Naharnet - Report: Hizbullah Rejects Setting Up Refugee Camps for Syrians Fleeing Turmoil, April 06, 2012

A senior Hizbullah official discussed with a representative from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) the conditions of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, according to As Safir newspaper published on Friday.

The report said that the two officials held a meeting two weeks ago to discuss ways to aid the Syrian refugees in the country.

The Hizbuallah official noted that only the cabinet has the right to take the necessary measures regarding this issue.

However, the international envoy said that Prime Minister Najib Miqati is hesitating to tackle the matter at the cabinet as Hizbullah ministers might reject it.

“Hizbullah has no objection on (aiding the Syrian refugees),” the official said.

The official noted that the party only rejects setting up refugee camps for the Syrian refugees.

Turkey has taken in some 17,000 refugees, Lebanon 16,000, Jordan about 8,500, with Iraq welcoming an unknown number, UNHCR said in a statement earlier in March.

Miqati told As Safir that his stance concerning the issue is clear as it’s a humanitarian cause that has nothing to do with politics.

Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour told the daily that Hizbullah’s stance is positive as the party is dealing with the Syrian refugees from a humanitarian side.

The cabinet failed during its session on Tuesday to approve a request from the social affairs ministry to allocate LL100 million to provide more humanitarian assistance to the Syrian refugees who have fled the deadly crackdown by the regime on protestors.

But the government approved to accept donations by foreign parties to the Human Rights Council to help the refugees.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/35909