A delegation from the "Strong Republic" bloc, representing the Lebanese Forces Party and its leader Samir Geagea, submitted a book to the regional office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Beirut, handed over to the UNHCR representative Ivo Fraisien. The delegation, which met with Fraisien and his aides for an hour, included MPs: Pierre Bou Assi, Fadi Karam, Razi Haj, Jihad Baqradouni, Saeed Asmar, Nazih Mattar, Eli Khoury, and Ghiyath Yzbek, along with the former minister and head of the party's foreign relations office, Richard Kiomjian.
According to a statement, the delegation explained to Fraisien the "Forces" stance on the issue of illegal Syrian presence in Lebanon, emphasizing that Lebanon is merely a transit country, not a country of asylum. The delegation requested through the book that the UNHCR cease "all practices that contradict the memorandum of understanding (mentioned in the book), especially those aimed at keeping Syrians who are illegally present in Lebanon in violation of the country’s laws."
After the meeting, MP Pierre Bou Assi stated: "We came today as the Strong Republic bloc, guided by the directives of the leader of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea, and met with the head of the UNHCR office. We did not only raise the issue of illegal Syrian presence in Lebanon, but we also highlighted a more serious issue: the fate of Lebanon and its future, and the existence of the Lebanese nation amidst the reality of this illegal displacement. We made it clear to them that we have been receiving your feedback since 2011 until today, over eleven years, and you said 'thank you,' and now it is time for us to say 'thank you,' as we take the fate of our country into our own hands through a solely Lebanese sovereign decision, not dictated by donors, UN organizations, displaced persons, or the Syrian regime, which is the cause of this entire crisis."
He confirmed that "the decision rests exclusively with the Lebanese people and their state." He added: "We have been warning against the same discourse for years. There is a tremendous deterioration in the economic, social, and infrastructure conditions in Lebanon, and the situation is unsustainable and slipping beyond everyone's control." He mentioned that they had visited Washington, the UN, Paris, Berlin, and Brussels to say that funding for Syrian refugees should be halted through international organizations or UN associations. He added: "We are prepared to move towards a mandatory halt in funding if necessary, as the safety and continuity of our people are our primary duties and represent the supreme national interest."
The text of the book is signed by all members of the bloc and reads as follows:
"To the esteemed regional office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Beirut:
We, the undersigned, Lebanese parliament members and members of the Strong Republic parliamentary bloc, present this letter for the following matters and purposes:
Whereas the Lebanese government issued on 30/10/2003 a decree numbered /11262/, published in the Official Gazette under number /52/ on 13/11/2003, which mandated the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the General Directorate of General Security and you regarding the treatment of applicants for asylum at the commission’s office in Lebanon, signed in Beirut on 9/9/2003.
It has been established that upon referring to this memorandum, it is evidently stated that "... Lebanon is not prepared to be a country of asylum, considering social, economic, and demographic considerations... thus it is not a country of asylum... Therefore, the term 'asylum seeker,' wherever it appears, refers to an asylum seeker to another country other than Lebanon..." (Introduction of the memorandum).
It is evident that the aforementioned memorandum included an agreement that the most appropriate solution for asylum seekers is either resettling them in a third country other than Lebanon or returning them to their original homeland, all within a specified timeframe.
It is also clear that your esteemed organization has disregarded its commitments, particularly concerning not adopting Lebanon as a country of asylum and not adhering to the deadlines specified in the memorandum.
Furthermore, the mentioned memorandum serves as an international treaty concluded by a decree following the Cabinet's approval based on Article 52 of the Lebanese Constitution on 30 October 2003, with the execution of its provisions being an obligation on the parties involved. Non-compliance with its provisions constitutes a violation of an international contractual obligation, necessitating the declaration of the responsibility of the party that failed to respect its contractual obligations, especially since the principle of good faith requires that the application of this memorandum be carried out without causing harm or injury to the other party. Notably, the principles of international law and the rule "contract is the law of the contracting parties" apply to this agreement. Thus, any violation of this memorandum constitutes a violation of the principle of legality, and any action contrary to the provisions of this memorandum is deemed entirely unlawful.
It is established that through your actions, which contradict the provisions of this memorandum, you are aiding refugees in integrating into Lebanese society and settling them in violation of constitutional provisions. This exposes you to accountability before the competent judiciary for breaching contractual obligations stemming from the memorandum, for violating the constitution, specifically paragraph "T" of its introduction, and for violating the United Nations Charter regarding respect for the sovereignty of the Lebanese state and interference in the internal affairs of states, particularly the decision of the Supreme Defense Council of Lebanon on 15 April 2019, which mandated the deportation of Syrian citizens entering Lebanon without passing through legal crossings, thereby enforcing Lebanese laws relating to the entry, residence, and exit of foreigners in Lebanon under the threat of liability and interference. This also infringes upon the principle of the right to self-determination of peoples and violates international human rights law regarding encouraging and promoting mass migration. Notably, these actions nullify immunities and allow for prosecution and accountability.
Furthermore, we would like to point out the possibility of requesting the Lebanese state to close your offices in Beirut, especially since there is no agreement regarding the headquarters, as is the case with other international organizations or legal branches of the UN.
Additionally, Lebanon can file a complaint against you with the United Nations General Assembly during its seventy-eighth session, particularly since the commission was established by a resolution issued by the UN General Assembly in 1950.
Therefore, based on the above, we submit this letter to you, demanding that you cease all previously mentioned practices, exemplified but not limited to those that you are engaged in, which expressly and blatantly contradict the previously mentioned memorandum of understanding, and requesting once again that you do not continue your efforts aimed at resettling asylum seekers from Syria who are illegally present in Lebanon in violation of Lebanese laws. We reserve the right to take any necessary measures of any kind against any party."
