Peter Dutton visits refugee camp Zaatari on Jordan-Syria border

Peter Dutton visits a refugee camp near the Syrian border saying the thousands of children pulled at his heartstrings.

Peter Dutton and Zaatari camp manager Hovig Etyemezian. Picture: Ella Pellegrini

Immigration minister Peter Dutton said the most innocent victims of war — the thousands of children in the huge Jordan refugee camp Zaatari near the Syrian border — pulled at his heartstrings and he confirmed that those most vulnerable would be a priority for the extra 12,000 refugee placements to Australia.

Mr Dutton claimed Australians were compassionate, and insisted that on a per capita basis Australia was the most generous in offering to permanently settle the new 12,000 on top of the annual allocation of 13,750 each year.

“It is bigger than the US, bigger than any country in Europe and bigger than any other nation and that is something Australians should be proud of,’’ he said.

Mr Dutton toured Zaatari, the world’s second largest refugee camp — home to 79,000 people — as scores of wide-eyed youngsters played in the dusty streets, happily smiling for photographs and tugging at trousers.

“Seeing some children, the innocent victims in a war, it really pulls at your heartstrings which is why we have made our priority to those most vulnerable, the women and children in this placement,’’ Mr Dutton said.

“We see those kids’ faces, some are being educated, some are not and those are scenes that stay with you. We see the despair, that’s the scene that stays with you.’’

Mr Dutton heard heartbreaking stories of the impact of the civil war taking place just a few kilometres away while sitting in the sparse container home of two Syrian women, Um Khaled and Miram Khaled. Um cried openly as she described the leg injuries to her 22-year-old son who was still in his badly damaged roofless Syrian home in Daara needing urgent medical attention.

Mr Dutton also toured the camp’s medical facilities, speaking to a mother of five who was seeking help for her youngest son who was coughing and wheezing. He was also briefed on the security situation in the area. At one point he walked down the “Champs Elysee” the makeshift market street that sells everything from pizzas to wedding dresses, and he stopped at a bakery, buying some of the bread. All the while, the black car convoy followed behind, stirring up dust, to the bemusement of the refugees.

Earlier, an Australian aid vehicle had driven down the same street, distributing water to the settlement as part of a United Nations effort.

Many in the camp that The Australian spoke to wanted to leave and return to Syria or flee to Europe because the money for food was sparse and conditions were tough.

One of the Zaatari camp’s shopkeepers Mohammed Odei, a 38-year-old father of nine girls has been at the camp for three years and two months and said any opportunity to get out was welcomed.

Mr Dutton said seeing the humanitarian effort of Jordan only reinforced Australia’s current position because it enabled the government to offer more controlled places to Syrian refugees. He refused to confirm that the government was in talks with Kyrgyzstan or other former Soviet bloc or African nations as bilateral discussions about rehousing asylum seekers were still ongoing.

“We have discussions with a number of countries and I won’t confirm if particular countries are in the mix,’’ he said.

“We will provide support for the people on Manus and Nauru to find a new home but that new home won’t be in Australia and we have been very clear about that. The dividend of us having a very strong public policy is that we can settle more refugees from here.”

Jordanian officials organised for Mr Dutton to be the first visitor to the infamous gate 15 on the Jordan-Syria border where more than 45,000 wounded Syrians have sought medical help and sanctuary over the past four years.

As part of the high level visit, Mr Dutton stood just 100m from where the Free Syria Army was constructing a permanent two room holding camp for the injured inside Syria, not coincidentally after the Russians began an intensive bombing campaign inside the border town of Daara, less than 10 kilometres away.

Brigadier General Hasan Hayajneh explained how the Jordanian forces from the 1st company of the 10th battalion, 2nd brigade “always’’ hear clashes between the regime forces and the FSA from behind their bunker cover.

“The most activity is the air strokes and air bombing, these explosions, of barrels (bombs) land on villages and as we all know after the bombing and air strikes there are injuries,’’ the Brigadier general said through an interpreter. “We bring the civilians to the medical area, if they have minor injuries they are treated and they return to Syria, if they have a lot of blood loss or severe injuries we transport them to one of two local hospitals.’’

Mr Dutton said visiting the border was “confronting’’.

He said “The fact the Jordanians here at the border have opened their arms, not just to the refugees but also to people seriously injured is a great credit to this country. We have a great working relationship and we want that to continue in the future.’’

As the Minister was driven along the border area, one Syrian boy in charge of a flock of sheep, stood smartly to attention, saluting.

Jacquelin Magnay in Ashajara, on the Jordan-Syria border