Palestinian memorandum to Syrian president demands strengthening refugee rights

Independent Palestinian bodies and figures in Syria have submitted a memorandum to President Ahmad al-Shara demanding reform of the administration of Palestinian refugee affairs, addressing restrictions on their rights, and ensuring their participation in transitional justice and the reconstruction of camps. The memorandum includes demands to cancel the 2020 regulatory plan for Yarmouk camp, transparency in managing confiscated properties, and representation of refugees in transitional justice bodies.

Independent Palestinian bodies and figures, along with representatives of civil, civic, human rights, and media institutions and organizations in Syria, submitted a memorandum to Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara, demanding reform of the administration of Palestinian refugee affairs, addressing restrictions affecting their rights, and ensuring their participation in transitional justice files and the reconstruction of camps. The memorandum called for presidential intervention to review mechanisms for dealing with Palestinian affairs and adopt a participatory approach allowing civil institutions to contribute to resolving outstanding issues. It criticized the predominance of a security approach in dealing with Palestinian institutions and the requirement of additional security approvals for licensing associations. Regarding the Yarmouk camp file, the memorandum demanded the cancellation of the 2020 regulatory plan and a return to the 2004 plan. It also called for full transparency in managing properties confiscated from factions, allocating a fund for families of victims of enforced disappearance and displaced persons, and stressed the necessity of refugee representation in transitional justice bodies.