Wide criticism of Lebanon's efforts to forcibly return Syrian refugees to their country

The opposition Syrian National Coalition denounced the Lebanese government's efforts to deport Syrian refugees to regime-controlled areas, and several human rights and international organizations criticized these efforts, and expressed their deep concern about them.

The Syrian opposition coalition said in a statement, that the Lebanese government's response to any plan of forced deportation means that the Al-Tadamon neighborhood massacre may be repeated, "because the regime's repressive apparatus continues to arbitrarily arrest civilians in regime-controlled areas."

The coalition considered that Lebanon is indifferent to the safety of the refugees and the imminent danger they will be exposed to if they return, and wondered about the fate of those who "refused to live in those areas, if they were forced to return to them."

The statement called on the Lebanese government to stop any deportation plan, and to respect international laws that require the protection of refugees and grant them their rights, blaming the Lebanese government for any harm caused to these refugees.

Human rights and international criticism

For its part, Human Rights Watch said that any forcible return of Syrian refugees amounts to a violation of Lebanon's obligations not to forcibly return people to countries where they face a clear risk of torture or other persecution.

This came in a statement by the international human rights organization in response to the statements of the Lebanese Minister of Displaced Affairs, Issam Sharaf El-Din, that Lebanon will follow a plan to return 15,000 Syrian refugees to Syria, regardless of the position of the UNHCR.

"The worrying news, which would be a clear violation of Lebanon's international obligations, is taking place without the intervention of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees," Rights Watch said.

The UNHCR had opposed the forcible return to Syria, and said that the practice risked endangering the returning refugees, and the UNHCR denied being involved in negotiations between Beirut and Damascus on the return of refugees.

The UNHCR said in a statement, "It continues to call on the government of Lebanon to respect the fundamental right of all refugees to voluntary, safe and dignified return."

Lebanon hosts the second largest number of refugees per capita, and is currently home to more than a million Syrians who have fled the decade-old conflict in their country. Officials say the influx has cost Lebanon billions of dollars and exacerbated its dilapidated infrastructure problems.

The United Nations estimates that 90% of Syrian refugee families in Lebanon live in extreme poverty.