The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has cautioned that the number of Syrian refugees leaving Lebanon is likely to continue rising as donor agencies reduce their aid and pressures mount on their access to Cyprus.
Amy Pope, the director general of the organization, revealed that around 3,000 Syrians have left Lebanon since January, compared to 4,500 throughout the entire previous year, with many heading to Cyprus, approximately 180 kilometres away.
Pope explained to the Associated Press (AP) that, “Governments are cutting funding directed towards agencies working with people fleeing from Syria, which has been ravaged by civil war for over 13 years, making matters worse.”
She added, “What concerns me is that we will see it become increasingly difficult for Syrians to live safely in Lebanon. And when people cannot live safely in one place, they do what any human being would do, which is look to where they can move to.”
Responding to a question about cutting aid to Syrian refugees, she pointed out that “the number of conflicts is increasing, and because Syrian populations have been displaced for about 10 years now, and because assumptions indicate that we cannot fund Syrians while we have increasing numbers of people from different areas of the world.”
In contrast, Cyprus suspended processing asylum applications from Syrian nationals earlier this month due to the large numbers.
Reports emerged of Cypriot authorities deploying patrol ships outside Lebanese territorial waters directly to prevent refugee boats attempting to head to Cyprus.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are scheduled to visit Beirut tomorrow to discuss a potential aid package.
