Samya Kullab
Stricter entry requirements for Syrian nationals is “new territory” for Lebanon and will be followed up by re-evaluating the status of refugees registered with the UNHCR, a government source told The Daily Star. The lack of political consensus over establishing formal camps for Syrian refugees in Lebanon played a part in the Interior Ministry’s decision to enforce tighter measures regulating the entry of Syrian nationals, a source told The Daily Star. The policy was also reviewed by the ministerial committee managing the refugee file, but does not have Cabinet’s official approval, according to the source.
The measures were described as “new territory” for the government, and might be slightly modified after being “tested” at the borders.
The divisive measures, which went into effect Jan. 5, require Syrian nationals to acquire one of six entry permit types to cross into Lebanon.
The issue of formal camps has long divided Lebanese political factions. The Future Movement and Progressive Socialist Party are advocates of the idea, while the Free Patriotic Movement and Kataeb Party have consistently voiced vehement opposition. The stances of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, meanwhile, are ambiguous.
With formal camps out of the question, the attention of policymakers turned to managing the number of refugees inside Lebanon and establishing a threshold for these, which entailed categorizing and limiting incoming Syrians.
“One of the things that no one discusses or wants to talk about publicly is: what is the ceiling? If you are going to keep the door open at the borders, then what is the maximum [number of people you can allow entry]?” the source asked.
“The decision taken [by General Security] is saying somehow, though this isn’t being articulated directly, that we cannot absorb more refugees or Syrians – the least we can do is guarantee no deportations will take place,” the source said, referring to comments made publicly by Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk.
Lebanon hosts 1.2 registered refugees from Syria, as well as an additional 300,000 Syrian nationals considered refugees by the government. The deluge has overwhelmed Lebanon’s already feeble infrastructure and public services. “The Syrian crisis exposed Lebanon’s deficiencies,” the source said. “But also its strengths.”
The revised regulations apply to all Syrian nationals and not only refugee claimant-seekers because General Security has no way of distinguishing between humanitarian cases and economic migrants, given the historical relationship between Syria and Lebanon enshrined in the 1991 Treaty of Brotherhood, Cooperation and Coordination.
While entry permit requirements will better classify and manage Syrian visitors to Lebanon, the Social Affairs Ministry is in the midst of drafting a set of criteria to assess humanitarian cases. A preliminary draft suggests children, the elderly and those seeking urgent medical care will figure prominently, as will Syrians who are in consideration for resettlement to a third country.
In the event of renewed military operations in populous areas around the border – namely Damascus – there is a strong likelihood that the regulations will be relaxed once more, the source said.
The source said two clear policies would guide the Lebanese government in managing refugees in 2015: increasing development support to host communities through the crisis response plan launched in December, and deregistering or “auditing” refugees. “There is a general perception among political factions that the numbers registered with the UNHCR are inflated, that many are attempting to benefit from aid,” the source said.
“Once an exercise in auditing is complete, then we can really start implementing better policies, because negative perceptions around the [numbers] issue would be solved.”
Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdel-Karim has called the measures “totally unacceptable,” but clarified Thursday that Damascus was not looking to confront the government over them. He called on leaders to demonstrate “wisdom” in dealing with the matter.
“We leave it to the Lebanese government to make a correct judgment concerning the entry measures for Syrian nationals on the borders,” Ali said during an interview with OTV. “We do not want to escalate because that wouldn’t serve either country.”
The envoy also said that Speaker Nabih Berri had voiced his disapproval of the policy during a private meeting, quoting him as saying “there should not be entry permits or visas between Lebanon and Syria.”
“What is happening are mere organizational measures, and should be carried out in coordination between the two countries,” Berri reportedly told Ali during a meeting between the two.
Ali urged Lebanon to re-examine the policy as it had not been approved by the Cabinet, reiterating that Syria needed to coordinate with Lebanon to manage the refugee crisis.
The Interior Ministry source said the new measures did not contradict the 1991 treaty which governs relations between both countries as “it’s not complete border closure, it’s border management. We’re not putting obstacles in the way of movement, just supporting documentation.”
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