A visit to Eastern Ghouta by the UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi in September caused strong reactions from displaced Syrians from this area due to his comments affirming the “security situation is becoming more stable,” implying that return is now possible. In response to these problematic messages, SACD promptly reacted documenting how the situation in Syria, let alone Eastern Ghouta, is far from safe for any return for the displaced Syrians. SACD called upon the UNHCR to hold up to its mandate and provide accurate, sufficient information to the Syrian refugees on the security situation in Syria and cease misleading messaging.

On top of that, Syrian refugees forced to go back to regime-held areas due to economic hardship and legal situation in neighboring countries were now forced to pay 100$ each to regime authorities or stay “stuck” at the border until they can somehow find the money. SACD highlighted how this practice violates the Syrian constitution and calls upon UNHCR and host governments to protect Syrian refugees from involuntary, unsafe return to Syria.

In addition to making the refugees’ entrance to their country difficult, if not impossible, the regime continued issuing laws and decrees that systematically cement displacement and strip people of their properties. The Syrian regime’s Damascus Governorate Council issued laws targeting Yarmouk, namely Organizational Plan No.105, which not only prevents displaced people from returning home, but also is an element in Assad’s strategy of demographic engineering, implemented systematically in Syria. SACD published an article, “Death of Yarmouk: Heart of Palestinian Presence in Syria Falls Victim to Assad’s Policy of Demographic Change”, explaining the implications of such discriminatory decrees on preventing the return of refugees and cementing displacement, especially for the Palestinian refugees in Syria, who have a bitter history of non-ending displacement.

Moreover, Enab Baladi published an article about the real estate reality in Qusayr under Hezbollah control and spoke to SACD’s Mohamad Joja who stressed the necessity of including special provisions on Syrian properties in any political agreement’s terms and determining the judicial mechanism that will rule in these cases.

SACD reported about the systemic looting and destruction of displaced Syrian’s property by regime forces continues in Saraqib in Idlib province, highlighting how the pattern of destruction resembles what has been done previously in places like Al Hajar Al Aswad in Damascus and elsewhere.

On the 8th anniversary of the Joura & Qusoor massacre, Ahd Slebi, a displaced journalist from Deir Ezzor and member of SACD, recorded a video recalling events of that day that took away lives of 500+ civilians and led to the displacement of most of the residents of the city, describing the horrors of the massacre and its role in further cementing displacement.

In memory of Alan Kurdi, the Syrian child who died drowning on a journey hoping for a better life with his family, SACD reminded the world that Syria remains very unsafe and people continue to flee. Any attempts to force people to return into such a situation will result in massive numbers trying to make that perilous journey that had taken Alan Kurdi’s smile and ended his life.

As part of a continuous effort to provide full transparency about the Association’s work to the Syrian people, Abdul Mouen Dandal, Dr Hala Ghawi, Mohamad Jouja and Marwan Nazhan, all members of SACD, held a session to answer the most frequently asked questions received by SACD followers and explained the importance of the SACD advocacy work to empower the displaced people and preserve their rights.

As the pandemic hit Idlib hard, Dr Anas al-Fatih recorded another video with important guidelines to contain the spread of the virus in the crowded camps amid little to no medical infrastructure to the crowded camps amid little to no medical facilities to cope with the pandemic.