MIDEAST-CRISIS/LEBANON REFUGEES UNHCR Lebanon should clarify Syrian refugee status under new entry rules -UN

Record ID: 274714

  • Title: MIDEAST-CRISIS/LEBANON REFUGEES UNHCR Lebanon should clarify Syrian refugee status under new entry rules -UN
  • Date: 6th January 2015
  • Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (JANUARY 6, 2015) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES, ANTONIO GUTERRES, ARRIVING FOR MEETING OFFICIALS (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES, ANTONIO GUTERRES, SAYING: "We are concerned with these measures but I think these measures should make the international
  • Embargoed: 21st January 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA5MPKN80QQ7BZ0HVUP8T8851ZY
  • Story Text: The UN's High Commissioner for Refugees voiced concern on Tuesday (January 6) over new immigration controls enforced by the Lebanese government in a move to stem the stream of Syrian refugees.
    Lebanon, whose population is less than five million, hosts more than a million Syrian refugees and has the highest per capita concentration of refugees in the world.
    Beirut enforced new immigration controls at the Syrian border on Monday (January 5) in a move to gain control over the numbers people fleeing from its much larger neighbour.
    Speaking in the Turkish capital of Ankara, Antonio Guterress urged the international community to extend further support to countries hosting Syrian refugees.
    "We are concerned with these measures but I think these measures should make the international community enhance in a very meaningful way the support to host countries including Lebanon to help them cope with this enormous challenge," Guterres said.
    Guterres expressed his sympathy for the plight of the refugees, saying: "I feel really extremely sad when I see a Syrian family that has probably already seen their house being destroyed, probably have lost some of their members having to put themselves in the hands of smugglers and traffickers that profit enormously and horribly violate their human rights," he said.
    The Lebanese government started restricting refugees late last year. Syrians will now have to apply for one of six types of entry permit - tourist, business, student, transit, medical or short stay. Each requires specific documentation, such as hotel bookings and $1,000 for tourists or an invitation from a Lebanese company for business people.
    "We have been asking not only the countries of region but all countries in the world to have their borders open to Syrian refugees and ask for enhanced programs of burdensharing with the host countries of the region namely through resettlement, humanitarian admission programs but also more flexible visa policies," Guterres added.
    The United Nations refugee agency UNHCR also called on the government to clarify the role of refugees under the new legislation.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register