Khaberni - Syrian artist Maxim Khalil sparked widespread controversy on social media after his sharp commentary on the humanitarian conditions in the displacement camps in northwestern Syria, which were severely affected by the heavy rain and floods that hit the provinces of Idlib and Latakia in recent days.
Khalil wrote in a post on "X" that the scenes of the drowning camps and the increasing suffering of the displaced coincide with what he described as the renovation of decorations in offices and houses of new officials, who entered luxurious places that do not need any rehabilitation, considering that the real defect is not in the buildings but in the "mentality of prioritizing."
The Syrian artist emphasized that improving the living and humanitarian situation of citizens must be an absolute priority over official parties, media shows, and trends, questioning the fate of donation campaigns and the funds that were collected during the past period, and about the absence of practical solutions to secure temporary housing for the affected.
Conversely, an official response came through the writer and political researcher Hassan Al-Daghim, spokesman for the Syrian National Dialogue and a member of the Supreme Election Committee, who considered in a television interview that the wave of anger circulating through the platforms is exaggerated, describing it as media exploitation of natural disasters aimed at harvesting interaction.
Al-Daghim explained that what is circulated about the lavishness of officials and official banquets, known as "palace buffet," is not accurate, asserting that official meetings and conferences are organized with the simplest means, and he said what is presented in them does not exceed "thyme sandwiches with coffee and tea," denying any luxurious appearances.
The statements of the political researcher quickly ignited controversy on the platforms, as many saw them as downplaying the scale of suffering of the displaced, especially amid the continuing drowning of camps and the absence of radical solutions, amidst harsh humanitarian conditions exacerbated by the decrepit infrastructure after more than 14 years of war.
The controversy coincided with the local authorities' announcement that the heavy rains caused damage and flooding of more than 10 displacement camps in several areas in Idlib, while civil defense teams and the Ministry of Emergency confirmed the continuation of evacuation and emergency response operations, amid a human toll that included the death of several civilians, including children and a volunteer in the Red Crescent.
It is estimated that the number of internally displaced persons in Syria is about 7 million, with more than 1.4 million of them living in camps and displacement sites in northwestern and northeastern parts of the country.
