March 14: We Will Seek International Groups to Force Govt. to Respect Refugee Rights

The March 14 General Secretariat condemned on Wednesday the ongoing security instability in Lebanon as demonstrated in the latest kidnapping of Syrian citizens in Lebanon, the most recent of which was the abduction of a Syrian national at the Rafik Hariri International Airport.

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “We hold the Lebanese state and concerned security authorities responsible for this issue, warning that these forces are directly linked to the Syrian regime and are providing them with security favors.”

“We will immediately resort to international rights groups in order to force the Lebanese state to respect agreements on harboring refugees,” it revealed.

Furthermore, it condemned the government’s decision to prevent the Higher Relief Council from providing medical treatment to Syrian refugees who have fled to Lebanon to escape the Syrian regime’s crackdown against anti-regime protests.

“The government decision has violated refugees’ natural and human rights and all other laws,” said the March 14 statement.

“It has exposed them to the most severe humanitarian dangers, which is something we cannot remain silent over, especially in light of the developments the Syrians are enduring in their own country,” it stated.

It therefore demanded that Minister of Social Affairs Wael Abu Faour assume his responsibilities in this matter and provide the refugees with all of their humanitarian needs.

It also called on humanitarian groups to take the initiative and fill the void caused by the government and aid the refugees.

In addition, the March 14 General Secretariat condemned the security authorities’ imposing of a “suspicious” media ban in the Wadi Khaled area bordering Syria, vowing to overcome it through directly communicating with the residents of the region.

On Tuesday, residents near the Abboudieh border crossing with Syria blocked the international road leading to Syria in response to the government’s decision to prevent the Higher Relief Council from aiding the refugees.

They threatened to escalate their action if the government does not retract its decision and bind the Council to cover the expenses of injured Syrians.