Beirut under Siege: my take on the Lebanese politics

Good thing I made it back to Beirut last night: everything is totally blocked today (that’s Tuesday, 23 Jan). Including the road to the airport. I should’ve been on a plane to Boston today. Ha!

Here’s my take on the political situation. I know I spent 10 days here and failed miserably to blog about it, but I did have the pleasure to enjoy observing the dynamics of Lebanese politics. Speaking to demonstrators. Praying with the guys camping in tent city. Chatting with taxi drivers, with the rich kids hanging out in Gemmayze, with the soldiers of the Lebanese army, with the Hezbollah officials in the Da7ya El Janoubeya. So I got to make my own little idea of the situation around here: here it goes.

I’m normally rather sympathetic to the opposition’s demands. (Opposition is Hezbollah, Amal, Aoun (the National Free whatever party) and some other minor parties). Plus, I have great respect to Hezbollah as a resistance movement, and I think they did a great work freeing the South from the occupation. And, I think that people camping downtown is a fascinating sight and I think they believe in what they do. I do think the way the government is, the way it works, is not representative of the Lebanese people.

All this being said, I’m losing faith in the opposition’s leadership. I think Hezbollah is merely trying to regain the aura it has lost during the July war by imposing itself as a political party. Which is fine by me - but the way they’re doing it is not the right way.

Hezbollah has taken a bet, by withdrawing its ministers in an attempt to topple the government. Later it has asked - some say paid - its supporters to camp in the capital’s main two squares, Riad El Solh and the Martyrs square, and they’ve been living in tents there since December First. This has been a bit of a disaster - not only did they not topple the gov, but the latter has been going on with its plans as planned, working on reform schemes, preparing for the Paris III donors conference...

So yesterday, the opposition decided to up the movement and go on a full strike-cum-riot in Beirut. The streets were blocked. Shops were closed - reports came about shopkeeper being threatened and beaten up if they tried to open their shops. Demonstrators, mainly groups of wanking teenagers, have been burning tires and trash, blocking the streets with dirt, threatening cars and hitting some people.

It’s ridiculous. I think that with this little adventure, not only did they fail topple the government, they failed miserably at attracting more support; but they are also losing the support of their supporters. People hate it when they are unable to do what they need to do. Add to that that many of the opposition supporters belong t the lower income groups; for those, even a day of strike can be painful.

Plus, there have been people wounded. And three dead. Well done, guys - you managed not only to block the country again - last time was 6 months ago, during the war - but you also succeeded at reminding the Lebanese of the Civil War days, when the city was split, when gunshots were no longer unusual, when people died everyday for no other reason than their religion or sect. Insanity seemed to be back in Beirut. Not only this will turn people against Hezbo quite seriously - but it will also destroy its efforts to frame the current conflict as a political rather than a sectarian one.

It’s not just a shot in the foot: it’s more of a madman actually sawing off his damn foot.

Damn idiots. You gambled, and you lost.

(update: just now, I heard on Al-Arabeya that the opposition is suspending its strike. Hurray!!)