The War in Syria and its Consequences on Lebanon - Research Paper Example

The war in Syria and its consequences on Lebanon Background information The successful Arab revolt that occurred in African countries such as Egypt, Tunisia and Libya contributed to the 2011 uprising that has turned into a civil war in Syria. Citizens in different parts of the country took to the street to demonstrate against the government of Al Assad, hoping to replace his leadership with an alternative government. However, the Assad government responded violently, sending army forces to quell the protests. Several civilians were killed, injured and maimed and this contributed to the progressive development of the conflict into a full-blown civil war with rebellious forces organizing themselves and receiving support from external sources. The armed opposition is an alliance of various groups, which were formed during the conflict to protect the civilian protestors and face off the government forces. This civil conflict has however progressed to become a regional problem, affecting other countries that have remained neutral to the domestic issues that are facing the country. As opposed to being an effort to eliminate Assad leadership in Syria, the conflict has graduated into a sectarian conflict, leading to emergence of Alawite government forces and pro-government militias made up of members of the Shia tribe (White 16). The opposition is dominated by members of the Sunni tribe, a situation that has led to an increase in foreign interference in the course of the war. For example, in 2013, the Hezbollah terrorist group joined the civil war to fight alongside government forces and defeat the Sunni dominated opposition forces. As the war progresses, its impacts have been felt beyond the borders of Syria, spilling to neighboring countries, which are currently, faced with major insecurity challenges. Lebanon, a country with the longest borderline with Syria is considered as one of the few neighboring countries that have significantly been affected by the civil war. As a result, the Syrian conflict has had significant security challenges to Lebanon as the fight has virtually spilt into the country. This has further affected the economy and the healthcare sector in the country as major basic and social amenities are suspended as has been witnessed in the war torn Syria (Dahi 12). Significance of the study Despite the ravaging ramification of the Syrian internal conflict, scholars have made little effort to bring to the fore its effects to peace and stability in neighboring countries. Efforts have concentrated on how the war has affected the social and economic stability of Syria and how the Assad and opposition forces are committing atrocities against innocent civilians. While this war is taking place actively in Syria, its implications have gone beyond the country’s border and spread to other neighboring states such as Lebanon. Security and economic stability in countries such as Lebanon has been significantly affected by the Syrian conflict as the fighting has split to the country. through this study, the situation beyond the borders of Syria as a result of this war will be created to help illustrate that countries like Lebanon has been seriously affected as security in compromised due to the conflict. This information is significant in influencing the internal and foreign policies of Lebanese authorities and how to approach the Syrian conflict with harming the security situation in the country (Dahi 12). The study will also influence decision-making processes within Lebanon and Syria on the best approaches that can be adopted to mitigate the long and short-term implications of the conflict. Finally, focus of international humanitarian organizations has focused on Syria without realizing that this war has had similar implications on the social and economic position of Lebanon. This study will guide and influence future humanitarian decisions on the areas to focus based on the level of humanity situations in the countries affected. Research questions In this section, guiding research questions, which will be used during the study, will be provided to help guide and influence the areas of concern to the paper. The research questions will focus on the security, economic, social and humanitarian implications of the Syrian war on Lebanon as its immediate neighbor. 1. What is the security situation in Lebanon since the beginning of the Syrian conflict and how has war refugees entering the country complicated the level of security? 2. What security lapses and crimes are witnessed in Lebanon as a result of the Syrian war? 3. What is the leadership challenges facing Lebanon in line with Syrian war? How has the religious makeup of the country contributed to the challenges facing Lebanon? 4. How has the Syrian war affected security and economic policy decision making in Lebanon? 