Displaced Syrians in Lebanon

Alyman, who is not even a month old, was not born amid the usual joy that surrounds the family at the birth of a new baby. His mother was pregnant with him when she fled Syria, walking all the way to Lebanon in the rugged mountains to escape the bombing of her town Tal-el-Kalkh and join her husband who is wanted by the Syrian authorities, after he resigned from the Baath Party and participated in the demonstrations against the regime.

The family now lives in a room at an abandoned school in Mashta al-Hassan that is providing lodging to 18 families in 16 rooms.

Mustapha Halloum, another displaced Syrian, said that he was wanted by the Syrian Intelligence service, because he participated in the demonstrations against the regime, and because he had resigned from the Baath Party where he was an active member.

According to United Nations agency for Refugees the number of displaced Syrians rose to 3,580 in September. Most of them came unorganized from Tal-el-Kalkh, Arida, al-Heit and al-Qassir and not through the Qimar bridge crossing which impedes their movements and makes them legally accountable before Lebanese authorities.

The displaced Syrians are living in their relatives’ homes or in abandoned schools, like al-Ibra school in Mashta al-Hassan, amid shortage of food and water. Charity associations are providing daily limited nutritional support for the Syrian families, and the UNHCR is offering a monthly 75kg ration of food consisting of beans and canned food but the families consider that not to be enough.

The living conditions are not the sole concern of the displaced. With the school year starting soon, 700 Syrian kids' fate remains uncertain, since they are waiting for the approval of the Ministries of Education and Social Affairs to register them in Lebanese schools as a part of the support plans in which UNHCR is contributing in order to cover registration fees, provide books and stationery.

Original reporter:
Nisrine Hatoum, Al Arabiya

Adaptation by Sarah Sfeir