Google Earth Community: Nahr el Bared Camp Humanitarian Crisis

The Nahr el Bared cashes between the Lebanese Army and Fateh el Islam ended between the 1st and the 3rd of September 2007, with it ending approximately 105 days of fighting, which claimed the lives of at least 340 people, at least 48 of them are civilians, 163 militaries and 222 fighters (AFP, Sept 6th 2007). Yet these numbers might change according to the further developments of the situation.The clashes has affected directly about 40,000 people, (31,000 Palestinian refuges inside the camp and about 9,000 Lebanese nationals from the areas adjacent to the Nahr el Bared Camp (Mouhammara, Bebnine))The Nahr el Bared Camp was established in 1948 by the ICRC, as a result of the forced deportation of Palestinians from historical Palestine, through time the camp has extended from its original area to what is now known as the “new camp”, this extension came as a response to the natural progress of the Palestinian community in Nahr el Bared, a large proportion of the lands and real estate in the new camp are owned by Palestinian refugees, who have took ownership of them prior to the decree released by the Lebanese state to ban Palestinians in Lebanon the right of ownership. Yet the Old Camp and the New Camp are an extension of the same social structure and fabric.Nahr el Bared Camp has also a major economic significance to North Lebanon; it is situated between Tripoli, the second largest city in Lebanon, the agricultural plains of Akkar, and also on the highway leading towards the Lebanese, Syrian Borders of Abdeh. The camp is a major provider of Labor force in construction, manufacturing and agriculture for the surrounding Lebanese areas. Also the camp developed through time as a major market for the surrounding areas and the Akkar region. It has developed different retail services and businesses which were a major contributor in the economic activity of area.General Situation of IDPsSince May 20th, Nahr El Bared Residents have gathered in various shelter locations, Beddawi Camp being the main location holding the Majority of the IDPs.A general Mapping of IDPs have been conducted in June 2007, by Lebanon Support in Collaboration with all Palestinian NGOs and the main results showed that 8.39% of IDPs are located in Beirut, 3% in Palestinian Camps in Tyr, 83.46% located in North Lebanon (Beddawi Camp, Jabal El Beddawi and surrounding areas, as well as Akkar and Tripoli); 3,54% in Sidon and 1.61% in Bekaa.Changes in displacement after more than 1 year of the crisisAfter the opening of the Nahr el Bared Camp Adjacent Areas (New Camp) and the initiation of the UNRWA rent subsidies support programme there has been big changes in the geographic distribution of the Nahr el Bared population, about 36% have moved back to Nahr el bared, and about 3,300 (60%) Families are benefiting from rent subsidies, these factors resulted in higher mobility for the affected population of Nahr el Bared, which led many to move out of their initial displacement shelter towards better shelters, and thus reshaped the geographic distribution of the population within North Lebanon and to some degree on the National Level as well.Currently the Camp (New Camp) hosts 1,991 Families distributed between collective centers, prefabricated housing units and homeswww.lebanon-support.orgPlot 23 is the name of the prefabricated shelter compound built by UNRWA to host the NBC IDP families till the reconstruction is over then the families will be moved back to their apropriate homesThe plot currently hosts 104 displaced FamiliesAl Amal Building is currently used as a collective center hosting 38 displaced familiesAl Akki Building is currently used as a collective center hosting 47 displaced familiesPlot 600 is the name of the prefabricated shelter compound built by UNRWA to host the NBC IDP families till the reconstruction is over then the families will be moved back to their apropriate homesThe plot currently hosts 238 displaced FamiliesAl Sayyed Buildings are currently being used as a collective center hosting 85 displaced familiesthis entrance is located on the eastern border of the camp, in Mouhamara Village, currently an army checkpoint is operating the entranceThis entrance is located in the village of Minnieh, South of Nahr el Bared Camp, the Lebanese Army is currently operating the entranceThis entrance is located in El Abdeh Village North of the Nahr el Bared Camp, the entrnace is operated by the Lebanese Army