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Gemayel calls on international NGOs to stop giving aid to Syrian refugees in Lebanon

Gemayel calls on international NGOs to stop giving aid to Syrian refugees in Lebanon

Kataeb party leader Samy Gemayel at a press conference in Saifi, April 25, 2023. (Credit: Twitter photo / @samygemayel)

BEIRUT —  On Tuesday, Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel called on international organizations to stop giving aid to Syrian refugees in Lebanon and to instead support their return to Syria. He said that Western countries, especially those of the European Union (EU), "bear the greatest responsibility in this matter."

 Calls for the repatriation of refugees have been made by Lebanese officials for years and Gemayel joined the sentiment at a press conference on the refugee crisis.

The last few weeks have seen a rise in hate speech and television programs targeting refugees in economically troubled and crisis-stricken Lebanon. The refugee issue was brought to the forefront after Lebanon deported some 50 Syrians in April.

"You only have to look at the documentaries in which refugees are asked why they are in Lebanon. All of them, without exception, answer that they are happy here and none of them cite security reasons," Gemayel said.

Human rights groups and the majority of the international community oppose the repatriation of Syrian refugees and cite that the situation in Syria is not yet safe. Human rights groups have repeatedly claimed in recent years that refugees who returned have been tortured and persecuted in Syria.

'Demographic burden'

The Kataeb leader further blamed international organizations, which he said encourage refugees to stay in Lebanon by paying them aid.

"How do you expect Syrians to return home if they are entitled to monthly salaries paid by international organizations, including the EU?" he said. "Syrians indeed need this aid but in their country, to refurbish their homes and rebuild what has been destroyed."

At the end of March 2023, the EU announced a pledge of 60 million euros in humanitarian aid for "vulnerable populations" in Lebanon, regardless of nationality.

According to European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič, the aid is being distributed in the form of food assistance, cash support, education and health services.

 "In the face of the various crises facing Lebanon, politically, socially, economically and infrastructurally, and in addition to the presence of Hezbollah, we cannot add such a demographic burden that we are not in a position to bear," added Gemayel, who is also a Metn district MP.

Defending himself from accusations of "racism", Gemayel added that some refugees "are really in danger and must stay in Lebanon." He estimated however that their number is very small, "about 20 or 30,000 people," out of the total number of refugees.

Some 840,000 Syrian refugees are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The actual number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, which has a population of some 6 million, is not known however and the Lebanese government asked UNHCR to halt the registry of more refugees in 2015.

Lebanon has made several attempts to organize "voluntary" repatriations of refugees, but these have been met with little success. To organize these returns, the Lebanese authorities coordinate with the government of Bashar al-Assad, which either approves or rejects the names on a list of return candidates.

BEIRUT —  On Tuesday, Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel called on international organizations to stop giving aid to Syrian refugees in Lebanon and to instead support their return to Syria. He said that Western countries, especially those of the European Union (EU), "bear the greatest responsibility in this matter." Calls for the repatriation of refugees have been made by Lebanese officials...