Saturday, April 12, 2014

capitalism in Zaatari camp

An NGO source in Jordan sent me this about Zaatari camp: "You know Asad, the sad story in Zaatari camp is that it is developing into a capitalist economy. You have a few people who now own businesses in the camp making a lot of money. My assumption is that those are FSA people or ones with close connections with the opposition, a journalist i took to the camp once wrote that these businesses are partly financing the war in syria. I will send younger report. I thought it was one of the best on Zaatari. A lot of money Asad. Some are making fortunes and opening branches inside the camp. They can only do that by bribing the Jordanian military or involving them in their business. The poor people in the camp only getting poorer. But everyone gets equal assistance including those now rich families which some see as unfair. Rich people and those with connections even buy some of the assistance for cheap, including tents and caravans and sell it outside. You can find unhcr tents in Aqaba on the beach! The Jordanian colonel in charge of security there is very corrupt and even one refugee woman told me he is the one bringing saudi men to marry syrian young girls and making money. "