By Antoine Amrieh
TRIPOLI, Lebanon: The United Arab Emirates Red Crescent Authority began Tuesday distributing aid to Syrian refugees, offering relief to the growing number of displaced in Lebanon.
Ten thousand portions of food were delivered on behalf of the UAE Red Crescent by the Jadawel charity to refugees in the northern towns of Koura, Qalamoun and Kefraya, while another 20,000 portions will be delivered over three stages in the next three months.
Mustafa al-Asaad, a Syrian refugee and father of eight, described the situation for refugees as “really bad” and expressed gratitude to those willing to help. “We live in a storeroom with no ventilation but we are grateful to God: others are living in tents,” he said.
Asaad said his old age prevented him from working in construction or taking on jobs that require certain physical skills.
For her part, 80-year-old Umm Mahmoud voiced concern over her six kids still living in war-torn Syria.
“Thank God, they are still alive now but we don’t know what will happen to them in the future,” she said.
The elderly woman said that the refugees were getting support from charity organizations and donors but that their main concern remained housing and means of covering the high cost of rent.
The United Nations is now helping over 460,000 refugees in the country, while local organizations say there are many more people in need of aid.
Also Tuesday, a Future Movement delegation held a meeting with Kuwait’s Ambassador Abdel-Aal al-Qannaei in Beirut over the growing need for assistance to deal with those displaced by the Syrian conflict, the National News Agency reported.
During the meeting with Qannaei the delegation discussed the need for cooperation from Arab countries, particularly Gulf states, in order to assist Lebanon to cope with the refugee crisis.
The delegation noted the “sensitivity of this issue which places pressure on all sectors in Lebanon, particularly given the increase in the number of refugees.” It expressed hope that “friendly countries will stand by Lebanon to assist it in facing the repercussions of this matter.”
Members of the delegations informed the Kuwaiti envoy that they would launch a round of visits to Gulf Cooperation Council ambassadors in Lebanon in order to “urge them to abide to their financial commitments on this matter and to stand by Lebanon.”
They will also visit humanitarian organizations affiliated with the U.N. to discuss the situation of aid for Syrian refugees.
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15/05/2013
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