Trablus - Thu 23 Nov 2006

With the usual, unmistakable, unique irony that characterizes Lebanese people, a "referendum" between friends suggested us to leave Beirut today , to avoid the mess, and to point to the North, probably more "safe". You know, all of them had an opinion about the less risky place: in fact, the real risk was about disorders between falangistes and left-wing radicals, as "voice of people" tells that after the cerimony at 3 PM a group of right-wing radicals was supposed to join the shiite area (or Achrafieh, the area of maronite general Aoun)...and in that case nobody knows what could happen...

I'd like to stay in Beirut and to participate as independent observer at the funeral of Pierre Gemayel, but i didn't want to involve my kind friends in such "experience": maybe because they are from Achrafieh, they were enough afraid to stay in Beirut....unless to remain in their houses! :)

After some "tour" trying to get the right available street to leave the capital, continuously bumping into posters of victims of terrorist attacks or cars with right-wing parties flags





finally, a kind and funny young soldier has indicated us the road, asking in change the number of my nice friend :) Actually, in Lebanon checkpoints are everywhere but not enough information about the road to keep to reach the North. By the way, the crowd was gathering in Beirut, suggested to leave their car at the surrounding and take cumulative bus to join the center: am surprised by the several families i met, all of them participating to the "event". Am really not used to such kind of massive participation ...





The highway leading to the North presents clearly signs of last war destruction: i have noticed that in July and August Beirut, excluding the southern suburb area, has not been so drammatically hitted by bombs, am talking about buildings and main streets, but lot of bridges and road to leave the City were hardly damaged, getting "litterally" isolated the Capital during all the war period...how many of western people could have accepted to be not able to leave their city as the main highways were wasted???? how many of us would not have felt a sense of humiliation and frustration for such unfair powerlessness? Anyway, this is what remains of the highway to the North: it's now one-way and lebaneses set the way according to the direction of the traffic, trying to avoid a congestion





Trablus is 80km far from Beirut, the 2nd city of Lebanon for population and economy. Just a break in a very old railway station (who said there are no trains in Lebanon? :)) where my kind friend shooted for a documentary (incredible, she's architect but, to stay in lebanon, she re-invented herself and her skills in a documentary technician, specialized in making measurements!)



and here we are in Tripoli/Trablus, here we parked and then went to visit the Port (El Mina) and the Madina, with a nice Suq and important mosques, Taynal, Madrasa Al-Muallaq Burtasyat, Madrasa Al-Qartawiyat, evidencing the importance of the city in moyen-age. With a sunni majority, Tripoli was not as much hitted in last war as 20y ago, theatre of sad and bloody fights between syrians and OLP.







Then Trablus and his dates...just wow! like all the leb fruits, so yummy....come in Lebanon and you'll understand really what is the REAL flavour of fresh fruits!!!



Publicity of a travel agency specialized in organizing pilgrimage to La Mecca (not so far from the same organization in Italy for tours to Lourdes, San Giovanni Rotondo, etc. eheh)



No comment is required about following pic

Beirut, wed 22 Nov 2006

Just landed, the expected sunny day was waiting for me.
I come back to Beirut after 3 years, last time i spent there Xmas holidays and it has been love at first sight ...
Many changes this time.
First, i didn't remember so many photos on the road from the airport of this guy



After a richly blessed lunch with lebanese mezzeh (finally!so yummy!!!), walking along the Corniche, i found again the place where i lived 3y ago



the Moschea with muezzin early every morning asking to pray (and, for us, to wake up), the bombed building in fron of us, the sea at background, and the Hard Rock's guitar still there...what a Nostalgia!



But i shockly noticed, while enjoying walking, something really strange...Downtown is empty! I know what is happened only 2 days ago, and not so far from here, but it's still so unusual for me to remember the Centre so crowded of tourists and locals...and now? empty.

