Liban. Date précise à laquelle Nabih Berri est devenu chef de la milice Amal et circonstances de son accession à la direction de celle-ci. [LBN3071]

Aucune information supplémentaire à celle que nous vous avons déjà envoyée n'est disponible au Centre de documentation de la CISR concernant l'accession de Nabih Berri à la tête de la milice Amal.

12 December 1989

1989/12/00eSubject:

Lebanon. Refugee determination acceptance statistics for USA.
From:

Immigration and Refugee Board Documentation Centre (IRBDC) Ottawa
Keywords:

USA / refugee status / refugee status applications / statistical data / Lebanese / human rights violations / abduction / UNRWA / politics / political opposition / Lebanon
1)

On February 5, 1988, two Scandinavian workers of the U.N.R.W.A. in Lebanon were abducted by gunmen near the port city of Sidon [ "Kidnappers in Lebanon accuse captive UN employees of espionage links", Associated Press. 17 February 1988.]. Following the abduction the U.N.R.W.A. transferred its administration from Tripoli and the Biqa valley to Damascus ["UNRWA to move Lebanon administration to Syria", BBC Monitoring Service. Summary of World Broadcasts. 18 February 1988.]. The international organization blamed the abduction on the Palestinians [ Rima Salameh, "UN Relief and Works Agency says Scandinavians kidnapped in Lebanon are held by non-political Palestinians", Associated Press. 6 February 1988.]. The two U.N.R.W.A. workers were released on 1st March 1988 [ "Lebanon: UNRWA captives freed; statement on US captive", Associated Press. 3 March 1988.].

In 1987, at the time when the war camps was going on in Beirut, Syrian forces and the Amal movement prevented the U.N.R.W.A. from entering the camps to provide inhabitants with food and medical supplies [ "PLO leader Arafat's Message to Besieged Palestinian Camps in Lebanon", BBC Monitoring Service. Summary of World Broadcasts. 8 October 1986.
"Lebanon: PLO Statement on Syrian Killings in Beirut", BBC Monitoring Service. Summary of World Broadcasts. 27 February 1987.]. In May 1986, facing abductions and murders of foreigners in Lebanon, the U.N.R.W.A. decided to transfer about 10 of its foreign personnel from West to East Beirut [ "Lebanon: UNRWA moves staff from West to East Beirut", BBC Monitoring Service. Summary of World Broadcasts. 7 May 1986.].
2)

Mr Badri Hamadi, a well informed member of the Lebanese community in Canada, has informed us that Kamal Chatila headed a small nasserite leftist group in Lebanon, the name of which he could not recall however. Mr Hamadi does not know if the group still exists. No other information is available at the IRBDC concerning the above-mentioned group.
3) Statistics on the Refugee determination acceptance of Lebanese citizens for the U.S.A. will be forwarded to you as soon as they get available to the IRBDC.
Attachments:

"Kidnappers in Lebanon accuse captive UN employees of espionage links", Associated Press. 17 February 1988.

"Lebanon: PLO Statement on Syrian Killings in Beirut", BBC Monitoring Service. Summary of World Broadcasts. 27 February 1987.

"Lebanon: UNRWA captives freed; statement on US captive", Associated Press. 3 March 1988.

"Lebanon: UNRWA moves staff from West to East Beirut", BBC Monitoring Service. Summary of World Broadcasts. 7 May 1986.

"PLO leader Arafat's Message to Besieged Palestinian Camps in Lebanon", BBC Monitoring Service. Summary of World Broadcasts. 8 October 1986.

Rima Salameh, "UN Relief and Works Agency says Scandinavians kidnapped in Lebanon are held by non-political Palestinians", Associated Press. 6 February 1988.

"UNRWA to move Lebanon administration to Syria", BBC Monitoring Service. Summary of World Broadcasts. 18 February 1988.
According to the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the rate of acceptance of Lebanese refugee claimants in the United States of America is as follows:
From October 1988 to September 1989
Claimants in the U.S.A.:
482 applications
58 granted
124 denied
69 closed (the claimants did not show up or withdrew their claims)
453 pending
Claimants abroad:
1 application. Granted.
Source:
Immigration and Naturalization Service. U.S.A.
In addition, we have the following information on the types of claimants who are arriving in the U.S.A. on visitor's visas and, then, applying for refugee status in Canada. Lebanese refugee claimants come from Damascus, Athens and Cyprus on a 6 month visitor's visa. The majority originate from Athens. They are mostly males aged from 20 to 35 years old. The females usually go the the U.S.A. with their fathers, brothers or husbands. According to the State Department, the pull factors for Lebanese refugee claimants to come to Canada are the language (many speak French), the presence of family and the enhanced possibility of their being granted status.
Source:
Department of State, United States of America.