The Return of Refugees: Justice for Two Peoples

By Chaden Hani

News

The seven year-old Syrian war has claimed the lives of half a million people, uprooted more than 5 million others and rearranged geopolitics in the Middle East. Today, we stand on the threshold of a new tomorrow with the hope that this war will end, especially after the declaration of the Syrian regime, Russian and Iranian officials, and Hezbollah leaders that the war in Syria is in its final stages.

There is no doubt that this news has its implications for the scene in Lebanon and voices have emerged calling for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees to their country. With the Syrian forces claiming authority over most Syrian territories, backed by Iran and  Russia, some Lebanese politicians have stepped up demands for refugees to return, contrary to international public opinion which considers return to be unsafe as of yet.

“Lebanon is currently aiming to ensure that Syrians can return permanently, in safety and dignity, and opposes delayed decisions in this regard,” Lebanese President Michelle Aoun said in a speech addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi likewise said that his country encourages the voluntary return of Syrian refugees to their country, saying that “this is inevitable.”

On the other hand, UNHCR Spokesperson Lisa Abou Khaled, stated that more than 76% of refugee households are living below the overall poverty line, less than US$3.84 per day, and, 58% of households are living in extreme poverty, less than US$2.9 per day. “Return is the best solution for refugees but it must be voluntary and sustainable,” says UNHCR Chief Filippo Grandi.

Analysis

The return of Syrian refugees to their country is a very important humanitarian and socio-political issue for Syria as well as its neighboring countries in the Middle East. At the humanitarian level, we cannot ignore the intense human suffering experienced by the Syrians who may no longer have anything with which to return or lack the resources to redevelop their communities. Socially, the war has fractured an already disparate society, which if neglected will simply perpetuate a fierce civil war. Politically, the issue of return requires political consensus among the countries of the region, particularly between Lebanon and Syria, which is highly unlikely on the Lebanese side. The return also requires international approval that may conflict with the interests of some countries benefiting from the demographic changes in the Middle East and the dismantling of Arab forces, a process serving the interests of these countries’ allies and their economic interests.

Host communities are tired of bearing the economic and social burdens of the refugee crisis, including inflation, high unemployment and a scarcity of resources. How can justice be achieved for the Syrian people without it being at the expense of the already burdened Lebanese? Justice for one party may be counterproductive to another. What, then, is the role of the church when faced with conflicting definitions of justice?

Theological Reflections

There is no doubt that the ancient Israelites suffered socially, economically, politically and religiously during their seventy years as exiles in Babylon, much like the people of Syria during the past seven years. The fall of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonian armies had disastrous consequences for the Judean people, who were dragged into captivity and forced to serve the Babylonians. Nostalgia has long been linked to the land of this people, an idea developed by theologians and linked to the concept of returning to the land, to the Scriptures, and of returning to God through repentance. As Psalm 137:4-6 states,

“How could we possibly sing the LORD’s song on foreign soil? Jerusalem! If I forget you, let my strong hand wither! Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you, if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy.”

Longing for the land has been always an essential part of the theology of return (Jeremiah 25:11). Yet, a more enduring theology would develop as a response to questions over what it means to live faithfully without land or temple, as exiles and sojourners. These exilic themes would later be taken up by both Christianity and rabbinic Judaism, in anticipation of or following the destruction of the second temple by Rome. In the context of the local Church in the Middle East, however, we must develop the theology of a return to the human self, free of evil and hatred for one another, in order to promote peace and justice that all might live in harmony with the other on whichever land we find ourselves.

Missiological Implications

The movement of Syrian refugees to Lebanon has had a profound effect on the local church over the past seven years. Churches have been active in providing humanitarian services to Syrian refugees. Subsequently, the number of new believers from the Syrian community in the Church has increased, often exponentially. And, this has led to the growth of missionary work among non-Christians. This has also led to the development of relationships with the Western supporters. Just as public opinion is divided today, the churches are divided between supporters and opponents of the voluntary return of Syrians to their country.

Some practical steps for the Lebanese Church include: keeping up with its Syrian members who wish to voluntarily return to their country and enable them to meet the expected challenges; extending its hand to assist the Syrian Church with the many challenges associated with repatriation; and, continuing to support and advocate for those who chose to remain. As a local church, we must develop a new approach that speaks to the context of Middle Eastern societies, such as a theology of return, a theology of survival, and even a theology of exile and displacement so that we might faithfully apply the teachings of the Bible in our Middle Eastern contexts. We believe that the role of the Global Church is to provide physical or financial assistance to returnees, so they can re-develop their communities and rebuild that which the war has destroyed.