Official Statements

IOM Base in Southern Lebanon to Provide Assistance to Internally Displaced and Stranded Migrants

With the humanitarian crisis in southern Lebanon worsening, IOM is
establishing a presence in southern Lebanon in order to facilitate
access to both internally displaced people (IDPs) and to migrants
still unable to flee the conflict.

Access to vulnerable groups in southern Lebanon remains the key
issue in current humanitarian activities in the country. There are
an estimated 900,000 IDPs in Lebanon, most of them originating in
the south, and a still unclear number of stranded migrants who want
to leave.

Coordinating its efforts with all stakeholders, including local
NGO partners and the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) so that as many vulnerable and displaced people as possible
in the south of the country are reached. Planned activities in
Saida and Tyre will enable IOM to more easily assist the growing
number of displaced, many of who are now without water and
electricity.

IOM has been made aware by local partners of a group of 5,000
families (about 25,000 people) in Tyre itself needing humanitarian
assistance such as food, and non-food items including blankets and
mattresses.

"With no water or electricity to cook with, it's important they
receive practical assistance, such as canned, processed food," said
Marco Boasso, head of IOM's Emergency and Post Conflict Department.
"It's also important they get relief supplies quickly and for that
we need both resources and access urgently."

IOM originally appealed for US$ 2 million dollars to provide
humanitarian assistance to 10,000 internally displaced people in
Lebanon, but these figures are currently being revised to reflect
an evolving situation. The Norwegian government has responded to
IOM's appeal by providing tents, jerry cans, tents, family kits,
blankets and collapsible tanks and money worth US$ 640,000.

An IOM presence in the south will also significantly help in the
evacuation of migrants stranded in the south. Last Saturday, an IOM
bus rescued 17 Sri Lankans and Filipinos from city of Saida in the
couple of hours possible, shuttling between collection points
before having to return to Beirut.

"What the mission proved was that in order to really access
those in the south, we need to have a base in the south from which
we can do shorter missions. It's important that we get people out
from villages and into towns and cities like Tyre and Saida. From
there, it will be a bit easier to evacuate them to safety," said
Vincent Houver, IOM's evacuation coordinator in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, IOM is continuing to evacuate many hundreds of
stranded migrants on a daily basis from Lebanon to Syria before
repatriating them. Today, 500 Sri Lankans and Ethiopians have been
taken in bus convoys to Syria. So far more than 2,800 people have
been provided with evacuation assistance from Lebanon. IOM is also
providing food, medical and shelter assistance before flying the
migrants home.

For further information on IOM operations in Lebanon and Syria,
please contact:

In Damascus, Syria:

Jean Philippe Chauzy

Tel: + 41 22 717 9361

Mobile: + 41 79 285 4366

E-mail: "mailto:pchauzy@iom.int">pchauzy@iom.int

In Geneva, Switzerland:

Jemini Pandya

Tel : + 41 22 717 9486

Mobile : + 41 79 217 3374

E-mail : "mailto:jpandya@iom.int">jpandya@iom.int


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