Esteemed Ministers and Members of Parliament,
Dear Friends,
I begin by extending my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Andrew Charlton MP, Federal Member for Parramatta, and The Hon. Alex Hawke MP, Federal Member for Mitchell, for hosting this event as Co-Chairs of the Parliamentary Friends of Lebanon. I am grateful for their dedication to bringing us together to discuss the critical issues facing Lebanon today. I also wish to express my gratitude to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, The Hon. Milton Dick, for graciously hosting us in the Speaker’s Courtyard later this evening.
I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Senator the Hon. Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, all the Members of Parliament present, and the members of the Maronite community who have travelled to Canberra for this event to discuss current challenges and issues facing Lebanon.
One of the most challenging issues is the influx of the displaced Syrians, which I will address in this paper. Other challenging and pressing issues will be addressed in this forum by other speakers.
On 24 June 2024, Dr Andrew Charlton stated: “Lebanon is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and the Lebanese diaspora has contributed much to Australia. But Lebanon now needs help as it struggles to cope with the burden of 1,500,000 Syrian refugees. He added, “We need to support the safe return of displaced Syrians to their homeland.”
We are in complete agreement with you, Dr Charlton.
Lebanon ranks first globally in the number of refugees, relative to its small size and population. It has long been a haven for those escaping political, racial, or religious oppression, poverty, and hunger. However, the ongoing Syrian displacement crisis is destabilising the Lebanese society and threatening the region’s stability.
Syrian displacement to Lebanon began in 2011 following the outbreak of war in Syria. In 2023, Lebanon’s General Security Directorate reported that the number of Syrian nationals in Lebanon has risen to approximately 2.08 million, while the resident population of Lebanese citizens has dropped to below four million. According to a recent televised report on MTV, 626,000 Lebanese have emigrated from the country between 2012 and the end 2023.
How can a country survive if one third of its population is not citizens?
In addition to the displaced Syrians, Lebanon is home to 270,000 Palestinians and 250,000 nationals from other Arab, African, and Asian countries working in various trades. This brings the total population to 6.5 million in an area of just 10,452 km².
- Syrian Displacement is Becoming an Existential Threat to Lebanon’s Identity and Future
The massive influx of refugees, displaced persons, and illegal migrants poses a grave threat to Lebanon’s identity and stability:
- It is threatening Lebanon’s diversity and demographic balance.
- It is creating immense psychological, economic, and social pressures.
- It is leading to insecurity, higher crime rates, and moral and familial challenges.
- It is driving job loss among many Lebanese, as the large number of displaced Syrians has pushed many locals out of the job market.
- It is exacerbating social tensions and fostering hostility between displaced Syrians and their Lebanese hosts.
Lebanon simply cannot support the additional demands on its land, nor can it provide the substantial infrastructure needed to meet the basic needs for housing, employment, healthcare, environmental services, education, and security—especially given the dire economic conditions already facing the Lebanese people (we will hear more about this situation from our next speaker). Even Lebanon’s national identity is increasingly threatened by this prolonged and overwhelming presence.
- The Legal Status of Syrians in Lebanon
The 2.08 million Syrian nationals in Lebanon fall into two categories:
- The 1.486 million Syrians who were unilaterally granted “refugee” status by the UNHCR, a status not recognised by Lebanon as it is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention. According to international legal terminology, these people should be classified as “displaced” rather than “refugees.”
- The approximately 594,000 Syrians residing legally in Lebanon for various reasons, such as workers, business owners, students, visitors, and spouses of Lebanese citizens.
- The Cost of Displacement
A World Bank study revealed that the direct cost of displaced Syrians to the Lebanese state is around $1 billion USD annually, with an additional indirect cost of up to $3.5 billion USD.
Economist Mahmoud Jabai confirms that Syrian displacement is a significant factor contributing to Lebanon’s growing financial and economic challenges. He estimates the following annual costs:
– $350 million: Annual energy consumption costs by refugees, who use 486 megawatts of electricity (excluding 2021-2022), according to UNDP figures.
– $800 million: Security and military costs to maintain order.
– $135 million: Water costs.
– $130 million: Transportation costs for diesel and petrol.
– $125 million: Education sector expenses.
– $75 million: Solid waste management costs.
– $50 million: Annual support for the healthcare sector.
– $335 million: Annual unpaid work permit fees, with only 2% of refugees paying these fees.
