La Spacccata - Lebanon

PHOTOS: SOUTH LEBANON

January 20 2007: The South of Lebanon is predominantly Shi’a and most of its inhabitants support the opposition parties of Hezbollah and Amal. Many areas of the South endured heavy bombardments during the July and August war with Israel. Many roads remain impassable and the main highway is dotted with detours and destroyed bridges. The picture above shows an orange grove littered with cluster bombs. VIEW PHOTOS

CLASHES OUTSIDE OF
THE ARAB UNIVERSITY

BEIRUT, January 25 2007: For several hours, gangs of young men clutching iron bars and makeshift clubs took over the streets of Cola. They stood in the middle of all road intersections, checking transiting vehicles and asking the same questions that terrified a generation of Beirutis: “Where are you going? And where do you live?” Religious identity, political loyalties and area of residence, often go hand in hand in Lebanon. In the predominantly Sunni neighborhood of Tariq el Jedide, the supporters of Saad Hariri and Fouad Siniora patrolled the streets. “We are protecting our neighborhood,” said one of the militiamen. I listened to him rant about the opposition’s determination to... READ ENTRY

VIDEO: THE OPPOSITION BLOCKS THE ROADS

BEIRUT, January 23 2007: On Tuesday, January 23rd, the supporters of the opposition woke up very early and blocked all the main roads of Lebanon with barricades of burning tires, earth, and rubble. In some parts of the country, the supporters of the government confronted the opposition, and the Lebanese Army desperately tried to keep rival factions apart.
The opposition planned the protests very carefully, choosing the roads to be blocked and subdividing the operations between the different parties. Thus, the supporters of Hezbollah manned the city center and South Beirut, while the followers of Michel Aoun took care of predominantly Christian neighborhoods. Meanwhile, in Paris, the international community pledged...WATCH VIDEO ON YOUTUBE

PHOTOS: THE OPPOSITION
BLOCKS THE ROADS

BEIRUT, January 23 2007: Walking through the streets of Beirut in the midst of the general strike was relatively easy, but the situation remained tense and volatile. The young demonstrators in charge of the barricades kept them smoldering, while the crowds behind them mingled about and discussed the latest news, seemingly oblivious to the clouds of black smoke and the carcinogenic stench of burning tires.
For the first time the opposition’s campaign against the government turned violent. The news that three people were killed in Northern Lebanon fueled the animosities on the streets of Beirut.... VIEW PHOTOS

LEBANESE WOMEN
SAY NO TO CIVIL WAR
BEIRUT, February 22 2007: The offices of the League for Lebanese Women’s Rights (LLWR) are a few hundred feet away from the Arab University, where on January 25 a dispute between students sparked scenes of urban guerrilla warfare that left four dead and over 160 injured. “We must stop political and sectarian violence. We already had a civil war here in Lebanon and we can’t afford to start killing each other once again,” said Linda Matar, the president of the organization. On February 5, the LLWR and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) held a sit-in in front of the National Museum... READ ENTRY
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CLASSES RESUME AT
THE ARAB UNIVERSITY

BEIRUT, February 5 2007: he Arab University has resumed lectures amid intensified internal and international moves to resolve the political crisis with hopes for the renewed mediation of the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa. After the bloody clashes that broke out on 25 January in the athenaeum, there is a heavy presence of the forces of order. Dozens of soldiers armed with automatic rifles and machine guns stand outside the main entrance. Anyone wanting to enter has to pass through fortified security and submit to a search. Students feel under siege and the negative attention heaped upon them by the media fuels their misery. “We...
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LEBANON
A Deepening
Political Crisis