Introduction
Syria is located in the Asian continent in the Middle East, and the Arabs form a huge part of its population which is about 99,000 people per square kilometer according to a survey conducted in 2008. Despite the outbreak of civil wars in Syria, it has struggled to become a unitary state. It adopted its present constitution in 2012 that changed Syria from a semi-presidential to a constitutional regime where individuals had the right to be elected. This paper presents the reasons that made people migrate to or from Syria during the political upheavals it witnessed in 2011.
Push and Pull Factors in the Syrian Migration
Peace is an indispensable aspect that determines the existence of all living things on earth. Syria had witnessed several political strifes but none was worse than the one witnessed in 2011. The attempts to overthrow the duly elected government of President Assad led to bloodshed, destruction of property, and civil disobedience. This was a major factor that pushed Syrians out of a country they had known to be their home (Dagher 12). Foreign investors relocated their investments from Syria and this led to unemployment and loss of revenue generated through taxation. The cost of living became unbearable and people could not str8uggle to look for food and peace at the same time. They had to migrate to neighboring countries like Lebanon and turkey.
There were reported cases of disease outbreaks that led to unhealthy environmental conditions and inadequate health care services (Lesch 51). This caused severe famine and malnutrition because a lot of time was spent on war other than cultivating. Cities, towns, and homes were destroyed and the infrastructure was damaged. Therefore, the movement of people and transportation of goods were blocked and hindered as many people fled to safety.
The rebels enslaved most civilians, and this discouraged the locals and foreigners from conducting their activities peacefully in this country. Youths were taken, trained as soldiers, and recruited by rebels to their armies, and this gave the government serious challenges in maintaining law and order (Sengupta 19) The abducted youths and their families were taken as hostages and made to work according to the rebels’ directives. Failure to observe any of their directives led to the death of the family members or a whole community. Therefore, the high political tension and inhuman acts performed by rebel groups pushed locals and foreigners out of Syria.
The positive aspect of countries like Turkey and Lebanon attracted many immigrants from Syria due to the affordable standards of living. Civilians moved from Syria and found that the same work they were doing in their home country was rewarding abroad (Lesch 63). Syrians decided to move to Turkey and Lebanon to benefit from the humanitarian assistance offered to refugees. This opportunity favored both skilled and unskilled people, and this led to improved standards of living because refugees were either given food or jobs.
Labor demand from the country they went was high; therefore, they were welcome and offered job opportunities. This attracted them to countries like Turkey and Lebanon; therefore, reducing unemployment pressure in Syria (Sengupta 20). Moreover, the state of security was another issue to consider because the political instability they had experienced pushed them to search for jobs in other nations. Investors had migrated from Syria after political temperatures became unbearable.
Nobody was allowed to go to work during this time and thus there were very few job opportunities, and this pushed people out of this country. The good side of the war was that there was extreme poverty and hunger, and people could not spend time in wars yet they had no food. The negative effects on the countries that refugees went are that they became overpopulated, and this increased pressure on social amenities like schools and health care facilities (Dagher 12).
Syrians are to be blamed for leading their kinsmen into wars that destroyed the economy and prestige of their country. Women and children suffered a lot during this war, and that is why most of them decided to leave Syria and seek refuge in other countries while men were left to fight. There was minimal or no development during the strife because the government was busy fighting rebels and engaging in diplomatic discussions on how to restore order.
Conclusion
The availability of oil and natural gas is the main reason why most foreign investors were attracted to Syria. However, they were very apprehensive of the political upheavals between 2005 and 2009. Oil and natural gas are important natural resources that attract local and foreign investors. Secondly, the availability of fertile agricultural lands was another pull factor that attracted foreigners to this country. The horticultural industry had developed before the civil war and Syria had established a niche in the international market (Sengupta 21). Thirdly, there was a ready market for professionals and experts in various fields including health, engineering, construction, education, and agriculture.
Therefore, foreigners took advantage of inadequate staff in the public sector and migrated to this country. However, the future of this country remains uncertain because there has never been a lasting solution to the problem of political instability.
Works Cited
Dagher, Sam. Syria Civil War Forces Brutal Split in Aleppo. Once-Vibrant City is Traumatized by Grinding Conflict in Which Civilians Pay the Highest Price.” The Wall Street Journal (2014): 12. Print.
Lesch, David. Syria: The Fall of the House of Assad. Connecticut: Yale University Press, 2012. Print.
Sengupta, Somini. “Bid to Deliver Aid to Syria May Set Stage for a U.N. Clash.” The New York Times (2014): 19-21. Print.