Lebanese citizens from the town of Bhanin attacked the ‘009 Dinah’ Camp in al Meniyeh area in north of Lebanon on December 26 over an earlier dispute with Syrian workers living in the camp. The Lebanese fired gunshots and started a fire in the camp which spread to all the tents there, resulting in the displacement of the camp’s residents who were already suffering as a result of poor living conditions, particularly the children, amid the severe cold and the spread of COVID-19.
This incident is the latest of many violations committed against Syrian refugees in Lebanon where SNHR has emphasized in several reports the importance of stopping racist abuse against refugees, which leads to similar practices for which dozens of innocent refugees have already paid, with many refugees in the country also forced to return to Syria where they are exposed to arbitrary arrests and conscription.
SNHR condemns all attacks which target refugees and calls on the Lebanese government to bear responsibility for protecting them in its territory, and to conduct investigations and reveal their findings to the public in cooperation with the High Commissioner for Refugees. There is no possibility of any safe voluntary return by refugees in light of the survival of the current Syrian regime, as well as its security services and their brutal practices. The process of political transition must be accelerated towards the creation of a truly democratic system in Syria to achieve security and justice and ensure stability, which will allow for the return of the displaced, and the revival of the economy.
