Beirut Pushing for Truth and Independence
The week began with protests last Monday. I was not able to go as school has taken the upper hand however, there were more people present than at the funeral procession.Estimates ran as high as 300,000 people showing up, and yet it would be important to note that there were some not represented as reportedly bus loads of people prepared to march were turned away at the outskirts of town. This afternoon, Philip, one of my very gracious host here mentioned that some were not to be dissuaded from the procession, and ended up coming into town on foot. The determination to stand and be counted for in a public stance against Syrian presence and the desire for a new government is clear.
Lebanon is applying a fairly unified stance so far, not so much divided along sectarian lines as much as the division set between those for Syrian presence and those against it. A student who had gone to the protest told me with pride that what jumped out to him was a man propped up on shoulders, holding a cross in one hand and a Koran in the other. This would apparently be a first since the war, to see as many Christians and Muslims gathering together together for at least one the following public requests: a truthful investigation on the murder, a desire for a public understanding of the origin of the perprators and the reasoning behind it, a withdrawal of Syrian troops, a change in government, and a unified and independent Lebanon.
As the emotional wave is riding high, animosity toward the Syrians unfortunately had a deadly consequence in the beginning of the week when some 5 Syrian workers were killed. This trend luckily did not continue through the week, however the attack has lead to a Syrian migration back across the border. There are no official numbers how many have left, however unofficially one restaurant worker on Hamra street said that he heard that some 70,000 Syrians had left Lebanon. Regardless of the number, the street cleaning company, Sukleen, started up by Hariri has had a labor turnover. The street cleaners have changed faces, now looking more like they are coming from South East Asia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh.
Conversations throughout the city has changed. Although finding out the perpatrators of the attack is high on the agenda, there is a stronger focus revolving around a independent Lebanon.
On Friday evening I headed down to the mosque were Hariri and his body guards are buried. A mosque still under construction, the outside protective walls of the site are covered with urban graffiti, people writing condolescences and messages for freedom, truth and independence. At the grave site itself, the earth is still fresh over the coffins, and has become home to shrines, covered in flowers, images of christianity, verses of the koran, all of it alight with burning red and white candles. Throughout the evening and during the following day people have been streaming through paying their respects. At the foot of the mosque is the Place des Martyres, a Statue erected by the French. Since the 15th of February, the day after the assassination, a steady number of Lebanese have been setting up tents around the statue and now expanding outward in the square. Essentially a political squat, inhabitated by activists making up the faces of the 8 anti-syrian coalition parties have congregated in a similar way to those involved in the Orange Revolution which just took place in the Ukraine. About 100 people and although far from being as impressive in number as of what took place in Kiev, a friend pointed out: "Come on, the Lebanese camping? This isn't nothing". And political activist Tracy, who has been spending all her free time down there explained since the attack explained: "Yeah, this is really a big step for people, a big step". The campers all agreed that while down there, no one would put up political party flags rather they would rally behing the Lebanese flag as a symbol of unity.
The big step Tracy refered to was about how the result of Hariri's death has permitted for a real public display of discontent. Although Lebanese press is noted for being the freeist in the Arab world, each publication is still under the constraints of self-censorship, unable to outwardly discuss the Syrian presence and the impact it has had on decision making in Lebanon. For the first time, since 1989, when the last big anti-Syrian protest took place, people of all ages, socio-economic and religious backgrounds are finding the strength to display their frustration with the impact of the Syrian presence. On Saturday evening, a human chain was organized with maybe 10 to 20 thousand people standing from Place des Martyrs down the site where the blast took place. I overheard people speaking, one lady saying to her friend: "I don't what will come of this, but it is important to be here". Another and more prominent figure I ran into, Ziad Doueiri, a filmmaker who directed West Beirut about the war, and more recently, Lila dit ca, explained to me that " I never go to demonstrations, but that this time I feel like I can't miss this, I just really need to be here". As people lined up, there seemed to be just as many soldiers along the way. A presence heavily armed, stood by quietly in the background. They were noticeable, but far from agitated looking. One officer turned to me and said: "It is all good as long as it stays under control." Persisting to find out what he thought, he said:"You know, Hariri was a big loss, so I think this is good". So far the government is condoning population's ability to act on its democratic right, yet things may start changing.
Tomorrow, Monday, there is a mass strike organized, and the city will close down. Along with it has been planned another big rally.Half a million of protesters are expected. Rumor has it that throughout the past week, the government has sent out a rallying word to pro-Syrian factions to show up in support of the government and Syrian presence. If this is reality, the events could be a little more difficult to control, maybe something the Ministry of Interior might have realized. This evening, Philip surfing the internet spotted a message from the Ministry of Interior. It has set out a decree that there should be no protesting in any way tomorrow. The only thought is that the decreee might have come in with incredibly short notice, and considering the momentum of the population, it would seem hard to dissuade so many of a breath of free _expression for all sides of the equations.
