A public and political debate is developing in Lebanon over the naturalisation of Syrian refugees – and the threat that might pose to Syrian society.
But the warnings of some politicians have been dismissed by others, who have called the debate a fear-mongering attempt at political gain.
The debate began when, on a recent visit to Lebanon, UN General Secretary Ban Ki Moon made a speech about the importance of accepting refugees. The words prompted Foreign Secretary Jebran Bassil to suggest there were parties in Lebanon that wished to naturalise Syrian refugees “in order to gain a sectarian upper hand in elections”, with corresponding dangers, he said, to national security.
At present, there’s little evidence that Syrian refugees are likely to be naturalised in Lebanon, and many other politicians, including Walid Jumblatt, have urged calm. Commentators have suggested, too, that the debate is based on fear-mongering for political gain rather than real fears.
But that hasn’t stopped Twitter users in Lebanon getting involved in the debate, and expressing fears over how changes in the demographics of Lebanon could affect the country.
قلت لبان كي مون : ... أي توطين سيكون عامل تقسيم وتفتيت، لا يحتمله لبنان.
— بنت أمل (@MimaHassan16) 4 April 2016
الرئيس #نبيه_بري
I said to Ban Ki Moon: Any naturalization will cause division and fragmentation… Lebanon can’t handle that.
Others have criticised the debate, pointing out that the most vulnerable and at risk are those who have been forced to flee.
وزير خارجية لبنان يصرح بأن توطين اللاجئين خطر قومي والداخلية تعلن اكتشاف أكبر شبكة للاتجار باللاجئين جنسيا .. الخطر منكم وليس عليكم
— شؤون استراتيجية (@Strateeeegy) 1 April 2016
The exterior minister of Lebanon declared that the resettlement of refugees is a great internal threat – and announced the discovery of the biggest network of refugee sex trafficking. The dangerous is FROM you not to you.
More than 1.5 million Syrian refugees currently live in Lebanon, constituting nearly a quarter of the country’s 4.5 million population.
