8

Jordan's King Abdullah II said at a press conference with President Trump that Syrian refugees want to return to Syria (live video of press conference, can't find archived video yet).

The statement is similar to one made by Ben Carson two years ago (though, Ben Carson was talking about the refugees that he had spoken to personally, not necessarily claiming that it represents a majority of refugees).

Do most Syrian refugees want to return to Syria?

Owen
  • 183
  • 5
  • 1
    Are you asking if they have the intention to return at some point in the future, or right now? – Peter Apr 05 '17 at 17:45
  • 1
    @Peter Well, I suspect King Abdullah meant at some point in the future, so that's what I am asking about. – Owen Apr 05 '17 at 17:59
  • 8
    King Abdullah's country, Jordan, has had a flood of refugees, because Syria borders Jordan. Ben Carson's country, America, has an extensive screening process, and is on the other side of the planet. Consequently America has only had a trickle of refugees. It is quite possible that the refugees in Jordan want different things from the refugees in America. Is your question about one group? Both groups? All Syrian refugees worldwide? – BobTheAverage Apr 05 '17 at 18:28
  • You want to go to Syria if it is safe. But currently it is not safe with the bombs and sarin falling from the Sky. – Sakib Arifin Apr 05 '17 at 18:44
  • @BobTheAverage Let's say the refugees in Jordan, since I don't think you can fairly read the King's statement to go beyond that. – Owen Apr 05 '17 at 21:22
  • 3
    Why would you doubt this statement? Refugees are by definition involuntary migrants, so when the cause for fleeing is removed, it would make sense they would want to return — unless so much time has passed that they consider the country hosting them as their new home or the new home of their children. – gerrit Apr 06 '17 at 11:25
  • @Owen Don't answer my comment in the comment. Answer with an edit to the question. – BobTheAverage Apr 06 '17 at 15:15
  • 1
    @Gerrit I agree, but there are different degrees of wanting to return home. I assume that most of them want to return eventually, but some of them may have written off their old life, and intend to build a new life in a new country. – BobTheAverage Apr 06 '17 at 15:18
  • @gerrit, in the past, some individuals have used refugee status as a way to voluntarily emigrate to a country they otherwise would not meet requirements to enter. People have made this claim about Syrian refugees. –  Apr 07 '17 at 10:36

0 Answers0