Lebanon is waiting for Godot

It’s been a while I am suffering from writer’s block due to the irrational madness engulfing Lebanon where populism prevails on the media and the political scene.

Today the idiocy reached a peak that made me angry.

A Turkish airlines pilot was kidnapped on the airport road which is under strict army control since last year the President of the republic committed the army to keep the airport road safe. Even a child knows that the de facto force that side by side with the army controls this road is Hezbollah and its array of local allies that are directly linked to Assad security apparatus.

What made me angry are the irresponsible Lebanese official statements and the apathy of the so called vibrant Lebanese civil society.

A number of Lebanese Shia supposedly pilgrims were kidnapped inside Syria by Sunni extremists who declared that the kidnaped were members of Hezbollah. The families of the kidnapped formed a group that constantly point fingers at the Turkish government as responsible for the kidnapping while denying that the actions of the extremist Sunni group is in anyway related to the Hezbollah involvement in fighting aside the Assad regime.

The Lebanese media has been following up the story relaying the point of view of the so called “families of the Aaazaz kidnapped” as is without any effort to make some background research or to state facts as they are. Even the 14^th of March media who is supposed to be represent a faction that is on the other end of the political polarization is afraid to look as if they are supporting the kidnappers so they support the fallacy of holding Turkey accountable for a kidnapping that happened in Syria and that is part of a Sunni versus Shia extremists’ war.

The same applies to the Lebanese government who has been negotiating the release of the Lebanese kidnapped with the Turkish government without involving Hezbollah who is part of the government and who supposedly has close ties with the Assad regime. Let’s note here that the Iranians kidnapped in Syria were released after the Assad regime accepted the conditions of the Sunni extremist group holding them. A Kafkaesque scene!

The “families of the Aaazaz kidnapped” group closed last year the airport road and this winter occupied Turkish institutions in Lebanon holding hostages. The Lebanese official government did not arrest any person in connection with these illegal actions that are not part of peaceful protest and demonstrations. Everybody in the country is afraid to seem taking position against the Shia community.

Today I heard the Minister of Interior who is a decent person mentioning the “Aazaz kidnapped” each and every time he mentioned the Turkish kidnapped pilot! Please Mr. Charbel, pay attention to what you say. You are dealing with an international crisis and not a situation “a la Libanaise”, where one can say whatever he wants without checks and balances!

In addition, I noticed that radio talk shows today did not give any importance to the kidnapping event!

As to the civil society and the Lebanese who just like to have fun, there is a clear puzzling non concern and laissez faire attitude. No real buzz on social media and no salon discussions.

Aren’t they aware that:

¼    There are today around 500 Turkish tourists in Lebanon. Their departure is a loss to an already damaged tourist sector.

¼    The kidnapping of the Turkish pilot validates the decision of the Gulf Countries’ decision of warning their citizens from coming to Lebanon. An action that ruined the summer touristic season.

¼    Turkish airlines offered good prices with excellent service for all those travelling to destinations to which there is no direct flight from Beirut. If they stop their flight it will complicate more travelling from Beirut which is already complicate due to low traffic to the world.

¼    Turkey is the last country to allow entry for Lebanese without visa. If they opt to cancel this measure it will mean total lock on Lebanese passport holders. No place to go if you do not plan two months in advance.

And much more……I could go on for pages and pages.

Why aren’t the Lebanese reacting to the absurdity of the situation?

All of Lebanon seems to have morphed into Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot!