The Arab Refugees SIR,—The Arab refugees arc a poignant and
difficult segment of the immense refugee problem in the world. There are still 800,000 of them. Penniless and workless, they and their families are gathered in camps and compounds in tenuous hope of a better day. They have been kept from starvation by the charity of other nations; the United Nations' relief organisation has provided first-aid. In co-operation with it many Christian voluntary agencies—some of them missionary societies which have worked in Palestine for decades—have got, together to form the Near East Christian Council. Twenty-nine such agencies are now working in this co-ordinating body. As a result, there is more co-ordination of relief-work to the benefit of the refugees.
The Council is now beginning to look beyond first-aid. The training of teachers in refugee schools has started; this summer three training centres are being improvised. Some training is also being provided for social workers. But relief work at the best is a temporary pallia- tive. The only satisfactory long-term policy is the reintegration of the refugees in a stable and working community. Partly for political reasons, this is proving very slow and hard to accomplish. There are many small schemes whereby one or two people are set up in gainful employment. Apart from the many thousands who are living in tents" and old barracks, there are many who have found low-paid employ- ment and casual work in towns and villages and who are obliged to pay excessive rent for the use of even one room. There is need there- fore for the building of houses for refugees, and, within the severe limits1 imposed by the money available, such building is being done.
The problem is difficult and extensive. The work of helping makes heavy demands on the personnel of the relief agencies and the mis- sionary societies, and it requires a lot of money if the long-term schemes are to be carried through. The Inter-Church Aid and Refugee Service of the British Council of Churches, of which the writer is a Joint Chairman, in co-operation with the missionary societies and Friends' Relief, is appealing for funds to support this urgent work, which will be forwarded to the Near East Christian Council. The programme of relief-work of the voluntary agencies for 1952 is estimated to cost over $800,000. It is a work of " true Christian love and charity." Ninety per cent. of these destitute families are not of the Christian faith, but it is to those of that faith we appeal, as well as to those who recognise the disastrous consequences of prolonged unrest and misery in Pale- stine. Contributions may b sent to " The Palestine Appeal," 5– Southampton Place, W.C.1.—Yours faithfully, LESLIE SHEFFIELD. Ranmoor Grange, Sheffield, 10.
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