The Kataëb, the FL and a deputy from the Amal movement criticize the text approved on Wednesday by the European Parliament.
Of all the sixteen points of the resolution voted on Wednesday by the European Parliament on Lebanon, which cover many aspects of the current situation, from the political crisis to the double explosion at the port of Beirut, it is the thirteenth paragraph, which mentions the presence of Syrian refugees, which has caused much ink to flow since the vote. The majority of Lebanese political actors who reacted to this part of the text criticized this paragraph and the fact that, according to them, it encourages Syrian refugees to stay in Lebanon.
The targeted part of the text does not explicitly call for keeping Syrian refugees in Lebanon but it believes that “the conditions required for a voluntary and dignified return of refugees are not present”. A position in line with the point of view observed by the international community for years. The text also asks Lebanon “in the event of action on migration, to refrain from expelling, imposing discriminatory measures and inciting hatred against Syrian refugees”.
Council of Ministers
As of Wednesday, the outgoing Minister of Social Affairs, Hector Hajjar, a fervent supporter of the return of refugees to Syria, criticized in a tweet “the massive vote of the European Parliament for a resolution which supports the maintenance of Syrian refugees in Lebanon“. According to the Minister, this resolution “is not surprising”. “This is only a materialization of the clear positions of Josep Borrell (the head of European diplomacy) at the Brussels conference” on aid to Syria, he added. “What is surprising, however, is the silence of Lebanese officials on Borrell’s positions and on the decision of the European Parliament. Is this silence the result of servility, complicity or for the preservation of interests?!”, asked Hector Hajjar again.
The outgoing Minister for Displaced Persons, Issam Charafeddine, announced Thursday on the al-Jadeed channel that he had requested the holding of an emergency Council of Ministers, “to respond to this arbitrary decision” of the European Parliament. “They behave as if Lebanon were a European colony, which we totally refuse,” he said. Mr Charafeddine reaffirmed that Syria was moreover “in agreement” with the Lebanese desire to repatriate Syrian refugees.
“Pressure on the Syrian regime”
For its part, the Kataeb party “strongly condemned article 13 (of the resolution) concerning Syrian refugees, which failed to put in place a roadmap necessary for their return to their country, which is essential for the stability of Lebanon”. “The Kataeb have expressed their views on the presence of more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon at all their international meetings. We have also called for the international community to exert pressure on Bashar’s regime el-Assad to ensure the social and political conditions necessary for their return,” the Kataeb continued in a statement.
The same goes for the Lebanese Forces, who believe in a press release that “article 13 of the resolution, which refers to Syrian refugees, is contrary to what the Lebanese want and to what we have asked our friends and European partners concerning the return of refugees and the fact that they must be supported once they have returned to their country”. The FLs have also called for the transfer of refugees to third countries “in Europe or in the Arab world”. “Lebanon can no longer bear the weight of refugees (…) Most Syrian regions are stable and secure. Voluntary and dignified return is now possible, whether for supporters of the regime or opponents”, continues the text.
The head of the parliamentary committee for foreign affairs and the diaspora, Fady Alamé (Amal), for his part said he was “surprised” by the content of the European resolution on Syrian refugees “which goes against the Constitution and Lebanese laws, as well as against the right of refugees to return home”. He considered that the text “openly contradicts Lebanese sovereignty”. “The Lebanese and Syrian governments as well as the Arab League should have been contacted in order to reach a solution to this file through a secure and voluntary return of the displaced persons”, underlined Mr. Alamé in a press release, while claiming to refuse “all xenophobic speech”.
This article is originally published on lorientlejour.com
