Friday, October 21, 2005

This is what the Lebanese conflict often degenerates into. This fine reporter at As-Safir reports about the gathering near Hariri's gravesite after the release of the Mehlis report. It was no more than 2000 people (Hassan Fattah will make them 2000000000), he reported, with clear sectarian composition and slogans. The Sunni contingent was chanting this:
الله عثمان ابو بكر وعلي ... دم السنية عم يغلي غلي
(God, `Uthman, Abu Bakr and `Ali; the blood of Sunnis is really boiling). So much for Lebanonese unity. This reminds me of the comment that Karl Marx wrote about conflict in Algeria back in 1860s for the New York Tribune. Not that I agree with his take on things Eastern or Islamic, but in this case it applies to Lebanon). (Of course, sectarianism is not confined to Sunnis only).
PS In fairness, Hassan Fattah in today's article mentioned "hundreds" of demonstrators. He identified MP Ghinwa Jallul as being "associated" with Hariri's bloc, when she has been a member of the bloc since 2000.