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Mideast Dispatches

In Lebanon, the politics of division

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Thursday, November 16, 2006 | 01:03 PM ET

By Nahlah Ayed

Nothing is as uncomfortable as being witness to a public fight between a husband and wife.

I found myself in that unfortunate position late one evening this month. For nearly an hour I listened as the two hashed and rehashed their arguments, occasionally interjecting with futile attempts to stop their fight when I felt their venomous barbs threatened to inflict real damage.

In Lebanon, politics is the ultimate conqueror, with unrivaled ability to divide – even a tightly knit family. This country’s bloody history aptly illustrates that power.

And these days, the squabbling has started anew, threatening to subdivide this fractious nation once again.

What started the shouting between my friends was a discussion on the sorry state of Lebanon’s political scene. A scene that today is every bit as disconcerting as that matrimonial face off.

Two opposing camps

Lebanon is still reeling from the effects of the summer war between Hezbollah and Israel. One result of the conflict was a hardening of positions between two opposing camps: those who support Hezbollah, the current in opposition, and those who don’t, the ruling, anti-Syrian majority.

Buoyed by the popular support it built during the war, Hezbollah, a pro-Syrian Shia Muslim military and political powerhouse, is demanding more clout in the government. It wants – along with its allies – to have effective veto power on government decisions and a bigger share of an expanded cabinet. Hezbollah accuses the government of being an American tool.

The government, led by Sunni Muslim Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and supported by anti-Syrian Druze and Christian parties, wants Hezbollah subdued – many of them even want it disarmed altogether. The government refuses to grant Hezbollah and its allies the power they want, and some of its members are angry with the group for starting the war with Israel. They also accuse Hezbollah of being a Syrian and Iranian tool.

Predictably, talks aimed at diffusing the tension and brokering an agreement collapsed last week shortly after they started. Since then, six ministers – five of them Hezbollah – have resigned from cabinet.

Hezbollah has threatened street action if its demands aren’t met. Pro-government forces have promised counter-protests.

And everyone, it seems, is predicting mayhem and possibly violence.

Suspicion and distrust

The political divide has naturally extended to the population. There is growing suspicion and distrust, fueled by the almost daily exchange of public barbs and accusations between opposing politicians. Hardly anyone can express an opinion without being accused of misplaced loyalty, of putting the interests of outsiders before those of Lebanese – exactly the kind of accusation that fueled that acrimonious public exchange of barbs between my two friends.

The division has become so pronounced that even student elections have been coloured by it.

The planned announcement of results for student elections at the American University in Beirut, for example, warranted the attention of dozens of riot police and security personnel outside. Students formed various "parties" which mirrored virtually all those active in real Lebanese politics. As the results were announced before a huge crowd of frenzied students, the slogans were the same too.

"Siniora out!" shouted the Hezbollah "party" and its allies. When they lost, they leveled familiar accusations. "Thieves!" they shouted. "We want to bring down the government!"

And of course, all the tension has brought old and persistent sectarian sensitivities back to the surface. And that’s what leaves many here convinced that civil war isn’t out of the realm of the possible.

For now though, it’s a tough war of words. A veritable shouting match.

Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, vowed in a speech last Monday that the current government will soon be gone. "A new government is coming," he promised.

Siniora says he will not be cowed. The government will stay in place despite the pressure, because the alternative, he said, would amount to a "tyranny of the minority."

Winners and losers

Who is right and who will be the victor isn’t yet clear.

But many here predict that the longer this bickering and uncertainty goes on, the more likely it is that it’s the people of Lebanon who will be the losers.

It’s one of the few things that my friends, the couple who ended up literally shouting at each other, finally agreed on.

The solution, many here say, is for the various parties in Lebanon’s dysfunctional political family to restart negotiations, and solve their problems by talking – reasonably.

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Comments (6)

Charlotte Hashem

Toronto

Firstly, I would like to clear this up for the viewers and or readers who have no clue to what is really happening in Lebanon.

The western world preaches democracy. In Lebanon, the government doesn't respect or take care of its people.

They say they do but they do not!! What is happening in Lebanon are the majority are standing up to corrupt government. A government that does not represent the Lebanese people. Instead, it is represented and swayed by U.S. ambassador Jeffrey Feltman and other traitors.

After the civil war, these so called anti-syrians NOW gave Lebanon to Syria if they helped USA in the gulf war. The gift was Lebanon and a goverment in Lebanon placed by Syria. That's democracy?

Now, 2 million lebanese, christians, shiis, sunnis, druze are rallying for change...they are called pro-syria? does this make sense? Western media is calling it a rally against a western government. Why is Lebanon not allowed to govern its own people without outside influence? Why do the people of Lebanon have to be criticized for a change

No one really cares about us. Our demonstrations are patriotic, peaceful, and democratic 100 percent.!!! the opposition are educated and smart and no longer want to be used.

What lebanon needs is a change

Posted December 11, 2006 03:44 PM

Richard

Alberta

Again the thought of a nationally unified Lebanon must be put aside for politics. May they one day have a strong unified country, until that day comes however people will just have to hold out as best they can.

Posted November 17, 2006 01:30 AM

Rajaa Berro

Edmonton

The Lebanese political system needs a fresh start. Political seats are held for many years and generations. Political Power is passed from Granfather to Father to Son. When the same people are in power, the same animosities remain. Lebanese politicians must learn how to accept defeat as they always find teir way back to the political scene. Lebanon is to complex for a simple solution.
I can write for days on ways to improve Lebanon's politics.

Posted November 16, 2006 05:28 PM

Harold Hotham

Once again, religious values and beliefs have overtaken common sense in that they appear to be more prevalent within "political circles" (and I do use the term loosely)than the needs of a democratically elected government to oversee the welfare of the citizenry.

It can be debated as to whether Lebanon truly is a democracy when this sort of posturing with the threat of violence is made by opposition.

In any true democracy, those who make such pronouncements would be arrested and put on trial for treason.

Can one even begin to imagine a religious group threatening to overthrow the government in Canada, USA, Britain, France, Germany etc.

The best efforts of the west to help these budding democracies are consistantly thwarted, not by differing goals for the welfare of the people but by religion and underlying that thinly veiled mask, power; power that is sought to be absolute.

My heart goes out to all those in Lebanon who truly do want peace and democracy. If I read Nahlah's writings correctly, they are in the majority. I can only envision another state like Iran if the minority is successful.

Posted November 16, 2006 04:48 PM

Scott

Toronto

It's always disconcerting when a group like Hesbollah claims to represent the will of the people, but is not willing to accept their democratic choices. It wants to force others to bend to its will, but rejects all suggestions that it should accept the democratically expressed will of others. Groups like Hezbollah represent the terminally self-righteous. They have no trouble recognizing the folly and immorality of others, but have an ideology-fed blind spot a mile wide and every bit as deep, when it comes to their own (like the Bush Admin, but without even Donald Rumsfeld's willingness to accept right of others to dissent). People like that are almost always more like the extremists on the "other side" than the moderates on their own and, regardless of their cause, almost always doo more harm than good for "their" cause and "their" people (just as was the case this past summer).

Posted November 16, 2006 03:37 PM

Vladimir

Toronto

Why do I forsee more Canadian tax dollars bailing out Canadian citizens of convenience out of Lebanon again.

Posted November 16, 2006 02:58 PM

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