Kouyoumjian: Govt. Doesn’t Seek Crackdown on Syrian Refugees

Social Affairs Minister Richard Kouyoumjian on Saturday said there is not following a “systematic policy to tighten measures against displaced Syrians, but we are working on a plan to ensure their repatriation,” the National News Agency reported.

He said that all political counterparts agreed on the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland, but the return is linked to several reassuring policies that the Syrian government should do.

His remarks came at a meeting with a delegation of refugees rights defenders.

The Minister said the "Syrian government must undertake measures ensuring that refugees are not blackmailed, ensuring their freedom and security, and facilitating their access to land ownership documents and birth registration.”

Kouyoumjian noted: “The Ministry of Social Affairs coordinates with UNHCR and various ministries, as well as agencies and organizations concerned with the refugee file, in addition to implementing support and cooperation programs with the Lebanese civil society active in this field.

“Lebanon is the first country in the world in terms of the number of refugees compared to the number of its citizens,” he added.

"We cannot ignore the concern of the Lebanese, especially since one third of the residents of Lebanon are Palestinian and Syrian refugees, especially that Lebanon is suffering from the fragility of infrastructure in Lebanon, poor services and the deteriorating economic situation, in addition to the sensitivity of the Lebanese composition," he went on.

"There is no policy to renounce the rights of refugees or try to ignore any violations, violence or discrimination against them," he concluded.