On Sovereignty!

Opinion

March 4th, 9:38am

Samir Atallah

Samir Atallah - Lebanese author and journalist, who worked for the Annahar newspaper, the Al Osbo' il Arabi and Lebanon’s Al-Sayad’s magazines and Kuwait’s Al-Anba newspaper.

President Michel Aoun told his citizens, with all sincerity and frankness, years ago, that Lebanon was going to hell, and they did not believe him. Not because they didn’t trust him, but because they didn’t want to go to a place they have heard so much about. Later, the president said he “will leave a much better country” to his successor. They were utterly bewildered. When Aoun left the Presidential Palace, his supporters in the Free Patriotic Movement gathered around him and chanted in melodious voices, “With you, we will continue.” And they still are. This is their decision, their freedom and their choice. But why is Lebanon forced to “continue” this march that is killing it, displacing its families, starving its children, closing the doors of its schools, stripping the state of its historical relations, displacing youth by tens of thousands, and drowning the national currency to the worst levels in its history? Everything else can be described as the worst that is happening to Lebanon and the Lebanese... from the price of bread to the shortage of medicines, the lack of jobs, to the complete loss of hope. If we want to put a symbol for this collapse, we find Gebran Bassil in politics, and the governor of the Central Bank, Riad Salameh, in finance. The first is standing on top of the rubble, seeking to be elected president, or to appoint someone who would represent him in the presidency, while the second is overseeing the perishing Lebanese lira, waiting for his tenure to be extended until the end of the century, the end of Lebanon, and the end of deposits. The political leader of the Christians is subject to the harshest US sanctions list, on charges of corruption, to say the least. The financial leader is under Swiss, European-Lebanese investigations on charges of embezzlement and money laundering, along with his wife and brother. They are sitting! Both of them are sitting in the face of the Lebanese, in the face of the law, and in the face of those dying of hunger and grief. Never in the history of Lebanon has this number of parents committed suicide because they are unable to provide basic necessities for their children. The first in the series committed suicide by burning himself because he was unable to pay his children’s tuitions, and another committed suicide by shooting himself in the head in front of his house, in order not to leave the scene of blood in his children’s memory for life. “With you we continue,” but where to and for how long? The daily newscast was disgusted by the impudence of politicians, and began to weep. Just cry. No time for any other feelings. The country is in hell. The prediction was accurate, while the Maronite leaders are still fighting over what remains of the republic, the lira, and the “sovereign” positions. The Lebanese accept nothing less than sovereignty in everything. They signed “agreements” without being allowed to read them, but with all sovereignty! They elected their president, in a fully sovereign atmosphere! Michel Aoun accepted that the presidency would remain vacant for two and a half years, in order for him to become a sovereign president! Now we are not sure for how long the presidential vacuum will last after him. But in any case, “we will continue”, as there is no other sign of sovereignty!

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/4191961/samir-atallah/sovereignty