Refugee crisis forcing people to emigrate

Last week, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil gave a warning that if the current influx of refugees coming to the country is not controlled properly, that many Lebanese would be pushed to emigrate from the country. Whilst he touring Rashaya district’s village, he said that Palestinians and Syrians should not be placing the Lebanese.

Mr Bassil went on to say that the Lebanese should come first and that is very important that Lebanese expatriates should be granted citizenship instead of it being granted to other people who did not deserve it.

He added that four years ago he spoke about the dangers of Syrian immigration to Lebanon which could lead to Lebanese people emigrating, and that he was concerned not because he hated Syrians but because he loves them and wants them to be able to live in their own country.

In his point of view, Lebanese should not be denied the basic rights on their land whilst Syrians who don’t have proper work licences but do have refugee cards are getting more than their share. He feels that the potential problem of emigration away from Lebanon could be combatted with investment in development projects and by making full use of Lebanon’s gas and oil reserves.