A beautiful and well-researched piece by Joe Dyke documenting the Lebanese migration to Brazil from the late 1800s till today... Published in the Executive Magazine, July 2014
Articles/Opinions
Syrian Refugees in Lebanon: Is Anybody Listening?
The International Community, the US, EU and the UN commend Lebanon for being cooperative and receiving more Syrian Refugees while allies of the EU and the US such as Jordan and Turkey have taken a clear position towards closing their borders in consideration of their national security and incapacity of managing the what we know now is going to be a long crisis with no ends or solutions any time soon.
Yes, Lebanon is commanded for being collaborative, but in reality it is commanded for being weak and unable to take a firm position toward a crisis that should be the responsibility of the International Community and not just that of the 4 million Lebanese.
If the international Community is REALLY concerned about the Syrian Refugees safety and security, they have two options: either provide them with the needed 400 million dollars monthly to ensure their bare survival in Lebanon or host them in their own countries. But to push Lebanon to receive more refugees and to refrain from providing them with support, then accuse Lebanese of xenophobia and racism is pure hypocrisy!What alarms me the most is that I am seeing more xenophobia among the most liberal of the Lebanese civil society, simply because what is happening is just inflicting worry and hardship to all Lebanese throughout Lebanon. What is even more alarming are the hypocritical comments of some NGO leaders who are benefiting from the donations and support given to the Syrian Refugees and who continue to mislead the international community about the reality of the situation on the ground. This is the beginning of a crisis which will impact seriously Israel’s security too. Maybe then the international community will look at it more seriously…
The below article from Eye on the East says it all. Please take a moment to read it!
Talking about the growing, or rather alarming, number of Syrians that have sought refuge in Lebanon since 2012 is very tricky. There is a very fine line between the humanitarian aspect of the issue and racism and intolerance, from a population that should know more than anyone else, the meaning of war and the pain of having to leave one’s home behind.
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Never give up, never despair…
When I watched this video, it reminded me of how important it is not to give up, to persevere and to fight back, even when our opponent is greater than our biggest fears. And when we fail and we face loss and defeat, there is always hope for help and support, from a guardian angel,… Continue reading Never give up, never despair…
Jackie Chamoun photos: Lebanon outdumbs itself
The Time for Justice has Come…
…or so some would say.
Nine years after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005, the court proceedings of the ‘Special Tribunal for Lebanon‘ (STL) have finally begun. Created for the purpose of bringing those responsible for this crime (and many others that followed it) to justice, the tribunal is considered unprecedented on many levels. While it is the first time that an international court will be trying a case based on terrorism charges, it is also the first time in contemporary Lebanese history, if ever at all, that so much effort and resources have been allocated to bringing criminals to justice. Lebanon may have become used to wars and politically motivated crimes, but it has become even more accustomed to never knowing the truth behind those crimes and taking for granted that nobody in Lebanon is ever brought to account.
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Actually, Your Cat Thinks You Are a Giant Cat
Burying the Butcher, not Burying the Hatchet
In my part of the world, Ariel Sharon was known as the “Butcher of Beirut.” Even though his bloody legacy began to be built decades before he led the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 – through years of killing Palestinians in British-controlled Palestine prior to the Arab-Israeli War of 1948 – he will still be primarily remembered for the responsibility he bore for Beirut’s Sabra and Shatila Massacre in the Palestinian refugee camp of the same name.
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2013: The Year in Ideas
Beirut, Yet Again
Yesterday’s explosion in Beirut – killing former Finance Minister Mohammad Chatah among around seven others who remain to be identified – is a sad way to end a year already painted blood-red. With the ongoing violence and bombings in Tripoli, Dahiyeh, and the recurrent attacks on Lebanon’s border with Syria, 2013 was a tragic year, but in true Lebanese style, it could have always been much worse…
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The Lebanese Army: Coming a long way and a long way left to go
In another of those instances of invaluable political lessons one learns along the way, there is one about the role of the army that I will never forget. The idea is that in so-called developed countries with long-established and solid democratic traditions,
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Eliane Fersan 