叙利亚儿童有甚么未来？ | 最新消息 | 讯息中心 | 联合国儿童基金香港委员会 UNICEF Hong Kong

叙利亚儿童有甚么未来？

2015-03-12

安东尼．雷克联合国儿童基金会执行主任

这个月，无情的叙利亚危机踏入第5年。

这个令人震惊的歷史性时刻，标志着暴力冲突及苦难已持续四年，而短期内不见得有结束的迹象。数以万计平民被夺去性命，数以万计人民流离失所。家园、医院、学校都成为袭击对象。不少社区被断绝人道救援，缺水缺粮。暴力冲突更不断扩大，蔓延至邻近国家。试试由儿童的眼晴出发，想像他们在恐怖冲突的生活。他们的家被炮击或沦为废墟；他们失去所爱的人或朋友；他们的学习受到中断，或根本从未试过上学；他们的童年就这样被偷走。

这场危机是近代史上最恶劣的人道灾难。联合国儿童基金会（UNICEF）估计在叙利亚及周边国家，多达1,400万名儿童受灾受难。

Safa 14 years old, Syrian refugee that fled violence two years ago to Kawergosk camp in northern Iraq. Safa: Four years has passed since the children here last saw any of their relatives, friends or homes. The ones responsible are politicians. I want tell you politicians, stop this game so we can go back to our country so that children who lost their parents can have a future, so we also can have a future. Life goes on, I am still attending the English class, and I go to school every day. Sometimes it rains, and by the time I get back home, I am covered in mud. The same happens each time it rains. Since two years I have not seen my friends in Syria nor my nephews, I also didnÕt see my siblings. I know that there are Syrian children that have lived in camps twice as long as I have. There are many children living in these camps, some are my age and others are younger or older. Many of the children born here in the camp know nothing about Syria. They donÕt even know how it (Syria) looks. They donÕt know how their homes look. Some of them do not even know their relatives. Many of them are young and yet have lost their parents. Two years passed and still my wish didnÕt come true. I felt little disappointed, but I have to cope with the situation. It is not up to us to leave the camp and go back. Living here is not like Syria, not at all. When UNICEF interviewed Safa 2 years earlier, her message to the children of the world was: You should thank God for the blessings you have, living in your homes and countries. Thank you and donÕt forget us. With the conflict in Syria now entering its fifth year, some 14 million children across the region are suffering from the escalating conflict sweeping Syria and much of Iraq. The situation of more than 5.6 million children inside Syria remains the most desperate. That includes up to 2 million children who are living in areas of the country largely cut off from humanitarian assistance due to fighting or other factors.

对年幼的儿童来说，他们所知道的，就只有这场危机；他们所认识的世界，就只有冲突和剥削。对踏入成长期的青少年来说，暴力及苦难不但在他们的生活中留下伤痕，更会令他们的未来定型。这个岁数的青年，本应要开始作出影响一生的抉择；但叙利亚的青年，却仍然留守在挣扎求存的阶段。他们大多只能继续面对残酷的事实：或被迫工作，维持家计；或被迫童婚；或被武装组织招募。

这些儿童将如何选择他们的前路？他们又有甚么选择？

他们还可相信自己能拥有美好的将来吗？抑或会认定自己将来难以有稳定的生活，在绝望中自暴自弃，別无他选？更坏的情况是，他们会否认定暴力是平常不过的事，从而演变成一个使用暴力的人？

1年前，人道救援界的领导者就警告，暴力及绝望可令我们失去一整代年轻人──而叙利亚及邻国的未来亦将一并失去。今日，这些风险未有减退。

当叙利亚危机踏入第5年，年轻一代仍被暴力的恶性循环所威胁，他们或会在当中迷失──将自己承受的暴力，加诸于下一代身上。国际社会正透过接触这些儿童，进行人道救援，提供保护、教育及其他支援，尝试黑暗中给予希望，但这些行动远远不足。

我们不能放弃这群年轻人──我们要在他们放弃自己、放弃自己的将来之前，接触他们。尚有时间，亦尚有希望。我们见到，即使受尽危机影响、饱受伤害，要忍受不公平待遇，並发现成人显然无法制止这场可怕冲突，不少儿童仍抱着勇气和决心，建设更美好的生活。

16岁的Alaa，两年前逃离饱受战火蹂躏的家乡霍姆斯，学业被迫中断，幸而之后得到职业培训的机会──今天，他成为导师，栽培其他儿童。

10岁的Christina逃难至伊拉克北部，住在收容难民家庭的营地。她努力维持自己的学习进度之余，更教导比自己年幼的儿童。

看到孩子的决心，我们岂能动摇帮助他们的决心？他们还沒放弃希望，我们又怎能放弃？我们行动的结果，将由下一代，甚至之后数代人承担……这场惨不忍睹的危机不止影响数以百万计的儿童。当他们长大成人，他们以及他们作出的选择，可影响国内，甚至区内数以百万人的未来。未来究竟是希望与和平，还是暴力与绝望？

后者绝不是儿童应有的未来，亦肯定不是我们想见的将来。

叙利亚儿童要上学，要受保护，要得到支援。这一切关係到他们的将来。

请即捐款，帮助叙利亚儿童。