Cranes can be used for multiple purposes. Over the years, cranes have been used for festivals, for automobile shops, and construction zones. The country of Jordan in the Middle East could be using a crane to provide supplies to Syrian refugees that are currently camped outside the boarder of Jordan. However, United Nations does not feel that a crane is the appropriate solution and has become a bit of a debate.

Currently, 75,000 Syrian refugees are stranded between Jordan and Syria in a section of land called “the berm.” The land is not meant to be occupied by humans and it is a growing concern that people are continuously living in those conditions. The land is a complete desert and the refugees have already been there for several months. Many of them are in need of medical care, specifically the women and children.

Jordan announced that they planned to deliver supplies to the refugees using a crane. The crane would hang over the Jordan border and drop supplies to the refugees. Jordan is concerned that the crowd of refugees could be holding people that are planning to threaten the Jordan kingdom which is why they do not want to let refugees over the border. Up until June, Jordan had been letting the people of Syria into their country to seek safety but after an attack near a Jordan military base, they stopped.

The United Nations has concerns about Jordan’s decision to provide supplies using the crane. The crane could do the job easily without any problems which is not the issue. The United Nations believe that the supplies that would be dropped from the crane are not what the refugees need. Although a crane could certainly get the supplies across, the United Nations believe that the refugees need direct medical and sanitation services from humanitarian agencies. A representative from Doctors Without Borders spoke out on the subject saying, “You cannot deliver health care with a crane.”

The crane could deliver water, food, medical supplies, and more over the border but it cannot deliver personal medical attention to the refugees. The United Nations and Jordan have not yet come to a mutual consensus.