NGO: Lebanon Palestinians Face Region's Worst Conditions
The living conditions of Palestinians in Lebanon's camps are the worst in the region, an international NGO working in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon and Jordan said on Wednesday.
"The Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon are considered the worst of the region’s refugee camps in terms of poverty, health, education and living conditions," said the American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) in a report released on World Refugee Day.
ANERA cites discrimination, isolation, poverty, joblessness, poor housing and a lack of proper schools, clinics, hospitals and sewage systems as problems affecting Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
"Lebanon has the highest percentage of Palestinian refugees living in extreme poverty. Two out of three Palestinian refugees subsist on less than $6 a day," the report said.
More than 450,000 Palestinians are registered in Lebanon with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees, though the actual number is estimated at between 260,000 and 280,000, ANERA said.
Most Palestinians live in the country's 12 official refugee camps, in squalid conditions.
"Palestine refugees in Lebanon do not enjoy several basic human rights, for example, they do not have the right to work in as many as 20 professions," ANERA adds, noting that most refugees rely on U.N. assistance for survival.
ANERA's report was released days after three Palestinians were killed in three separate clashes with the Lebanese army -- two in Nahr al-Bared camp in north Lebanon, and one in Ain al-Helweh near the southern port city of Sidon.
"Palestinians in Lebanon are treated like a security problem, not as human beings with rights," a Nahr al-Bared camp resident told Agence France Presse.
"We thank Lebanon for hosting us through all these years, but I don't understand why we need to be deprived of all our rights," said 43-year-old Ziad Shtewi.
20 June 2012, 23:42
10
It's a crime to be a Palestinian in Lebanon and to make children.
21 June 2012, 07:06
00
Seriously Tony,
I'm not the biggest fan of FT's comments in general, but he seems to know his history. Regardless, there is one thing only that shouldn't be welcome in the "cedar land" as you call it - really sounds like an amusement park to be honest - and that thing is hatred. What kind of comment is that? "It's a crime for Shiite to have children"? You actually bother putting a capital letter to the sect's name, but refute their existence?
21 June 2012, 11:45
01
I´m loving that we live in 2012 and still can blame a whole people or a sect for what one party is doing.
It´s like me saying that all christian priests are pedofiles.
All muslims are terrorists.
Everyone named Tony is not Lebanese because its not a lebanese name.
If your name is Ziad then u are a muslim.
It´s called prejudices :-) and does not help Lebanon.
21 June 2012, 01:17
11
Very true! NGOs are nothing but loony lefties that wouldnt know a bee sting if they got one
21 June 2012, 07:06
01
People commenting on Naharnet are, I'm guessing, mainly ranged between students all the way up to professionals in their mid 30s, that being, the working or soon to be working majority of the country. It's very saddening to see some of the comments left on this website, there is no way the country can advance with this constant postwar sectarianism your parents unwillingly or willingly past on to you. You need to grow up and think of the country as one, Lebanon is way too small to be divided!
Grow up, and hope for a better future for our Nation, and leave your hatred at the gym or wherever you can release it without pointing guns at each others.
21 June 2012, 09:35
01
tonyfarris.We are the majority mate.so stop the hate.and watch your language,by the way your arguments are like a 3 year olds.so i will answer you like a 3 year old."Sticks and stones may brake my bones,but names will never hurt me". :)
21 June 2012, 09:36
01
Let us lebanese be able to help our self before we can tend to palestinians and syrians and who ever els?
21 June 2012, 11:41
01
Tonyfarris.
I really dont know why you are attacking FT in this post. He clearly did not insult the christians and clearly said something that is in line with "christian political thinking". In other words, getting out of the palestinian refeguees from Lebanon.
Isnt that what you want too?
Personally I think the best solution would be for this people to get visas to different parts of the world. Maybe 10-20 thousand can stay in Lebanon and get full rights. But the whole world should share and take responsibility for these poor people.
