Rejoice, Lebanon`s savior is here

Now that the Doha agreement between the opposition and the government has took place, it appears to be a day of rejoice and celebration for the Lebanese. Because on Sunday, Lebanon will not be presidentless anymore. Both factions agreed on General Michel Suleiman as a president, and agreed on an electoral law, thanks to the opposition and their "sacrifice".

Tents are doing down, no more sit-in in Beirut Central District (Downtown). That's a good thing at least, this town is beautiful and hopefully some life will come back to it.

As we have gotten used to things by now, nothing is as simple as it appears, dialog has been called for since ever in Lebanon, they have had many attempts so far, 20 times the presidential elections has been postponed as well, and in 1 week, in Qatar, solution has been found. Is it a permanent solution or just a temporary one? On the regional scale, is something going to happen between Iran and Israel/US? We'll wait and see.

Dialog in Qatar and Berri in Pyjamas

Apparently, it's not going well. All I saw yesterday on the news was that Berri was in the Qatari tradiotional outfit, known as "Dishdesheh", I think. But that's not all, he was also wearing slippers. I am thinking he feels more comfortable in Qatar. Hopefully, others will join him, and they all stay there.

We are back to square zero, because even if both factions, the opposition and pro-government have agreed on a president, General Michel Suleiman, they still disagree on the electoral law that will be used in the next parliamentary elections. How will Beirut's district be divided? For those who don't know, it is a simple matter of math, each faction is giving the division that it will win for it more seats at the parliament. I have no idea, how they can actually find a solution for that. I am sure no faction will sacrifice for the other, because after all, it is not Lebanon that it matters for them, it apparently is their own benefits.



Today, an organization named KHALAS organized a gathering along the road of the airport to call for the leaders not to come back in case they don't agree. Talk about improbable things.

Not wanting to sound pessimistic, yet it seems like the day the opposition and the government agree will be when we won't have a Global Warming problem. At least there is hope.

Recap on the past 3 days in Lebanon

The Arab Ministerial Committee's mission was a success. Their mission last wednesday was to calm things down, open the airport again, bring opposition and government closer, adopt the fact that the government retracted the May 5 decisions, and went on with the next step which is dialog.

This time, dialog is going to take place in Doha, Qatar.

No more signs of weapons on the streets, no more clashes, several airplanes landed in Beirut's airport yesterday, and several left our airport today.

In the past 3 to 4 days, some of the government's officials and pro-government political party leaders, such as Saad Hariri, Fouad Siniora, Samir Geagea, etc... have toughed up their tones, while many thought that it only meant things were not going to get better even with the Arab Ministerial Committee's upcoming efforts.

But in my opinion, it was only a theatrical broadway show, orchestrated to make those pro-government people appear as they are pissed, because if they do show that they backed down so smoothly, the pro-government followers, and the big players who support this government were going to be extremely pissed.

In my opinion, the government did not lose per se, however it compromised for the sake of this country.

Awaiting.... what?

Sunday 11th of May, 2008, the 5th day of the bloody demonstration gone wrong, of the strike gone war, of the genuine demands gone terrorizing.

The airport road, the port road and the Masnaa road (bordering with Syria) is still closed, and many other roads in Beirut are still closed. Lebanese army is widely spread in all Beirut, and there are no sign of armed men on the streets, even the Sukleen cleaners are on the roads cleaning. However the civil disobedience asked for by the Opposition leaders is still present until all their demands are met.

North Lebanon is calmer now, some sort of agreement on calming things down have been set.

Many foreigners are leaving Lebanon, and some have been advices by their own embassies to leave Lebanon.



The arab ministers will be in session soon, in order to discuss the current crisis in Lebanon. Should we expect much from them? I believe not, until now, they never really helped this much. Refraining from offending anyone, but we all know who the big regional players are, and at this point, all negotiations are done silently and discretly away from the crowds.

The death toll has risen to more than 40, I don't have the exact number, but yesterday alone had 20 casualties. In particular, the victim during the Tarik Jadidah's funeral.

Siniora is not budging, the army is trying to compromise, the opposition is still firm, less firm than the beginning, nonetheless, it appears for the situation to get better, it needs a minimum of another 2, 3 days of tension.

This is bad, very very bad

I've been meaning to sum up what happened starting yesterday and uptill now, but I just can't seem to focus. I can sincerly say, I am scared.

