Covering a Crisis
Article Published in Asharq Al Awsat
http://www.asharqalawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=5&id=5734
July 19, 2006
Beirut - Reporting from Beirut these days does not seem to be the easiest task these days. The recent Israeli reprisals for the Hezbolla’s kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers have rendered an already complicated place to navigate even more difficult.
Before the recent events getting around in Beirut was challenging enough. With few referring to streets by their names, and no apparent numbers on the buildings, reaching your final destination was a drive filled with stops and questions.
Today, this process has been made even more complicated for foreign journalists new to this town.
With bilingual drivers scarce, and the fear of more attacks rising, getting around gets progressively more difficult each day.
Having lived in Beirut for the past two years, foreign press is calling me with questions. From print to TV, my contact details have spread out, and I get calls asking for fixers, bilingual drivers and prices.
Prices are on the rise. The price of communal taxis have double. Yesterday, hiring one to drive with me and stay put for an hour cost me 15$ something that would have cost a negotiated 7$ two weeks ago.
In certain place near the southern neighborhood, Dahia, shelled everyday by the Israelis, sugar once costing 0.60$ a kilo is now going for 3.35$. Cigarettes and bread are a third more expensive, and meat and chicken is hard to find.
As I rushed off with my crew to shoot evacuees, in a brief pit stop for food falafels were the only things available.
But not only are shortages affecting prices and availability, what is more complicated for foreign journalist is access to dollars.
The ATM outside HSBC bank in Hamra has paper signs taped next to them: “No $ available” reads the sign. There are still dollars when walking into banks but Bank of Beirut, but these are being dispensed in small sums.
Communications is another problem area. None resident cannot get monthly lines, they can only use sim cards which cost about 100$ each usually rising during the summer season. Additionally, one needs to by unit cards.
I am have been producing for an American network, I am often calling internationally. Each day, I go through the most unit Alpha offers which as of 2 weeks cost 53$, and today units are being sold in shops and hotels for 61$ each.
With the amount of calls I make per day, I am going through about 2 cards, spending about 120$ per day.
But the price rise in mobile phone cards does not only pose a problem for journalist who need to remember to stack up on cards, but also for local residents already impoverished by the situation.
Despite the logistics problem, there is another important factor to keep in mind: one of understanding the story in a country, which has a very complicated geo-political and cultural history.
So how does one start to explain this place to newcomers?
Lebanon is not only physically a complicated place to navigate, but also its political map is even more complicated. And without understanding the subtleties of the system, the risk of running black and white statements can lead to erroneous reporting.
Lebanon is like a nerve for the Middle East. Not only does the diversity of the sectarian communities, including these inter-marrying reflect a complex system of allegiances, so does the international backing of the various communities. Who supports who affects Lebanon.
On the ground, not every shia supports Hezbollah, not every muslim adheres to war with Israel. On the street there is a multitude of opinions.
At the end of the day civilians are being affected by the events, and their livelihood and their country are at stake. But as shortages rise, as one refugee in Beirut explained, “I wouldn’t mind fighting and becoming a jihadist in the fight against Israel”.
But opinions vary which makes it hard for journalists to assess the editorial make up of their pieces. The best advice is to talk to as many as possible to grasp the level of difference in opinion.
So all in all, the situation out here is complex and quickly changing. The blockades and Israeli habit of blowing up trucks coming in from Syria with supplies will only make life for both the civilians and logistics personnel of news teams more difficult.
http://www.asharqalawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=5&id=5734
July 19, 2006
Beirut - Reporting from Beirut these days does not seem to be the easiest task these days. The recent Israeli reprisals for the Hezbolla’s kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers have rendered an already complicated place to navigate even more difficult.
Before the recent events getting around in Beirut was challenging enough. With few referring to streets by their names, and no apparent numbers on the buildings, reaching your final destination was a drive filled with stops and questions.
Today, this process has been made even more complicated for foreign journalists new to this town.
With bilingual drivers scarce, and the fear of more attacks rising, getting around gets progressively more difficult each day.
Having lived in Beirut for the past two years, foreign press is calling me with questions. From print to TV, my contact details have spread out, and I get calls asking for fixers, bilingual drivers and prices.
Prices are on the rise. The price of communal taxis have double. Yesterday, hiring one to drive with me and stay put for an hour cost me 15$ something that would have cost a negotiated 7$ two weeks ago.
In certain place near the southern neighborhood, Dahia, shelled everyday by the Israelis, sugar once costing 0.60$ a kilo is now going for 3.35$. Cigarettes and bread are a third more expensive, and meat and chicken is hard to find.
As I rushed off with my crew to shoot evacuees, in a brief pit stop for food falafels were the only things available.
But not only are shortages affecting prices and availability, what is more complicated for foreign journalist is access to dollars.
The ATM outside HSBC bank in Hamra has paper signs taped next to them: “No $ available” reads the sign. There are still dollars when walking into banks but Bank of Beirut, but these are being dispensed in small sums.
Communications is another problem area. None resident cannot get monthly lines, they can only use sim cards which cost about 100$ each usually rising during the summer season. Additionally, one needs to by unit cards.
I am have been producing for an American network, I am often calling internationally. Each day, I go through the most unit Alpha offers which as of 2 weeks cost 53$, and today units are being sold in shops and hotels for 61$ each.
With the amount of calls I make per day, I am going through about 2 cards, spending about 120$ per day.
But the price rise in mobile phone cards does not only pose a problem for journalist who need to remember to stack up on cards, but also for local residents already impoverished by the situation.
Despite the logistics problem, there is another important factor to keep in mind: one of understanding the story in a country, which has a very complicated geo-political and cultural history.
So how does one start to explain this place to newcomers?
Lebanon is not only physically a complicated place to navigate, but also its political map is even more complicated. And without understanding the subtleties of the system, the risk of running black and white statements can lead to erroneous reporting.
Lebanon is like a nerve for the Middle East. Not only does the diversity of the sectarian communities, including these inter-marrying reflect a complex system of allegiances, so does the international backing of the various communities. Who supports who affects Lebanon.
On the ground, not every shia supports Hezbollah, not every muslim adheres to war with Israel. On the street there is a multitude of opinions.
At the end of the day civilians are being affected by the events, and their livelihood and their country are at stake. But as shortages rise, as one refugee in Beirut explained, “I wouldn’t mind fighting and becoming a jihadist in the fight against Israel”.
But opinions vary which makes it hard for journalists to assess the editorial make up of their pieces. The best advice is to talk to as many as possible to grasp the level of difference in opinion.
So all in all, the situation out here is complex and quickly changing. The blockades and Israeli habit of blowing up trucks coming in from Syria with supplies will only make life for both the civilians and logistics personnel of news teams more difficult.
posted by Irina Prentice at 8:07 AM
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