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Palestine | InternationalLebanon's rough ride toward 'normal' politics
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 : Deep breaths, please. The Lebanese psyche has been under sustained assault for nearly three years, a series of punishing blows from multiple directions that has transformed cautious moderates into radicals who froth at the mouth, thoughtful intellectuals into simpletons devoted to tribalism. By Marc J Sirois
Daily Star staff Thursday, January 31, 2008 First person by MARC J. SIROIS Deep breaths, please. The Lebanese psyche has been under sustained assault for nearly three years, a series of punishing blows from multiple directions that has transformed cautious moderates into radicals who froth at the mouth, thoughtful intellectuals into simpletons devoted to tribalism, and life-long friends into irreconcilable enemies. Events like the blood-soaked protests in Beirut's suburbs on Sunday should amplify the few remaining voices of reason, and instead the result is increasingly irresponsible rhetoric. The volatility of the situation demands that both sides in Lebanon's deeply entrenched power struggle examine more closely the effects of both the tactics they use and the words they employ to pursue their respective strategies. It would help, too, if each camp would do more to define its own agenda rather than concentrating on tearing down the supposed plans of its opponent. Such actions would have the double benefit of both reducing the odds of an uncontrollable conflagration and opening the way for a workable compromise. A failure to undertake such measures can only worsen the breakdowns of communication and trust that have kept the government and the opposition at loggerheads. Read More
§Sfeir urges sects to 'cooperate' in rescuing nation
Patriarch warns of 'hidden powers'
By Maroun Khoury Daily Star correspondent Thursday, January 31, 2008 BKIRKI: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir on Wednesday urged the Lebanese to unite, saying that "hidden powers are working on stirring chaos in Lebanon." "There are hands working to fragmentize the country and all its institutions, including the presidency, the government and Parliament," Sfeir told a delegation from the Federation of Iqlim al-Kharroub Municipalities that visited him in Bkirki. "There are those who are also working to divide the Lebanese Army as well as religious institutions," the patriarch added. Sfeir also received a visit from a delegation from the Doctors for Peace Association on Wednesday. Sfeir urged the Lebanese to unite as only the people could "rescue" the nation. He said Lebanon's 18 sects should "consort" and "cooperate" so that the country could live in peace. His comments came after nine people were killed in protests in the Shiyyah district of Beirut's southern suburbs on Sunday. The demonstration against power cuts quickly degenerated into street violence despite the army's attempts to contain the riots. Read MoreWednesday, January 30, 2008 : The Union for Lebanon said on Wednesday that the power vacuum and social instability in Lebanon "are the main reasons behind the shaky security situation and violence in Lebanon." The union also condemned attacks on the Lebanese Army "as well as attacks on civilians who are witnessing extremely harsh living conditions."
Read More Wednesday, January 30, 2008 : The tragic and senseless killing of demonstrators in Shiyyah last Sunday was, perhaps rightfully, seen as the opening shot in a new phase of the Lebanese crisis that may turn much more violent. Who was responsible for the crimes still remains unclear. But a cooler analysis of what took place shows an equally disturbing reality:
Sunday was a political disaster for the Shiite opposition parties, Hizbullah and Amal, whose inability to achieve their political ends, but also to retreat from the brink, makes the likelihood of further hostilities much greater. After the end of the summer 2006 war and the growing confrontation between the parliamentary majority and the opposition, Hizbullah was always careful to place non-Shiites in the forefront of the opposition's actions. While Sunni representatives were anemic, Michel Aoun was, for a time, someone who added credibility to the claim that the opposition was multiconfessional. That argument took a severe beating in the street protests of January 23, 2007, when the Aounists were unable to block roads for very long in Christian areas without assistance from the army. By nightfall, even that endeavor had collapsed as roads inside the Christian heartland and between Beirut and Tripoli were opened. However, Aoun struck back in the Metn by-election last summer, when he managed to get an unknown, Camille Khoury, elected to Parliament. It was a pyrrhic victory to be sure. The vote tally confirmed that the general had lost a sizable share of the Maronite vote; it showed that he relied heavily on a unified Armenian electorate not particularly committed to the general personally, that might vote very differently in the future; but it also showed that Aoun was not out of the game, as some had predicted. Read More |
