Syrian refugees in Lebanon : a premonitory interview

A 2013  premonitory interview of the anthropologist Susanne Schmelter, founding member of Diversiflora International, about  Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

With more than every fifth person in Lebanon being a Syrian refugee as well as a strict non-camp policy, the refugees’ living conditions differ a lot. Moreover Lebanese politics are highly intertwined with the conflict in neighbouring Syria. While the country has a very weak government, it has a strong presence of supra-national organisations and a very diverse scene of non-governmental organisations, reaching from international and local organisations over Syrian grassroots initiatives to mainly Gulf-financed Islamic charities. Initially, the research focused primarily on the interplay of different humanitarian actors in dealing with the Syrian displacement in Lebanon. Though, in this regard, humanitarianism can be reconstructed as a field of social and political struggles, humanitarian approaches focus generally on needs and not on political demands for more rights. Experiences in Beirut suggested that resistance towards the humanitarian regime was rather to be found at its margins, where its rationalities where rejected. In this sense attempts to cross the European border regime can also be read as acts that challenge logics of humanitarian government and regional containment.

See also

2013. Syrian refugees in Lebanon are fighting to survive (in German).
2015. Schmelter, S. Research Report from Lebanon. Perspectives of anthropological research in the area of conflict between humanitarianism, containment and resistance movements. Journal on research for critical migration and border regime. (in German)

Perspektiven anthropologischer Forschung im Spannungsfeld zwischen Humanitarismus, Containment und Widerständigkeit. movements. Journal für kritische Migrations-und Grenzregimeforschung, 1(1) (in German).

Susanne Schmelter

The objectives of Diversiflora International

Diversiflora International  has the following objectives:

·       to strengthen the integration of natural and cultural diversity in all areas of human activity, taking into account economic and social dimensions,

·       to promote the conservation of biodiversity and local knowledge for present and future generations,

·       to support the design and preservation of multi-functional landscapes, rich in biodiversity and local character,

·       to contribute to the formalizing rights to cultural difference, protection of knowledge and local varieties, and a fair sharing of the earth,

·       to encourage new forms of governance and social mobilization, thereby enhancing natural and cultural diversity.

Diversiflora aims to unite those who want to work towards one or more of these objectives, whether for ethical, scientific or cultural motivations. The association is independent of political, religious or economic interest. It operates at both an international level and in other areas where it can help to defend its stated interests.

The Association takes initiatives to act in favor of the interests and objectives outlined above. It can take a number of actions, within local laws and regulations, in particular:

·       multi-stakeholder dialogue and other forms of mediation, awareness, training consultation, facilitation and public debate,

·       provide research expertise, including field studies, evaluations and publications to further its own interest or on behalf of individuals or companies,

·       advocating for proposals that influence public and private decision-makers,

·       providing support for creating and conserving areas favorable for biological and cultural diversity,

·       participating in actions lead by public or private, national or international organizations, that are interested in synergies between human societies and diversity of life,
·       preparing and implementing strategic documents that enable the enhancement of natural and cultural diversity.