Derbas Says Number of Syrian Refugees Dropping
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas said the number of Syrians seeking refuge in Lebanon has been dropping although a decision on not to accept more refugees hasn't been fully implemented yet.
The UNHCR reports show that the number of refugees in Lebanon began to decline, Derbas told An Nahar newspaper in remarks published on Tuesday.
The government announced last month that it will not accept any more refugees from neighboring war-torn Syria, except in what it deems to be "exceptional" cases.
Lebanon has 1.5 million Syrian refugees.
European countries and the U.S. have been extremely reluctant to accept Syrian refugees, leaving the burden to countries neighboring Syria — Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq, which are ill-equipped to deal with the floods of people
There are over 3 million Syrian refugees from the war. Another 6 million have been displaced within Syria, making it one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
A ministerial committee tasked with following up the case of Syrian refugees in Lebanon is scheduled to meet on Tuesday under Prime Minister Tammam Salam.
Derbas said the talks will focus on the results of the conference on the displaced that was held in Berlin on Oct. 28.
During the conference, which was attended by envoys from 40 nations, including Salam, Derbas and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, Germany announced it would increase its assistance to Syria's neighbors to $637 million over the next three years and the U.S. pledged to send an additional $10 million.
Anne Richard, an assistant U.S. secretary of state, urged governments in the region to continue accepting refugees despite the strains. But Bassil made clear that his country's ability to host refugees was exhausted and suggested it's time to consider sending some Syrians back.
United Nations Assistant Emergency Relief Coordinator and Director Ross Mountain also pressed a $2.2 billion assistance to Lebanon to help the refugees and affected Lebanese families.
An Nahar said Derbas is expected to travel to Geneva on December 9 to follow up the issue with donor countries.
G.K.
H.K.
11 November 2014, 14:07
01
This is good news, now let politically correct words aside, we Lebanese or the big majority of us don't want to see anymore refugees in our country, be they Syrian, or Palestinian or for that matter anything else. Now that the defacto lines in Syria have been drawn with blood on the sand between pro and anti regime, the Syrians here have the option a lot easier to chose, so let them go and let them stay. maybe many here don't know yet that the majority of Syrian in Lebanon are also heavily abusing of the refugee benefits accorded to them from all donor agencies at a time when a good proportion of the people of Lebanon are now tasting the bitter taste of poverty and deprivation. Just let all refugees in Lebanon and those dirty Lebanese politicians behind them come to terms with this proverb, "a hungry man is an angry man". Even worse, a hungry Lebanese certainly is not tolerant host either.
11 November 2014, 14:15
02
Hello Phoenix
I hope you're doing ok
I agree with your above comment but I feel that we are stuck with the Syrian refugees just like we got stuck with the Palestinians. I think this is a big plan that goes beyond our corrupt politicians albeit our leaders are certainly filling up their pockets from refugees funds.
Pity the nation
Pity the lebanese
11 November 2014, 14:43
00
Hi Coolmec, I am fine. You're right, we're stuck with the Syrians but I am one who believes in not the same way as the Palestinians, with the Palestinians their lands are originally seen as being small to divide between two states, but in Syria the land is huge. Our politicians are indeed the filthiest of the filthiest in the world and will sell their own moms and sisters for anything, and we all know their dirty games when it comes to the Syrians, but with the Syrians it's a different thing, unlike the Palestinians who are literally stuck by the iron will of Israel not to let them back, the Syrians are going in and out at will. Already their numbers are dropping and more to come as lines in Syria have been drawn. Then don't forget, in Lebanon they are now beginning to taste the reverse of our generosity and hospitality, so many now feel better to leave, wou raw7a bala raj3a for them all.
