Derbas: Ministry to Conduct Full Survey to Assess Presence of Syrian Refugees

Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas said that the Lebanese must not develop enmity towards the Syrian refugees, and assured that the Ministry will conduct a full survey of the displaced in Lebanon, An Nahar daily reported on Friday.

“We must not fall into the trap of developing hostility towards the refugees. I support their deportation if we have the means. The issue is linked to a political solution and safe zones (in Syria)” Derbas had warned.

He revealed to the daily that “the Ministry kicked off a United Nations funded program to carry out a full survey of the Syrian presence in Lebanon to see exactly who is a refugee and who is not.”

On reports that the UN aid for the municipalities in Lebanon is linked to the number of refugees in the its scope, Derbas denied and said: “International aid for host countries continues and our role is to only set the destination of this aid for the UN to deliver.”

On whether the international organizations are seeking to make the municipal council bear the burden of refugees in preparation for their naturalization, the Minister said: “The Lebanese government was clear to explain that a local integration is not an option in these circumstances. The best solution is that the Syrian refugees go back to their homeland when the conditions permit.”

Lebanon is home to more than one million registered Syrian refugees -- equal to about a quarter of the country's 4.5 million people. It's the highest refugee population in the world per capita.

Lebanon says that another half a million Syrians live in the country as well, unregistered, and officials say their presence has generated a severe burden that Lebanon can no longer handle alone.

More than four million refugees have fled Syria for the relative safety of the neighboring countries, according to the U.N. Millions more have been internally displaced.