‘Amnesty’ has no right to take higher moral ground — Judeh

AMMAN — Amnesty International (AI) has no right to take a “higher moral ground” towards Jordan, with its latest allegations that Syrian refugees in Jordan are denied access to critical health services, Nasser Judeh, minister of foreign affairs, said on Sunday.

At a joint press conference with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, Judeh criticised the watchdog for the claims made last week, adding that AI should have focused on the countries that are not helping Syrian refugees.

In its report, the watchdog alleged that the “grossly inadequate support from the international community and barriers imposed by the government of Jordan are leaving Syrian refugees unable to access healthcare and other vital services”.

Citing the case of three Syrian women who had recently given birth at an NGO hospital in Irbid, AI claimed in thereport, titled “Living on the margins: Syrian refugees struggle to access healthcare in Jordan”, that the women had delayed crucial antenatal check-ups because they could not afford public hospital fees and transportation costs.

AI said it has gathered information from humanitarian workers and family members of Syrian refugees with critical injuries that were allegedly denied entry to Jordan for medical care.

In response, Judeh said that the author(s) of the report should “come to Jordan and spend some time here”, adding that “the entire world is acknowledging what Jordan is doing to Syrian refugees”.

Judeh said the Kingdom is hosting 1.3 million Syrian refugees on its soil, with almost 640,000 of whom registered as refugees. “Hundreds of thousands are treated in Jordanian hospitals and health facilities.”

Not only health services are provided to Syrians, as the minister added, noting that several sectors have been affected by the refugee burden. He cited the fact that schools are going back to the double-shift system after it has disappeared from the educational landscape  “many years ago”.

The minister’s remarks came in response to a question by The Jordan Times. He went on to outline the impact of hosting Syrians on other sectors, including energy, water and jobs.

According to Judeh, services to Syrians are also being provided to those who are camping in the no-land area across the border.

According to official figures, so far, the Syrian crisis has cost Jordan over $7 billion.