Lebanon is applying a fairly unified stance so far, not so much divided along sectarian lines as much as the division set between those for Syrian presence and those against it. A student who had gone to the protest told me with pride that what jumped out to him was a man propped up on shoulders, holding a cross in one hand and a Koran in the other. This would apparently be a first since the war, to see as many Christians and Muslims gathering together together for at least one the following public requests: a truthful investigation on the murder, a desire for a public understanding of the origin of the perprators and the reasoning behind it, a withdrawal of Syrian troops, a change in government, and a unified and independent Lebanon.
As the emotional wave is riding high, animosity toward the Syrians unfortunately had a deadly consequence in the beginning of the week when some 5 Syrian workers were killed. This trend luckily did not continue through the week, however the attack has lead to a Syrian migration back across the border. There are no official numbers how many have left, however unofficially one restaurant worker on Hamra street said that he heard that some 70,000 Syrians had left Lebanon. Regardless of the number, the street cleaning company, Sukleen, started up by Hariri has had a labor turnover. The street cleaners have changed faces, now looking more like they are coming from South East Asia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh.
Conversations throughout the city has changed. Although finding out the perpatrators of the attack is high on the agenda, there is a stronger focus revolving around a independent Lebanon.
On Friday evening I headed down to the mosque were Hariri and his body guards are buried. A mosque still under construction, the outside protective walls of the site are covered with urban graffiti, people writing condolescences and messages for freedom, truth and independence. At the grave site itself, the earth is still fresh over the coffins, and has become home to shrines, covered in flowers, images of christianity, verses of the koran, all of it alight with burning red and white candles. Throughout the evening and during the following day people have been streaming through paying their respects. At the foot of the mosque is the Place des Martyres, a Statue erected by the French. Since the 15th of February, the day after the assassination, a steady number of Lebanese have been setting up tents around the statue and now expanding outward in the square. Essentially a political squat, inhabitated by activists making up the faces of the 8 anti-syrian coalition parties have congregated in a similar way to those involved in the Orange Revolution which just took place in the Ukraine. About 100 people and although far from being as impressive in number as of what took place in Kiev, a friend pointed out: "Come on, the Lebanese camping? This isn't nothing". And political activist Tracy, who has been spending all her free time down there explained since the attack explained: "Yeah, this is really a big step for people, a big step". The campers all agreed that while down there, no one would put up political party flags rather they would rally behing the Lebanese flag as a symbol of unity.
The big step Tracy refered to was about how the result of Hariri's death has permitted for a real public display of discontent. Although Lebanese press is noted for being the freeist in the Arab world, each publication is still under the constraints of self-censorship, unable to outwardly discuss the Syrian presence and the impact it has had on decision making in Lebanon. For the first time, since 1989, when the last big anti-Syrian protest took place, people of all ages, socio-economic and religious backgrounds are finding the strength to display their frustration with the impact of the Syrian presence. On Saturday evening, a human chain was organized with maybe 10 to 20 thousand people standing from Place des Martyrs down the site where the blast took place. I overheard people speaking, one lady saying to her friend: "I don't what will come of this, but it is important to be here". Another and more prominent figure I ran into, Ziad Doueiri, a filmmaker who directed West Beirut about the war, and more recently, Lila dit ca, explained to me that " I never go to demonstrations, but that this time I feel like I can't miss this, I just really need to be here". As people lined up, there seemed to be just as many soldiers along the way. A presence heavily armed, stood by quietly in the background. They were noticeable, but far from agitated looking. One officer turned to me and said: "It is all good as long as it stays under control." Persisting to find out what he thought, he said:"You know, Hariri was a big loss, so I think this is good". So far the government is condoning population's ability to act on its democratic right, yet things may start changing.
Tomorrow, Monday, there is a mass strike organized, and the city will close down. Along with it has been planned another big rally.Half a million of protesters are expected. Rumor has it that throughout the past week, the government has sent out a rallying word to pro-Syrian factions to show up in support of the government and Syrian presence. If this is reality, the events could be a little more difficult to control, maybe something the Ministry of Interior might have realized. This evening, Philip surfing the internet spotted a message from the Ministry of Interior. It has set out a decree that there should be no protesting in any way tomorrow. The only thought is that the decreee might have come in with incredibly short notice, and considering the momentum of the population, it would seem hard to dissuade so many of a breath of free _expression for all sides of the equations.
posted by Irina Prentice at 9:54 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home