The micro-politics of refugee crisis management: the case of Lebanon's municipalities

2011年叙利亚爆发武装冲突，造成第二次世界大战以来最大的难民危机之一，400多万难民逃离战争，大多逃往黎巴嫩、约旦、土耳其和伊拉克等邻国。黎巴嫩尤其受到这一局势的影响。在440万居民中，它的领土目前收容了大约120万叙利亚难民，6,000名伊拉克难民和近450000巴勒斯坦难民。联合国难民事务专员将其描述为“我们这个时代最大的人道主义紧急情况”，这不仅危及那些逃离冲突的人的生命，而且也考验着东道国的反应，因为难民危机的旷日持久的性质需要长期的解决方案。废物管理、水、初级医疗保健和教育等基本服务的提供给当地经济带来了压力。在这些情况下，收容社区和难民之间的紧张关系日益严重，这是因为获得基本服务的机会不断恶化，争夺生计和机会，宗教和族裔摩擦再度抬头，但至关重要的是，这对该国的政治经济也产生了影响，廉价劳动力随处可得，房租价格不断上涨。第一庇护国的应对政治特别重要，因为这影响到难民和收容社区的生活条件。与其他收容国相比，黎巴嫩也采取了“不设立难民营”的政策，给当地社区的经济和基础设施增加了压力。黎巴嫩从叙利亚接收了三分之一的难民，占国内人口的比例要高得多。该国包括1000多个市政当局，这些市政当局大多规模较小，行政和财政结构薄弱，由市政工会组织。位于北部、贝卡省和南部省的三个市政联盟是受难民危机影响最严重的三个城市联盟，难民人口往往超过收容社区。它们也是在实地运作的难民日常管理的主要机构，在黎巴嫩社会的背景下调解他们的情况，并与政府和国际机构谈判他们的要求。这项研究的目的是了解在黎巴嫩市政和地区一级应对难民危机的政治因素，以提高人道主义反应的效力和效率，并向利益攸关方提供黎巴嫩难民现象政治层面的实地知识。这一研究项目的目的尤其是：a.概述过去5年来黎巴嫩境内的叙利亚难民危机，结合黎巴嫩领土、历史和政治的具体情况。了解由于巴勒斯坦人的经验而在黎巴嫩建立难民营的问题，从而理解市政当局在应对难民危机方面发挥的重要作用。C.在受难民危机影响最严重的三个省的三个市，与当地的主要信息提供人进行广泛的实地考察、访谈和重点小组讨论：丹尼联盟(市：亚松恩、比卡斯弗里恩、代尔恩布)；巴尔贝克联盟(市：巴尔贝克、杜雷斯、提贝)；轮胎联盟(巴祖拉耶、恩巴尔、布尔杰沙马尔)。这将使我们了解收容国和难民界的挑战和需要。建立以混合和分散救济-发展办法为基础的干预模式，将市政当局置于协调反应的中心。参照其他国际案例，在旷日持久的流离失所危机背景下拟订干预模式。

The outbreak of the armed conflict in Syria in 2011 has resulted in one of the largest refugee crises since World War II, with more than 4 million refugees fleeing war mostly to neighbouring countries of Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq. Lebanon is especially affected by this situation. Out of 4.4 million inhabitants, its territory is currently hosting around 1.2 million refugees from Syria, 6000 Iraqi refugees and nearly 450000 refugees from Palestine. The UN Commissioner for Refugees described it as "the biggest humanitarian emergency of our era", which is not simply putting at risk the lives of those fleeing the conflict but it is also putting to test the responses of the host countries now that that the protracted nature of the refugee crisis has necessitated long-term solutions. The provision of basic services such as waste management, water, primary healthcare and education, is putting pressure on local economies. In these contexts, tensions between host communities and refugees are a growing phenomenon due to deteriorating access to basic services, competition for livelihoods and opportunities, the reawakening of religious and ethnic friction, but also, crucially, the impact on the political economy of the country, with cheap labour being readily available and rent prices constantly on the rise. The politics of response of the countries of first asylum is particularly important as this affects the life conditions of refugees and those of the hosting communities. Compared with other host countries, Lebanon - which has received one third of the refugees from Syria, constituting a much higher proportion in relation to the domestic population - has also adopted a "no camp" policy, adding strain to local communities' economies and infrastructure. The country includes more than 1,000 municipalities, mostly small and with a weak administrative and fiscal structure, organised under Municipal Unions. Three municipal unions located in the North, Bekaa and South governorates are the ones that are the most afflicted by the refugee crisis, with often a refugee population that overtakes the hosting community. They are also the primary institutions operating on the ground in the everyday management of the refugees, mediating their situation in the context of Lebanese society as well as negotiating their demands vis a vis governmental and international agencies. The purpose of this study is to understand the politics of response to the refugee crisis at municipal and district level in Lebanon in order to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian response and provide stakeholders with on-the-ground knowledge of the political dimension of the refugee phenomenon in Lebanon. In particular the intent of this research project is:a. To provide an overview of the Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon over the past 5 years contextualising it with the specificities of its territory, history and politics.b. To understand the problematique of establishing refugee camps in Lebanon as a consequence of the Palestinian experience and thereby the significant role that municipalities play in the response to the refugee crisis. c. To conduct extensive fieldwork, interviews and focus group discussions with key local informants in three municipalities in the three governorates most affected by the refugee crisis: Dannieh Union (municipalities: Assoun; Bikasfreen; Deir el Nbouh); Baalbeck Union (municipalities: Baalbeck, Doures, Tybeh); Tyre Union (Bazourayeh; Ein Baal; Bourj el Shamale). This will provide a picture of the challenges and needs of the host and refugee communities.d. To set a model of intervention based on a hybrid and decentralised relief-development approach that places municipalities at the centre of the coordination response.e. To elaborate a model of intervention in the context of protracted displacement crises in light of other international cases.