Now that its is being screamed from the top of the roofs that yesterday was a well orchestrated subordination. While the Labors Syndicate Union decided to halt their demonstration and postpone it to another time, the opposition continued their subordination!
The union said that the government was not ready to protect them. What the Union failed to mention was that the ones who closed their roads was the opposition. I believe, the army did a fine job considering the danegrous individuals they were dealing with.

The union, could've done a normal demonstration taking place in one sole location, holding some whiteboards with few slogans on them. But no, they decided to paralyze and open up the opportunity for others to paralyze the capital. Slogans and peaceful gathering were few yesterday. Yes, there were few innocent people really asking and demonstrating against the government for a better living.

After that, the opposition continued to close roads, and the infamously airport road. Many flights were cancelled, no flights departed from Lebanon except empty airplanes. The people who arrived yesterday waited and sat on the ground, some who insisted on leaving the airport had to cross on foot a couple of meters with the help of the army.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we the Lebanese, are being dissected and torn apart by two major evil forces, the Haririst and the Hezbollah!

The coming days will unveil the upcoming war, not necessarily a typical civil war which we are used to, but when RPGs, Snipers and bombs are used in a supposedly "peaceful" demonstration, then it is an ugly battle taking place to say the least.

Uuntil now, some of the Future movement members have closed the road in Saadneyil and also in Masnaa, which is the crossing border between Lebanon and Syria in response to the closing of the road to the airport by Hezbollah. The first, claimed that once the airport road is open, they will open the roads on their ends.

What is funny, is how Tayyar.org refers to Future movement members as "Militia" (which maybe they are), but fails to calls the Hezbollah ones (who are doing exactly the same thing, even though they started it, but it's irrelevant at this moment) militias as well.

Congratulations to propaganda, stupidity and cowardness of the Lebanese people.

Israel closed down our aiport in July 2006, and now Hezbollah closes down the same airport in May 2008.

P.S. When Hezbollah was accused of using spy cameras on the road to the airport, they said if anyone removes those cameras are spies for Israel! Seriously?
Moreover, I don't want to be terrorized into doing or believing something, and at this point Hezbollah is terrorizing the government and the people into succumbing into their own demands.

Kudos for all the political parties for ruining Lebanon just when I thought it couldn't get worse.

After Nasrallah`s speech, where does this leave us?

On 14 February 2008, it was not only another commemoration of Rafic Hariri's assassination 3 years ago, when tens of thousands of people gather in Central Beirut District, Martyr's square to pay tribute and respect to this man, and of course to show once again that they are against the Syrian regime, and most importantly show a big number to the opposition.


On the other hand, that day also was dedicated to the burial and funeral of Imad Moughnieh, an important member of the Hezbollah organization. "Mugniyah has been implicated in the 1983 bombings of the U.S. Embassy, and U.S. Marine and French peacekeeping barracks, which killed over 350, as well as the 1992 bombings of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires" [1]. He was assassinated only 2 days before (12 February 2008) in Damascus, in a car-bomb explosion.

Sheik Hassan Nasrallah offered his condolences, but also Hezbollah's preparation for retaliation and revenge for losing Moughnieh, sending a clear and assertive message to Israel, that this time there will not be just one Moughnieh, but hundreds. By "this time" he meant, the next war. He told Israel that if they wanted another war, then let it be.
He also criticized 14 March's speeches in Hariri's commemoration that same day, angrily declaring that they should stop with the low and disrespectful way of talking.

One of the many similar responses that came yesterday to Nasrallah's speech was Samir Geagea's, in which he acclaimed that Nasrallah does not have the right to include all of Lebanon in his war on Israel, such an action can only be decided by the government itself.

Moughnieh is regarded as a master terrorist in the whole world. The US and Israel welcomed his assassination, also leaving Israel on high-alert. Iran and Syria condemned it. Lebanon, on the other hand is divided in two opinions:
1 - The first cannot really say that they welcome it (because that would be a very very bad move), nevertheless imply that they do not agree at all with Hezbollah's actions (dragging them into an unwanted war)
2 - And the second clan are deeply saddened for Moughnieh's loss, considering him as a hero, moreover angered and ready for war and revenge.

Where does this leave Lebanon? Presidentless, open for war, and open for more assassinations and explosions, drowning in debt, high prices in almost everything. This is where Lebanon is.

IN HELL.

