Announcement

Hey Bloggers,

How about having that second Lebanese blogger meeting? This time, Arch memory will be in town for a couple of weeks. So, who's in?

P.S. Let us exchange suggestions about convenient time & place through our coollist.

Proud to be Lebanese?

Ok, I think this place can use a break from politics. So, how about... cinema? A friend of mine sent this e-mail that I thought warranted further airing; I'll just let it speak for itself:

During the Toronto Film Festival, I was very excited to learn that there were two Lebanese movies being screened, and I called my friends telling them that they had no choice; they were going to accompany me to sample Lebanese Cinema... Or so I thought!

Ziad Doueiri ("West Beirut") was introducing his "Lila dit ca". I was so happy to learn that, since I kind of liked "West Beirut". But when we were reading the info, under country we read: France. try explaining that to foreigners. "No he is really Lebanese, but must have studied in France and got his degree from there, and therefore he has the French nationality, but he is really Lebanese we7yet Allah (I swear to God), he has another movie about Beirut during the civil war, it is called 'West Beirut', I have it, do you want to see it? I swear he is Lebanese, wlak ma esmo Ziad! (His name is ziad)"

Tayyeb (OK), we couldn't find tickets for "Lila dit ca" anyway, but I was proud. "You see, he is that good, it is sold out". So we had to go for the next Lebanese director.

Wajdi Mouawad was introducing his movie "Le littoral". But once again, under country, we read: Canada. I did not know Wajdi beforehand so I had to research him and then explain to my "foreign" friends, again, "We7yet Allah he is Lebanese but his family emigrated when he was 8 years old, and therefore he has the Canadian nationality, but he really is Lebanese. Wlak ma esmo Wajdi!"

"Le littoral" portrays a Lebanese family that emigrated to Montréal, at the beginning of the war. When the father died, his only wish was to be buried in his village of origin in Lebanon. The son, who now can't speak Arabic, vows to fly the body and inter it in Lebanon, and there he has his "adventures" with Syrian blockades and cadaver snatchers and thieves.
During the movie, I felt very nostalgic watching our beautiful landscape, the blue Mediterranean, the mountains, the pine trees, the cedars, and especially the villages with the old vernacular architecture. But there was something weird about them, they did not feel quite... Lebanese; they were kind of artificial, but I enjoyed them. First of all, only one or two actors did not have accents. Everybody spoke Lebanese with a twitch. However, when the Syrians spoke, I could not understand a single word. I thought I wasn't concentrating, but then again, I was!

Secondly, when the movie was over, you could ask the cast questions (the director was not present), and indeed I asked. It turns out that the movie was filmed in Albania of all places (they could not get any insurance company to cover them in Lebanon). All the actors were Québécois, and the Syrian soldiers were Albanian. It is when they could not imitate phonetically the Arabic Language, that the director finally, and out of frustration, told them to speak Albanian, hoping that it would pass as Lebanese, and not a lot of people will know the difference anyway! I personally thought this was offensive to all Lebanese, as well as to most non-Arabic speaking audiences (those who care anyway). And I let them know my opinion. and interestingly enough, they agreed.

I wonder, couldn't they find good Lebanese actors that can speak French? Most of us are francophone; Lebanese actors won't need insurance! Actually they don't even need to speak French, because they would just speak Arabic and communicate with the staff in French or English; I think it is pretty manageable. They would just act, and they would be great at what they do... I can name 20 great Lebanese actors right now, young and old, that could have done an excellent job. I was frustrated!!!

But then again I started asking myself, why was I so upset, both these director didn't even claim they were Lebanese. So it is not a Lebanese movie after all. But really why do we hang on to the Lebanese abroad that have made it a point, not to be Lebanese? Why do we make it a point for everybody to know that they actually are of Lebanese origins? It was a comedy when Rony Seikaly left the NBA to play with the Lebanese national team.

