LEBANON / SYRIA ONE MILLION REFUGEES

The number of refugees fleeing from Syria into neighbouring Lebanon surpassed 1 million on Thursday, a devastating milestone worsened by rapidly depleting resources and a host community stretched to breaking point. UNHCR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:21
• Production Date: 3 April 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS; HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
• Geographic Subject: LEBANON; SYRIA
• MAMS Id: U140403i

Description

STORY: LEBANON / SYRIA ONE MILLION REFUGEES
TRT: 2.21
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / NATS

DATELINE: 3 APRIL 2014 TRIPOLI, LEBANON

Shotlist

1. Various shots, Yehya walking to his flat
2. Med shot, Yehya entering his new rented flat in Tripoli, Lebanon, greet his mother
3. Close up, Yehya’s mother
4. Tilt down, Yehya
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Yehya, Syrian Refugee:
“We lost a lot, we lost my dad, he was killed, we lost out on education, our homes; we lost a lot of family members. Every family has lost someone.”
6. Various shots, Yehya picking clothes out of unpacked luggage
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Yehya, Syrian Refugee:
“Being the one millionth affects me a lot, shows how many refugees there are. It’s very difficult. One million, I mean, there is no one left in the country.”
8. Various shots, Yehya sitting down thinking
9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Yehya, Syrian Refugee:
“All I think about is when we will go back to our country, we go back and build it, this is all I think about. How I will be able to restart my life and make my dreams reality, but as much as I think about these things, I can’t see how it’s going to happen.”
10. Various shots, Yehya walking in nearby field
11. Various shots, Yehya sitting down on hill overlooking village

Storyline

The number of refugees fleeing from Syria into neighbouring Lebanon surpassed 1 million on Thursday, a devastating milestone worsened by rapidly depleting resources and a host community stretched to breaking point.

Yehya is 18-years-old. He crossed the border into Lebanon three weeks ago with his family.

They have been living in a renovated garage rented to them by the owner of the house in Tripoli, Lebanon.

A former resident of Homs, Yahya lost his father at the beginning of the conflict. He has been out of school since then.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Yehya, Syrian Refugee:
“We lost a lot, we lost my dad, he was killed, we lost out on education, our homes; we lost a lot of family members. Every family has lost someone.”

Yehya will register with UNHCR on Thursday, to become the millionth refugee in the country.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Yehya, Syrian Refugee:
“Being the one millionth affects me a lot, shows how many refugees there are. It’s very difficult. One million, I mean, there is no one left in the country.”

When he was evacuated with his family from Homs in February, under the truce, they fled to Yabroud carrying all their belongings in just two bags. But after just a week of starting school in Yabroud, the bombardment pushed the family to leave Syria all together.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Yehya, Syrian Refugee:
“All I think about is when we will go back to our country, we go back and build it, this is all I think about. How I will be able to restart my life and make my dreams reality, but as much as I think about

Three years after Syria’s conflict began, Lebanon has become the country with the highest per-capita concentration of refugees worldwide, struggling to keep pace with a crisis that shows no signs of slowing.