14 February 2008

On this day marked as a holiday (although I personally think it shouldn't, we have much more than 1 assassinated person, should we declare all these days as holidays?), where all schools and universities, official institutions and some private sector companies are closed, people have started to gather coming from North Lebanon, Akkar, Shikka, Anfeh, Kobayet and others, hundreds of cars and dozens of buses, with Hariri and other Lebanese martyrs pictures, Lebanese Forces and Phalanges flags. This gathering is intended to go participate in the 3rd commemoration of Rafic Hariri's assassination in 14 February 2005.

More groups from Zgharta are holding Rene Mouawad pictures as well while coming to Beirut District to the participation.

Expatriates have come from abroad to participate in today's gathering (14 March), and some of them have one message, they are asking for a president for Lebanon.

At the same time, today at 2pm and in the southern suburb of Beirut, a public march will be held for the burial of Imad Moughanieh who was assassinated in an explosion near the Iranian school in Damascus Syria on Tuesday, February 12, 2008. Imad Moughanieh is a senior member in Hezbollah accused of being in charge of the 1983-94 bombings of the American Embassy only at 19 years old and the 1992 bombings of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aeris killing hundreds of people. He is on top of the wanted list in Israel, considered as a fugitive and terrorist. The US administration welcomed this assassination, saying the world is safer with one less dangerous man.
Saad Hariri, Rafic Hariri's son, said only the grief united 8 and 14 March on this sad day.

Sad day or Valentine's day? No body knows in Lebanon anymore.

Worries of clashes between the two clans, even though at separate locations, however people will be coming from all over Lebanon to both gatherings.

Stay tuned for more news and updates on today's commemoration of Hariri and Burial of Moughanieh.



Update 9:57am:
- Many convoys are stuck in the high mountains because of the snow.
- A Lebanese Forces convoy starting from Jbeil to Batroun is preparing to arrive to Martyr's square

Update 11:30am:
- A huge traffic on the roads that lead to the central Beirut district, especially those coming from North. It has been advised to park in Dora and continue walking.
- A flame has been lit in the memory of Rafic Hariri in Saint George, the area where he was assassinated 3 years ago. Bahia Hariri, the ex-prime minister's sister has been present on the uncovering of the memorial statue of Rafic al Hariri.
- Till now many speakers have addressed the large presence in the Martyr's square, paying tribute to all the assassinated in the last 3 years, be it the Politicians, Government members, Forces and Army, Journalists: Rafic Hariri, Bassel Fleihan, Samir Assir, George Hawi, Gibran Tueni, Pierre Gemayel, Antoine Ghanem, Walid Eido, Francois el Haj, and the latest Wissam Eid.

A solution in the horizon

If you ask any Lebanese person (who follows local news), they will tell you that things have been calm lately because, they continue, it's either this or a war. Now that Iran and Saudi have interfered in finding a solution to Lebanon which haven't been declared officially yet, means two things:

1- We still get our orders from outside (surprised?)
2- While some of the March 14 really believed that "they" can control Lebanon and hopefully move it from its follower state to its country state, it turned out, that when they will be pressured to succumb to foreigners once again.

Concerning the second point, I will just like to send a message to all those who were in the opposition, despite how some of the current government politicians have gone wrong, etc... there is one fact and that is that some really wanted the betterment of this country (some got assassinated) and these people did not get anywhere because there was no union. Of course, we can't sum up the whole reasons and consequence in one paragraph, but point noted.

Government to govern, Opposition to oppose

To each its responsabilities, to each its purposes, to each their reason to improve the country.

We want both, we want a government and an opposition.
Without a government, there will be chaos.
Without an opposition, there is no democracy and a way to "positively" criticize.

What is a government and what is its job?
In its broadest sense, "to govern" means to administer or supervise, whether over a state, a set group of people, or a collection of assets.

So many times when I am on the street, or at work, or just reading news, I can't help but wonder that "all" our governments so far (the past 3 decades) haven't really made a complete job. We have ministries for a reason, and we'd be lucky to have 1 or 2 ministers who work. This topic will be elaborated in the future by mentioning some ministries, and where they went wrong.

As for the opposition, they are not doing their designated job, as mentioned above, they should criticize in a positive way in order to demand or open the eyes of the government to what is going wrong in order to improve the state of the country. However, the current government is only preventing other people from living, making a living, and making the government improve.

