Shaaban Bilal (Beirut, Cairo)
Yesterday, Lebanese General Security announced the start of preparations to launch a voluntary return convoy of Syrian nationals. The Public Security Information Affairs Office said in a press statement yesterday, reported by the National News Agency: “Within the framework of the voluntary return program for displaced Syrians who wish to return to their country, the General Directorate of Public Security announces the start of preparations to launch a voluntary return convoy at a date to be determined later.” ».
He added that requests from Syrian nationals wishing to return voluntarily to their country will be accepted at the regional public security centers spread across all Lebanese territories, starting today, Thursday. The number of displaced Syrians in Lebanon is about two million, and Lebanon demands the safe and dignified return of displaced Syrians to their country.
For his part, the Minister of Displaced Persons in the Lebanese caretaker government, Issam Sharaf al-Din, warned against suspending efforts for the gradual return of displaced Syrians in Lebanon, stressing that there are serious impacts on Lebanon as a result of the large numbers of Syrian refugees over the past years, who number 2.2 million people.
He explained in a special interview with Al-Ittihad that the Lebanese Ministry of Displaced Persons had developed a plan for the gradual return of displaced Syrians, which was well received by the Syrian side, which welcomed and prepared to implement the plan and prepared shelter centers to receive the first group, which includes 180,000 displaced people, as a first stage, and then 15,000 will be received every month. But this plan did not come into effect. Sharaf al-Din added that the Syrian side agreed to form a bilateral committee, but there is a problem in the lack of a Lebanese political decision to cooperate with the Syrian state to resolve this file, noting that the Lebanese government is using the refusal of donor countries as an excuse, which negatively affects the position of the UNHCR.
The Lebanese minister added that the UNHCR did not agree to form a tripartite committee to return the Syrians and confirm the state of stability and security in 90% of the Syrian areas ready to receive the displaced from Lebanon.
Sharaf El-Din referred to the statements of the Lebanese Minister of the Interior that the file of displaced Syrians threatens Lebanon’s demographics and identity. He stated that the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon exceeded 2.2 million people, which is the largest number of displaced people compared to the population in the world, stressing that this has major negative effects on the Lebanese economy. And the labor market, in addition to the outflow of large amounts of money in the form of monthly transfers from refugees to Syria.
The Lebanese minister added that security challenges complicate the situation further, as a result of the lack of a database for Syrian refugees, which poses a risk of the spread of crimes and violence.
The Lebanese minister concluded his statements by emphasizing the position of the Arab League in support of the voluntary return of displaced Syrians as part of the solution to the Syrian crisis, explaining that the problem is with the UNHCR, which is under pressure from donor countries and refuses to cooperate in resolving the crisis.
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