A Vulnerable Place
Monday officially was the last protest at least for the opposition. Politicians and to a certain degree citizens agree that Lebanon needs to get back into its regular weekly rhythm. With shops and schools closing and streets blocked off on days of each protest, daily life seems incapacitated by a case of hick-ups. Asking a protester what she felt about it being the last
hurrah for the opposition: "Well, we have to get on with our lives", explained the woman. And in regards to the outcome, she said and echoed what many think:"We are here for our independence and our freedom. We are here for a united Lebanon, and I hope we can achieve this. But, I don't know. I hope", and as she pointed to the back of her head, "there always the fear, a doubt, but I hope."
Pointing to the back of the head seems to be a new tick in town, as more than one has been spotted making the gesture when expressing doubt for a positive outcome. This fear also resounds in the story of a young bar tender on Monot street who about to open his business in Beirut, has decided to leave. His brother will be following shortly after. This exodus not
uncommon prior to Hariri's death, may be accelerating now caused by decisions taking place behind closed doors. When asked why, he smiled and said with an uneasy smile that things were not as well as he would like them.
And in a typically Lebanese way, where paradox and contradiction are essential to the country's make up, the fear is both real and irrational. The country divided on what to do with the Syrians and the government, generally adheres to this new Lebanese nationalism shaping itself on the streets: regardless of the differences, the voices of both camps at least
agree on a Lebanon for the Lebanese. This first step toward reaching for a sovereign Lebanon has been set in motion by consensus on the street. And it is precisely the birth of this consensus, which is exhilarating the population as much as terrifying it. So here we are looking at a new national sense and people deciding to leave.
Getting closer to the heart of the protest, this time it felt like a giant street fair, where people milled around with children, soldier's sat chatting on sunny benches. Streets were un-barricaded, and there was the odd group of twenty year olds chanting as if in support for its favorite football team, and all of this on an absolutely glorious spring day. The
entirety of downtown had been taken over by protesters. The closer one got to what seemed to be the centers of the protest, the more difficult it was to move as each inch of free space was filled with bodies. It came to the point where buildings got in
the way of people whose need to congregate seemed in part a need to show the pro-Syrian demonstrators of the previous week that size does matter. As one protester said in a perfect West Virginian accent which he picked after twenty seven years there: "We got to show them who's the boss."
The protest was so large, that it seemed only natural for it to be the last one, as no one could sustain such an escalating competition without bringing the country to a standstill. But then again, what was remarkable and shocking to the Lebanese as much as to the onlooker, was that in the crush to get to the heart of the protest, there was no aggression and very
little tension in the crowd. As if in the fourth week of protesting has led to civilians become more comfortable in their democratic steps. And it is specifically the democratic steps which to a certain degree is creating unease. How long will it last? And is it real process toward the society progressing or will it all fall apart if there is a political stalemate in the upcoming elections.
In a slightly insecure state, people are hopeful and so far proud of the lack of conflict, yet it seems that they don't belive it as once again there are unnerving currents moving through town.
A taxi driver explained to me, that he felt very little hope that the appearance of what looks like democracy is illusion. He explained that on the day of the explosion, he saw something which he couldn't repeat fearing for his life, but that whatever it was, it was a sure sign of bad times ahead. He said that there was a nintey percent chance of things going sour, reinforced by his description of people heading to the Palestinian camps to buy weapons. If this is the case the question than rises today of who would turn on who? And if this is rumor, bringing the so far quiet Palestinian refugees into the equation cold
create some problems. Based on the words of the people on the street, people are more in a unifying mood, than a divisive, so where would the conflict begin?
In taking steps toward democracy, it would seem that the stones below the feet are wobbly. And it is precisely in the poorly set road that trouble makers could take advantage of destabilizing the process through a random murder or the publicizing of the fight that took place last week by Martyr Square where opposition members beat up two pro-Syrian lads in
retaliation to the shooting that took place ten days ago.
