By Naser Ali
(Zaman Al Wasl)- Syria's ongoing war has left tragic side effects, most notably the foundlings and homeless children, according to activists who assure the absence of an accurate number of the Syrian orphans and displaced children.
A baby child in good health was found last Thursday at the entrance of Al-Razi Mosque in the capital's center, with a message requesting the mosque’s watchman to look after him until his family come to collect him and if they were not able to do so, the child would be under his responsibility.
Although the story looks like a scene of a film, but similar stories have been seen frequently in different cities in Syria, especially Damascus, due to the states shock, oppression and poverty people reach to, with the feeling of insecurity for their lives, properties and dignity.
In war conditions that has been for almost 6 years, grave sins have spread and vices have become justified, although it is not the nature of Syrians, but they have endured unbearable state of desperation, which encouraged the disappointed, defeatists and infidels to grow and act openly.
The increase number of the “foundlings”, threatens the integrity of the Syrian society, they are found thrown at roadside or garbage containers, besides those who had their parents killed in the war or get lost and do not know their parents. They are being used and gangs which push them to dirty job like begging or prostitution.
No new statistics is available about this group of children, as they are spread over areas controlled by the Syrian regime or the opposition. They live without any care, and in danger to be used according to statistics of regime’s Ministry Social Affairs, at the end of 2014, as it showed very modest numbers of foundlings compared to what is seen in streets.
The number of abandoned children in foster care reached to approximately 500 spread over a number of provinces, as Damascus province had 150 abandoned baby while the number in Aleppo was estimated to 70, Homs 40, Hama 35, according to figures of the Ministry of Social Affairs.
The report mentioned that the number of foundlings have risen from previous years as hundreds of children lost their parents in areas under conflict. Moreover, the First Sharea judge in Damascus Mahmoud Maarawi explained the increase in numbers of foundlings as a result of losing parents because of the war in Syria, and children are not in an age enable them to know their names and surnames, and those must be distinguished from those who were born of illegitimate relationship and were abandoned by their parents.
The care of foundlings Law issued by the Legislative Decree No. 107 on May 4, 1970 defines foundlings as: “they are newborn who were found with unknown parents”. Added to that, article 18 stated: “the following are considered foundlings: Children of unknown descendent or who are in charge of legal custody. Children who got lost and do not have the ability to tell who their parents are, due to young age, or mental retardation, deafness, dumbness, and their parents did not seek their return”.
In reality, homeless children are spread in streets of Damascus, at traffic lights, in front of cafes and near the garbage containers without anyone interest of regime’s Ministry of Social Affairs , even before the war, and now how the situation would be under that unprecedented case of chaos that prevailing the country.
In front of al-Kamal café, many children between 5 and 10 years old, boys and girls, with red hair dry and cracked hands and feet stay all over the day beg, or steal anything can reach. Sometime they offer some cheap biscuits. If someone ask them about their parents, some do not answer, while others say they died in war.
Homeless children have been used by gangs to work on begging, they forcibly push children to street to work all over the day on begging. At the end of the day, they return at night to their dark damp room, given anything to eat, to go back to street the next day.
No one knows the real story of the baby found at al-Razi mosque, it could be a baby of a legal marriage but his mother was no longer able to care for him, or resulted from an irresponsible relationship as which have been spread among those who have lost their husbands or families or abducted by gangs or regime “Shabiha”, or resulted from rape.
The Syrian community in general faces huge changes, one of them, could be one of the most dangerous, is homeless and foundling children, especially with lack of governmental support to this group of children, added to the spread of gangs and criminals, taking chances of war conditions and chaos in the country. These children are the weak link which can be used for different crimes, not to forget the risk of being targeted for their organs to steal.
(Zaman Al Wasl)- Syria's ongoing war has left tragic side effects, most notably the foundlings and homeless children, according to activists who assure the absence of an accurate number of the Syrian orphans and displaced children.
A baby child in good health was found last Thursday at the entrance of Al-Razi Mosque in the capital's center, with a message requesting the mosque’s watchman to look after him until his family come to collect him and if they were not able to do so, the child would be under his responsibility.
Although the story looks like a scene of a film, but similar stories have been seen frequently in different cities in Syria, especially Damascus, due to the states shock, oppression and poverty people reach to, with the feeling of insecurity for their lives, properties and dignity.
In war conditions that has been for almost 6 years, grave sins have spread and vices have become justified, although it is not the nature of Syrians, but they have endured unbearable state of desperation, which encouraged the disappointed, defeatists and infidels to grow and act openly.
The increase number of the “foundlings”, threatens the integrity of the Syrian society, they are found thrown at roadside or garbage containers, besides those who had their parents killed in the war or get lost and do not know their parents. They are being used and gangs which push them to dirty job like begging or prostitution.
No new statistics is available about this group of children, as they are spread over areas controlled by the Syrian regime or the opposition. They live without any care, and in danger to be used according to statistics of regime’s Ministry Social Affairs, at the end of 2014, as it showed very modest numbers of foundlings compared to what is seen in streets.
The number of abandoned children in foster care reached to approximately 500 spread over a number of provinces, as Damascus province had 150 abandoned baby while the number in Aleppo was estimated to 70, Homs 40, Hama 35, according to figures of the Ministry of Social Affairs.
The report mentioned that the number of foundlings have risen from previous years as hundreds of children lost their parents in areas under conflict. Moreover, the First Sharea judge in Damascus Mahmoud Maarawi explained the increase in numbers of foundlings as a result of losing parents because of the war in Syria, and children are not in an age enable them to know their names and surnames, and those must be distinguished from those who were born of illegitimate relationship and were abandoned by their parents.
The care of foundlings Law issued by the Legislative Decree No. 107 on May 4, 1970 defines foundlings as: “they are newborn who were found with unknown parents”. Added to that, article 18 stated: “the following are considered foundlings: Children of unknown descendent or who are in charge of legal custody. Children who got lost and do not have the ability to tell who their parents are, due to young age, or mental retardation, deafness, dumbness, and their parents did not seek their return”.
In reality, homeless children are spread in streets of Damascus, at traffic lights, in front of cafes and near the garbage containers without anyone interest of regime’s Ministry of Social Affairs , even before the war, and now how the situation would be under that unprecedented case of chaos that prevailing the country.
In front of al-Kamal café, many children between 5 and 10 years old, boys and girls, with red hair dry and cracked hands and feet stay all over the day beg, or steal anything can reach. Sometime they offer some cheap biscuits. If someone ask them about their parents, some do not answer, while others say they died in war.
Homeless children have been used by gangs to work on begging, they forcibly push children to street to work all over the day on begging. At the end of the day, they return at night to their dark damp room, given anything to eat, to go back to street the next day.
No one knows the real story of the baby found at al-Razi mosque, it could be a baby of a legal marriage but his mother was no longer able to care for him, or resulted from an irresponsible relationship as which have been spread among those who have lost their husbands or families or abducted by gangs or regime “Shabiha”, or resulted from rape.
The Syrian community in general faces huge changes, one of them, could be one of the most dangerous, is homeless and foundling children, especially with lack of governmental support to this group of children, added to the spread of gangs and criminals, taking chances of war conditions and chaos in the country. These children are the weak link which can be used for different crimes, not to forget the risk of being targeted for their organs to steal.
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