Report: Ibrahim Convinced Lebanon Will 'Inevitably' Be Forced to Set up Syrian Refugee Camps
General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim believes that Lebanon will be eventually be forced to establish camps for the Syrian refugees in the country, reported An Nahar daily.
Political sources revealed that the Lebanon will “inevitably” be made to take such a decision, despite the opposition of Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil and other political powers.
The minister had warned on Friday that the camps may become entities independent of the state, similar to Palestinian refugee camps.
He had also cautioned that establishing camps may pave the way to the naturalization of the refugees, which violates the constitution.
Ibrahim stressed however that the camps, should they be set up, will fall under the security forces' “strict and complete” control.
The political sources told the daily that international law stipulates that refugee camps should be set up 30 kilometers inside the territories of the host country in order to ensure that the displaced are completely protected.
They added however that the concerned international powers and agencies are leaning towards decreasing the aid dedicated to Lebanon aimed at helping the refugees and directing it to Iraqi refugees fleeing a militant insurgency in their country.
Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas stated that the Syrian refugee file will be discussed at a cabinet session scheduled for next week.
He predicted that further measures will be taken in this issue, such as facilitating the return of refugees to their country should they choose to.
Lebanon currently hosts 1.1 million refugees, the highest number at 38 percent of Syrian refugees fleeing the war-torn country for other countries in the region.
The United Nations says the country needs $1.6 billion (1.2 billion euros) for 2014 to be able to cope with the refugee crisis, but that only 23 percent of this has been gathered.
According to Central Bank of Lebanon statistics, the country faces a financial burden of $4.5 billion because of the refugee crisis.
In May, the Lebanese authorities took a decision to ban Syrian refugees from heading to their country or lose their status.
M.T.
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