Abou Faour: Lebanon Unable to Support Burden of Syrian Refugees
Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour stated that Lebanon is in need of $115 million to aid Syrian refugees who have poured into the country, reported As Safir newspaper on Saturday.
He told the newspaper: “Lebanon is unable to support the burden of assisting the Syrians.”
“The moral duty obligates the Lebanese state to harbor them, especially since the Syrians have long harbored the Lebanese” during times of need, said the minister.
He noted that the flow of refugees had diminished since Friday.
The majority of them have since settled in Beirut and the Mount Lebanon region, where they are staying in hotels or rented apartments.
Abou Faour remarked that some 1,500 Syrian refugees have remained in the Bekaa.
Up to 30,000 Syrians fled into Lebanon since Thursday, announced the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on Friday.
In Thursday's fighting, more than 300 people were killed, the majority of whom were civilians, making it the heaviest toll yet in 16 months of fighting, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday.
Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed to al-Joumhouria that the financial obligations to the refugees are among his main concerns and he is keen on providing them with the necessary aid.
“The financial situation will not act as an obstacle as we attempt to achieve our goal,” he stated.
“God willing, we will be able to handle the situation in the best circumstances possible,” remarked the premier.
Public schools are being prepared to harbor the Syrian refugees, who had been fleeing to Lebanon and other nearby countries to escape the Damascus regime crackdown against protests that started in March 2011.
almost 12 years
Geha I dont think they hate sunnis. I think they are afraid of sunnis. And it is not because of racism- We all are the same race. It is because they are afraid to end up in a great sunni umma. This is the greatest fear of minorities. All lebanese sunni have to do to alleviate their fears is to stop putting sunni palestinians and sunni syrians before non sunni lebanese.
almost 12 years
Perhaps, I say perhaps, my General Michel Aoun could use some of the Syrian money he got and, for once, put it to good use by helping the people it was intended to reach in the first place. Prime Minister Mi'ati should also consider this as they both get their cash money from the same source.
this cabinet should ask the UN for relief, although they did everything to alienate the international community ....
Unfortunately lately I discovered what is the common denominator between hizbushaitan and fpm: they both hate sunnis.
I know FT will insult me for this but it is clearly true (especially if we take into account aoun's latest comments).
hizbushaitan and fpm are racists, although they try to hide it, and accuse others of being racists.
what a bunch of hypocrits.
as for bassil: he is just an opprtunist, a thug, and a thief.