Kouyoumjian Presents LF Initiative for Refugee Repatriation

The Lebanese Forces ministers on Saturday presented an initiative to Cabinet to repatriate displaced Syrians back to their homeland, which has become a pressing issue affecting Lebanon’s already ailing economy.

LF Minister of Social Affairs Richard Kouyoumjian detailed the initiative in a press conference, he said: “First, the Cabinet is the only place to tackle the repatriation of refugee file. Second, to activate the government decision No. 72 dated 23-5-2014, amended on 11-1-2017 to establish a ministerial committee to follow up the displacement of Syrians.”

He said the committee is to be headed by the Prime Minister and the membership of the Ministries of Health, Education, Finance, Foreign, Interior, Social Affairs, Economy, and the State Ministry for Refugee Affairs.

“We propose the addition of the Ministry of Labor because of its association with work permits and the organization of Syrian labor,” said the Minister.

“Third, to mandate said committee to discuss the return issue and find solutions, mechanisms and standards in coordination with the relevant international bodies, especially the United Nations in order to motivate the return by providing assistance within Syria, as well as coordination with major powers mainly Russia the guardian of the Russian initiative,” he added.

“In order to encourage the return, the government should ask the international community to put more pressure on the Syrian regime to demonstrate goodwill by abolishing mandatory military service and financial fines, revising the laws of proving ownership of real estate such as Law 42, and to make guarantees against arbitrary arrests,” he added.

Kouyoumjian noted that “as part of a national campaign to register the births of Syrians, the regime should be pressed into canceling fees required for the registration of births at the Syrian embassy and the recognition of birth certificates issued by the Lebanese authorities.”

"Fourth, since the return of the displaced will take place across the Lebanese-Syrian land border and since the channels of communication on return are already open with the Syrian side through Lebanon’s General Security, the latter is the eligible body to coordinate their return across the border. The Lebanese government will then cancel all fees to settle the residence conditions of Syrians returning home," the LF minister added.

“Fifth, the Ministry of Social Affairs has been mandated to coordinate the humanitarian assistance of the displaced with the relevant international bodies. The Ministry is prepared, according to the plan to be approved by the government, to ask the teams working on the plan to contribute and urge displaced people to return and to take the names of families wishing to do so," he noted.

“The Ministry of Social Affairs coordinates its work with the Ministry of Interior and with the municipalities and provides a special budget for the work of the Ministry to support the return of displaced persons," Kouyoumjian concluded.