ATVs stopped by Hezbollah in Jroud Zahle

I've just been told that Samir Geagea mentioned in today's press conference that some ATVs were stopped during a trip in Jroud Zahle. I've been meaning to post about this on this blog, but the personal life got in the way.

It is us that he was talking about. On Sunday 15 June 2008, I had a trip planned for my colleagues at work to go on ATV from Ouyoun el Simen to Zahleh through its deserted mountains, known as Jroud, have lunch in Zahle's Wadi Al Arayesh and come back. On our way, we were a convoy of about 10 ATVs, and in the middle of no where we were stopped by armed civil men, carrying AK47s. On the side there was a big white tent. On both sides, as far as 500 meters on each way, there was high deserted mountains. We were asked what we were doing there and where we were going. I gave the name of everyone with me, because I did not want them to stop every ATV and bother them. Luckily I gave them the right names, and all of them.
After they believed that we were only on an adventure trip and going to have lunch in Zahle, and been told never ever to pass by there again because it is a "military" region. They told us that we will not be bothered on our way back.

On our way back, we were stopped again, there was more armed men, and we can see them in far behind big rocks with their guns ready for any action. This time they wanted to search all males in the ATV convoy. The organizer of the trip insisted and persisted over and over again that we are a respected company and only here for adventure and he refused that any man amongst would be searched. After more than 20 minutes of negotiations, they told us that all males should show their IDs, and they compared it to the first list we had given them earlier that day. There was one missing name, but it was okay, because we told them that the guy stayed in Zahle. After they let us go, they were clear that this is a secure zone, a NO-ATV zone... and not to pass from there ever again.

We were just trying to have fun. That is the story.

Round up about the latest clashes in Beirut

While someone thinks they've seen it all in Lebanon, and in Beirut in particular, the day and night carries with them another type of attack, another type of distress and another form of disappointment.

Yesterday, 6 institutions of media have been closed, and not just had their doors closed, in fact they're doors are wide open, but everything inside is either burned or broken to pieces. These institutions belong to the Future TV, Radio and Newspaper, and their variety of offices. The whole TV building has been burned by members belonging to the opposition factions.



This is a video of Sahar Al Khatib, a reporter from Future TV talking with a genuine voice about what happened to Future insitutions, on Kalam Al Nas show with Marcel Ghanem on LBCI.

Journalists and media personnel gathered at the Bourj Al-Ghazal Tower in Tabaris to express their rejection of yesterday’s forced closure of media institutions by opposition factions.

Yesterday's images have been scary, empty roads of residential areas with armed men walking and shooting in the air, scaring off anyone who thinks of going out to the balcony and checking out the weather. People were not able to get to Beirut or Leave to Beirut. Schools and Educational institutes, shops, banks, everything is closed in Beirut. Beirut is under siege.

Today, all locations that have been "occupied" by our own Lebanese brothers, have been handed over to the Lebanese army.



Moreover, the clashes and gunfire reached out to Aley, a druze region in majority. All in all, clashes, blocades and victims were not only in Beirut, but some parts of Bekaa, both Lebanese-Syrain borders, Masnaa and North Lebanon, Aley, Shouweyfat, Saida, Khaldeh, etc...

Below is a video about a real and spontenaous reaction for a kid and woman to gunfire near them in Beirut, this was broadcasted on Al-Arabia TV.



After Moorab's meeting yesterday for March 14, its outcome according to Lebanese-Forces leader Samir Geagea, that the recent events led by the opposition is an armed manner to overthrow the government. Read more about it here.

In the last three days and according to the Media, the toll is 18 casualties.

The most recent clashes are in Halba - Akkar, and word that there are 2 victims so far. For minute to minute news, check Tayyar.org, LebanonFiles.com and NowLebanon.com for more opinions and coverage.

Aoun vs Geagea. Who`s going back where?

X is returning (in arabic X raje3) has originally started being written on walls after Aoun left Lebanon in 1990 and lived in exile in france for over a decade. His supporters wrote this graffity on walls saying that Aoun is returning (to Lebanon from France).

A joke spread among the Lebanese after Aoun returned in 2005, saying that in France people started writing the same graffiti "Aoun is returning" (to france). If you're Lebanese, you will probably won't find it funny.

Anyway lately, the below photo (photoshopped of course) was shared and forwaded in emails as a joke. The place in the photo is Deir El Salib hospital, an asylum for emotionally and mentally troubled individuals, located in Zalka. On the whiteboard, it is written "Aoun is returning" (to the asylum) as rumors say that Aoun spent two years in it. So people are basically making fun of him.


Counter to this, another photoshopped picture has been spreading, which is the below, a prison room, with a graffiti written on the wall saying that "Geagea is returning" (to prison). As Geagea spent 11 years in jail and was set free in 2005 after the many events including Hariri's assassination in February, and Aoun's return in May.



So yes, this is what us Lebanese spend our time doing. Photoshopping pictures, opposition against pro-gov and pro-gov against opposition.

Martyrs didn't die, for us to quit and leave

I always go back to a sentence Samir Geagea said on his speech in Notre Dame of Harissa on Sunday, September 29, 2006. You can read about that day in this post.

The meaning of the sentence was that the Lebanese martyrs didn't die, for us to quit and leave.

I love this sentence, it always makes me retreat for a minute and think before I think if I want to leave Lebanon or not.

Of course, for everything in life, there are 2 sides and 2 meanings. But first, I want point out, that all martyr's, whatever their cause was in Lebanon, they had strong faith, and strong belief, that if they die, they are helping Lebanon. We might not totally agree with their political thinking, nonetheless, they really are to respect.

I salute those Lebanese martyrs, and that is the main reason for the red color in the Lebanese flag, we wouldn't trade it for the world.

Back to the 2 sides, should we leave or not? Although people died to save Lebanon. We can decide to stay, only in respect to those martyrs, and we can decide to leave and tell those martyrs, no we're not like you. I am not blaming or saying who's right or wrong, because I believe we are right when we think in both ways.

Another dilemma...