No information on the treatment of Christians by Syrians in Dâmoûr, Lebanon, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Additional information on the treatment of Christians by the Lebanese and Syrian authorities can be found in LBN39107.E of 11 June 2002.

However, for general information on conflicts between Lebanese Christian anti-Syrians and Lebanese pro-Syrians, please see the Europa World Year Book 2001 and the Europa World Year Book 2002 (2001; 2002).

Many sources have reported on the treatment of Christians in Lebanon (CWN 26 Mar. 2001; ibid. 2003; Xinhua 16 Aug. 2001; The Middle East 1 Apr. 2002; AFP 4 June 2002; The Middle East Times 27 Sept. 2002). For example, the police had summoned on several occasions a person who was a member of a Christian group against Syrian influence in Lebanon (Associated Press 22 May 2002).

Other sources reported that over 200 anti-Syria Christian activists were arrested while participating in anti-Syrian protests (CWN 16 Aug. 2001; ibid. 21 Aug. 2001; ibid. 8 Aug. 2001; Los Angeles Times 9 Aug. 2001; AFP 30 Aug. 2001; ibid. 2 Sept. 2001; ICC Nov. 2002), including journalists, lawyers and engineers (The Washington Post 3 Sept. 2001; CWN 16 Aug. 2001). An article in the Middle East Times also mentions that "[a] military court in Lebanon agreed Tuesday to a defence appeal for a retrial of three anti-Syrian Christian activists jailed for contact with Israel" (16 Apr. 2002).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France Press (AFP). 4 June 2002. Pascal Mullet. "Lebanese Family Quarrel Threatens to Turn Into Political Crisis." (NEXIS)

______. 2 September 2001. "Two Syrian Workers Shot Dead in Lebanon." (NEXIS)

______. 30 August 2001. "Lebanese PM Meets With Syrian President in Damascus." (NEXIS)

Associated Press. 22 May 2002. Hussein Dakroub. "Slain Christian Opposition Official Buried Amid Calls to Punish Culprits." (NEXIS)

Catholic World News (CWN). 2003. "The Cross in the Crescent." http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=21194 [Accessed 21 Mar. 2003]

______. 21 August 2001. "Lebanon Releases Christian Detainees, Charges Two Others." http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=16197 [Accessed 27 Mar. 2003]

______. 16 August 2001. " Christian Journalist Arrested in Lebanon." http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=16175 [Accessed 27 Mar. 2003]

______. 8 August 2001. "Lebanon Arrests Anti-Syria Christians, Releases Some." http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=16143 [Accessed 21 Mar. 2003]

______. 26 March 2001. "Lebanese Patriarch Warned by Muslim Sheikhs." http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=15145 [Accessed 21 Mar. 2003]

The Europa World Year Book 2002. 2002. 43rd ed. Vol. 2. London: Europa Publications.

The Europa World Year Book 2001. 2001. 42nd ed. Vol. 2. London: Europa Publications.

International Christian Concern (ICC). November 2002. "Middle East: Lebanon." http://www.persecution.org/humanrights/lebanon.html [Accessed 21 Mar. 2003]

Los Angeles Times. 9 August 2001. "Army Arrests Christians Critical of Syrian Control." (NEXIS)

The Middle East [London]. 1 April 2002. Andrew Hammond. "Can Lebanon Balance the Books? Business & Finance." (NEXIS)

Middle East Times [Beirut]. 27 September 2002. "Lebanon's Pro-Syrian Regime Tightens Noose Around Christian Opposition." http://www.metimes.com/2K2/issue2002-39/reg/lebanons_pro_syrian.htm [Accessed 21 Mar. 2003]

______. 16 April 2002. "Lebanon Court Agrees to Retry Anti-Syrians Jailed for Israel Contacts." http://www.metimes.com/2K2/issue2002-16/reg/lebanon_court_agrees.htm [Accessed 21 Mar. 2003]

The Washington Post. 3 September 2001. Howard Schneider. "Lebanon Threatens Anti-Syrian Activists; Dissenters Fear Damascus's Influence." (NEXIS)

Xinhua. 16 August 2001. "Syrian President, Lebanese PM Hold Talks on Mideast Situation." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

Internet sites, including:

Amnesty International (AI)

Arabic News

Beirut Times Weekly

The Daily Star

Danish Immigration Service

East West Record

European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI)

European Council for Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)

Human Rights Watch (HRW)

Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN)

International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

International Women's Rights Action Watch (IWRAW)

Keston Institute

La Revue du Liban

L'Orient le jour

Magasine

Middle East and Jewish Studies

Middle East International (MEI)

Middle East Report (MER)

UK Home Office

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
US Department of State (

Country Reports 2000 - 2001; International Religious Freedom Report for 2002)

Search engines, including:

Arab Gateway

Google

Yahoo