Certainly by above, we don't mean that the people who are in the opposition shouldn't exist, on the contrary, but their administrations should find a better way, because we all understand all sides have demands, and all people should live in their country in the way they deserve.

Aoun`s press conference

Yesterday, Wednesday 24 January, the day after the general strike, Aoun held a press conference and not just to answer questions. However the reason behind this post is not to discuss Aoun's reply to what happened on Tuesday, as Aoun may have appeared stable at the beginning when he was reciting, accusing and explaing the reason why he took the decision of putting the strike on hold, however when the questions started raining on him, he lost his zen.

Anyway, what I have been wondering about is how come Sheik Nasrallah, the general secretary of the Islamic Resistence in Lebanon, the biggest part of the opposition camp today, haven't still made an appearance. It is soon to know why, and many conclusions can arise, but one fact remains, when an opposition having several leaders for several parties allied together declare a general strike (gone bad), the next day they should all make statements, which haven't happened.

Opposition supporters harrassed my friend

I would like to congratulate those opposition supporters for their exquisite job in expressing their democratic opinion and right for a better Lebanon, and excercizing these rights by harrassing a 21 year old female just driving back to her house at 4:30pm in Al Siyad - Hazmieh. They ran towards her, and not just 3 or 4 men, we're talking dozens, tried to open her car door, verbal abuse, blocking her way and making her go back.

Congratulations, I sure am very proud to be a fellow citizen.

So what happened yesterday?

Main Headlines:

1- Opposition's General Strike begins at 3am (Reason: To topple Saniora's government)
2- Burning tires, blocking roads and causing traffic
3- Smoke rising all over Lebanese converting the blue sky to grey
4- Lebanese Forces and Pro-Government supporters decided to go down and open the roads
5- Gun-fire, fistfights and stone-throwing
6- Lebanese Army and Special Forces only got orders till 2pm to open the roads and deal with the rioters
7- Roads to the airport claused, locking arrivers in and travellers out, leading to cancellation of flights, no army was present at that location
8- 5 dead and more than 100 wounded
9- Opposition leaders during the day called the strike "Civil and peaceful"
10- Around 10pm, Opposition halt the strike

Response:

1- Democratic right
2- Democratic right NOT. "My freedom ends when the freedom of others begin"
3- Thank you for the pollution
4- Their right
5- Not Civil. P.s. Palestinians throw stones at their occupier (Israel), Lebanese threw stones at each other and at their Army!
6- Why this late?
7- Why weren't the army present there? And once again, thank you for sending this beautiful image to international community
8- Peaceful?
9- What?
10- Three explanations for this.

First Explanation: As the strike has turned violent and into what appears as overthrowing, the opposition decided willingly to halt the strike preventing more problems and clashes in Lebanon.

Second Explanation: A meeting for an agreement has been set between the government and the opposition

Third Explanation: Again, Lebanese issues discussed by foreigners who have either found a solution themselves, or at least decided to stop things before getting worse, thus order coming from outside to the opposition in order to stop the strike.

Breaking news: Opposition to halt strike

Breaking news: Opposition to halt strike (Source: LBC)

Day 1 of the opposition escalation

5 Deaths.
More than 100 wounded.

Is it worth it?

Update: Roads Status

The Lebanese Army has been working on opening the highway in Nahr El Mot, in both direction to and from Beirut, while until this hour they still aren't letting cars passing, not before they make sure it is safe. The Lebanese Army received orders for this job around 2pm.

More roads in Keserwan have been opened. While in Jbeil, proud protestors took pictures of themselves throwing a tire into the already burning tires.

The Lebanese opposition still insists that today's strike was only peaceful and civil, and not only till the Pro-Government supporters and the Lebanese Forces have come problems started.

Until this hour, no word from Nasrallah about the situation and today's events.

In Batroun, clashes occured between Lebanese Forces supporters and Marada supporters, while one of the latter shot another Lebanese Forces supporter who is seriously injured. Until now, the Army was able to break the two groups, however the road is still closed.

Until now, more than 15 persons got injured in today's clashes, from both groups.

The Airport is still blocked, no aerial movement, few people were able to get out of the airport walking, those who arrived to Lebanon today are stuck inside, few airport workers were able to arrive to the airport, and until now, the road to the airport is still closed.

Update: Smog near Airport and throwing stones

- Around 11am, I received this picture from my cousin in Kfaraaka in North Lebanon.


