Jumblat Calls for Protection of Refugees Amid Spike of Violence against them
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat called on Sunday for the protection of Syrian refugees against violence sparked by the killing of Lebanese soldiers kidnapped by jihadists.
During a visit to the West Bekaa town of Ain Ata, Jumblat urged the Lebanese army to carry out its responsibilities and protect Syrian refugees.
“Some Syrians and some Lebanese have supported terrorism but we should differentiate between a terrorist and a refugee,” said the PSP leader.
Many Syrians have been among the victims of a wave of revenge attacks carried out after Lebanese soldiers captured by militants from Syria in a cross-border raid were killed by jihadists in August and September.
The killing of the soldiers by Sunni extremists has aggravated sectarian tensions in Lebanon, which is bitterly divided over the war in neighboring Syria.
Jumblat called for the quick trial of Islamist prisoners held in Roumieh.
The release of many of the inmates has been on the list of demands made by the jihadists to set free the captives who were kidnapped during the battles between the army and the gunmen in the northeastern border town of Arsal.
Jumblat later visited Rashaya during a tour on villages in West Bekaa.
"We are trying along with the rest of the parties to limit tension to confront terrorism," he said.
He hoped for consensus to elect a new president and pave way for the activation of the constitutional institutions.
Jumblat also called on Prime Minister Tammam Salam and ex-PM Saad Hariri to accept a prisoner swap with the armed groups "under certain conditions" if that can "achieve the higher national interest and foil strife."
21 September 2014, 13:56
10
My heart goes out for the Syrian refugees. Is it their fault if non-Syrian terrorists are causing mayhem in Syria and on the border.
When are we going to do all we can to help ease the misery of these beautiful children and their families?
Enough killing. Please STOP listening to hatred and OPEN YOUR HEARTS.
21 September 2014, 16:27
53
Jumblat Calls for Protection of Refugees Amid Spike of Violence against them .......
Send them back to their homeland. The Pro-Assads to Assad land and the Pro-ISIS to ISIS land. There they will be best protected. Our Soldiers and Civilians need the most protection Mr. Jumblat
21 September 2014, 20:22
63
How was that anti army? You deny the truth even if it were staring you in the face.
21 September 2014, 20:57
80
@ex-fpm
Watching that video one is hard pressed to believe the actions were anywhere close to torture. One of the shots shows a soldiers kicking a detainee in the face which is certainly deplorable.
Other than that, the most that can be said about that video specifically is that certain army elements engaged in conduct unbecoming. Unless there is more that was not shown, one is hard pressed to accept Al-Arabia's classification that that video depicts torture.
We are not privy to the details behind such arrests and treatment, failing more convincing evidence, I for one opt to side with our LAF.
22 September 2014, 00:58
26
How about we give our soldiers the ability to protect themselves first? If the "refugees" don't like Lebanon, they can go to Turkey and Jordan, to their friends.
22 September 2014, 05:50
41
Let me just say that I support anyone in their fight against the butcher of Damascus, but common man, 1 in 4 people in Lebanon is Syrian and if Jumblat is so worried about the Syrian refugees then maybe he needs to open up his areas in the Chouf and host them, Im afraid that the Syrian refugees are gonna turn out to be a worse problem then the Palestinians.
22 September 2014, 16:40
01
No one begged the Syrians to come and seek refuge in Lebanon. Now that they've overwhelmed us, if they don't like the treatment, then they are free to go back to their respective areas, be it pro or anti regime is theirs to decide. If Jumblat is so concerned about them Syrians, he is also more than welcome to join them, in Syria, not in Lebanon. Hatred and anti-Syrian sentiment is bound to grow in Lebanon, with every Lebanese soldier slained, with every silly statement made by our stupid politician, the feeling will only be exacerbated. Now that the regime and its opponents have consolidated territory inside Syria, the time has now come for Syrians to start leaving. We Lebanese don't want them anymore, and as far as I'm concerned, they can take them Palestinians.