5. How has the Syrian conflict affected the education standards in both Syria and Lebanon? What were the education standards before the war and have they changed after the war? Syrian war and insecurity in Lebanon Syria and Lebanon has had significant political and economic ties before the start of the conflict and this demonstrates how their destinies are intertwined. It is by no coincidence that the Syrian conflict has affected the security situation in Lebanon more as compared to other countries in the region. Religious tribes in Syria and Lebanon have either had cordial or strained relationships with the Assad regime and such a situation has been escalated by the war. This has increased sectarian tension in Lebanon today which has contributed to the entry of Lebanon based Hezbollah group into the Syrian ide to fight alongside the Assad regime (Bahout 8). The Shiites have significant supported the Assad regime over the years and this explain the relationship of the Hezbollah group with the pro-government fighting groups in Syria. The Lebanese Shiite party, which is controlled by the Hezbollah, has increased their support for the Assad government through the provision of resources and weapons. This has increased the tension between the Shiites and the Sunnis in Lebanon who are sympathetic to the Sunni led opposition in Syria. The sectarian conflict that has been witnessed in Syria throughout this war has therefore been duplicated in Lebanon, further complicating the security situation in the country. The insecurity situation in Lebanon following the Syrian internal conflict has also ignited the old cleavages, which have existed in the country following the development of the Taif accords. Before this accord, Lebanon was sinking in one of the worst civil wars in the region that was predominantly fueled by the difference between the Shiites and the Sunnis in Lebanon. Syria’s previous historical connection with Lebanon explains the close connection between the two countries political and tribal supports and oppositions for the conflict. Since the beginning of this hostility in 2011, tens of thousand of Syrian refugees have entered Lebanon, a situation that has significant affected the country’s security, social and economic position. Syrian refugees currently account for over 10% of the Lebanese population, a demonstration of the serious economic and security challenges that the conflict has brought upon Lebanon. As a result, tension between the refugees and the Lebanese locals has increased significantly driven by the tribal lines that the two countries share. Armed attacks and kidnapping in Lebanon has increasingly targeted the Syrian refugees and the blame has been placed on them. Despite the presence of the locals on the country’s security situation, the Lebanese authority has increasingly associated most of the criminal incidents and violent robberies on the Syrian refugees living in Lebanon (Dahi 12). In other parts of Lebanon such as Tripoli, fighting has escalated to a level that has continued to compromise the security in the country as forces sympathetic to the Assad regime or the opposition fights each other. In Tripoli, the level of clan violence and sporadic kidnappings of members of the opposition parties has increased as has been witnessed in most parts of Syria. The predominantly Sunni north in Lebanon has also witnessed significant activities as the opposition and rebel forces have set their base in this region in order to right the Assad regime. Army deserters and other members of the rebel group have embraced the north due to the support that they have received from the predominantly Sunni communities in the region. however, this continue to present significant challenges to the security situation in the country pro Assad forces have organized attacks to dislodge the rebels from the northern parts of the country. As a result, internal fights between Lebanese Sunnis and Shiites have affected the stability of the country as a direct consequence of the war in Syria (Itani 3). Economic impacts of the Syrian conflict on Lebanon Apart from security, the Syrian civil war is negatively affecting the functions and roles of various political and economic institutions in Lebanon according to a report by the United Nations on the Middle East. Institutional and political decline in Lebanon presents major future economic implications on the country, which may require concerted efforts of international bodies to address. Though the Arab spring as occurred in most Arab countries, Lebanon has been speared but the civil war in Syria has strategically ensured that its economic stability is negatively affected (Bahout 61). The current situation in Libya points to a protracted war that may take several years to finalize and mitigate the implications. This has increased the prospects of an economic crisis in Lebanon, the country that provided a second home to most of the Syrian asylum seekers (Itani 3). Syria has also contributed significantly to shaping the political and economic policies adopted by the country over the years. As a result, deterioration and instability in Syria presents major challenges to the political and economic stability of Lebanon as a country (Wehbe). With low economic stability, Lebanon will be unable to protect its borders against external aggression from other neighboring countries, further negating the gains made by the country since the end of their civil war in the 80s (Itani 3). This situation has further been affected by the economically disastrous war that the Hezbollah has continued to wage against the Israeli forces over the years despite the losses that they have incurred (Wehbe). Previous reports has indicated high level of unemployment, high debt to gross domestic product ratio and the emergence of a weak public finance institution in the country since the emergence of the Syrian conflict. However, the regional and domestic political environments will not enable the country to address most of these issues and emerge as a stable country at the end of this conflict (Bahout 61). Though the country has established the right safeguards to avoid it from plunging into recession, the current Syrian crisis has demonstrated the economic vulnerabilities of the country. The country is heavily dependent on tourism, remittances, real estate, and a public finance that has been weakened by the current political and economic instability. The influx of refugees into the country