Human rights groups call on UN to urgently protect civilians and demand an immediate ceasefire
The bombardment of civilian homes and refugee shelters in Lebanon has created an escalating crisis with almost half a million displaced civilians searching for a safe place to shelter from Israel’s bombs. Among those fleeing their homes, are thousands of Syrian refugees who were already living in fear of violence and deportation back to Syria.
People are afraid that the attacks on residential areas and displacement shelters will continue but many are too afraid to travel by road due to the Israeli tactic of bombing civilians as they seek safety in other areas of the country.
More than 560 civilians have been killed by Israeli strikes so far since Monday according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. The Access Center for Human Rights documented the killing of 56 Syrian refugees, while an additional eight people remain missing.
Lebanon is home to 1.5 million Syrians, who endure deep poverty, xenophobia and marginalization. Many face the threat of violence, detention and torture if they go back to Syria, leaving them with nowhere to go in the face of Israel’s deadliest attacks on Lebanon in two decades.
Lubna Kanawati, Executive Director of Women Now said:
“Nearly one and a half million Syrians have fled to Lebanon to escape the horrors of war and the persecution of the security services. A large number of them cannot return to Syria for fear of their safety and security. Today, in light of the military escalation against Lebanon, these people have nowhere to go. Security is a right for all. We demand an immediate ceasefire to ensure the safety and security of all civilians throughout Lebanon, including Syrian and Palestinian refugees.”
Mohammad Hasan, the Executive Director of Access Center for Human Rights, a refugee-led group operating in Lebanon said:
“We are still waiting for the UNHCR and international agencies to respond to this catastrophe. Some informal shelters are opening in schools, but our concerns for Syrian refugees include whether they will be admitted to these shelters and the fact that some municipalities do not allow them to rent apartments.”
Issam Al-Younes, whose relatives were killed in the attacks on Lebanon this week said from Idlib, Syria:
“My cousin Abdullah Al-Yasin was killed alongside his wife and four children. Their neighbors, a Syrian family displaced from Balyoun, were also killed. I am heartbroken and in deep pain because I couldn’t say goodbye to them. They had fled from the Assad regime’s bombing only to die from bombardment there. Many of our relatives who are refugees in Lebanon are unable to return to Syria for fear of arrest. Our fears for their safety are immense.”
Rola Roukbi, the country manager of Women Now in Lebanon, a Syrian feminist organization said:
“The sensitivity of the Syrian situation in Lebanon and the different treatment of it in each region make Syrian refugees the most vulnerable group, especially women and children. In light of the displacement crisis we’re witnessing, which could be the largest in decades, we are trying to help by providing shelters for Syrians to avoid any escalation or discrimination against them.”
Latifa, a Syrian refugee in Lebanon and a member of Families For Freedom, a women-led movement that campaigns for justice and freedom for Syrian detainees, said:
“We are very afraid. We have nowhere to go and no financial savings. We are hosting three families at the local center and we have nothing to offer them. They need water, food, and shelter. There are no blankets, and the weather is freezing.
“Returning to Syria is not an option. Some who returned to Syria have been killed. I am wanted by the regime and would likely be arrested, tortured, and transferred from one detention branch to another. I would rather stay here and die.So many refugees here survived detention, but they cannot return to Syria, or they will be re-arrested and plunged back into the nightmare they escaped.”
Laila Kiki, the executive director of The Syria Campaign said:
“As the UN member states meet in New York, they must live up to their responsibility to protect civilians, including the most vulnerable communities, and put an end to Israel’s brutal attacks against human lives. An immediate ceasefire and protection of civilians must be a priority before further escalation leads to a worsening humanitarian catastrophe that will affect the whole region.”
For comments or interviews requests please email: [email protected]
ENDS