Abdullah Abu Deif (Cairo, Beirut)
The phenomenon of illegal immigration has increased in Lebanon during the last year, and has turned into a phenomenon called “death boats” due to the death of dozens on the dangerous journey and sailing through choppy waves, and experts consider that the matter is inseparable from the internal reality.
The Lebanese political analyst, Rola Talj, attributed the increase in death boat accidents to the general state of despair prevailing in the country, which makes many people risk their lives instead of continuing a life without hope, so the accidents increased due to illegal immigration.
Rola Talj added to Al-Ittihad that there is an urgent need to restore hope again to the people in a way that makes them believe that hope exists, through true democracy and preventing the waste of resources, and stopping the possession and bureaucracy that exhausted Lebanon during the past years, in addition to the accumulated corruption and political tension. Which led to a state of collective frustration.
Talaj indicated that the growing phenomenon of illegal immigration affects the country in the long term, and international participation must be made in preventing this phenomenon, which affects Lebanon’s relationship with European countries.
For his part, Fadi Karam, a member of the Lebanese Parliament, said that illegal immigration is one of the most dangerous phenomena threatening societies, and that work to stop it begins with Parliament by tightening penalties for those who contribute to it or working on it.
The member of Parliament added that Lebanon needs to restore hope and cooperation among all to prevent death boats, which are considered one of the most dangerous phenomena and threaten the disintegration of society over time due to drowning incidents or illegal immigration, and the parliament and the executive bodies must work side by side to stop this matter.
In Lebanon, a political stalemate coincides with a continuous economic deterioration that has not spared a social segment or sector from its repercussions. The continuous deterioration in the value of the lira exacerbates the situation, as the exchange rate on Thursday exceeded the threshold of fifty thousand against the dollar on the black market, at a record level.
The authorities have so far failed to implement reforms required by the international community to provide support in order to stop the bleeding.
The European Union’s ambassador to Lebanon, Ralph Tarraf, said, “In the absence of a president, a government with full powers, and a legislated parliament, Lebanon’s ability to make decisions is paralyzed and it suffers economic losses,” adding, “The time has come to address these challenges.”
In light of the economic crisis, 1.29 million Lebanese residents and 700,000 Syrian refugees suffer from food insecurity, according to a report issued last Wednesday by the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Program and the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture.
“The devaluation of the currency, the lifting of subsidies and the rising cost of living prevent families from getting enough food and other basic needs every day,” a joint statement said. The report expected the situation to worsen in the coming months.
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