It is perhaps one of the world’s greatest ironies that the state with the highest proportion of refugees does not actually recognize them as refugees. The Republic of Lebanon has one refugee for every four citizens and has a refugee population density of about 244 per square kilometer (greater than the density of most states), yet it has never signed an international treaty to give these ‘refugees’ any recognition or any rights. There is a similar lack of local law to govern the matter. As harsh realities fly in the face of a purposeful lack of legislation, will the law eventually enforce its own reality or will our current reality enforce its own future laws? Shall these displaced populations one day become Lebanese citizens?
It is perhaps one of the world’s greatest ironies that the state with the highest proportion of refugees does not actually recognize them as refugees. The Republic of Lebanon has one refugee for every four citizens and has a refugee population density of about 244 per square kilometer (greater than the density of most states), yet it has never signed an international treaty to give these ‘refugees’ any recognition or any rights. There is a similar lack of local law to govern the matter. As harsh realities fly in the face of a purposeful lack of legislation, will the law eventually enforce its own reality or will our current reality enforce its own future laws? Shall these displaced populations one day become Lebanese citizens?