They chose to use their western nationalities; they stand a better chance at being recognized and published this way. They have a better chance at being successful if they are NOT Lebanese. And who can blame them; it is sadly true! If they chose not to be Lebanese, then why do we hold on to them so bad? Why do we want to bring them back to their roots and to the "day3a" (the village)? We rejoice! Shakira is Lebanese, and so is Salma Hayek. You know what, I don't think so. Is Gibran Khalil Gibran Lebanese? Really? Is he? Well I think that much to our dismay, he chose to be American! Wlak ma esmo Gibran... Eh toz! Gibran bass amerkeneh! (His name is Gibran... So what? He is American!) [Interesting related article: Kahlil Gibran of America ]

Ziad.
100% Lebanese! - For now at least.

Ziad provided a long laundry list of celebrities "min 3inna (Lebanese)" that I am keeping out for space. He refers, however, anyone interested in finding more "unknown" Lebanese ("just in case we would like to adopt them") to ShooFiMaFi.com and http://www.todaysoutlook.com/lebanese/archive/index.htm

Silent Expectation

These are both images of Bahia Hariri, captured 6 months apart (January, June).

In my opinion, nothing personifies the trials we have experienced as a nation more than these two pictures. Our souls are battered, withered and weary. And most any of us can manage to do now is to stand solemn in silent expectation.

Whitaker: Beirut murder mystery

Not often do I post articles. Here's one which might be of some interest to you for several reasons; one being Brian Whitaker's skills. Another is the amount of information in the article. It's a well-detailed recap and aggregation of many aspects of the February 14 and to events related.

The international investigation into the murder of Rafik Hariri finally got under way last week, four months and two days after the devastating explosion that killed the former Lebanese prime minister along with at least 20 other people as he drove along the Beirut seafront.

The investigation was ordered by the United Nations security council after a fact-finding mission accused the security forces in Lebanon - who at the time were effectively under Syrian control - of "systematic negligence" in tracking down the killers.

A senior prosecutor from the German attorney general's office, Detlev Mehlis, is leading the investigation and will be assisted by staff from more than 20 countries.

So far, only a few facts about the assassination have been firmly established. At a press conference last Friday, Mehlis cleared up one much-debated question - about the type of bomb used.

Supporters of Hariri had argued that the explosives were placed under the road - either in a tunnel or buried when the road was dug up a few days earlier - but international experts are now certain "beyond any reasonable doubt" that the explosion occurred above ground, Mehlis said. "We are talking here about a probability of 99.9%," he added.

...

Despite the mild manner of Mr Mehlis, the UN investigation could prove a ticking time bomb for the Damascus regime and also President Lahoud, depending on how close the trail leads towards his palace.

Georges Hawi, Martyr

Another brave soul has fallen.
Another name crossed off the list.

Our list of martyrs is starting to read like a honor roll for national reform & Syrian opposition.

Georges Hawi was murdered this morning in Wata El- Msaibeh, Beirut. His car was rigged and he died instantly. The images are so reminiscent of what happened to Samir Kassir. The car and his body are almost intact. His life was surgically ripped away.

Georges Hawi, ex-director of the Lebanese Communist Party, has had a very long and rich history in all the trials and tribuations of this country. I will leave the obit. for those more knoweldgable.

Nancy beats Haifa in South

Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram ranked first in the South's elections, held Sunday, when vote counts revealed that 18 ballot papers carried her name, with nine other papers bearing the name of singers Haifa Wehbe, and Elyssa ranking third with six votes.

hehe

Thanks to Qarab.

Bubba

Hey Bloggers! How about a nice joke for a change? Hope you like this one.