Impossible to tell what is really going on, Lebanon seems hopeful and skeptical because of the unknown and the reliatory nature of the place. The one thing for sure, is that is looks like a tinder box, and as the heat of the sun has chased the rain away, it is more likely to ignite. As one protester said: I wish I was born in Sweden or something. The problem is that this
is region is about conflict and has been so for the past 2000 years... It is an emotional place but i hope we can make it."
hurrah for the opposition: "Well, we have to get on with our lives", explained the woman. And in regards to the outcome, she said and echoed what many think:"We are here for our independence and our freedom. We are here for a united Lebanon, and I hope we can achieve this. But, I don't know. I hope", and as she pointed to the back of her head, "there always the fear, a doubt, but I hope."
Pointing to the back of the head seems to be a new tick in town, as more than one has been spotted making the gesture when expressing doubt for a positive outcome. This fear also resounds in the story of a young bar tender on Monot street who about to open his business in Beirut, has decided to leave. His brother will be following shortly after. This exodus not
uncommon prior to Hariri's death, may be accelerating now caused by decisions taking place behind closed doors. When asked why, he smiled and said with an uneasy smile that things were not as well as he would like them.
And in a typically Lebanese way, where paradox and contradiction are essential to the country's make up, the fear is both real and irrational. The country divided on what to do with the Syrians and the government, generally adheres to this new Lebanese nationalism shaping itself on the streets: regardless of the differences, the voices of both camps at least
agree on a Lebanon for the Lebanese. This first step toward reaching for a sovereign Lebanon has been set in motion by consensus on the street. And it is precisely the birth of this consensus, which is exhilarating the population as much as terrifying it. So here we are looking at a new national sense and people deciding to leave.
Getting closer to the heart of the protest, this time it felt like a giant street fair, where people milled around with children, soldier's sat chatting on sunny benches. Streets were un-barricaded, and there was the odd group of twenty year olds chanting as if in support for its favorite football team, and all of this on an absolutely glorious spring day. The
entirety of downtown had been taken over by protesters. The closer one got to what seemed to be the centers of the protest, the more difficult it was to move as each inch of free space was filled with bodies. It came to the point where buildings got in
the way of people whose need to congregate seemed in part a need to show the pro-Syrian demonstrators of the previous week that size does matter. As one protester said in a perfect West Virginian accent which he picked after twenty seven years there: "We got to show them who's the boss."
The protest was so large, that it seemed only natural for it to be the last one, as no one could sustain such an escalating competition without bringing the country to a standstill. But then again, what was remarkable and shocking to the Lebanese as much as to the onlooker, was that in the crush to get to the heart of the protest, there was no aggression and very
little tension in the crowd. As if in the fourth week of protesting has led to civilians become more comfortable in their democratic steps. And it is specifically the democratic steps which to a certain degree is creating unease. How long will it last? And is it real process toward the society progressing or will it all fall apart if there is a political stalemate in the upcoming elections.
In a slightly insecure state, people are hopeful and so far proud of the lack of conflict, yet it seems that they don't belive it as once again there are unnerving currents moving through town.
A taxi driver explained to me, that he felt very little hope that the appearance of what looks like democracy is illusion. He explained that on the day of the explosion, he saw something which he couldn't repeat fearing for his life, but that whatever it was, it was a sure sign of bad times ahead. He said that there was a nintey percent chance of things going sour, reinforced by his description of people heading to the Palestinian camps to buy weapons. If this is the case the question than rises today of who would turn on who? And if this is rumor, bringing the so far quiet Palestinian refugees into the equation cold
create some problems. Based on the words of the people on the street, people are more in a unifying mood, than a divisive, so where would the conflict begin?
In taking steps toward democracy, it would seem that the stones below the feet are wobbly. And it is precisely in the poorly set road that trouble makers could take advantage of destabilizing the process through a random murder or the publicizing of the fight that took place last week by Martyr Square where opposition members beat up two pro-Syrian lads in
retaliation to the shooting that took place ten days ago.
Impossible to tell what is really going on, Lebanon seems hopeful and skeptical because of the unknown and the reliatory nature of the place. The one thing for sure, is that is looks like a tinder box, and as the heat of the sun has chased the rain away, it is more likely to ignite. As one protester said: I wish I was born in Sweden or something. The problem is that this
is region is about conflict and has been so for the past 2000 years... It is an emotional place but i hope we can make it."
posted by Irina Prentice at 9:05 PM
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