The Islamic holy month of Ramadan is known for its abundance of sweets and desserts Muslims eat to break their fasts each night. But Syrian refugees in Jordan may not enjoy them this Ramandan. An image circulated on Jordanian social media Sunday of a sign in a grocery store that read “Our Syrian brothers and sisters are not allowed to buy sweets, candy, juice and chips and related items.” This prohibition is because of an agreement with the World Food Programme (WFP), which specifies Syrians receiving food aid may only buy basic food items.
Multiple Arabic-language outlets explained that the WFP will now only cover basic needs, meaning Syrian refugees in Jordan will no longer be able to buy juice, sweets, chips and other luxuries.
Arabi 21 spoke to Mohammed al-Qaisi of the Jordanian Civil Service Consumer Corporation, who said the decision stipulates the affected refugees are to buy basic items such as rice and sugar, not luxuries. The decision was reportedly that of the Corporation’s donors such as the WFP not the corporation itself.
The image and corresponding articles were widely shared on social media by both Jordanians and Syrians Sunday.
Many Jordanians and Syrians took to social media to voice their outrage over the decision.
السوريون ممنوعون من الحلويات والعصائر في الأردن لهذا السبب!!: تسببت صورة إعلان يمنع اللاجئين السوريين من شراء... https://t.co/x7Ns1yg3ls
— موقع غرائب (@8raeb) June 14, 2016
Syrians barred from buying sweets and juice in Jordan for this reason! Caused by an image declaring Syrian refugees are barred from buying...
The decision only affects those Syrians who receive food aid through the WFP and the Civil Service Consumer Corporation, according to Arabi 21.
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