The Syrian Opposition Coalition’s (SOC) Department of Refugees and IDPs Affairs held a virtual meeting with representatives of Homs Provincial Council in Lebanon to discuss with them the situation of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
The meeting brought together SOC’s President Nasr Al-Hariri, Vice-President, Ruba Habboush, and the Coordinator of the Department Adnan Rahmoun.
The meeting focused on the situation of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and the suffering they are facing in a number of sectors, especially the education and health sectors. They pointed out that prices of medicine and medical examinations have recently hiked, with Syrian refugees unable to afford, especially in light of the closure of most medical centers affiliated with humanitarian and UN organizations.
Representatives of the Homs Provincial Council stressed the importance of addressing the United Nations about the problems of distributing cash assistance to Syrian refugees, which is set at $27 for every person. They said that the Lebanese authorities disburse it at the central bank price of 3,900 Lebanese pounds to the dollar, while the real value in the black market exceeded 16,000 pounds, which weakened the refugees’ ability to secure their living needs.
They also talked about the restrictions imposed on them by the Lebanese authorities, such as the right to work, residence permit fees, the right to education, and the right to free movement. They stressed that these practices are part of the Lebanese government’s attempts to forcibly return refugees, adding that this government which is completely controlled by the terrorist Hezbollah militia.
They pointed out that the treatment of Syrian refugees in Lebanon is being dictated by the Assad regime and its Iranian allies in an attempt to force the refugees to return to Syria. (Source: SOC’s Media Department)
