Arab News
“The Syrian refugees here are so afraid of the growing hatred against them in Lebanon,” said Abu Mohammad, who is in charge of the Syrian refugees’ camp in the Lebanese town of Arsal, near the border with Syria.
However, Abu Mohammad, who majored in petroleum engineering and now receives $100 for working at the camp, confirmed “the willingness of the refugees to maintain good relations with the Lebanese as they have embraced the displaced Syrians when they fled the war in their country.”
He noted that “after the Lebanese army stormed the camps in Arsal, we raised Lebanese flags, and still do as we fear infiltrators planning to sow sedition with the Lebanese people.”
A video filmed by four young men beating up a Syrian refugee in the eastern Bourj Hammoud suburb of Beirut, unveiled a Lebanese racist attitude which emerged after Syrian activists invited people via social media to rally in downtown Beirut to protest against the death of four Syrians during their arrest by the Lebanese army.
The invitation prompted the alignment of the Lebanese people with the army and the burst of violent verbal campaigns against activists and supporters of the protest.
Meanwhile, the Future Movement, headed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri, warned against “suspicious infiltrators seeking to exploit the issue of the Syrian refugees to deliberately cause suspicious clashes with the Lebanese society and its legitimate institutions.”
Mohammad, a refugee from Idlib working as a street flower vendor, said that he started to hear offensive expressions while roaming Beirut streets. “One says leave our country because you caused harm to it, while others say that we, Syrians, are Daesh members.” He added: “They do not know that we ran away from Daesh who occupied our Syrian towns and now we cannot go back. I live with my family in Beirut and such offensive talk keeps me from going out at night.”
Najwa, a Lebanese worker, was shocked when she saw the video on social media featuring the beating up of a Syrian refugee. She said that she lives in Sin-el-Fil, which has a Christian majority, and many Syrian refugees are living in the area. She spoke of the edgy and nervous attitude of old men loyal to the Lebanese army toward the Syrian refugees. Nonetheless, she pointed out that the area has never “witnessed any clash between the residents and the refugees, although they have been living there for six years now.”
Samer, a young Syrian man, who was born in Lebanon and lives here, speaks the Lebanese dialect and few people know he is Syrian. He said criticism against refugees is louder now, adding: “They say ‘go back to your country, we are fed up with you,’ but still, no clashes have happened as Syrians know they are refugees and they do not have many options to resort to.”
In Baalbek-Hermel province, four towns decided to apply a curfew on refugees between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. Baalbek-Hermel Governor Bashir Khodr said that this is a preventive measure to ensure the safety of the refugees because the number of security men in the region is not sufficient to cover all towns and villages. Such a decision was previously taken when Daesh suicide bombers blew themselves up and killed a number of citizens in the town. Many have died and the anger and rage of the people was absorbed by such measures.”
State Minister for Refugees Affairs Mouin Merhebi warned in Geneva days ago, of the escalating tension between Syrian refugees and the Lebanese people.
When asked by Arab News about the events that took place after his statement, he said: “We cannot keep up with this status quo; it is true, I did not receive any complaints from any refugee being subjected to racist abuse and in fact, the majority says that they stand alongside the Lebanese army who are protecting them; however, what is really happening is a deliberate escalation of tension for political reasons, and some just want to exploit it to gain the support of the people through mobilization; now it has turned into a racist abuse issue after it had sectarian objectives.”
He added: “Armed Forces Commander General Joseph Aoun did well in investigating the death of the four refugees and we should wait and see the measures taken if violations were proven.” He pointed to the efforts deployed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri to thoroughly pursue the issue.
He said: “The security forces arrested the four young men who beat up the Syrian refugee and the taken measures against them contained the harsh feelings by both the refugees and the Lebanese people.”
Minister Merhebi stressed that the Syrian refugees want to go back to their country as soon as possible, but they want a safe return. “We also want a safe return for the Syrians to maintain the unity and sovereignty of Syria,” he added.
He unveiled measures taken by Lebanon to provide the refugees with birth, marriage and other necessary certificates to prepare for their return. “Until then, the refugees are human beings and we should take care of them.”