Syrian refugees in Lebanon are increasingly concerned about the repercussions of the devastating war which broke out on 23 September when Israel expanded its conflict with Hezbollah into a major ground and air campaign that has engulfed much of the country.
The current war arrives on top of the already shattered economic and political situation in Lebanon — as well as ongoing security risks in Syria; circumstances which have prompted many to flee once more, this time opting to attempt using irregular routes to reach Europe.
Syrian refugees attempting to flee Lebanon for Europe will be risking their lives, with most forced to resort to intermediaries and human smuggling networks to arrange their passage to Europe via the Mediterranean.
Unpredictable weather and dilapidated, unsafe boats mean those making this journey are at high risk of drowning. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), since 2014, 30,614 migrants have gone missing in the Mediterranean.
“We live in constant fear. The war in Syria destroyed our lives, and now, after fleeing to Lebanon, we are living the same experience”
‘Two infernos’
Since fleeing Syria, Salim Shaib is a Syrian refugee who settled in the Lebanese Beqaa region.
“Those of us here are stuck between two infernos — either the war raging in Lebanon or the risks of getting arrested by the Syrian regime if we return country,” he tells The New Arab:
There is also the risk of being conscripted into one of the militias in Syria for any refugee who returns.Â
“There is no safe place for us. We don’t want to be a part of any conflict, and as we don’t have options, escaping to Europe has become the only solution left.”
Salim made his decision to leave Lebanon recently despite having pondered it for a while, due to the worsening situation for Syrians in Lebanon and with the community facing deepening poverty and a lack of work opportunities.
Added to this, he said was the “deplorable racism” Syrians had faced in Lebanon.
“However, I’d been scared of the risks of [seeking] asylum – but then came the war and decided the matter.”
‘Where else do we go?’
Leila Othman is a Syrian refugee from Damascus who settled in a camp in south Lebanon. She says: “We live in constant fear. The war in Syria destroyed our lives, and now, after fleeing to Lebanon, we are living the same experience.”
She laments that “it is not easy for us to flee again, but I don’t think we have another choice, other than searching for a safer and more stable place. Europe seems distant and dangerous, but where else do we go?”
Othman adds that she can’t put the lives of her five children in more danger, and she doesn’t want to lose her family or her life, so she will look for any opportunity for a less risky escape, whether via the sea route or another way.
“Refugees are considered among the most vulnerable groups to these forms of violations due to their weak legal status and lack of resources”
She says she is considering travelling via sea to Turkey and overland to Europe, where she has relatives. For her, hope now lies in a better future for her children in Europe, where there are more opportunities for a decent life, as well as legal protections, jobs, and education.
However, Syrians fleeing Lebanon for Europe face many challenges. For instance, in recent years many European states have tightened their border security measures, and are detaining migrants who do not arrive via legal routes, with some spending months in detention centres.
Another danger for those seeking to migrate using irregular routes is falling victim to abuse — such as sexual exploitation or extortion — by human traffickers. Refugees are considered among the most vulnerable groups to these forms of violations due to their weak legal status and lack of resources.
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It is not only Israel’s current brutal war on Lebanon which has pushed scores of Syrians to plunge into the risks and unknowns of fleeing for a second time; there is a host of other factors, most prominent, the collapse of the economy.
Over the last five years, the country has witnessed extreme economic deterioration, with unemployment and poverty ballooning as a result.
Syrian refugees, in particular, have struggled from the resultant lack of job opportunities, as well as poor access to medical and educational services: according to the UN, 90 percent of Syrian refugees in Lebanon are living under the poverty line – making emigration the natural answer to many of them.
Refugees in Lebanon also suffer from discriminatory policies in the job market and are subject to tight restrictions around their freedom of movement. In recent years, basic fears for their physical safety have grown due to the unstable political situation and worsening security conditions – many refugees are also scared of forcible deportation back to Syria.
“Smuggling will flourish in these circumstances, and we may see a new humanitarian crisis at the doors of Europe”
Lebanon cannot cope
Political activist Tariq Al-Hallaq said Syrian refugees in Lebanon were living in an extremely fragile situation, with the escalating war between Israel and Hezbollah compounding the dangers they were in.
“Lebanon will be incapable of providing protection or support to these refugees if the situation escalates further, which is also increasing the sense of fear among refugees and pushing them to search for a safer refuge in Europe,” he says.
For this reason, Hallaq thinks an increase in illegal migration will be a direct result of the conflict, especially as most Syrian refugees in Lebanon don’t have official papers or legal support in Lebanon, which will force them to take irregular routes.
“Smuggling will flourish in these circumstances, and we may see a new humanitarian crisis at the doors of Europe,” he adds.
Omran Al-Hajj a relief activist, said though attempts are underway to provide emergency assistance and improve the living conditions in the camps, the war had contributed to a big flow of refugees fleeing for Europe, especially as options to relocate internally are absent.
Psychosocial therapist Ruba Yousefi highlighted the severe health and psychological risks linked to irregular migration — the journeys are long; food and water are lacking, and there is the constant fear of arrest and deportation. This causes intense psychological pressure on refugees, especially children and women, she says.
She also pointed out that what is happening reflects the growing impact of the Lebanese crisis on the region, and Europe, Â in the light of the continued absence of a political solution to the Syrian crisis as well as the intensifying economic crisis in Lebanon.
This makes it likely this type of exodus will continue, further straining relations between Lebanon and Europe.
Yousefi called for international action to support the refugees and for real solutions to be proposed to avoid a new humanitarian catastrophe.
One of these would be supporting the communities hosting refugees, in addition to offering international assistance to Lebanon, and pushing towards a political settlement in Syria which would allow the safe and dignified return of Syrian refugees to their homeland.
Hadia Al Mansour is a freelance journalist from Syria who has written for Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Monitor, SyriaUntold, and Rising for Freedom Magazine
Article translated from Arabic by Rose Chacko
