What Kind Of Refugee Are You: A Focus On Iraqis In Lebanon

Iraqi Refugees

Lebanon has alway been home for minorities in the Middle East. A haven for those persecuted, chased out of their homes, and face destruction in their original homes. The Armenians, Palestinians, Assyrians, and even many Syrians have taken refuge inside of Lebanon over the years… their treatment, whether good or bad, has always seemed irrelevant. We simply focus on the fact that “hey, we take in all the refugees of the Middle East”.

I think its time, finally, to tackle the treatment of refugees inside the country. We have almost 250 000 – 300 000 Palestinians inside Lebanon, almost 150 000 Armenians (who are now Lebanese citizens, and not considered refugees anymore), and now 50 000 Iraqi refugees in Lebanon. This post, for specific reasons,  is the going to focus specifically on the later group as it is the most recent group of refugees in the country. Most, almost 79%, of Lebanon’s Iraqi refugees are Iraqi Christians who fled Iraq for their safety after sectarian groups threatened their safety. Now for the sake of making things clear, sectarian groups in Iraq represent very small portions of the population, keeping in mind Iraqi Christians and Muslims have lived along side each other for hundreds and hundreds of years prior to this time, with very little tensions and fighting. So, back to subject. I use Facebook to contact people for “virtual interviews” quite a bit, so I decided to do this again, as much of my previous posts where I did this were quite popular. So here goes, my virtual interview:

Name: Joseph Mati

Age: 29

Occupation: Baker

Time in Lebanon: 2 years

Place of origin in Iraq: Baghdad

Why did you move to Lebanon?: Initially we had moved to Syria, a small town close to the Iraqi border called Qamishli. Because we are Christians, many of the people who left Baghdad decided to go to Lebanon, because it has always taken in Christians in trouble, like the Armenians and the Maronites. So we thought if we went to Lebanon, we would be safer, and have better opportunities in life.

Has that been the case?: We are safer, but not living a good life. Actually many of the people we came with left or are leaving to back to Syria or the USA.

How come? If there is a sense of safety, why is there a need to leave?: Well because we don’t have anything to work. We either sit at home, or work something that will make us very minimal to survive. There is something else in Lebanon, a prejudiced to anything that is not Lebanese. My wife and I live in Bourj Hammoud, many of us moved there, and only inside Bourj Hammoud do we feel welcomed. The Armenians understand what we are going through, because their ancestors went through it… but the Lebanese don’t seem to care… actually sometimes we even feel like we aren’t welcome.

Is there any reason for this, in your opinion?: Well we are outsiders. Even though Lebanon has historically accepted those in need into their country, especially Christians of the East, we are looked at as being outsiders. Maybe because Lebanon has had terrible experiences with refugees in the past, they want nothing to do with any more. But we feel that the Lebanese have a sense of superiority to others in the region, and they try to stay closed off to the rest.

So Lebanese haven’t been welcoming at all you think?: A lot of people have, I am just saying in general, and at a larger scale, the people don’t seem to be bothered. I don’t blame them, they have thousands of things they need to think about on a day to day basis… taking care of us, shouldn’t be a priority. But making things easier would be nice haha.

Are most Iraqi refugees in Lebanon Christian?: Many are, mostly actually are Chaldeans. But Shiites make up a majority too, and Sunni’s the minority.

Do you think the religious demographic adds to the treatment you think you are getting?: Honestly?

Yes…: I do. I think because Lebanon has sectarian prejudices inside the country, it is taken out on us. If I do not wear my cross, and I speak in the Iraqi dialect, automatically people think I am Shiite, and I get the very lousy treatment… depending on area too of course. But if I have my cross on, they know I am an Iraqi Christian, and the treatment flips.

So, your religion affects your treatment?: Yes it does. Even where we live in Lebanon! Sunni Iraqi’s prefer Sunni Muslim neighborhoods, Christians have moved to Bourj Hammoud and the mountain areas, while Shiites go to Baalbak and Southern Suburbs. We have picked up on Lebanon’s religious divide haha.

Iraqi’s do a lot of things differently than Lebanese, and vice versa. Have Iraqi refugees felt the need to assimilate?: YES! We try to speak in the Lebanese accent, because when we do it makes the treatment we get much better. The need to be less closed-minded is also big with us. It’s hard to be Lebanese in mentality, and less strict, but we are here, and we should try and do that.

Do you want to leave Lebanon?: No. I love the East, and I wouldn’t want to move to the USA or Canada… I will lose all traditions and customs we have there.

So if you don’t like the treatment in Lebanon, why stay?: Because its still in the East. I just wish we can get better access to things, which I think is hard. We are newer here than the Palestinians, and they still don’t have their full rights.

*This interview was actually first done in “Arabic” online, but so everyone can read, I got it transcribed into English – thanks for the help with that Firas*