Bubba was bragging to his boss one day, "You know, I know everyone there is to know. Just name someone, anyone, and I know them."
Tired of his boasting, his boss called his bluff, "OK, Bubba how about Tom Cruise?"
"Sure, yes, Tom and I are old friends, and I can prove it."
So Bubba and his boss fly out to Hollywood and knock on Tom Cruise's door, and sure enough, Tom Cruise, shouts, "Bubba! Great to see you! You and your friend come right in and join me for lunch!"
Although impressed, Bubba's boss is still skeptical.
After they leave Cruise's house, he tells Bubba that he thinks Bubba's knowing Cruise was just lucky.
"No, no, just name anyone else," Bubba says.
"President Clinton," his boss quickly retorts.
"Yes," Bubba says, "I know him, let's fly out to Washington."
And off they go.
At the White House, Clinton spots Bubba on the tour and motions him and his boss over, saying, "Bubba, what a surprise, I was just on my way to a meeting, but you and your friend come on in and let's have a cup of coffee first and catch up."
Well, the boss is very shaken by now, but still not totally convinced.
After they leave the White house grounds, he expresses his doubts to Bubba, who again implores him to name anyone else.
"The Pope," his boss replies.
"Sure!" says Bubba.
"My folks are from Poland, and I've known the Pope a long time."
So off they fly to Rome.
Bubba and his boss are assembled with the masses in Vatican Square when Bubba says, "This will never work. I can't catch the Pope's eye among all these people. Tell you what, I know all the guards so let me just go upstairs and I'll come out on the balcony with the Pope."
And he disappears into the crowd headed toward the Vatican.
Sure enough, half an hour later Bubba emerges with the Pope on the balcony.
But by the time Bubba returns, he finds that his boss has had a heart attack and is surrounded by paramedics.
Working his way to his boss' side, Bubba asks him, "What happened?"
His boss looks up and says, "I was doing fine until you and the Pope came out on the balcony and the man next to me said, "Who's that on the balcony with Bubba?"

Ms Levantine & Reminiscing

Welcome Ms Levantine to the Lebanese blogosphere! Here's a taste of Nadim Shehadi, click for full post:

The lesson from that episode was that Lebanon could not be separated from Syria; it was too hot to handle. The US had overplayed its hand and burnt its fingers. For Lebanon, this also meant the failure and loss of western protection, more or less a constant feature since independence. The vacuum created by the collapse of this agenda could then only be filled by Syria, first through the 1989 Taif agreement that ended the Lebanese war and gave it ‘special relations’ with Lebanon. This was brokered by Rafic Hariri, a courtier of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and close friend of the then Mayor of Paris, Jacques Chirac. Syria was ultimately given a free hand in 1990 as recompense for joining the Gulf war coalition to oust Saddam Hussein after his invasion of Kuwait. President Hafez al Asad was the main, if not only, net beneficiary from the Gulf War. From then on, Lebanon was under Syrian domination and lost its strategic relevance – the Lebanese and Syrian tracks were inseparable. This was all with the blessing of the US President George Bush senior’s administration, and in line with the dictum of the former Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger: ‘Give Lebanon to Syria and there will be peace in the Middle East’. Many of the problems that the US abandoned in Lebanon in 1983, came back to haunt it twenty years later.

The importance of perspective with regard to Lebanon and its politics cannot be over-stated. I have family that fall over various fault lines in current Lebanese politics, so I've had both the pleasure and headache of trying to put together piece-meal my unique opinions regarding this 600 pound gorilla. I was sheltered and neutral by virtue of being a kid during the early days. It's interesting how one little thing can change one's perspective. During the war there were many such little things causing different reactions. Cause and effect becomes a hyper-real experience during war, making time seem so surreal and misplaced. Already we have a bit of a problem with our imprecise Mediteranean time, hehe...but once you add some tracer fire here and some shelling there, some candlelight and stories late at night and you've got Libnan circa 1980-something. As long as I was up in the mountains, I felt safe. We would hike for hours building football fields to play on. Some of the best times of my life, really, and there was a war going on. It's why I wonder how life is so different for my younger cousins in Iraq at the moment. They don't get to roam around like I did in Lebanon. I feel connected to Lebanese soil because of those long days and nights. And of course I go back all the time and love it (I even lived there in 99-00), but when I was younger it was so much different.

So, welcome Ms Levantine's all-star cast by paying them a visit and reminisce with me a bit.

What are some of your fondest memories which help connect you to Lebanon to this very day?

What is this?

What the fuck is this? HUH?! WHAT THE FUCK... IS THIS?? If I were God I'd throw a tantrum, fly into Aoun's office and throw this picture in his face, slap him silly and leave him on the ground crying in a girly ballerina dress, then I'd fly over Lebanon, shout so loud until Haifa's boobs explode. Saad would look up to me and ask "But, about my dad?" I'd growl at him and he will run behind Nazek and clutch her apron. I'd strike Junblat's hair with a lightning bolt. His big eyes will look once to the left, and once to the right, then his charred stick figure would run inside wailing. The land along the Lebanese borders will crack, and I, in a torrential storm, will push Lebanon into the sea, wring my hands, fly into deep space, and sulk from Humanity for another 20 centuries. That's how angry this picture makes me feel.

