Published : 01-02-2018
The Palestinian families displaced from Syria to the Lebanese Beqaa are living a harsh life. The families are facing the extremely cold weather in between the barren mountains. Some of them are threatened to die from the cold at any moment, especially with the heavy rainfalls that make them subjected to flooding and the gathering of rain water in their tents. This comes amid the high costs of living, the lack of financial sources, the shortage of job opportunities and the increase in housing rents, thus aggravating their suffering.
Mahmoud, a refugee from the Sabinah camp in the suburbs of Damascus, was forced to light old clothes on fire for heating. He said that he spends the summer gathering the clothes from containers and charities to place them in the heater, “to secure heating for himself and his five children.” He added that he also uses old shoes and everything available, to burn for heating.
Farid, a refugee displaced from Yarmouk camp, found in the burning of baby towels a new way to save money, adding that the price of a baby towel is much cheaper than the price of mazut fuel which he cannot afford. Farid continues: “The burning has a disgusting smell, but we have gotten used to it.”
On his part, Samer from Deraa camp said: “The amount of firewood that is available and used for heating is very little,” noting that: “The families use anything that can be burnt, in order to provide heating.”
Bahaa, who was displaced from Yarmouk camp to the Beqaa, complains of the lack of relief and winter aids provided by the charitable associations and UNRWA, calling on the Palestinian factions and authority in Lebanon to take responsibility towards the Palestinian-Syrian refugees who have been displaced to Lebanon.
Hamd from the Sayeda Zeinab camp, criticized the resolvement of the popular committees which used to take care of the Palestinian-Syrian refugees’ affairs, accusing the Palestinian factions of abandoning the Palestinian-Syrian refugees and leaving that to face their tragic fate alone.
On the reality of the Palestinian-Syrians in the Beqaa, a relief activist says: “The conditions of the refugees are getting worse and their suffering is aggravating as winter approaches, especially with the low temperatures which go down to below zero.”
He indicated that the refugee families in the area are in desperate need of fuel, especially mazut which costs $9 per 20 litres. The average family requires 10 litres of mazut per day, because of the extremely cold weather.
On their part, the Palestinian-Syrian families appealed through many messages received by the Action Group, for their tragedy to be highlighted, in order to transfer their suffering to the decision-makers, the concerned parties, especially UNRWA, as well as the PLO and the Palestinian factions in Lebanon and the relief charities and organizations.
The statistics show that the number of Palestinian families that have been displaced from Syria to the Lebanese Beqaa is 950 families, while UNRWA’s data reveals that the number of Palestinian-Syrians in Lebanon has reached 31 thousand.
The Palestinian families displaced from Syria to the Lebanese Beqaa are living a harsh life. The families are facing the extremely cold weather in between the barren mountains. Some of them are threatened to die from the cold at any moment, especially with the heavy rainfalls that make them subjected to flooding and the gathering of rain water in their tents. This comes amid the high costs of living, the lack of financial sources, the shortage of job opportunities and the increase in housing rents, thus aggravating their suffering.
Mahmoud, a refugee from the Sabinah camp in the suburbs of Damascus, was forced to light old clothes on fire for heating. He said that he spends the summer gathering the clothes from containers and charities to place them in the heater, “to secure heating for himself and his five children.” He added that he also uses old shoes and everything available, to burn for heating.
Farid, a refugee displaced from Yarmouk camp, found in the burning of baby towels a new way to save money, adding that the price of a baby towel is much cheaper than the price of mazut fuel which he cannot afford. Farid continues: “The burning has a disgusting smell, but we have gotten used to it.”
On his part, Samer from Deraa camp said: “The amount of firewood that is available and used for heating is very little,” noting that: “The families use anything that can be burnt, in order to provide heating.”
Bahaa, who was displaced from Yarmouk camp to the Beqaa, complains of the lack of relief and winter aids provided by the charitable associations and UNRWA, calling on the Palestinian factions and authority in Lebanon to take responsibility towards the Palestinian-Syrian refugees who have been displaced to Lebanon.
Hamd from the Sayeda Zeinab camp, criticized the resolvement of the popular committees which used to take care of the Palestinian-Syrian refugees’ affairs, accusing the Palestinian factions of abandoning the Palestinian-Syrian refugees and leaving that to face their tragic fate alone.
On the reality of the Palestinian-Syrians in the Beqaa, a relief activist says: “The conditions of the refugees are getting worse and their suffering is aggravating as winter approaches, especially with the low temperatures which go down to below zero.”
He indicated that the refugee families in the area are in desperate need of fuel, especially mazut which costs $9 per 20 litres. The average family requires 10 litres of mazut per day, because of the extremely cold weather.
On their part, the Palestinian-Syrian families appealed through many messages received by the Action Group, for their tragedy to be highlighted, in order to transfer their suffering to the decision-makers, the concerned parties, especially UNRWA, as well as the PLO and the Palestinian factions in Lebanon and the relief charities and organizations.
The statistics show that the number of Palestinian families that have been displaced from Syria to the Lebanese Beqaa is 950 families, while UNRWA’s data reveals that the number of Palestinian-Syrians in Lebanon has reached 31 thousand.
