August 2, 2006, Baltimore, MD - Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and its local partner, Caritas Lebanon, have thus far aided 85,530 displaced people throughout Lebanon. As the violence in Lebanon continues to escalate and the humanitarian situation continues its downward spiral, the work of CRS and Caritas has not slowed down. Ultimately, the agencies say they hope the numbers of those aided will soon jump to between 130,000 to 140,000.
Caritas Lebanon has thirty-six offices spread throughout Lebanon, all of which are being manned by dedicated staff members and a volunteer base of 7,000. Immediate life-saving relief supplies such as food, water, hygiene kits, clothing, cleaning materials, mattresses, and baby food and diapers, are being distributed every day, but challenges are mounting.
"Distribution of these relief supplies proves incredibly difficult each day because a humanitarian corridor still does not exist," explains a frustrated Adib Faris, CRS Security Manager in Beirut. "CRS and Caritas staff are working around the clock to provide assistance in any way they can, but the job is getting more arduous by the day. Our relief convoys are particularly vulnerable and may be targeted at any time."
Thus far, over 800,000 Lebanese have been displaced because of this crisis, nearly 25% of the total population. Displaced people and those who have no relatives in so-called secure areas are taking refuge in gardens, public and private schools, churches, convents, mosques, bombed out buildings, storage places and cars. To survive, they depend on the assistance of local and international humanitarian organizations, all of which are under serious strain.
"Basic food and relief items can no longer be procured from within this country," explained George Khoury, Caritas Lebanon Director. "What little is left on the market is being sold at exorbitant prices, so we have had to purchase supplies in neighboring areas."
While CRS and Caritas Lebanon provide relief to more than 85,000 Lebanese evacuees, nearly 100,000 migrant workers in the country are now desperate for help. There are more than 90,000 documented Sri Lankans working in Lebanon, mostly as domestic help, and at least another 20,000 Ethiopians, 20,000 Filipinos, and many thousands of Indians and Bangladeshis. Since the crisis began, these workers have been left without work and are finding it difficult to leave Lebanon and return to their countries of origin.
The Caritas Lebanon Migrant Centre (CLMC) has thus far provided thousands of migrants and refugees with food and water, hygiene supplies, bedding, cooking utensils, clothes, medical assistance, psychological and moral support, as well as legal and repatriation counsel. CLMC is coordinating closely with the Sri Lankan, Ethiopian and Philippines embassies to evacuate their nationals.
Those who will be evacuated back to their home countries are staying in eight Caritas shelters, all located in Dora, Metn and Keserwan. So far, more than 1,000 have been repatriated by the CLMC through Syria to their home countries, and many more evacuations are planned.
"We are coordinating buses for transportation and food parcels for the journey from Beirut to Damascus," explains Najla Chahda, the director of the CLMC. "We are also negotiating with airlines to provide airway tickets from Syria to their countries of origin."
The Lebanese government also requested CLMC's help in taking care of foreign and migrant prisoners. About 600 were released by the Lebanese authorities from detention centers in areas being bombed by the Israelis and were sent to Caritas shelters.
The following CRS and Caritas staff in Beirut are available for interviews:
Mark Schnellbaecher
CRS Regional Director, Middle East
Office: +011-961-1-398-990
Mobile: +011-961-3-588-077
Adib Faris
CRS Lebanon Security Manager
Office: +011-961-1-398-990
Mobile: +011-961-3-829-719
Dominique Morel
CRS Emergency Project Manager
Office: +011-961-1-398-990
Mobile: +011-961-70-972-16
George Khoury, Caritas Lebanon Director
Office: +011-961-1-499-767
Mobile: +011-961-3-311-101
Najla Chahda
Director, Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center
Office: +011- 961-1-150-2550
Mobile: ++011-961-3-300-586
HOW TO HELP:
Donate online: www.crs.org
Donate via phone: 1-877-HELP-CRS
Mail a check: Catholic Relief Services
P.O. Box 17090
Baltimore, MD 21203-7090
Memo Line: Middle East Crisis Response