The

In Issue nº 6, December 2014 Joint news supplement 3 Syrians between March 8 and March 14: Humanitarian considerations have disappeared

Ayman Sharouf

The Lebanese government recently crowned its “massive” efforts toward displaced Syrians when it endorsed, after more than three years, a plan to confront the issue. The plan may be summed up as the closing of borders to any new displaced person, and finding a way to deport a good number of displaced people who are already in Lebanon. Lebanese political factions have certainly dealt with the issue of Syrian refugees with considerable stupidity and a great deal of politics, as each side has an eye on what is taking place in . There is the “axis of resistance,” and a camp that is opposed to it. Both have contributed to the failure to produce a humanitarian and/or realistic way to deal with the situation, one that leaves out the political calculations that prevented the establishment of refugee camps to provide the minimum of people’s basic daily needs. Displaced people have paid the price of this division and they are now paying the price of the government’s frivolous behavior, and its frivolous members. They are also paying the price of what is taking place on Lebanon’s borders as a result of Hezbollah’s military intervention alongside the Syrian regime, and the calculations of gunmen in the Qalamoun region of Syria. The battles in the Lebanese town of Arsal produced only a clamp-down on refugees, as they were held responsible for merely being Syrian nationals.

© Dar Al Mussawir

At first, some three years ago, there was talk that the Future for the establishment of refugee camps because it failed strip Syrians of their refugee status has become a way for Movement intended to support the establishment of camps to follow this up with any serious efforts or pressure to the Lebanese and their government to ignore their inability for the displaced. Then, MPs from Future promptly denied organize the conditions of refugees. Some members of this to deal with Syrians as people, and instead treat them as such a thing, in the media and elsewhere. In parallel, March political coalition prefer photo ops of their tours of refugee a bargaining chip in their game of numbers, geography 8 politicians were warning about the dangers of establishing areas to doing anything tangible that enables refugees to and demographics. These chips are held by each group camps, because they believed that they would be turned remain steadfast. The survival of these refugees is necessary making up the so-called Lebanese consensus, which has into safe zones and training areas for fighters who would if this political coalition wants to see the fall of the Assad led to a government that is supposed to be one of "national then return to fight alongside those they labelled, like the regime, to which it has been hostile since 2004-2005. interest." Syrian regime, as "terrorist groups." At the official level, the government – whether headed by Three years after the refugees began to arrive, the Lebanese During these three years, the Christian faction of March or Tammam Salam – hasn't expended much government, which represents nearly all of the political 8 – i.e. the – has tried to score effort when it comes to refugees. The political tendencies of factions, is encouraging the establishment of refugee political points with the Christian community at the each faction are present at meetings of the Cabinet, which camps inside Syria. This means that those who are fleeing expense of the refugees. The party brandishes the slogan ultimately produced a plan that is a failure, to say the least. from death and fighting on their land can find refuge in a "protecting minorities" and has demanded, since the first The authorities have become used to postponing work border camp that will be in the line of fire. This sums up the year of the refugee influx, that Lebanon's borders be closed, on important issues, until they are decided in haphazard country's indifference to humanitarian issues, which have and the refugees sent to camps inside Syria. The FPM then fashion. The authorities have been stalled for nearly three been subjected to the alleyways of their inability to agree outdid its ally Hezbollah and other groups in its orbit, by years, as Syrian refugees pay the price, while Lebanese pay on anything. inventing – in a constant bid for popularity – the lie of the price of their government's failure to treat an issue of If refugees read a statement by the Future bloc, for example, "permanent settlement of refugees." It falsely promoted the such importance. which has always said it supports them, and which salutes idea that a demand for establishing refugee camps was part Syrian refugees are fleeing from the ongoing cycle of the government for endorsing the "refugee plan," they will of such a strategy. It was joined in this effort by the Kataeb, death in Syria, only to discover that humanitarian issues realize that they are now alone. They will realize that the part of March 14, which said that it supported the right of in Lebanon are always subject to political whims and local racist rhetoric has spread to everyone. Politicians might self-determination for Syrians. considerations. Refugees have been subjected to Lebanon's even divide up the country’s air – now, or in the future, it Meanwhile, March 14 shirked its responsibility in calling political divisions, to the degree that the determination to really doesn’t matter.