Over 24,000 people, mainly Palestine refugees and a small number of Lebanese remain displaced from Nahr el-Bared camp in northern Lebanon following three months of fighting there in 2007 between Fatah al-Islam and the Lebanese army. To date, small numbers of refugees have been able to return to their homes in areas adjacent to the camp also affected by the fighting. A full return is expected to take two years or longer because of the complete destruction of homes and infrastructure. Among the most pressing concerns is to ensure adequate temporary accommodation for refugee families, as well as addressing their loss of livelihoods. Many refugees and host families continue to rely on humanitarian agencies to provide them with shelter and food assistance. Displaced communities have raised concerns about their security and free movement, particularly as security measures have tightened as sporadic attacks and clashes continued to be reported in northern Lebanon in June 2008. On 23 June 2008, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and the Government of Lebanon launched a comprehensive three-year plan to rebuild the camp and surrounding areas.

A majority of people displaced by hostilities between Hizbullah and Israel in 2006 were able to return directly after the conflict. Although there is no official figure on the number of people who remain displaced, a conservative estimate is that 40,000 to 70,000 people remain unable to return, mainly because of the destruction of their homes. The pace of reconstruction has slowed because of months of political crisis in Lebanon. Although it has been two years since the conflict, sustainable return in the south continues to be hindered by cluster bombs and lost livelihoods. There are also still unresolved cases relating mainly to property from the Lebanese civil war of 1975-1990 and Israeli invasions and occupation of part of southern Lebanon.



Read full Report on Internal Displacement in Lebanon