has affected the security situation in the country, further reducing the performance of the tourism sector at a time when it’s much needed by the poor performing economy. In 2011 when the Syrian conflict kicked off, the gross domestic product of Lebanon reduced from 6 to 5%, a demonstration of the connection between the two countries (Addis 151). This has been attributed to a decline in the foreign direct investment in the country and the dismal performance of the real estate sector. As a result of low tourism levels in the country, unemployment has increased from 10% to 25%, further complicating efforts to booster security in the country. The economy is currently unable to create enough skilled jobs for the youths and this has encouraged them to participate in the Syrian conflict within the country and in Syria (Barnes-Dicey 8). Political implications of the Syrian conflict on Hezbollah Apart from directly affecting the performance of the Lebanese economy, the Syrian conflict has also influenced the political directions in the country. The dynamics among political factions in the country has significantly changed due to the sectarian nature of the conflict, which has continued to be based on the Shiite and Sunni rivalries (Cammett 3). The political fragmentation that has been witnessed among the Sunni community in Lebanon has been attributed to the Syrian conflict as some members of the community have directly engaged themselves in influencing the directions and outcome of the conflict (Bahout 61). However, Sunni based political parties have been unable to adopt a common position on the mitigation of the political challenges of the conflicts in Syria and Lebanon. The Lebanese Sunni politics has been fragmented as a major faction has openly shown its affiliation and ideological orientation with the opposition forces within the Syrian conflict (Addis 151). However, the Lebanese Sunni political formation has been unable to agree on the right response that can be used to address the aggression towards Sunnis within Lebanon and Syria during this conflict. For example, a car bomb that targeting the Sunnis in Tripoli killed over 45 civilians, prompting a faction of the Sunni political formation to demand for communal policing initiatives, a call that was opposed by other groups such as the future movement (Cammett 3). Within the Shia community, no transformation has been witnessed, as has been the case among the Sunnis though the participation of the Hezbollah group in the conflict has had political implications on the community. This has been the case especially among non-Shia members of the Shia political formation who believe that the move by the Hezbollah jeopardizes the formations’ ideals. Preexisting tensions within the political alliances that were formed after March 8 have been reignited by the Syrian war especially with Lebanon (Barnes-Dicey 8). This political formation involved political parties such as the Hezbollah, the Amal movement and the free patriotic movement, which are major political parties in Lebanon with influence on the Syrian conflict. Most of these Shia political formations that entered into the alliance have disapproved the hezabollah direct engagement in the war, citing lack of cooperation and engagement of other members of the alliance (Cammett 3). Governments’ intervention in the Syrian conflict Despite the different positions that the Lebanese and Syrian governments have adopted during this conflict, it is evident that efforts have been put in place to ensure the return of normalcy. The Assad regime has introduced various mechanisms and strategies aimed at ensuring that the conflict is contained and the country resumes its normal operations. Though the opposition and rebel forces have been skeptic about these efforts by the Assad regime, the international community has adopted a more progressive approach in the face of an emerging ISIS crisis in Iraq and parts of Syria (Addis 151). Though the west initially supported the opposition forces against the Assad regime, the emergence of other rebel factions such as the Islamic states has changed the events in favor of the Assad regime. With over 200,000 lives lost, the war has reached a proportion that must be contained and the Syrian and Lebanese governments have been at the forefront of efforts to achieve this goal (Macqueen and Kylie 60). For example, the Assad regime allowed for the first time for the country to hold its democratic elections seen as a way of convincing the west that the country is moving towards democratization. However, these elections were resisted by the opposition rebel forces in Sunni controlled parts of the country, a position that significantly negates the efforts made to restore normalcy in the region (Barnes-Dicey 8). Though the participation of the Hezbollah political faction on the Syrian war has compromised efforts by Lebanon to restore normalcy in the region, the government has introduced other approaches. Most of these approaches have targeted the high population of war refugees, which have flooded Lebanon and affected its economic development and security situation. Normalcy and end of the civil conflict in Syria will improve the economic situation in Lebanon by reducing the economic stress associated with over 20,000 Syrian refugees (Cammett 21). Through international diplomats and united nations special envoys, Lebanon leadership have made significant progress towards ensuring that the conflict in Syria does not spill over into Lebanon or affect the living standard of the Lebanese. Though such efforts has had little impacts, the commitment of the two governments towards finding a local solution is encouraging