Conflict hinders evacuations from Lebanon
ABC Online, Australia
July 18 2006
Prime Minister John Howard says it is becoming more challenging for
officials to evacuate Australians as fighting intensifies in Lebanon.
Buses took 86 Australians to Syria last night and the Federal
Government is hoping to evacuate more by bus today.
Mr Howard estimated 4,000 Australians had registered with the embassy
in Beirut.
He says the Government is doing everything it can to help Australians
wanting to get out.
"The fighting is getting heavier, it’s more dangerous [on] the
alternative exit routes and I ask people to bear with us in a situation
that is very traumatic for them, but extremely challenging," he said.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says he hopes more busloads can
leave Lebanon today and another 600 people can be ferried to Cyprus
by a chartered ship later this week.
Safely home
One of the Australians evacuated from Lebanon says it was a long and
hard journey to safety.
Levon Demirian, from the Armenian Sydney dance troupe, stranded in
Beirut, says it took 17 hours to get to Amman.
"It was very tiring, especially for the young ones and the old ones
that we have, but for the freedom’s sake we were actually happy for
it," he said.
About 30 Queenslanders are still stranded in Lebanon.
Australian Lebanese Association Queensland president Antoine Ghanem
says his son, cousin and uncle are among those trying to get out.
He says the Australian Government should avoid using buses to evacuate
Australians because the roads are too dangerous.
"I think the best option is a ship … to Cyprus, I think it is a
better option and a safer option especially if they coordinate it
with the Israelis," he said.
One woman who arrived at Melbourne Airport this morning says she and
her two daughters spent several days trying to get back to Australia.
She says they were fortunate to make it.
"It was very dangerous everywhere, especially near the embassy down
there," she said.
"Wherever we go, the road blocked behind us – we were so lucky –
some families weren’t that lucky."