Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati chaired a ministerial committee meeting at the Grand Serail dedicated to discussing the issue of Syrian refugees. Mikati affirmed that "there are gangs smuggling Syrians illegally into Lebanon via Bekaa or Akkar for substantial amounts of money, while the country can no longer bear the burdens of displacement."
At the end of the meeting, the Minister of Social Affairs in the caretaker government, Hector Hajjar, emphasized "the measures taken in implementation of the Higher Defense Council's decision dated 24/4/2019 by the army and all security agencies against violators among Syrian refugees, especially regarding those entering illegally and lacking official and legal documents."
Hajjar pointed out that they will "continue to monitor the voluntary return of Syrian refugees, while respecting the agreements and laws regarding the preservation of human rights, under the supervision of the relevant ministries and administrations, especially the Ministry of Social Affairs and the General Directorate of General Security," and requested the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to provide the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities with data on Syrian refugees within a week from this date, with the understanding that a person's status as a refugee will be revoked once they leave Lebanese territory.
Hajjar continued: "We ask the Ministry of Labor, in coordination with General Security, to be strict about employment in the permitted sectors," and affirmed the two Cabinet decisions: the first, Decision No. 38 dated 23/10/2014 concerning the policy paper on Syrian displacement to Lebanon, and the second, Decision No. 2 dated 14/7/2020 regarding the Ministry of Social Affairs presenting the general policy paper for the return of refugees."
Hajjar requested the security agencies to "intensify their pursuit of violators and prevent the entry of Syrians through illegal routes, while continuing to monitor the voluntary return of Syrian refugees, considering the agreements and laws concerning the preservation of human rights under the supervision of the relevant ministries and administrations."
The meeting was attended by: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Abdullah Bou Habib, Minister of Justice Henry Khoury, Minister of Social Affairs Hector Hajjar, Minister of Interior and Municipalities Bassam Mawlawi, Minister of Labor Mustafa Bayram, Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, Director General of Internal Security Forces Major General Imad Osman, Acting Director General of General Security Brigadier General Elias Bechara, Director General of the Presidency of the Republic Antoine Chuqair, Secretary General of the Council of Ministers Judge Mahmoud Makki, and Secretary General of the Higher Defense Council Major General Muhammad Mustafa.
Labor Minister Mustafa Bayram stated from the Grand Serail: "37,000 Syrians entered Syria during the Eid al-Fitr holiday and then returned to Lebanon after the holiday, negating their status as refugees."
