January 04, 2016 – Our Weekly Selection
Our selection of reports and articles on Syria’s economy and society.
Turkey | Syria: Flash Update Developments in Northwestern Governorates (as of 22 December 2015) – UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
GIEWS Country Brief: Syrian Arab Republic 14-December-2015 – Food and Agriculture Organisation
Syrian Arab Republic: United Nations cross-border operations under UNSC resolutions 2165 and 2191 (July 2014 to November 2015) – UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Russia/Syria: Extensive Recent Use of Cluster Munitions – Human Rights Watch
Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Security Council resolutions 2139 (2014), 2165 (2014) and 2191 (2014) (S/2015/962) – UN Security Council
DIY in Damascus: Besieged Rooftop Gardens: “With no sign of the blockade letting up and no available agricultural land, residents in the rebel-held areas of the capital are making use of open roofs, sunlight and seeds to feed their families.”
As War Drags On, Syrian Refugees In Lebanon Sink Into Debt Trap: “Mahmoud is supporting 12 family members. He’ll make $16 today, and he doesn’t get many days’ work. So he buys food on credit. He’s four months behind on rent.”
Syria: Russia’s shameful failure to acknowledge civilian killings: “Russian air strikes in Syria have killed hundreds of civilians and caused massive destruction in residential areas, striking homes, a mosque and a busy market, as well as medical facilities, in a pattern of attacks that show evidence of violations of international humanitarian law, said Amnesty International in a new briefing published today.”
“No Place to Stay? Reflections on the Syrian Refugee Shelter Policy in Lebanon”: “Acknowledging the protracted nature of the Syrian refugee crisis, this report calls for a long-term, feasible and contextualized solution to address the question of establishing camps for Syrian refugees in Lebanon.”
Radio Rebels: Berlin Group Makes Tiny Transmitters for Syria: “Dubbed PocketFM, the device is basically a low-powered radio transmitter. Coupled with a satellite dish to receive new programs, a car battery for power and a one-meter (three-foot) antenna, it can broadcast FM radio within a 5-kilometer (3-mile) radius.”
Syria’s Conflicting Powers Develop Separate Education Curriculums: “This school year, the government introduced the Russian language as a second foreign language instead of French (students are required to take English as their first foreign language).”
The War Economy in the Syrian Conflict: The Government’s Hands-Off Tactics: “The Syrian government has had a dual approach to its wartime economy, intervening when necessary but often adopting a laissez-faire stance towards traders.”
Syrian Free Trade Zone in Gaziantep launched, two production lines starting soon: Businessman: “Baroudi expressed his anger for preventing the transfer of factories by some revolutionary groups and legal bodies in the city of Aleppo.”