Nowhere to turn: Syrian refugees rejected by Lebanon, Cyprus

The European Union has pledged a substantial aid package totaling 1 billion euros (approximately $1.06 billion) to Lebanon, aimed primarily at strengthening border controls to curb the increasing migration of asylum seekers and migrants from Lebanon to Cyprus and Italy. This financial assistance comes at a time when there is growing resentment towards Syrian refugees in Lebanon, coinciding with a notable increase in their irregular migration to Cyprus.

Lebanon has been grappling with a profound financial crisis since 2019 and is home to nearly 780,000 registered Syrian refugees, along with many more unregistered, making it the country with the highest refugee population per capita in the world. Lebanese authorities have long called on the international community to either resettle these refugees or help facilitate their return to Syria, whether voluntarily or otherwise. In the past year, Lebanese security forces have intensified their efforts to deport Syrians.

According to the UNHCR in Lebanon, there has been a significant rise in departures by sea, with 59 boat movements recorded between January and mid-April, carrying a total of 3,191 passengers, compared to just three boat movements in the same period the previous year. Throughout 2023, there were 65 boat departures involving 3,927 passengers.

Cyprus has adopted stringent measures to stem the tide of migrants, including the suspension of processing Syrian asylum applications last month. There have been accusations from human rights organizations that the Cypriot coast guard has forcibly repelled boats carrying about 500 asylum seekers from Lebanon, although Cypriot officials deny these claims.

Bassel al-Shayoukh, a Syrian refugee residing in Lebanon since 2014, expressed his growing desperation due to the prolonged conflict in Syria and deteriorating conditions in Lebanon. After Lebanese authorities refused to renew his residency permit, he now fears vigilante violence or deportation. His nephew recounted a harrowing experience at sea where the Cypriot coast guard allegedly tried to repel their boat by creating waves, leading to fears of drowning among those who could not swim.

Upon their return to Lebanon, those detained by the army were either released, if registered with UNHCR, or deported. Mohammed Sablouh, a Lebanese human rights lawyer, suggested that Lebanese authorities are neglecting the migration issue to leverage international support.

This announcement of EU aid precedes a key fundraising conference for Syria in Brussels, where donor interest has waned after 13 years of civil war, compounded by global focus on recent crises in Ukraine and Gaza.

Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces party, advocates for the repatriation of Syrians to controlled areas in Syria. However, Shayoukh fears return to Damascus due to political persecution, and describes the oppressive conditions under the Islamist group controlling his hometown, likening their tactics to those of Syrian intelligence services.