Dr Hany El Banna, President of Islamic Relief travelled to Lebanon during the conflict to join the aid effort. Returning on the 7th of August, he spoke to UK staff about his experiences in the region.

Q: Having recently returned from Lebanon, could you describe the impact of the ongoing conflict on the lives of ordinary people?

Devastating. It has had a shattering impact on the lives of ordinary people. They are living in fear and horror because of the bombardment. They feel unsafe and uncertain of what is happening, not knowing if they’ll live another day or even an hour.

Around a quarter of the entire population has been displaced. Those people who had the means have fled abroad. We met some of them in Damascus, Syria, where 180,000 refugees have arrived. They’re living in schools and government buildings.

Almost a million people have been displaced within Lebanon. Perhaps more worryingly there are some vulnerable people, the elderly and the disabled who have no money and have had to stay in their deserted villages and towns, facing extreme danger and deprivation.

Q: There has been particular concern about the welfare of children, who have disproportionately been the victims of this conflict. Why do you think this is?

When you have indiscriminate bombing, it can kill anyone. The little ones are some of the most vulnerable as they cannot run very fast. The children I met when I was in Lebanon were bewildered by what was happening – the bombing, shelling and shooting. I think these experiences will have a traumatic effect on the future generation.

Q: Can you describe some of the difficulties that aid agencies have faced in providing humanitarian relief to the people of Lebanon?

The only entrance to Lebanon is via Syria. There used to be 3 roads, but 2 are closed due to bombings. It takes 3 to 4 hours for a car to get to the Lebanon border - imagine how long it would take for a heavy truckload of relief aid?

Because of the destruction, we had to unload the lorries onto smaller trucks to take the aid as far as Tripoli. Then we unloaded the trucks onto smaller vehicles in order to get across the bombed-out roads towards the south. Even finding drivers willing to risk their lives by taking the aid was difficult.

There is no such thing as a safe route, not even for ambulances or relief aid. Every vehicle is a potential target.

Q: How would you describe the morale of the people you met in Lebanon, in the face of this conflict?

Judging by the people I met, there was a strong spirit amongst them. There is a spirit of self-help and a strong sense of community and co-operation. Although the Lebanese are very diverse, Muslims – Druze, Sunni, Shia, and Christians, all had united in the face of this conflict and were helping those in need to the best of their ability, regardless of their background. They weren’t waiting for outside help, they were hard at work doing as much as they could.

Q: Tell us about some of the people you met on your travels. Is there anyone who stands out in your mind?

In Sidon, I met some of Islamic Relief’s sponsored orphans. One was a young boy named Bilal. Although he was only eight years old, he spoke confidently and passionately about his expectations of life. He told us, “I have the right to live, nobody can deny me. I have the right to be heard, the right to play, the right to education. I am going to live!” He gave me hope.

In Nabatiyya we met some women who had fled their villages near the southern border with Israel and were now living in a community centre. They displayed such strength of spirit. They told us, “We don’t want your food. What we want is an end to the war.” They wanted peace and safety for themselves and their families, and a return to normality so that they could feed themselves without anyone’s help.

Q: Islamic Relief is part of a UK campaign backed by many humanitarian agencies which called for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon. What message do you have from the people of Lebanon to the international community?

The message from the people of Lebanon is that the international community has failed them. There is an increasing sense amongst them of anger and abandonment by the world community. How can you talk about peace tomorrow if you don’t call for peace today?

To the world’s leaders I would simply say this, see the agony of these people as if they were your own people.

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