I visit the Rafiq Hariri Mausoleum with the other victims assassinated...some people is enthusiast of this symbol, someone other say it's exagerated and the lebanese flag has been over-used that time to involve in a "national" case who was just a politic, a member of a party and not the symbol-man of Lebanon. I.e. they were against the initiative of Hariri jr. to "use" the photo of Martyrs Square crowded of Lebanese during the elections, to promote his candidature: lot of those lebanese were participating as lebanese and not pro-his party.

I immediately realize that lebanese, in a certain sense, are like italians: as much as we love footbal and we all are coachs, lebanese are all politics fond and experts self-defined. I just can report a sentence about Rafiq Hariri, The most loved and hated politician man of Lebanon



Easy to feel the tension in the air. Noises of clacson and arousing voices getting close to the Mausoleum. A demonstration of falangistes just starting and moving, between shouts and slogans, parties (a lot) and lebanese (few) flags, and cars, camions, scooters...It seems they are rather young, but not for that less fierce and "over-excited". Someone tells me they are shouting against Aoun and HA. That's the problem: what would happen if they move just through Beirut, maybe in Achrafieh or in the schiite area? what if they will bump into a similar group of the opposition? what if someone has a weapon and "accidentally" shoots? Not so weird as thought, not so far as risk. Unfortunately...

E quando poi davanti a te si apriranno tante strade e non saprai quale prendere, non imboccarne una a caso, ma siediti e aspetta.
Respira con la profondità fiduciosa con cui hai respirato il giorno in cui sei venuto al mondo, senza farti distrarre da nulla, aspetta e aspetta ancora. Stai fermo, in silenzio, e ascolta il tuo cuore.
Quando poi ti parla, alzati e và dove lui ti porta.

Amici, Vi abbraccio. Domattina, io vado...

A weird scenario (just before my departure >8-| !!!)

Frustrating to see how much western media are not interested to face in every aspect the complicated Lebanese crisis and how risky it became. at the opposite, they simplify the situation in Lebanon, stereotyping it or reducing at the usual, lowered, "waddinged" dicotomy between Good and Evil.

The assassination of the young pro-western leader Pierre Gemayel is not so linear as it could seem, and for sure it deserves a reflection or an investigation about the playing variables.

The journalist, the opinionist, facing an explosive situation like this, should observe the environment with always critical eyes.

First the Truth, that's what i read on a poster inside an old car.

First the Truth, it's what reminds and strongly asks the clocks on Hariri's mega-poster in Beiruti streets, counting how many days are passed since the assassination, still looking for the Truth.

But all the mainstream medias i read or watched (TVs, newspapers, magazines) feel to be part of a Bible conflict that they cannot avoid: the media information should be experience of doubt, always askig WHY, always trying to understand which are the involved parts, their story, the history, all the factors that can really make light over the reality, destroying platitudes and stereotypes. But today, in Europe, and not only here, reading a newspapers equals to going inside a dark tunnel.

Understanding Hezbollah since 2005 to date, through Hariri's assassination, passing through last war against Israel and recent assassination of the anti-syrian Pierre Gemayel, can help us to find new point of view over the lebanese question more than any other lined-up declaration of the current media.

Do know that Gemayel's assassination, HA's opponent, that Israel, USA and lebanese pro-western have assigned to Syria, Iran and Nasrallah, although this one immediately has condemned the attempt, declaring his non-involvement, happens just in the moment in which Hezbollah enjoys a large consent, trying to concretize that by a political engagement against the lebanese electoral system (confessional and not-democratic), but at the same time this could sign the party's decline.


Before Israel's attack, the Hezbollah movement was in a weak position and internationally isolated, especially due to the hard doubt of an involvement of Syria in Rafik Hariri's assassination, a very rich banker, sunni, pro-western and anti-syrian, symbol of the Unity of Lebanon and owner of several activities and communications media. After that, following similar demonstrations in Ukraine and Georgia, a crowded rally of one million of lebaneses asked Syrian army withdrawal, in Lebanon since 1972.

