Caritas Lebanon chief says actual refugee numbers higher than official figures. Caritas and other international organisations could run out of supplies. Cor Unum announces fundraiser during Holy Thursday Mass in Rome's St John Lateran Cathedral.

Beirut (AsiaNews) - "The situation is getting worse by the day. The number of refugees is rising constantly. At present, there are more than 20,000 of them; some sources say 30,000 people have crossed the border into Lebanon," said Caritas Lebanon chief Fr Simon Faddoul.

Speaking to AsiaNews, he explained that most refugees refuse to give their names fearing retaliation back home. It is thus difficult to have accurate numbers. The figure of 9,000 used by the United Nations and the international community to determine the amount of aid is just an estimate and does not correspond to the reality of the situation.

"Refugees have come especially from Homs and surrounding villages, where the worst cases are found: divided families, orphans, old people, sick or those wounded during the bombing," Fr Faddoul explained. "However, some people have fled other districts like Jableh, in northern syria, hundreds of kilometres from the Lebanese border."

"Those who still have money try to cross the border with their cars, using it to pay off security forces and rent a place in Lebanon. Our motorways have been filled with cars with Syrian licence plate, especially from Damascus and Alep, for the past few days."

For the priest, an immediate ceasefire is needed to allow humanitarian aid into syria to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe.

Through Caritas, the Lebanese Catholic Church has collected food, blankets and clothes in parishes at home and abrord for about 2,000 families.

"In recent months, international organisations have joined the effort and set up sites for refugees," Fr Faddoul said. "However, it is not enough. We are going to launch a new appeal a few days from now asking for more humanitarian aid. It will be read in all the churches of the world."

Yesterday, the papal charity Cor Unum announced that funds raised during Holy Thursday Mass in St John Lateran in Rome would be devolved to Syrian refugees.

"This is a great gesture on Benedict XVI's part," Fr Faddoul said. "It shows that the Church is close to the people of Syria. The amount of money is not important. The initiative is especially important as spiritual support for Catholic volunteers who are moved to donate everything to all these people." (S.C.)

 

• syria
• lebanon
• caritas
• humanitarian
• crisis