Romy Haber
Syrian refugees are individuals who have been forced to leave behind their homes, their families, and their dreams in search of safety and security. They have witnessed unimaginable atrocities, from bombings and chemical attacks to torture and executions. It is our duty as human beings to lend a hand. But while fraternity is an essential component of our response to the refugee crisis, it is important to recognize that it cannot blind us to the political realities that underpin this crisis. Large numbers of refugees can have a profound impact on the demographics of host countries and can spark political and social tensions that are not easily resolved. Therefore, it is vital to recognize that the Syrian refugee crisis is not simply a humanitarian issue, but also a political one, driven by a complex web of factors.
Given the prolonged duration of this crisis spanning over a decade, it is unsurprising that tensions have risen and many voices have been raised in an effort to make sense of the situation. The media and various platforms have been buzzing with intense discussions and arguments, as people grapple with the enormity of the crisis and try to determine the best course of action moving forward.
An important part missing from the conversation on the refugee crisis in Lebanon is the 29 long years of Syrian occupation. The Lebanese people were subject to the brutal and oppressive regime of the Syrian occupiers. Assassinations, theft, harassment, and violence were just a few of the horrors that were part and parcel of daily life during this dark and tumultuous era. But even after the Syrian occupation ended in 2005, the Lebanese people could not catch a break. In 2011, a new wave of Syrians entered the country as refugees, bringing with them an increase in crime, sexual violence, and theft, acerbating the trauma that the Lebanese people did not have the time or resources to heal from. To understand the immense burden placed upon the Lebanese people, we can think of certain hypothetical scenarios like Armenians being forced to host Azerbaijani refugees that will make up half of their population. Or if the French had to contend with millions of Germans moving to their country only a few short years after the end of World War II.
Hosting 2 million refugees from the country that occupied you for decades is not easy. Moreover, it has been extremely costly on different levels. According to the estimates of the Ministry of Finance for the period between 2011 and 2018, the refugee crisis has cost the Lebanese economy around $46.5 billion, compared to international aid that did not exceed $8.7 billion. Refugees also benefited from the scarce state-supported services and subsidies, such as energy sources like electricity, fuel, and water, medical services such as hospitalization and medicine, and food items such as bread and others. The consumption of Syrian refugees in energy resulted in an additional expense for the state of up to $1 billion annually, and subsidized bread constituted an additional expense of around $3 billion. Lebanese nationals also lost many job opportunities, as many refugees practice competing and illegal economic activity without contributing to paying taxes. The security consequences of Syrian refugees include a rise in theft and crime rates, with 85% of crimes committed by Syrians, and 40% of detainees in various security agencies being Syrians. There’s also a rise in illicit activities, including drugs, smuggling, and human trafficking. In short, Poverty and misery are rampant in Lebanon, with a myriad of threats and challenges, 2 million refugees are an additional burden that Lebanon can no longer carry.
But despite all their sacrifices, the Lebanese are demonized by all sides for putting themselves first. International organizations, “the benevolent saviors of the world” who think they are morally superior to the rest of us, send aid to refugees and throw their money around like confetti on lavish conferences to show off their virtue signaling. They think by doing so they have the right to impose their policies on Lebanon. Meanwhile, Lebanese are left to pay the real price. The mission of these organizations is to make sure refugees don't starve or freeze in camps, but that's about it. They don’t work on finding long-term solutions that would actually help these people. Their work is to keep them in survival mode here. And let's not forget their hired guns, those elite members of our society who are happy to do their talking for them. These "locals" are more than happy to blame Lebanon's supposed "racism" for all the suffering of the Syrian refugees. It is never about the price Lebanon is paying.
And despite Lebanon’s hospitality for decades, Lebanese were met with bitter ingratitude and campaigns from supporters of the Syrian opposition, smearing them with the brush of racism. Such campaigns are based on rare instances of violence against them. However, if the Lebanese were to voice their grievances over the crimes and violence perpetrated against them by Syrians, they would be swiftly labeled as racists and dismissed from any legitimate platform for discourse. Some members of the Syrian opposition have even gone so far as to call for their compatriots to arm themselves, casting a long shadow of concern over their presence as a potential security threat. History bears witness to the fact that in a country like Lebanon, with the tragic precedent of Palestinian refugees turned into Fedayeen and terrorists, the threat of such a ticking bomb cannot be ignored. Unfortunately, transnational terrorism and Islamism are not foreign to Lebanon.
Reading the comments of these anti-Assad crowd on social media, one would think they forgot about Assad and his cronies, the Russian military presence in Syria, the Gulf countries normalizing with Assad, and many of their countrymen who turned into terrorists and hijacked their revolution - it's the Lebanese people who are the real villains here for not wanting to sacrifice their country for them.
And the actor that cannot be overlooked in this crisis is the Assad regime. The regime has been detaining many of those who return to Syria, sending a clear message to the rest who might consider returning: stay in Lebanon or face the consequences. It is enjoying the burden that Lebanon bears on its behalf. But the regime's strategy goes even deeper than that. By keeping the refugee crisis alive and well, the regime has created a potent weapon that it can use to destabilize Lebanon at will. Assad can use refugees to sow chaos and potentially another occupation. And who knows what other nefarious plans the regime has in store for Lebanon, given its long-standing dream of a Greater Syria that includes Lebanon as just another province. This is not paranoia, the history of Lebanon and the middle east proves these are not unreasonable fears.
The Lebanese mosaic is extremely fragile, 2 million Syrians staying in Lebanon can be game-changers and we have to expect and be ready for the worst scenarios. Genocides are not the only way to exterminate a community. Different roads lead to demographic change, and we need to make sure we don’t take one of them now before it is too late. The world does not see Lebanon as the vulnerable small country trying to survive it is, but rather a punching bag that should sacrifice itself for others. But we as Lebanese have the duty to make sure we put Lebanon first and ignore the empty accusations of racism. Destroying Lebanon to satisfy foreign demands is treason. Lebanon has already done more than its fair share. We're not racist, we're just fed up.
Deportations can start with the 37,000 Syrians who went to Syria during the Eid al-Fitr holiday period, then returned to Lebanon after the end of the holidays. In addition to the Syrians who voted for the Assad regime in the last elections. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) recently expressed its readiness to receive Syrian refugees forcibly deported by Lebanese authorities. International organizations can fund their camps there.
To sum up, the Assad regime perceives refugees as a burden, too impoverished to be taxed. But in Lebanon, they’re a ticking bomb, it can use for future negotiations or violence. On the other hand, the international community and organizations turn a blind eye to the suffering of Lebanon, sacrificing it at the altar of political expediency. They hope to keep the problem at arm's length from their own borders. Therefore, we cannot expect them to solve the crisis. The solution has to be Lebanese. We have reached a stage where putting Lebanon first is not about empty nationalism but about survival.