It actually happened, on the 19th try. Lebanon has a new president: someone all the parties and factions could agree on--Michel Sulieman, until yesterday the head of the Lebanese Army. We heard he went out and bought 6 suits. It is odd to see him in civilian dress. His photo has been displayed all over the country for months; but now we see him minus the uniform, in a tie. There is a wonderful, festive air in town. And Lebanese really know how to party... The outgoing Prime Minister invited all the MPs including the opposition which had closed down parliament for the last 18 months, to dinner. And a popstar s hosting a party tomorrow and has invited all of Beirut.
*****
We did our fist volunteering today--picking up trash from a beautfiul beach in Byblos for a Mediterranean clean-up day involving 21 countries! There was to be a contingent on the Beirut beach front as well, but the election festivities meant no groups could gather, so that part had to be cancelled. But two beaches outside Beirut were cleaned. There were 80 people at one beach near Beirut, mostly high school students. At Byblos we were a group of just 6 people--from the NGO we hike with. We chose a small beach only about 60 yards long. I thought we would be done in 15 minutes, and wondered why the leader had chosen such a small place. Three hours later we had filled between 40 and 50 large trash bags full. Worse, we could see more stuff coming in on the tide. It's terrible--trash heaps along the shore slide into the sea, and poeple just toss things--most people have no consciousness about litter. Maybe now that there is a functioning government some things will change. Another beach feature are globs of sticky black oil, left over from the Israeli boming of Lebanon's power plants in 2006. It sticks to the pebbles and is impossible to get off your hands or clothes. It will never wash away.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
White balloons
Six days of talks in Qatar brought Lebanon's politicians to an agreement. People are happy, and a bit amazed. The Hezbollah encampment that had killed downtown commercially and socially for 18 months is being dismantled. White ballooons were released there in celebration. An election, postponed 18 times, may actually be held on Sunday. We are going to wait and see if it really happens before unpacking the evacuation suitcase...
Friday, May 16, 2008
They are talking
The port and airport are open, the roadblocks removed, and representatives of all the parties have jetted off to Qatar for talks mediated by the Arab League. I never thought it could be so wonderful to be stuck in traffic in Beirut--a sure sign that things have returned to normal.
Now we all wait to hear the outcome of the talks. Some give it a 50-50 chance of success, others are more hopeful. I am working on unpacking the evacuation suitcase.
On an overpass near the airport, a group of people in wheelchairs held banners in Arabic, English and French for the departing politicians to see:
Now we all wait to hear the outcome of the talks. Some give it a 50-50 chance of success, others are more hopeful. I am working on unpacking the evacuation suitcase.
On an overpass near the airport, a group of people in wheelchairs held banners in Arabic, English and French for the departing politicians to see:
"If you don't reach a solution, don't come back!"
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
"Fighting Ebbs in Lebanon"
That is the headline on the local news feed we get, and we hope it is true. K heard gunfire near her workplace today for about an hour. But there are no reports of major fighting anywhere in the country. The army seems to be slowly taking over. Tom witnesssed them entering our area, and seeing the Syrian Socialist members who had claimed our neighborhood scatter like rats into the shadows... And an Arab League delegation is scheduled to arrive tomorrow--presumably they are clearing the roadblocks from the airport for the occasion.
Here is more on the power of spin, a remarkable story that apparently appeared in the Syrian press:
"The Americans launched a pre-emptive strike against opposition nationalist forces, starting with the [Hizbollah] resistance, and attempted a Washington-planned coup but were taken aback by the opposition, which restored order in Lebanon."
It goes on to say: "The recent events in Lebanon showed that the coup carried out by the Americans and their men in Lebanon backfired."
Interesting, given the fact that we didn't see any American soldiers in Lebanon and the fact that it was Hizbollah who started the fighting.
Here is more on the power of spin, a remarkable story that apparently appeared in the Syrian press:
"The Americans launched a pre-emptive strike against opposition nationalist forces, starting with the [Hizbollah] resistance, and attempted a Washington-planned coup but were taken aback by the opposition, which restored order in Lebanon."
It goes on to say: "The recent events in Lebanon showed that the coup carried out by the Americans and their men in Lebanon backfired."
Interesting, given the fact that we didn't see any American soldiers in Lebanon and the fact that it was Hizbollah who started the fighting.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Spin
Some media portray it as an opposition takeover of the Shouf, but that is simplistic as best. What we saw was a decision made by those in power in the region—two Druze leaders who themselves oppose each other—to jointly agree to withdraw in order to avoid more bloodshed, in favor of having the army move in to maintain the peace. Again, a wonderful thing, that the army is respected by all and has managed to stay neutral.
The Prime Minister called for a minute of silence Sunday at 12:00. We were at the health club at the time (so grateful it had reopened so we could burn off some steam) and asked them to turn off the music, which they did.
Other positive: The cabinet is to meet today and presumably will reverse the decisions it had taken that set off Hezbollah. If Hezbolah stands by its word, the fighting should stop.
