UNRWA suspends, limits services in Syria – UNRWA Spokesperson statement – Press release

Statement by UNRWA Spokesperson Christopher Gunness

بيان صادر عن الناطق الرسمي للأونروا كريستوفر غانيس

9 May 2011
Jerusalem

Events in Syria have caused UNRWA to suspend or limit services in a number of areas across the country. In and around Dera’a, UNRWA operates eleven schools, two clinics, two community centres and one youth centre. The Agency has few details about the circumstances of its staff or of the refugees in Dera’a as regular communication systems have been inoperable for more than two weeks. The Agency is concerned about the continued delivery of services to the approximately 30,000 Palestine refugees in Dera’a and surrounding areas. 
 
There is particular concern for the more than 120 patients in and around Dera’a who rely on UNRWA for life-saving insulin. UNRWA has attempted to send urgent medical supplies to Dera’a but this has not yet been possible. UNRWA has expressed its concerns to the Government of Syria and hopes the resumption of normal operations will be possible soon.
 
UNRWA serves some 30,000 Palestine refugees in Dera’a camp and surrounding villages. Throughout Syria there are some 472,000 registered Palestine refugees. UNRWA has 118 schools across Syria teaching 66,000 pupils. In addition, the Agency runs a Vocational Training Centre in Damascus, 23 primary health centres, 6 community rehabilitation centres and 15 women’s programme centres.
 
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About UNRWA
 
UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) provides assistance, protection and advocacy for some 4.8 million registered Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territory, pending a solution to their plight.
 
UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states.
 
For more information:
Chris Gunness
Spokesperson
+972 (0)54 240 2659
c.gunness@unrwa.org