The residents of al Rukban Camp, around 7500 individuals, are suffering from reduced drinking water to almost half. The water was coming across the Jordanian borders and was supported by UNICEF. The situation is becoming direr as the heat increases in July and August to levels threatening the lives of the camp residents, especially women and children.
The Rukban Camp is on the Syrian-Jordanian borders east of Homs governorate and has been sieged by the Syrian regime forces for years, the camp residents aren’t allowed to enter or leave the camp, and therefore the camp residents are considered detained in the camp. SNHR has mentioned the camp’s situation and inhumane circumstances, which have reached the shortage of drinking water, one of the simplest human rights.
Over the past few years, we witnessed many residents being forced to exit the camp towards the Syrian regime territory, despite the possibility of suffering great violations, including arbitrary arrest, forced disappearance, torture, and forced recruitment. SNHR documented many violations of that kind against returnees.
SNHR calls on the UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordination Office in Amman and international relief organizations to urgently move to deliver drinking water to the camp. SNHR also condemns the increased pressure on the camp’s residents to push them toward the Syrian regime’s territory due to the serious threat they are under. SNHR calls on the international community to move to save their lives, including returning the drinking water supply to the previous level and continuing to deliver it.
