Beirut: While a staggering number of Syrians have moved into the countryside since early 2011 and thus become internal refugees, at least a million have found shelter in neighbouring countries, with about 650,000 registered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Over the weekend, Lebanese authorities affirmed that the numbers of Syrians who have entered the country legally has topped 212,000, a figure that has grown by 10,500 every week according to UNHCR daily registration tallies.
Thousands more are neither registered nor did they cross the poorly delineated borders lawfully. In fact, sources at the Ministry of Social Affairs maintain that Syrian refugees in Lebanon have probably crossed the 400,000 figures, with many staying with relatives or — for those who can afford to go it alone — renting apartments in the country.
With limited resources, and the lack of a political will to address refugee concerns, Lebanon has sought Arab and international assistance. To date, overall assistance has proved rather timid, led by the European Union and the United States. The Minister of Social Affairs, Wael Abou Faour, as well as President Michel Sulaiman, wish to see the level of aid increase sharply at the upcoming UN conference scheduled to meet in Kuwait on January 30.
At a recent League of Arab States gathering in Cairo, Abou Faour requested an emergency annual budget of $180 million (Dh661 million) to pay for health, social and education services for refugees, although it was unclear whether this sum would be forthcoming or prove to be sufficient to cater to the unending stream of newcomers.
Lebanon, which refuses to establish new camps on its soil because of the legacy of the post-1948 Palestinian sites that took on a semblance of permanence, has appealed to donor countries for help. With the vast majority settled in towns and cities, often occupying schools, dilapidated apartments, or abandoned business facilities, conditions are poor and getting worse. A particularly cold winter has added to everyone’s misery while pitiable hygiene conditions further complicate matters. Officials are worried that a new disaster is threatening to destabilise the country as the suffering of many persists.