Other negative: The US has sent its warship to hover off the coast and add to the tension and the perception that the current government are US puppets.
Other inscrutable: The Arab league is sending a Sunni delegation to mediate this Sunni-Shiite conflict.
Heavily weighing on our minds: the idea that we could leave, but the people we have come to love, these beautiful generous Lebanese souls, along with the thousands of Palestinians trapped for 60 years in a world in which they have no control, have no such choice to make.
The Prime Minister called for a minute of silence Sunday at 12:00. We were at the health club at the time (so grateful it had reopened so we could burn off some steam) and asked them to turn off the music, which they did.
Other positive: The cabinet is to meet today and presumably will reverse the decisions it had taken that set off Hezbollah. If Hezbolah stands by its word, the fighting should stop.
Other negative: The US has sent its warship to hover off the coast and add to the tension and the perception that the current government are US puppets.
Other inscrutable: The Arab league is sending a Sunni delegation to mediate this Sunni-Shiite conflict.
Heavily weighing on our minds: the idea that we could leave, but the people we have come to love, these beautiful generous Lebanese souls, along with the thousands of Palestinians trapped for 60 years in a world in which they have no control, have no such choice to make.
Sunday news
It has been quiet in Beirut today, but there was fighting in both Tripoli in the north and in the Shouf, south east of Beirut. Both seem to have died down now, and the army has moved in to maintain order. The airport is still closed, blockaded by Hezbollah. Things seem volatile, but not hopeless.
In our area, in West Beirut, there remained a few armed guys on a couple of street corners, flags of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party flying here and there, and spray painted party logos had appeared on many buildings in the neighborhood. They are a small group allied with the Shiite Moslem Hezbollah, but are Eastern Orthodox Christians...and Nazis. Reminds me of the sign Tom has outside his office that says "If you think you understand Lebanese politics, no one has explained it to you properly."
So the "flight" bag remains half unpacked, a barometer of current conditions. When the violence ratchets up, I throw a few more things in. When it looks like life is returning to normal, things go back in the drawer.
Meanwhile we got some clarification on emergency evacuation. The embassy had sent a disturbing email saying that it was our responsibility to plan for evacuation. The email informed us that the airport was closed (well, duh) and suggested that we might charter a boat to Cyprus. With Hezbollah controlling the port and there being very few boats in the Beirut harbor, this was not a comforting thought. But we later learned that there is indeed an evacuation plan, and that it involves going north out to Syria, which sounds reasonable.
In our area, in West Beirut, there remained a few armed guys on a couple of street corners, flags of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party flying here and there, and spray painted party logos had appeared on many buildings in the neighborhood. They are a small group allied with the Shiite Moslem Hezbollah, but are Eastern Orthodox Christians...and Nazis. Reminds me of the sign Tom has outside his office that says "If you think you understand Lebanese politics, no one has explained it to you properly."
So the "flight" bag remains half unpacked, a barometer of current conditions. When the violence ratchets up, I throw a few more things in. When it looks like life is returning to normal, things go back in the drawer.
Meanwhile we got some clarification on emergency evacuation. The embassy had sent a disturbing email saying that it was our responsibility to plan for evacuation. The email informed us that the airport was closed (well, duh) and suggested that we might charter a boat to Cyprus. With Hezbollah controlling the port and there being very few boats in the Beirut harbor, this was not a comforting thought. But we later learned that there is indeed an evacuation plan, and that it involves going north out to Syria, which sounds reasonable.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Morning after update
Well, all is quiet on the Western Beirut front now. No gunfire sounds for over 12 hours, and reports are that Hezbollah has withdrawn from the area. The few flare ups in other parts of the country have not spread. People are dismantling the now unmanned roadblocks. Two wonderful things: Hezbollah withdrew after making its statement, and the Lebanese Army, a microcosm of the country's population, stayed neutral. The Army commander is respected by all and remains the top candidate to be president, should an election ever actually be held (it's been delayed 18 times).
So we are changing gears. I will unpack the "flight" bag I had packed, put away the family photos and favorite earrings, go look for bullet holes on Hamra street, and carry on with life. It was so quiet last night that we slept well--no motorbikes, squeaky brakes...or gunfshots.
We are still not sure who they were shooting at. Almost everyone was off the street, including the Army. One tremendous round of continuing fire at 3:30 yesterday afternoon turned out to be celebratory fire, as Hezbollah and allied fighters signalled total control of Weste Beirut by firing volleys into the air form strategic street corners throughout the area.
So we are changing gears. I will unpack the "flight" bag I had packed, put away the family photos and favorite earrings, go look for bullet holes on Hamra street, and carry on with life. It was so quiet last night that we slept well--no motorbikes, squeaky brakes...or gunfshots.
We are still not sure who they were shooting at. Almost everyone was off the street, including the Army. One tremendous round of continuing fire at 3:30 yesterday afternoon turned out to be celebratory fire, as Hezbollah and allied fighters signalled total control of Weste Beirut by firing volleys into the air form strategic street corners throughout the area.
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