The Syrian Refugee crisis is the largest in the world, spanning over a decade-long conflict. It is estimated that 5.5 million refugees still live outside Syria[1]. Lebanon has remained the largest of the refugee camps for these asylum seekers for years until recently; Lebanon has started sending back refugees because of Economic Strain in the nation post-COVID-19 outbreak. This article will focus on understanding the various problems faced by the Syrian Refugees in Lebanon.
Background
The Syrian Refugee crisis began with the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011, caused by the government and public conflict[2]. This has escalated into a full-blown civil war, with almost 14 million Syrians displaced internally and externally. Lebanon hosts the most refugees’ per capita income than any other country, including Syrian and Palestinian refugees. Almost 1 million refugees from Syria are registered under the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and many hundred thousand remain unregistered from Syria. Almost 90% of these refugees live in utter poverty without access to essential resources and education[3].
This conflict triggered the most significant humanitarian crisis since the conclusion of World War II, only surpassed in scale by Yemen’s conflict in 2018. Millions of refugees sought refuge in countries such as Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, and various European nations, fundamentally reshaping the political landscape in these regions. Living in Lebanon has not essentially been safe and peaceful from Syria for these refugees either. They continue to face various problems, and recently, with the COVID-19 outbreak and economic crisis in Lebanon, the refugees continue to pay a more significant price.
Understanding the Struggles
The challenges and problems these refugees face can be mapped into various categories. They can be political, social, economic, and security-related. The list is endless, and categorizing them into various groups will foster a better understanding of the various nuances of the issue.
- Political Issues
The refugees in Lebanon are essentially asked to return to Syria as Lebanon is facing an economic crisis. The Russia-Ukraine war has also affected the situation in the country as it disrupted the supply of essential food to Lebanon, leaving many refugees unfed and in poverty. The bakeries are said even to ration our bread, which is the typical diet of the poorest in the nation. The decreasing wheat reserve and increasing oil prices put people in a difficult spot. There is also a growing resentment towards the refugees, and anti-refugee sentiments are spreading around the nation as it is at a meltdown[4].
The media, as well as the ordinary people, have started to blame the refugees as the reason for the collapse of the country. This has gained public opinion, leading to the fact that the country has slowly started to send refugees back to Syria. In a report by Human Rights Watch, the returned refugees face grave abuse at the hands of the government and military. The report cited examples of forced disappearances, torture, and abuse faced by the refugees who returned to the country.
- Economic
These refugees in Lebanon do not have access to amenities for survival nor proper education or jobs that allow them to earn money. The high unemployment rate in Lebanon has pushed many refugees into seeking informal or illegal employment to survive, and the COVID scenario has been worse off for the citizens of Lebanon itself and even worse for the refugees. Lebanon needs to be economically well enough to help its citizens, which has put the issues of healthcare, housing, etc of the refugees in trouble[5]. There is also a limit on the cash withdrawal and lower exchange rate of the Lebanese lira. The country is on the verge of a political and economic collapse.
Many prominent political figures had voiced to the public the large number of refugee population from Syria and its effect on their social and economic lives, and this started political incitement against the refugees. From a wider angle, political experts claim that the leaders of Lebanon are being very tactical in their moves by leveraging the refugees to gain more funding from International Organizations[6].
- Social
The community is ostracized by the natives as the narratives against the Syrian Refugees have been influential in Lebanon in recent years. The post-COVID scenario has led to the deportation of many Syrian refugees back to their homes as the government cannot look after the growing population. Reports say that out of every ten births, six belong to Syrian refugees.
At present, over 47 percent of the Syrian refugees in the area are below 18, and more than a third of this demographic lacks the opportunity to receive an education. Within Syria, over two million children are not attending school, and 1.6 million are in danger of discontinuing their education. Many of these children end up doing child labour in Lebanon, and there has been a sharp increase in cases during the pandemic[7].
No proper organization administers the number of refugees or anything related to them; this comes from the need for more response and accountability from the Lebanese government. They had left all the work to the United Nations and have not taken any responsibility yet. The underlying concern for many International Organizations is the poor living conditions of these refugees, as 90% of them live below the poverty line, and the government limits their access to formal sector jobs[8].
Responses and Reactions
While many International Organizations have gone onto the field and tried helping these people, the issues still pertain. Even decades later, there needs to be an adequate mechanism to address the problems faced by these refugees. Lack of unaccountability and inaction from the United Nations and Lebanese government have contributed to the ongoing crisis in the nation. Officials working on this issue explain that the Lebanese banks use the money sent as an aid for refugees to sort out the economic crisis. On top of this, the Lebanese government has been deporting these refugees and taking more money in their name under the false promise of helping them.
World Food Programme had to suspend its relief because of a lack of funding. This is a shocking incident on humanitarian grounds due to the lack of sensitivity to the issue. With at least 95% of Syria’s refugees currently being hosted by the five central host nations, the absence of global assistance has had terrible results, making it extremely difficult for them to cope. Due to the harsh limitations on refugee entrance enforced by Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan, many people detained in Syria have a significant risk of being abused by government troops, the Islamic State of Syria (IS), and other militant organizations.
Not many countries have come forward regarding relief and rehabilitation for these refugees. Amnesty officials explained how a few people have received resettlement in other nations. Most refugees are internally displaced within Syria as there is minimal scope to escape to countries that can provide them with the bare minimum. Countries like Lebanon are on the verge of collapse because of internal issues, and the influx of refugees will worsen the issue. With the recent Israel-Palestine crisis, the situation is going to be worse.
Lack of sensitivity and unaccountability over the Syrian Refugee crisis has put the lives of millions of people in misery. Millions of children remain uneducated and cannot access proper food and water. Feminists theorize that the worst affected in a war are often women and children, and the Syrian Refugee crisis is another example of this[9].
[1] Team, E. (2023, March 23). Syria Refugee Crisis Explained. USA for UNHCR. https://www.unrefugees.org/news/syria-refugee-crisis-explained/
[2] Team, E. Syria Situation. UNHCR, Global Focus. https://reporting.unhcr.org/operational/situations/syria-situation
[3] Team, E. (2023, March 23). Syria Refugee Crisis Explained. USA for UNHCR. https://www.unrefugees.org/news/syria-refugee-crisis-explained/
[4] Karam, P. (2013, August 8). The Plight and Politics of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon. Arab Center Washington DC. https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/the-plight-and-politics-of-syrian-refugees-in-lebanon/#:~:text=The%20majority%20of%20Syrian%20refugees,sanitation%2C%20health%2C%20and%20education.
[5] ibid
[6] Dhingra , R. (2023, May 2). Syrian refugees face a grim future without international policy shifts. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/syrian-refugees-face-a-grim-future-without-international-policy-shifts/
[7] Team, E. (2021, October 20). Syria: Returning Refugees Face Grave Abuse. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/10/20/syria-returning-refugees-face-grave-abuse
[8] Yasin, I. (2023, October 3). The Syrian Refugee Crisis in Lebanon: Between Political Incitement and International Law. Arab Center Washington DC. https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/the-syrian-refugee-crisis-in-lebanon-between-political-incitement-and-international-law/
[9] Team, E. (2014, December 5). The world’s pitiful response to Syria’s refugee crisis. Amnesty International. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2014/12/world-s-pitiful-response-syria-s-refugee-crisis/
