The head of the Syrian National Coalition’s Department of Refugee Affairs, Amal Sheikho, said that the recent statements by the Lebanese Foreign Minister, Gebran Bassil, has fuelled hatred and racism against Syrian refugees in Lebanon, pointing out that such statements will not solve Lebanon’s economic and social problems.
Sheikho warned that these racist statements risk further destabilizing Lebanon and the region. She said: “Such statements will only serve to fuel tensions and exasperation in Lebanese society, while creating an increasingly hostile environment on the verge of explosion.”
Sheikho expressed her concern for the fate of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees in the wake of these “unprecedented and racist statements.” She stressed that these statements risk undermining efforts to find a solution to the issue of Syrian refugees.
Moreover, Sheikho appealed to “the Lebanese forces with a conscience” to support Syrian refugees and to, “stand firmly against the campaigns targeting Syrian refugees who have been displaced by Hezbollah.”
Lebanese officials have recently launched a media campaign against Syrian refugees coinciding with attacks and violations against the Syrian refugees, such as arrest, the destruction and burning of camps and murder.
The Coalition said that these campaigns are aimed to force refugees to return to Syria under extremely risky conditions in violation of international resolutions for the protection of refugees.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
