The European Union brazenly voted to keep the displaced in Lebanon

The Ministry of Displaced Persons, under the auspices and presence of Minister Essam Sharaf al-Din, organized a workshop entitled “Convoys of Safe Voluntary Return to Syria,” in the Jbeil Municipality building, in the presence of the Director General of the Ministry, Ahmed Mahmoud, a member of the Political Council of the “Free Patriotic Movement,” Marwan Melhama, representing MP Simon Abi. Ramia, Head of the Jbeil Center in Public Security, Lieutenant Colonel Tony Khoury, representing the Acting Director General, Major General Ibrahim Al-Bisari, the Acting Mayor of Jbeil, Nathalie Maree Al-Khoury, Edgar Al-Hajj, representing the President of the Union of Municipalities of the Jbeil District, Fadi Martinos, the Mayor of Jbeil, Wissam Zaarour, and a number of mayors, the President of the Mukhtari League. The judiciary, Michel Gebran, and a number of mukhtars, the general diocesan vicar, Monsignor Charbel Antoun, representing the pastor of the Maronite Diocese of Jbeil, Bishop Michel Aoun, Sheikh Muhammad Haidar, representing the Mufti of Jbeil and Keserwan, Sheikh Abdel Amir Shams al-Din, Sheikh Ahmed Laqis, representing the Imam of the Jbeil Mosque, Sheikh Ghassan Laqis, head of the Division. Mount Lebanon in National Security in the General Directorate of Public Security, Lieutenant Colonel Rami Romanos, responsible for the file of displaced Syrians in the Ministry of Displaced Persons, Hussein Othman, Counselor Linda Boulos Al-Makari, and those interested.

After the national anthem, Zaarour delivered a speech in which he welcomed Minister Sharaf al-Din to the city of Jbeil, noting that “the displaced Syrians have become an integral part of the municipalities’ problems, with what these municipalities are suffering these days at all levels.” He praised “the efforts made by the District Commissioner Khoury in her management of the dissolved municipalities in the district,” and stressed that “the municipalities of Jbeil are implementing the circulars issued by the Minister of Interior and Municipalities in this regard, and the issue is no longer limited only to statistics, but rather there is a security, economic, demographic, tourism, and environmental burden.”

He pointed out that “a meeting was held at the beginning of this week at the invitation of a member of the Strong Republic Bloc, Representative Ziad Al-Hawat, with a number of mayors, followed by a meeting with the district mayors and another meeting called for by the Free Patriotic Movement, and the issue of Syrian displacement was discussed in depth.” He said: “Give us an implementation mechanism and we are ready to implement it. The most important thing is to know how we should act when anyone who does not have identification papers is caught and has sneaked into Lebanon.”

Sharaf al-Din

In his speech, Sharaf al-Din stressed that “municipalities are the primary reference in controlling the presence and organization of displaced Syrians until they are completely deported,” considering that “the massive Syrian displacement, despite all its negatives and repercussions, has a very important advantage, which is the national, popular, political, parliamentary, and religious consensus, one of the highest references.” “On the danger of the presence of this huge number of displaced people, with its economic, educational, health, environmental and security repercussions.” He said: “There are three categories of the Syrian presence: first, workers, craftsmen, and owners of institutions. Secondly, those displaced fleeing the civil war and those displaced for economic reasons, and this category constitutes the largest percentage. Third, opposition political refugees and arms bearers.”

He added: “The solutions, according to the categories, are as follows: First, the category of workers and craftsmen. Organizing their presence, according to the official decisions, is entrusted to the Ministries of Interior and Labor in terms of obtaining residency and work permits. As for the greatest burden, it is assigned to the work of the municipalities in terms of forms and housing certificates for the displaced people living in the villages. Follow-up. Secondly, the category of displaced people fleeing war and those displaced for economic reasons, they constitute the largest number, as the Ministry of Displaced Persons’ plan is applied to them and relies on a gradual, programmed deportation of 15,000 displaced people per month, which means that if we started two years ago with the addition of 180,000 to the first cohort, the total would be 540,000 to date. This plan was approved by the Ministry of Local Administration concerned with the displacement file in Syria, so that we completed a paper of understanding to which the Syrian side committed and the Lebanese government approved it, but unfortunately the political decision was not taken to implement it.”

He continued: “Thirdly, opposition political refugees and arms bearers have three options: benefiting from the presidential pardon and returning to Syria, deportation to a third country in accordance with international norms and agreements and the High Commissioner’s agreement with Lebanon dated 9/9/2003, or this is the solution that pressures the obstructionists, namely the countries.” The donor, America, Western Europe, and the UNHCR, are not committed to international norms and treaties regarding receiving Syrian refugees, as there are 600,000 asylum requests to a third country, of which only 10,000 requests were accepted.”

He said: “There are 750 million people in Europe who could not bear a million displaced Syrians and insist on keeping them in Lebanon. In all shamelessness, the European Union countries voted to keep the displaced in Lebanon, refused to form a tripartite committee, did not agree to pay aid on Syrian lands, and do not want to contribute to the reconstruction of Syria.” “.

Sharaf al-Din held the government “responsible for its delay in the issue of the return of displaced Syrians,” attributing the reason for this to “pressure exerted by the United Nations and donor countries that force the UNHCR to take positions that are not helpful to return.” He pointed out that “the UNHCR did not accept, under pressure from these countries, the formation of a tripartite committee between itself, Lebanon and Syria, whose goal was the return of displaced Syrians to their country.”

He suggested “widely opening the sea ports.” He said: “Here I am talking about the ships that carry the displaced to Europe after preparing them to arrive safely and securely, in order to put pressure on the European countries that impose their guardianship on us in this file. Sea trips are based on an international document and a moral document, and they must bear the consequences of asylum and bear the responsibility of contributing to the reconstruction of Syria.” “.

He pointed out that “the Ministry of Displaced Persons’ procession with the government today after wasting two years, as the Ministry of Displacement was reassigned as a result of popular, parliamentary and political pressure on the government to reactivate the file of the displaced,” pointing out that “regulations have been prepared for those wishing to return and handed over to the Director General of Lebanese General Security, including To the Syrian National Security, awaiting verification of the names and informing us of the result, hoping to receive the answer soon.”

In conclusion, Al-Makari gave a detailed presentation of the return project, the facilities and the work mechanism, and the attendees provided interventions and inquiries.