and an indication that the conflict may end with the signing of cease fire agreements. However, it may take long before normalcy and the operations of key institutions in the country such as schools and healthcare facilities resume (Addis 151). Role of humanitarian organizations on the Syrian conflict As the conflict in Syria progresses, humanitarian organizations have been at a crossroad to meet the high demands for aid and settlement of conflict refugees. International humanitarian organizations such as the United Nations, international Red Cross and Red Crescent societies among other organizations based in the Middle East have immensely contributed towards the provision of humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees in Lebanon (Abadi 166). The United Nations has made concerted efforts to inform the world of the challenges faced by the Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon and this has facilitated the process of developing the right measures to mitigate the conflict. In December 2014, the United Nations sent an appeal for $4.4 billion to help resettle Syrian IDPs and other refugees, which were settled in Jordan and Lebanon. The provision of humanitarian services are aimed towards improving the social and economic stability of those affected by the conflict both in Syria and neighboring countries such as Lebanon. Government and humanitarian organization’s intervention in Syrian crisis In the face of the Arab league to take side on the Syrian conflict and the ravaging humanitarian needs, the international organizations and foreign governments have introduced various interventions aimed at mitigating the challenges of the war. Apart from high number of refugees and asylum seekers from the country, the conflict has also affected the economic stability and security of the region (Cammett 21). Countries such as Jordan and Lebanon are affected by a high influx of international refugees, which affects the security situation in the countries. To mitigate these challenges, foreign governments and international humanitarian organizations have adopted a number of interventions to the Syrian crisis. Through this plan, the United Nations has managed to source for funds for various projects aimed at restoring normalcy in Syria and reducing the impact of the conflict on the life of the locals (Abadi 165). The priorities of the consortium formed included the provision of water, food, healthcare facilities among other basic needs to the most vulnerably Syrians in the country and in other neighboring countries. Communities hosting most of these refugees have also been targeted in these efforts by the international humanitarian consortium, a move that is believed to reduce the tension among the refugees and the locals hosting them. Contributions have also been provided towards the Syrian situation beyond the confines of the United Nations by other non-governmental organizations and international business organizations. However, the high number of contributors to the solution of the Syrian and Lebanese crisis has made it difficult to account for some of the contributions made. Some analysts believe that duplications in the humanitarian aid have increased the level of misappropriation of the financial facilities provided by the NGOs (Kasha, 76). Conclusion The Syrian conflict emerged from the Arab revolt that began from North African countries and later spread to the Middle East nation. Though the conflict has been protracted as compared to others that took place in Africa, the Syrian civil war has created similar challenges to international humanitarian organizations. However, Lebanon, which is a neighboring country to Syria, has faced massive challenges from this war due to their close proximity, economic and political ties and similar social strata. Lebanon has faced significant security, economic and social challenges since the beginning of the Syrian conflict and this has been attributed to the high influx of refugees into the country. This paper has discussed the various challenges that Lebanon has faced due to the ongoing Syrian conflict and how international humanitarian organizations and governments have intervened to help in reducing the issues affecting the civilian population. Works Cited Abadi, Jacob. "The Impact of the Syrian Civil War on Syrian-Jordanian Relations." Turkish Review 4.2 (2014): 162-168. Print. Addis, Casey L. “Lebanon: Background and U.S. Relations.” Politics and Economics of Northern and Western Asia. N.P., 2012. 145–172. Web. Bahout, Joseph. Lebanon at the brink: the impact of the Syrian civil war. Crown center for Middle East studies. 2014. Print. Barnes-Dicey, Julien. “Policy Brief: Lebanon, Containing Spill over from Syria.” European Council of Foreign Relations (2012): 1–16. Cammett, Melani. The Syrian conflict’s impact on Lebanese politics. Washington, D.C. : United States institute of peace. 2013. Print. Dahi, Omar. "The Refugee Crisis in Lebanon and Jordan: The Need for Economic Development Spending." Forced Migration Review 47 (2014): 11-13. Itani, Faysal. Syria’s war threatens Lebanon’s fragile economy. Rafik Hariri center for the Middle East. Brief issue. 2012. Print. Macqueen, Benjamin, and Kylie Baxter. "Refugees and Political Stability in Lebanon." Middle Eastern Studies / Ortadogu Etütleri 6.1 (2014): 50-69. Print. White, Jeffrey. “Hizb Allah at War in Syria: Forces, Operations, Effects and Implications.” CTC Sentinel 7 (2014): 14–18. Print. Wehbe, Mouhamad. "The impact of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon: Small advantages, huge damage, and overwhelming racism." Al-Akhbar (Beirut, Lebanon) 05 Jan. 2015. Web. 23 Feb. 2015. Read More