- 11:25am Near the Airport perimeter, tires burning and smog rising in the sky prohibiting travellers from arriving to the airport.




- 11:30am Near Al Mazraa region, opposition supporters were throwing stones at the army, and the habitants of the region are answering back with throwing stones as well.




P.S. Again with a phone call to LBC, Franjieh repeated that today's protest is civil and peaceful. (No comment, watch the pictures).

Photos & Updates of today`s Escalation and Smog

Dear Reader,

This album of today's photos will keep being updated as soon as I see anything new.

L

p.s. Newest photos taken in the Horizon of Dekwaneh, I am pretty sure near Dallas Gas Station.



This one is in the Industrial City in Sid El Bouchrieh (or in the area)



And the rounded building is The Lebanese University, Faculty of Sciences II.


Edited: To view pictures from inside the protests and tire burning, click here.

Update:

• - 10:00am People who are travelling today, are going walking to the airport according to Al-Arabiyyah


• - 10:20am Most Schools and Universities have closed their doors today


• - ~10:30am Military Police is now on the ground, as re-enforcements to the Lebanese Army


• - ~10:30The army has opened the road going to Beirut, but not the one going from Beirut, and people are stuck in their cars immobile.


• - 11:03am In Al Koura, Miryata and Zgharta, some gun fire occured against some protestors of Al Marada and FPM (after some provocations) resulting some injured persons who have been moved to a near hospital


• - 11:05am Some arab airlines have reschedule flights going from and to Lebanon, to another day because of the General Strike called upon by the Opposition


• - 11:08am Franjieh described today's protests civilized (isn't he watching the TV?)


• - 11:50am One casualty so far


• - 11:50am Armed Lebanese Forces and Phalange supporters went to the gathering in Nahr el Mot near Jdeideh, resulting with 1 injured from the opposition

Regular day or Pollution day?

Personally, I woke up at probably 6 a.m., staying in bed and listening to the road's noise. Usually, I hear a lot of honking, School bus engines, and normal engines. Unlike today, I heard one engine every once in a while, maybe one school bus, and barely any honking (something very strange for Lebanon). I decided to finally get out of bed at 8 a.m. So I went straight to the balcony, and I saw this:



I put on the TV, LBC of course, as Future TV is always in denial, and New TV too biased, and no need to say what Al Manar is. They were reporting live from Nahr El Kalb, basically everyone coming from Jounieh, Zouk, Jbeil, Keserwan, any place from the north to the Capital Beirut, cannot make it. This is the main entrance!

Drove to work, everything was smooth, there is a college beside us, so there were 5 or 6 groups of 5 to 10 people standing in corners. I arrived to work, and my first joy was finding a place to park my car so near. The bank that is in the center where my job's office is, is empty, only 8 people or so were there, gathering together and laughing, probably about how awkward for a bank to be empty.



I arrived the work and took some pictures where you can see in the horizon the smoke of the fire caused by burning wheels in order to block roads. It's a 360 degree view.

Click here to view more horizons filled with smoke.

Update from Sawt Al Ghad Radio Station

Right now, I am litening to the radio "Sawt Al Ghad", that some assaults have occured in Keserwan while the General Forces did not interfere, and the victims have been taken to Notre Dame of Lebanon hospital. As for Batroun, Shekka and Tripoli, the highway from Batroun to Shekka is closed on both ends (only road), some inside roads in Tripoli have been closed too.

Sleiman Franjieh thinks it's a normal day, and that this step was not what they have wished for, but it needed to be done, and more escalation will occur. He also pointed that the Lebanese Army should provide protection, and only protection from the "naughty" Lebanese Forces political party.

Franjieh continued, that if the government doesn't comply, the protest today will continue to more days.

In Matn, Public Schools and Universities have closed their doors, after some students have shown up, in order to protect their students. Some faculties such as The Sciences and Literature, their student bodies have declared support to the opposition and close the doors.

Zalka is basically closed, roads from Jounieh is closed as protesters have blocked the main entrance to the capital which is Nahr El Kalb.

Near the Lebanese National Museum, apparently many opposition supporters have answered their leaders call and went down to protest in that area.

Between Zgharta and Tripoli, the roads have been blocked due to burning wheels.

In Jbeil, the General Forces have tried to bring down from the protestors enthousiam, however it is not affecting the protestors.