The cumulative impact of displacement since 2011 has been devastating. Lebanon’s annual displacement cost stands at $4.5 billion USD, with a staggering $53 billion USD paid over 12 years. This is largely due to the exhaustion of infrastructure and essential services. Lebanon is not at all able to survive if there is no help or no change to this situation. The Lebanese government has lost over $50 billion as international aid has been directed solely to NGOs, with no benefit to the government.
- Necessary Measures to Be Implemented in Lebanon to Prepare for the Safe Return of the Displaced Syrians
- Tasking the General Security Directorate with conducting a survey and registration of all Syrians residing in Lebanon.
- Revoking the “refugee” status granted by the UNHCR to displaced individuals on their lists who frequently cross the border back and forth to Syria, and implementing measures to prevent them from returning to Lebanon.
- Controlling and preventing illegal entry of Syrians, which requires significant investments in technology and equipment, and the deployment of army and security forces at border points.
- Deporting Syrians with criminal convictions.
- Subjecting Syrian nationals not listed with the UNHCR to Lebanese residency and labour laws, as well as commercial regulations and taxes.
- Proposals for the safe return of the displaced Syrians to their country
At the outset, I want to reaffirm our deep compassion for the Syrian people who have been displaced by war and we feel with those who were forced to flee their home and livelihood. We, the Lebanese, know very well the pain of being uprooted from our homes and lands. However, the international community must not attempt to resolve the Syrian crisis at the expense of Lebanon and its people. Here we have five proposals to share with you:
- Although the war in Syria has ended, the US, Europe, the West, and the United Nations continue to insist that the situation in Syria does not permit the return of the displaced. This stance is misguided, and we urge Australia to help clarify and reconsider this position, in order to allow the return of the Syrians to safe areas in Syria.
- It would be immensely helpful if Australia took the initiative to convene an international conference on the refugees in Middle East including: Armenians, Palestinians, Iraqis, Syrians, and Sudanese. One of the primary objectives would be to oversee the return of Syrians displaced in Lebanon to Syria under UN supervision, with guarantees from the Syrian regime that returnees will not be harmed.
- To prepare for the return of the displaced Syrians to their country, it is becoming an urgency for Lebanon to consolidate and merge the scattered informal camps into a few organised centres for the displaced. As Australians of Lebanese descent, we would take pride in the Australian government taking the initiative to establish the first such camp under the UNHCR’s mandate and under the supervision of Lebanese security authorities.
- There is also the urgent issue to stop and fully withhold UN aid to Syrians in Lebanon. The UNHCR currently provides financial support not only to the 800,000 registered refugees on its lists but also offers generous assistance that encourages refugees to remain in Lebanon.
Moreover, the UNHCR has been responding to new waves of unregistered displacement by giving each refugee $10 USD per day, equivalent to $300 USD per month, amounting to $270 million USD per month and benefiting around 900,000 unregistered refugees (source: World House of Lebanon). Given that the average monthly income in Syria is $30-$40 USD or even less, this $300 incentive drives many still in Syria to seek refuge in Lebanon. These funds should be redirected to support those returning to Syria, and not encouraging Syrians to flee to Lebanon for economic reasons.
- Resettlement is not an option, and Lebanon cannot accept it. I urge the Australian government to help communicate this issue to the international community and to ensure that the resolution of the Syrian crisis is addressed separately from the issue of the displacement of Syrians. Lebanon cannot wait for a change in the Syrian regime for repatriation to begin.
Finally, we must confront these challenges before Lebanon is reduced to a mere extension of Syria, subject to the same endemic unrest and instability. The Syrian displacement crisis, if left unaddressed, will inevitably jeopardise Lebanon’s future as a pluralistic society. It threatens to reshape its demographics, endangering its very identity as a democratic country.
Allow me to conclude with the powerful words of our Maronite Patriarch, His Beatitude and Eminence Mar Bechara Boutros Cardinal Rai: “The international community has distorted the Gospel of Justice and Human Rights by overwhelming Lebanon with the responsibility of protecting over two million displaced Syrians, a number that continues to grow daily. The international community sustains their livelihood, providing them essential food and clothing, which discourages these displaced to return to Syria. Meanwhile, the Lebanese people are being unjustly punished for their humanity and compassion.” (October 2023)
Dear friends, the gravity of this situation cannot be overstated. The international community must not abandon the Lebanese people, nor should it seek to resolve the Syrian crisis at the expense of Lebanon and its future.
(Data and financial figures sourced from The Maronite Centre for Documentation and Research, Lebanon)