Here comes "Le General"

General Aoun has just accomplished a very rare feat in Lebanon's political life. He peacefully turned the tables on the power that is.(the Joumblatt Hariri and Kornet Sehwan coalition)

Aoun swept all the seat in the first two constituency of Mount Lebanon, toppling most of the other Christian figures. And he almost won an impossible victory in Baabda-alley, the third constituency which is considered one of Walid Joumblatt private fiefdoms.

General Aoun has just entered the very exclusive club of Lebanese factions that control the parliament (in addition to the Hariri, Joumblatt, Hezballah and Nabih Berries bloc's) and completely changed the Lebanese political arena.

One of the most striking changes due to Aoun's victory, is that no one will be able to outset Emile Lahoud, the current pro-Syrian President, from office after the election. Not even the once mighty Hariri-Joumblatt alliance.

For General Aoun has repeatedly declared that he will not accept the removal of the Maronite President. And now, after his victory, Aoun and his parliamentary bloc have the means to obstruct any parliamentary motion to remove the president from his office.

Another consequence is the sounding political defeat befallen Joumblatt and his ally Saad Hariri. The great majority they thought they will get (more than 80 MP) has evaporated. And their Christian allied faction (Kornet Shehwan) is now officially dead. They are now left with only with Nabih Berri and Hezbollah. And their prospects for a clear victory in the north are diminishing by the hour, especially after the reconciliation of Sleiman Frangieh and Omar Karame and their alliance with General Aoun.

General Aoun has accomplished in these elections what Bashir Gmayial did with political assassination. He has become the uncontested Christian political leader, with influence that transcends the many confessional barriers.
More

'Aoun'-euver

More...

You call this an election!

With the unfolding of events, and the advent of the electoral law and alliances, I became very demoralized, which might explain the delays between my posts.

What made matter worse, was the assassination of the brilliant intellectual and the staunch Anti-Syrian journalist Samir Qassir.

For, after the big protests of 14 March, I, and many others thought that our political situation will undergo a major overhaul, and Lebanon will start its long climb towards democracy. I was wrong.

Because, our “esteemed” politicians – and here I stress ALL, politicians – had others plans in mind.

They decided to sell us short, for a few seats in the parliament.
More

مجهولون يعلنون مسؤوليّتهم

أوردت إيلاف الخبر التّالي:
تلقى مكتب إيلاف في لندن منذ قليل بيانا بالفاكس من جماعة تطلق على نفسها "المناضلون من أجل وحدة وحرية بلاد الشام" اعلنت فيه مسؤوليتها عن عملية اغتيال الصحافي سمير قصير في بيروت.. وقالت الجماعة في بيانها "لقد نجحنا اليوم في تصفية أحد الأبواق التي ما فتئت تنعق وتنشر سمومها واكاذيبها ولم يتوقف عن ذلك رغم الانذارات التي وجهناها إليهم مرارًا وتكرارًا". وأضاف البيان "لقد كسرنا قلم العميل المأجور سمير قصير وحولنا النهار إلى ليل حالك وهذا سوف يكون مصير كل من تسول له نفسه التعرض لمن قدم ومازال يقدم الغالي والنفيس من أجل العروبة ومن أجل لبنان والقضية الفلسطينية". ويختم البيان بعبارة "عاش التحالف السوري اللبناني الفلسطيني".

شو هيدي؟ توليفة لأبو عدس جديد؟

Samir Kassir Killed!

Samir Kassir was killed this morning at 11:15 am when a bomb ripped through his car in Ashrafieh.
Other casualties are reported.

Samir Kassir is known to be a free-willed journalist who staunchly defeneded democracy and civil rights in Lebanon, as well as bitterly criticizing the Syrian presence in Lebanon and the corrupt goverment.

He is a martyr.
May he rest in peace...