Among several polemics and disputations, the investigation were assigned to the german "discussed" judge Mehlis, which had already a lead role in other cases of terrorysm: at the end, he blamed Syria as responsible of the terroristic attack, and asked to continue and deepen the investigation.

For sure, one of the consequences of that bloody murder was a closer approach of Lebanon to the Western, and a wider local opposition to Hezbollah, Syria and Iran.

Given that, the summer 2006 war was an incredible unique chance for Israel to get his enemy farer. But we all know and have seen how wrong was this premise and forecast. Only thick-headed minds could pretend to win a group of people by bombing the civil population...

In August, after last israeli attack, Lebanon appeared as mortified country, consciously wiped-out in his infrastructures, in his economy, and even in his official army positions...On the ash of a Country that the international community and, substantially, the Siniora's government as well, didn't know to protect, in this mortified Country with an heritage of millions of non-exploded cluster bombs, with a drammatically serious doubt of not-conventional weapons used (one word: u-r-a-n-i-u-m), there was the seed of National Unity, Together We Will Stand, among the death of adults, children (Qana 2),shiites, christians and sunnis...

Between frustration and powerlessness feelings, while the Siniora's government received just solidarity from western leaders, among people a force was growing up: Hezbollah. HA has collected the spread consents of all of those felt in israeli attack, meditated in advance, a disproportion and contempt of all the Lebaneses.

Recently, while government was deciding to start the cooperation about Hariri assassination's investigation, HA has retired his ministries at the end of October, which leads government to a weird situation of stalemate, resetting to zero the shiite component inside the government; the Lebanese Constitution establishes a number of deputies proportional to the religious confessions, based on a census 20years old, and makes illegal a government where such proportions and balance are not respected.

In such difficult and extremely confused context, there's Pierre Gemayel's assassination, maronite, falangiste, son and nephew of important lebanese politicians of the previous war (in that period Israel ally, today more close to Western).

Another wrong-move of HA/syria with a clumsy, silly act to get more political power or an effort of "someone" unknown to get rid of HA? The distance between such position is not so far, and the answer is not easy and immediate as it could seem.

The present article contains just impressions of no-party blogger, aimed to call forth answers by asking questions. Walk on the streets and ask always why.

No matter how cloudy is the sky, Lebanon shall return

Vorrei solo fosse fatta la giusta informazione ...

LibanItalyBlog is an independent news blog, not an opinion blog.
Am member to no party. I preach no ideology.
My purpose is to deliver the news from the ground, straight to your screens.
For this reason we have resorted primarily to pure photography to deliver the message. Any text that reflects an opinion is either a quote or the paraphrasing of a quote picked up on the ground.
Before you label me, color me, and berate me, go down to the camps and see for yourselves if I have done anything but pure unbiased reporting.
I've tried to document things as independent observer, which by any measure is much more realistic than all the news sites combined.
This story is happening in a country named Lubnan, my second HomeLand, in my Beirut.
If you want the news, shut off your TVs / PCs and go to Beirut. See the campground. Speak to the fellows Lebanese.
Go during the day, or in the middle of the night after a wild evening on the town.
Go have a drink. Have a beer, yes a beer. Have a tea, or an arguile.
If you want the news, go and witness it in the making.
That's the only way to avoid being told what to believe.

MM....

Nabil, Michele, Radiodervish ... shukran jazilan ...

