water supply and has undertaken to provide further support for the utility network. The Syrian Government envisages the rehabilitation of nearby Neirab camp, where hundreds of refugees still live in World War II army barracks, and the development of Ein el-Tal as elements of one comprehensive project . The Neirab Rehabilitation Project entails moving many of these refugees to new dwellings in Ein el-Tal. In early 2001, a tropographical survey, which UNRWA completed with Swiss funding, determined that the land available for new contruction in the camp was sufficient to relocate 300 families from Neirab to Ein el-Tal.

Part of the overall rehabilitation project also calls for the development of the infrastructere in Ein el-Tal. Roads, for example, remain unpaved and the isolated location of the camp has deprived some residents of transportation to the city and surrounding areas. Ein el-Tal does not have local markets, so food and other items are bought from mobile vendors that come to the area. The first work on the development project started in September 2002 with the construction of 30 housing units and infrastructure with funding from the United States.

In 1996, UNRWA was able to upgrade one school also with a contribution from the Government of the United States. In 2000, a second school was built with funds from the Government of the United States.

FACTS AND FIGURES

• On 30 June 2002, there were 4,329 registered refugees.
• UNRWA runs two schools in the camp: one combined elementary (pupils aged 6-12) and preparatory (pupils aged 13-15) for boys (362 pupils) and one combined elementary and preparatory for girls (410 pupils). The Government has recently commenced construction of a secondary school.
• Between January-June 2002, there were 9589 patient consultations at the UNRWA health centre.
• 168 families (590 refugees) are registered as special hardship cases (SHCs).

*A number of so-called unofficial refugee camps were established over time by the host governments to provide accommodation for Palestine refugees. In all respects, refugees in official and unofficial camps have equal access to UNRWA services, except that UNRWA is not responsible for solid waste collection in the unofficial camps.

Figures as of 30 June 2002