A crisis within a crisis: Syrians fearful as Lebanon steps up deportations • FRANCE 24 English

foreign [Music] most of the shopkeepers are syrians refugees who have settled here with their families since fleeing the war in their country almost 10 years ago local authorities estimate their number to be between 15 000 and 20 000 a figure that worries yes mean this store is also run by Assyrian this retiree has been living in the northern suburbs of Beirut for 45 years today she's having lunch with her neighbor Ruba the issue of refugees is at the heart of their discussions and welcome the government help us it's the Authority's fault they don't fulfill their duty to regulate Our Lives rent the economy everything may God forgive them nothing escapes him what about security some syrians assaulted my friend and stole her handbag they should all leave all of them my uh I heard for saying on television one dead person could not save another we're already dead it's unacceptable even the refugees regularize her situation nothing will improve according to the unhcr nearly 900 000 syrians are registered as refugees a figure far from the reality as many do not have valid residence permits this is the case for the Khalid and her daughter malach all your papers in order no no why you've been living here for a long time I entered Lebanon illegally I'm undocumented these two refugees live in constant fear of being deported in recent weeks military raids near their neighborhood have multiplied I want them to stop insulting us humiliating us and threatening us with deportation I hope to regularize my situation so I can move freely without having to endure these hostile behaviors I have no country I have no home I have nothing left it's very difficult I think about it every day and every time I cry I can't do anything about it what can I do with the normal the presence of 2 million syrians most of them refugees according to the authorities has disrupted the job market in a crisis-ridden country they represent a skilled Workforce that costs much less but that's not all Bashir runs a construction company we meet him at one of his construction sites in the southeast of Beirut here 100 of the employees are syrians they accept tasks that many Lebanese consider menial or degrading we used to hire Indian and Pakistani workers they went back to their countries though today the majority of my employees are syrians Lebanese people don't like working in construction they choose other fields and different professions some of them even demand higher salaries Ismail joined the shoes company in 2014 that year he was forced to Fleer akka his hometown and the self-proclaimed capital of the Islamic State in Syria how are you all employees need to fill out a residence form I have to submit these documents to the municipality in two days everything needs to be in order the situation in Syria prevents me from returning for now Lebanon has become my second Homeland I have completely settled here the concerns of the Lebanese people are legitimate they have welcomed best for all these years we're very grateful to them especially considering the difficult period they're going through if the majority of senior refugees have settled in the major coastal cities others have chosen to live in the mountains and fight run a village in Mount Lebanon their number reaches around 700 people which is one third of the population this was revealed by a census conducted by the local Administration in early May situation undocumented migrants for those without a legal status here or with papers that are not in order we will forward their data to the authorities who will take the necessary measures when possible the issue of Syrian refugees in Lebanon is quite complex complex while some refugees refused to leave Lebanon others are still awaiting U.N assistance to be resettled elsewhere George is one of them once a week he preached the gospel in the open air George Advocates with the same fervor for the resettlement of his countrymen some countries are willing to welcome Syrian refugees because they have a need for labor others do not want them the unhcr should reactivate its Refugee resettlement program to Europe and the United States as Lebanon is a small country that hosts far too many refugees anyone can enter Lebanon illegally this phenomenon is exacerbated by the lack of political will from the government to seal off illegal Crossing points every day dozens of vehicles carrying Syrian refugees across the border in both directions

Channel: FRANCE 24 English

Views: 4,581

Keywords: Lebanon, Refugees, Syria, corruption, deportations, employment, immigration, war

Id: mgjNTFDMo3c

Length: 5min 50sec (350 seconds)

Published: Mon May 29 2023