Trucks and vans carrying the belongings of Syrian refugees returning to their country, Nov. 5 2022. (Credit: Courtesy of Sarah Abdallah/L'Orient-Le Jour)
BEIRUT — The municipality of Feitroun in Mount Lebanon issued restrictions that apply to Syrian refugees on Monday. Restrictions include curfews, a ban on motorcycles after 7 p.m., limits on social gatherings and employment restrictions to certain sectors.
In a statement, the municipality said that the decision came "to try to regulate the workforce for foreigners and the populated presence for Syrian refugees in the village and to maintain security and public stability and to try to stop any possible tensions."
Besides the decision, authorities checked legal papers and demanded declarations of rent contracts. It was decided that any refugee working or renting in the town must be declared to the municipality.
The decision also indicated that business owners must submit the legal papers of their employees to the municipality. The municipality police will enforce the ban on social gatherings and the use of motorcycles after 7 p.m. and will enforce the curfew. They will also seize any unregistered vehicle.
The municipality also decided to allow Syrians to work exclusively in agriculture, construction and environment.
Restrictions against Syrian refugees have intensified recently and the question of who has access to public spaces has taken a prejudiced turn in recent years. Countless incidents of Syrian children not being allowed to play inside some of the city’s parks have been documented across Beirut.
In July 2022, caretaker Minister of the Displaced Issam Charafeddine announced a plan to repatriate Syrian refugees residing in Lebanon, with the goal of returning “15,000 displaced people per month.”
The plan has been criticized by the UN over safety concerns for refugees returning to Syria. Lebanese authorities have repeatedly insisted that the initiative is "voluntary." The plan has not been implemented consistently.