IO HEART BEYROUTH

I love Beirut for its opposites.
I love Beirut because I see a girl in a Mini skirt and her sister in a Tchador.
I love Beirut because it is neither West nor East it is both.
I love Beirut because one can party till 6 in the morning and not realize that it is Wednesday morning.
I love Beirut because Beirut is live as if they are going to die tomorrow and party as if they are going to live forever .
I love Beirut because I can be swimming in the morning and 30 minutes later I'm on the slopes skiing or doing after ski.
I love Beirut because I have never seen the sun this strong anywhere in the world.
I love Beirut because I can see 6,000 years of history & civilization.
I love Beirut because Christians and Muslims are living an understanding and do not need to have Christian Muslim understanding classes.
I love Beirut because every Beiruti has a political opinion and will share it with you even if you could care less about his and you want to share yours with him.
I love Beirut for all the conspiracy theories and how people actually believe them.
I love Beirut because any night I can find a friend to go out with.
I love Beirut because I do not need to call my friends to go and see them at their houses I just stop by.
I love Beirut because as soon as I arrive at one of my friends houses his mom takes me to the kitchen & becomes the spokesperson of the refrigerator .
I love Beirut because strawberries taste like strawberries & fruits taste like fruits.
I love Beirut because the food is so good that one gains so many pounds even if he/she tries to loose.
I love Beirut because although the Lebanese women at times look alike as some did their surgeries at the same plastic surgeon they are the most elegant women I have ever seen .
I love Beirut because when I go out at night I don't know at which women to look at as each one is gorgeous in her own way .
I love Beirut because everyone knows me by name.
I love Beirut because of the traffic jams and the people you meet because of them .
I love Beirut because of the noise pollution from cars honking.
I love Beirut for the spirituality of the people whether Muslim or Christian.
I love Beirut because I'm the first to call my Christian friends on Christmas and my Muslim friends on Ramadan and vice versa .
I love Beirut because on May 1st I see Muslims visiting Harissa (Virgin Mary) just like I see Christians.
I love Beirut because we can differentiate between civilians and Militants.
I love Beirut because on the 22nd of every month I see Muslims going to St.Charbel church and believing that a miracle will happen.
I love Beirut because women look like as if they are out of a Vogue magazine.
I love Beirut because you eat to live and live to eat.
I love Beirut because one leaves one cafe to go to another and one does this all day.
I love Beirut because all the Lebanese living outside want to come back and the Lebanese who are in Lebanon envy the ones who are living abroad not realizing what it means to live away from Beirut.
I love Beirut because for every Lebanese we have a singer .
I love Beirut because the Lebanese star singers sing in nightclubs.
I love Beirut because women go into the swimming pool with full make up. :D
I love Beirut because guys go in with their cigars.
I love Beirut because it has been destroyed 7 times in History and has risen. ( And will rise again!!!)
I love Beirut because the Beirutis will not accept anyone to occupy them and rule over them.
I love Beirut because we feel that it is better to die standing than to live on our knees.
I love Beirut because each street is a two ways street even if it is a one way officially.
I love Beirut because one can park anywhere and not get a ticket.
I love Beirut because one can go as fast as his speedometer.
I love Beirut because MEA lands there.
I love Beirut because on MEA we can clap in unison when we are about to land.
I love Beirut not because it is my city, but because it is the city of Everyone .
I love Beirut because it welcomes every exile freethinker, independent mind of the Arab world.
I love Beirut because we have hundreds of newspapers and our press is finally Free.
I love Beirut because most wonderful people in the world dream of coming to Beirut and wish his capital to be more like Beirut.
I love Beirut because when I explain Beirut to my Western friends, my friends see the passion of Beirut in my eyes.
I love Beirut because there is so much misconception about Beirut in the media and in the minds of people who have never visited.
I love Beirut because when I tell my friends that I'm going to Beirut they reply: "Can you take me with you" or "Lucky you!"
I love Beirut because we argue over who is going to pay the bill at a restaurant as everyone wants to pay it.
I love Beirut because although many complain about "not making enough money" everyone is living .
I love Beirut because we accept our differences as we disagree with each other.
I love Beirut because it serves as a beacon of freedom to the rest of the Arab world.
I love Beirut because to paraphrase what Khalil Gibran said about Lebanon: "Had Beirut not been my city I would have chosen it to be."
I love Beirut because there is no city like it.
I love Beirut because even if Beirut is being destroyed you are still beautiful and will remain beautiful no matter how disfigured you are.
I love Beirut because you are always on my mind.
I love Beirut for no reason. I love Beirut for all the reasons of the "world".