Syrian refugees face harsh living conditions in Lebanon

Source:Xinhua Published: 2012-8-6 19:54:31

Cities and villages of Lebanon's eastern Bekaa valley are overcrowded with Syrian families, who fled their homeland for fear of deteriorated security situation but only found themselves living in car parks and underground shelter, as there are no more decent rooms or apartments.

Safi El Issa, who left Syria's Homs province after his house and butchery were destroyed during the fighting between government forces and rebels, told Xinhua that "where to stay is not important. What is basic for me is to keep my wife and five children safe."

"I used to have a house (in Syria), but now I am living in a garage still under construction. Here, I only have a small cooking gas and at the end of the garage there is a small bathroom," he said, complaining that renting the car park cost him 100 US dollars per month in the neighborhood of Zahle.

He added "I do not care about this. What is worrying me is the continued violence in Syria... If by winter the situation is not solved, then I would have to worry about the cost of heating fuel. "

Ali EL Mawla, from Syria's economic hub Aleppo, points to hard financial situation as the reason for him to rent the roof of a store for 100 dollars a month and use the tissue of a tent to mark an area of 12 square meters, so that his family of five children could have shelter.

If the situation is not solved by this winter, then "we would not be able to sustain cold weather," he worried.

The harsh conditions pose big challenges to aid agencies and civil societies, which are trying to provide aid for the displaced Syrians.

An activist working for distributing aid to displaced Syrians, Abou Mohammad, told Xinhua that many NGOs are doing their best to provide Syrian refugees with blankets, mattresses, essential cooking tools, clothes, milk, diapers for babies and food stuff.

But most of the NGOs do not have well planned programs, with each NGO having their own working file and not coordinating with each other, which could lead to unevenly distribution of resources, the activist added.

The owner of a store in Lebanon told Xinhua that he hoped Lebanese authorities would control the inflow of Syrian refugees, for fear that those who are not properly accommodated might resort to illegal activities for livelihood. Another restaurant owner expressed a similar view, citing there won't be enough jobs for Syrian refugees.

Posted in: Mid-East

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