LEBANON: A DERANGED TRAGEDY
For any visitor to Lebanon, the country is an absolute paradise. A tiny Mediterranean gem, almost unidentifiable on the world map. For anyone interacting with a Lebanese, their pride in their country is almost enviable. Although their arrogance is indigestible.
“We are a fun-loving people”, they boast. Perhaps that is the reason, they forget their misery so quickly, they survive on scamming each other and then spend their money like there is no tomorrow. Their latest affluent cars, parked in front of terribly modest homes, decorated in royal splendor however small, are symbolic of their tragic mentality.
Lebanon has experienced the saddest and most deplorable history of any nation in 100 years, triggering unnecessary disasters, conflicts, mortality, destitution, and emigration. The saddest part is there has been no evaluation, reconciliation, or evolvement. They boastfully declare, “We are the most resilient people”. Are they nostalgic for the past errors, or for a repetition of the same events? Their crude adage applies to them in both cases, “Both bums fit into one trouser!” In this case, they always fall back on the same old status quo. Despite all foreign and regional interventions to sort out their fratricidal conflicts, whenever there is a problem or it is time for elections, they persistently gravitate towards their local fiefdoms and their rusty old leaders in the political arena.
Everyone in Lebanon is obsessed with politics, except the young generation. They are obsessed with finding a way to get out of their generational curse and blaze a trail for their future. Everyone blames a regional and international conspiracy unfolding in Lebanon as if Lebanon were the center of the world. I am in the autumn of my year, and ever since my youth, I have been hearing the same stories. The only elements that have changed in this melodrama are the major characters. However, the players are the same: the US, Israel, the Russians, the Arabs — but never the protagonists themselves.
This revolving self-inflicted dilemma appears to be accelerating over time. The foreign observer remains bewildered by this repetitive cycle. Yet, everyone appears to be blind-sighted by the common denominator which is the age-old Lebanese politicians who persist in their positions as power brokers, with one foot in government, and the other close to their graves. They are the silent triggers in all this mayhem. Four young generations have come, fought, struggled, failed, died, and have gone, while these party leaders perpetuate their blood-drenched positions in the interest of power and money. The key figures own the commercial banks. Since there has been no crisis on the horizon to feed their unquenchable pockets at the turn of this new century, they devised a strategy to loot billions of Dollars at the expense of the population. While, in all impunity, they boast of their fortunes and charge the state for all their expenditures.
This takes place, in a country where the infrastructure exists only through dysfunctional installations and idle over-staffing, completely irrelevant without any services, nor welfare benefits for its citizens. A country where Lebanese parents living in abject poverty, have to burn their belongings to keep their children warm in winter. While others have to hand over their children to overcrowded orphanages because they do not have the means to place enough food on the table. Others who once benefitted from three meals a day, now have to resort to only one meal before going to bed. This is not to mention parents that go out discreetly after their children go to bed late in the night, to forage through garbage dumps to find food remnants and items of clothing.
To buttress the above backdrop, the poverty line was approximately 30% prior to 2018–19. It is now at over 80% and rising. Within one year after 2019, the Banker’s and their godfathers siphoned 6 billion US$ out of the country, under the watchful eye of the Central Bank President. When the scandal became public knowledge, the government blew brimstone and fire slandering his reputation, to divert attention from their members. He did not fail to confront them altogether, with a public Tweet, challenging anyone to come forward with an accusation and evidence, claiming that he holds a file on each and every one of them. This counter-attack brought total silence over the matter but exposed that they were each one worse than the other.
During the period of the so-called “Revolution” and the Covid-19 pandemic, the neighboring Arab countries offered relief to all the Lebanese. Moslem organizations were quick to organize assistance to their adherents, while the Christian Maronite patriarch representing the majority of the Christians in Lebanon, caressed his ego by regularly appearing in the media with his hollow Sunday homilies. Although, the Church was the recipient of large international donations. Meanwhile, the elderly, physically challenged, and homeless adherents in dire need of medications, were left abandoned in their misery. However, credit must be given to the Missionaries of Charity or the Roman Catholic Church, who did not stop sharing the little they had.
If the local Judiciary cannot resolve the massive explosion that destroyed the capital, nor can they subpoena those in authority to question them, then they certainly will not hold any politician accountable for their deplorable deeds. After all, the forty thieves belong to Ali Baba’s Den. Either the judges belong to the government’s pocket, or they risk their lives at the hands of the culprits’ militias. Therefore, is it any wonder that a condemned new breed seeks mentoring from the old guard? Vying for political positions as a profession is a guarantee of rapid wealth and immunity. Not only to avoid accountability but also to take advantage and acquire fortunes through narcotic peddling, in the footsteps of a previous generation of young millionaires after the Civil War, who now run large property investments or cover-up chains of businesses.
Besides, even the military pledges their allegiance to the government in power — neither to the country nor to its citizens. The “revolution” projected a deplorable image of the Army infested with snipers wearing their uniforms and randomly gunning down unarmed civilians. Just as the military organized themselves into commando groups to apprehend unarmed protesters and kidnap them off the streets. The Judiciary froze in silence awaiting instructions from the defunct government to process their cases. What is the purpose of training them overseas when they do not apply for their legal status? In any case, the political apparatus has no intention of disarming their militias who are far better armed than the Army itself, this way they manipulate them to their whims and desires to provide legitimacy to their authority.
While the banks’ godfathers purchase prime properties in the cosmopolitan capitals around the world, worth millions of Dollars through capital (loot) flight, the youth are leaving in droves, the country is left with a non-productive population. Nevertheless, younger than the mummified politicians in power. Perhaps AI can come in useful for them in the near future…if they can last that long.
Is there any light at the end of this long and dark tunnel? Not unless Divine Light illuminates the Lebanese psyche. Why should there be massive waves of a highly-qualified Brain Drain, when all that is needed is a political overhaul? A military overhaul will reestablish the confidence eroded and provide more security. The Judiciary requires full autonomy.
Rather than constantly being judgmental regarding our neighbors, they should be learning lessons from them, whether their Arab neighbors or Israel. They mocked the Arabs in the past when they carried their brief banner of “Lebanon is the Paris of the Middle East”, or the “Switzerland of the ME”. The Arabs are far ahead, and there is no comparison to Israel’s democracy in the entire region.
As I write this article, the Lebanese Pound has stabilized after a 6,000% devaluation. Insecurity and factional armed skirmishes are on the rise. The military will not, or cannot contain this situation. The Judiciary is on a semi-strike. While all government agencies persist in their never-ending strikes for better remuneration, and no new central government has been formed, as they approach one year after the elections.
Those instrumental in creating this chaos are still in government, with one terrorist party fanning the flames of war through escalating threats against their neighbor, Israel. This is the final straw that will break the back of all the Lebanese. Whether the rhetoric is to regain some of its lost support that has faded with the old government, is yet to be seen.
I personally see a looming disaster unfolding in slow motion. This insecurity compounded with the economic meltdown, and no light at the end of the tunnel for the next generation, cannot persist. A decisive change is required.
Sammy RNAJ
WhatsApp +96170499352
Medium — @srn.abuj &/me/
LinkedIn — /in/Sammy-rnaj-5847b8287
Twitter/X — @SammyRa97511456
Facebook (Remote Hub) — /profile.php?id=100080997426450
Facebook (The Reader’s Corner) — /profile.php?id=100094246617227
Quora — /profile/Sammy-RNAJ
