Published : 08-04-2018
In Lebanon, about 3,000 Palestinian workers of the refugees that fled from Syria to Lebanon, are living in miserable humanitarian conditions, as a result of the spread of unemployment among them, the exploitation of employers and low wages.
On his part, the Chairman of the Administrative Committee of the Palestinian-Syrian Workers' Union, Mohammed Sweed, said that the Palestinian workers from Syria are going through very harsh conditions, in fact miserable. Jobs are unavailable, and when found, the amounts the worker receives are very low, especially when compared to other workers of other nationalities. The average wages range between 6-8 dollars per day.
Sweed added in a press release to one of the media outlets, that “What increases our suffering is the legal status threatening many of us, as well as UNRWA’s abandonment of our assistance, the exploitation of children in difficult jobs, after dropping out of school, in addition to the denial of health insurance, etc., which makes us vulnerable to many crises and problems.”
He noted that the workers lack health care, “Where the cannot be treated at specialists due to the lack of money and the inability to treat some diseases through UNRWA.” Sweed clarified that “The Palestinian refugee workers from Syria are holders of a temporary residency, which is extended every 6 months, and does not entitle them to work anywhere, in contrary to the owners of other nationalities entering Lebanon, who are allowed to work or pursue any jobs normally and legally. For these reasons, Palestinian workers are always under the threat of expulsion at any moment.” He adds that the price of the work permit is 1200 dollars, and the fees for its extension is 200 dollars, which the worker can not secure. To make matters worse, the UNRWA plan does not include injury treatment at work or traffic accidents.
According to UNRWA’s statistics at the end of December 2016, the number of Palestinian refugees displaced from Syria to Lebanon, is estimated at 31 thousand refugees, who are living below the poverty line and suffering from miserable conditions on all levels.
In addition to the fragility of their legal status. The Lebanese government continues to treat the Palestinians from Syria as tourists, who must leave after the end of their period of stay.
In Lebanon, about 3,000 Palestinian workers of the refugees that fled from Syria to Lebanon, are living in miserable humanitarian conditions, as a result of the spread of unemployment among them, the exploitation of employers and low wages.
On his part, the Chairman of the Administrative Committee of the Palestinian-Syrian Workers' Union, Mohammed Sweed, said that the Palestinian workers from Syria are going through very harsh conditions, in fact miserable. Jobs are unavailable, and when found, the amounts the worker receives are very low, especially when compared to other workers of other nationalities. The average wages range between 6-8 dollars per day.
Sweed added in a press release to one of the media outlets, that “What increases our suffering is the legal status threatening many of us, as well as UNRWA’s abandonment of our assistance, the exploitation of children in difficult jobs, after dropping out of school, in addition to the denial of health insurance, etc., which makes us vulnerable to many crises and problems.”
He noted that the workers lack health care, “Where the cannot be treated at specialists due to the lack of money and the inability to treat some diseases through UNRWA.” Sweed clarified that “The Palestinian refugee workers from Syria are holders of a temporary residency, which is extended every 6 months, and does not entitle them to work anywhere, in contrary to the owners of other nationalities entering Lebanon, who are allowed to work or pursue any jobs normally and legally. For these reasons, Palestinian workers are always under the threat of expulsion at any moment.” He adds that the price of the work permit is 1200 dollars, and the fees for its extension is 200 dollars, which the worker can not secure. To make matters worse, the UNRWA plan does not include injury treatment at work or traffic accidents.
According to UNRWA’s statistics at the end of December 2016, the number of Palestinian refugees displaced from Syria to Lebanon, is estimated at 31 thousand refugees, who are living below the poverty line and suffering from miserable conditions on all levels.
In addition to the fragility of their legal status. The Lebanese government continues to treat the Palestinians from Syria as tourists, who must leave after the end of their period of stay.
