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The Parliament’s Committee for Foreign and Expatriate Affairs has denounced the European Parliament’s resolution that called on Lebanon to refrain from deporting war-displaced Syrians, claiming that conditions are not suitable for their return.
Following a meeting in parliament on Thursday, the Committee’s president, MP Fadi Alame, said the group was “deeply surprised by the European Parliament’s resolution on the refugees, which unfortunately contradicts national rules and the principles of international law.”
Reading from a statement, Alame said, “The resolution challenged the very preface of the Lebanese constitution, which utterly forbids any form of resettlement.”
The Committee noted that the international community, especially European countries, has been ignoring the importance of returning the refugees to their homes. It also accused international organizations and foreign NGOs of trying to merge refugees into local communities in violation of Lebanese laws.
“We call on the Directorate of General Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Social Affairs to follow up on this alarming issue firmly and closely,” the statement said.
It added that Lebanon “will work seriously in cooperation with the Arab League of Nations, international organizations, concerned countries, and Syria to achieve the voluntary and safe repatriation of the refugees within a legal and humanitarian framework.”
The Committee recommended the repatriation of the refugees on the grounds that “the security situation in Syria has improved, war has stopped, and conditions are suitable for their safe return.”
It also stressed the need to implement Lebanese laws with regard to organizing the presence of Syrian labor, revoking refugee status from those entering Syria, setting comprehensive records of Syrian births on Lebanese territory, and tightening border control to prevent illegal crossings and trafficking.
The Committee then called on the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to offer incentives to the refugees to return home, and on donor countries to compensate Lebanon for the losses it sustained by hosting them for over a decade.
The European Parliament’s Resolution, issued on July 12, has called on the Lebanese authorities to refrain from deportation, discriminatory measures, and incitement of hatred against Syrian refugees, claiming that conditions are not yet suitable for their voluntary and dignified return to Syria.
