33 Years Later, Lebanon, Memories.............

Fayrouz Shahin carries pictures of her four sons and husband, all kidnapped at the start of Lebanon's civil war

Lebanon marks civil war amid new tensions

1 day ago

BEIRUT (AFP) — Hundreds of Lebanese marched through Beirut on Sunday to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the outbreak of the country's 1975-1990 civil war amid renewed political tensions.

Supporters of the Iranian- and Syrian-backed opposition, who have maintained a protest camp outside the offices of the rump Western-backed cabinet of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora for the past 16 months, raised their barricades to allow the marchers past.

"Now that we have been able to break through a barrier that has been blocked for more than a year and a half, I hope this is the first step towards breaking down the barriers between all Lebanese," said Hussein Hjeij, 54.

The deadlock between the government and opposition has left Lebanon without a head of state since November and raised fears of a return to the sectarian strife of civil war days.

"We are here today to make a statement against civil war and against sectarianism," said one of the marchers, Mohammed Khatib, 56, wheelchair-bound as a result of wounds he sustained during the war.

The demonstrators marched along the so-called Green Line that divided the Lebanese capital into Christian and mainly Muslim sectors during the devastating conflict which drew in neighbouring powers.

"I just want to find out if they died," said Fayrouz Shahin, whose four sons and husband were kidnapped and have been missing since September 18, 1982.

"We have had enough. We don't want war," she said, fighting back the tears.

The march culminated in the planting of an olive tree, the symbol of peace, in the city's Garden of Forgiveness.

"We are going through a phase in which the whole country and society feels that we are in danger," said march organiser Melhem Khalaf. "This is a turning point for Lebanese civil society." (source)

Lebanese youths dressed up as injured victims of war take part in a rally along Beirut's former Green Line on April 13, 2008, as Lebanon commemorates the 33rd anniversary of the outbreak of its 1975-90 civil war. Decades after the outbreak of its civil war, Lebanon is teetering on the edge of a new conflict as a bitter political power struggle pits Muslim against Muslim and Christian against Christian. On April 13, 1975, conflict erupted when Christian militiamen machine-gunned a bus carrying Palestinians through Beirut's Ain al-Rummaneh suburb killing 27 passengers, hours after assailants opened fire outside a nearby church killing a Christian. The war, which ended 18 years ago, left more than 150,000 people dead. AFP PHOTO/RAMZI HAIDAR (source)

March 26, 1975 That day I arrived in your beautiful country, a young woman, only aged twenty, an American who had never traveled abroad. Now thirty three years later dear Lebanon, I remember back and reflect. Your mountains, the snow, Baalbak, Hamra Street, seeing Fairouz in concert before she stopped singing for the grief of her beloved country, Bihamdoun, Jubayl, Zahlah (the cafe by the river, the red canopies), AUB, Sidon, Sabra Shatilla (the people made us tea and cookies and welcomed us in)..........the smells, the baklawa which dripped sweetness, the restaurants, the beautiful beach on which we lived in Ramlah Baida........................... And then, in a day it all changed........................ Going shopping during the day when the stores were opened for business............getting home before dusk when the war began anew................. Sitting on the balcony looking eastward, the fireworks, I'm an American, those are spectacular fireworks, but they are not................they are death.................. Back to the stores for shopping.............this building was hit last night as we stayed up watching the rockets, unable to sleep because of the bombs......................we were safe where we were until one night. They bombed Spinney's directly across from our apartment..................our windows blasted........FEAR............we must get down to the basement.......................No my mother-in-law said..............let's get into the hallway. Yamah.............you said you wanted to sleep in the hallway where we are safe, why are you back in your bedroom, come NOW Yamah..........I don't want you in here.............please Yamah..............No Habibti..............Allah will protect me............only he knows my time.............come sleep here next to me.................you will be safe with me. Daytime a few weeks later, Spinneys again, broad daylight, sitting on the balcony drinking afternoon tea..................suddenly a jeep drove in to the parking lot with a machine gun on top...........SHOOTING...............people running, people falling.................this isn't a movie............this is really happening...............oh my GOD, there are people shot down there, oh MY GOD...............ambulances came and took the dead away.................. Which came first? The bomb or the shooting..........it's been so many years ago.................when did we run from the jeep going down the street spraying bullets..........we were walking from AUB.........to get a taxi to go home before it was dark............the jeep came, we dove under a car.......we got up to keep going...............again it came...........this time in a protected doorway.........Get to the taxi stand NOW...............to get home where we are safe................. End of June...........death in the family, we must leave immediately for Bahrain..............going to the airport.............the militia checkpoints, the guns pointed at us.........are you Christian or Muslim?.................just stay quiet in the back seat Robin, you'll be safe................checkpoint.........are you Christian or Muslim? (Christian checkpoint), we're Christian (but only I am Christian, my family is Muslim)...........get out of the car driver.................they want money.................money given..........get to the airport safely End of July, back to Bihamdoun, too unsafe to stay in Beirut...........able to go down VERY carefully during the day. Summer in Bihamboun.............the war is not here now......we can enjoy the cafes..............we can pick up a stray kitten...........we will take it with us when we leave. September.................I left you Lebanon, it's all a blur...............more flashing memories....... your beauty.............your smells...........those who kept me safe from my fear as a young American........... your RESILLIANCE.