Growing rivalry between Lebanese and Syrian refugees over welfare
Audio 01:08
Lebanese soldiers lead a convoy of Syrian refugees, who prepare to cross the border back to Syria, at the border town of Arsal, Lebanon, October 26, 2022. © Hussein Malla / AP
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2 mins
In Lebanon, the authorities plead for a gradual repatriation of Syrian refugees, considering that the country in crisis is no longer able to welcome them as it has done for more than ten years.
More than 1.5 million displaced people live in the country, according to Beirut.
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From our correspondent in Lebanon,
Laure Stephan
While the violent economic collapse underway in Lebanon opens the way to populist manipulation, it also increases rivalries between the poorest Lebanese and Syrian refugees.
A resident of Bebnine, in northern Lebanon, Layal sees relations deteriorating day by day between Lebanese and Syrian refugees.
At the heart of the problem: competition in access to social assistance.
“
Now there is friction.
My family, Lebanese, has no help.
Syrian refugees have all the services of the UN.
I have no social assistance!
And among our Lebanese neighbors, very few receive it.
The Syrians can count on monthly aid from the UN
,” she laments.
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Its amount is however limited, and the United Nations also claims to have supported tens of thousands of Lebanese families in recent months.
A Syrian refugee, Farès lives in a tent with his family, in difficult conditions.
He worries about the growing resentment towards his people with the crisis.
“
Some people think that we live better than them
”
“
Lebanese are unemployed.
We receive from the UN for the whole family less than 100
dollars a month.
But they, the Lebanese, what do they receive?
Some think that we live better than them.
People want to be able to live, whether they are Lebanese or Syrians.
I would like the Lebanese to also benefit from international aid, so that there is no friction.
I believe that a bigger, much bigger crisis than the one we are going through awaits us, because there is no money
, ”he regrets.
Since the beginning of the crisis in 2019 in the country, poverty has exploded among both Lebanese and Syrian refugees.
Lebanon is experiencing skyrocketing prices as fuel subsidies have been lifted.
80% of Lebanese now live below the poverty line, according to AFP.
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Lebanon
Economic crisis
Humanitarian
Syria
Refugees