Global Voices » Lebanon

Lebanon: Blogger Beaten for Taking Photos

Amira Al Hussaini — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:32:04 +0000

Lebanese blogger Habib Battah narrates how he was held against his consent, forced to delete photographs of ruins from his phone camera and repeatedly assaulted in this post on the Beirut Report. When he reported the case to his local police station, the officers in charge said it was his word against theirs. He adds:

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Lebanese Police Arrest Four During Gay Club Raid

Joey Ayoub — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:00:38 +0000

‘Ghost', a gay-friendly club in Dekwaneh, Matn, Lebanon, was raided by 12 policemen under the order of Antoine Chakhtoura, the municipality's head. Customers were reportedly bullied out of the club and four individuals were arrested in the incident which took place last month.

Later on, those four individuals were forced to undress and have their pictures taken. Among those was a transgender woman who was kept unnamed and was quoted by NOW Lebanon's Nadine Elali as saying:

They hit me and pushed me around and insulted me by using derogatory terms like ‘faggot’ and ‘half-a-man,’ then they asked demeaning questions such as how much do I make per hour and whether I enjoy ‘sucking on it,’ then asked me to strip naked and then took photographs of me.

Another one of the victims, a Syrian gay man, was interviewed by the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) in the following footage released by Raynbow Lebanon on YouTube.

They were still insulting and cursing them. And they said, ‘so what if you do that stuff in Syria'. Look at what Syria brings us'. Then they started filming us and hitting my friend and me. They were about 5 hitting us.

Lebanese and Arab netizens were quick to respond and condemn Chakhtoura's unlawful behavior.

Blogger ‘Aristophanes Jr’ wrote a satiric piece entitled “The Fortress” and published it on his blog:

The Mayor Knight had no shame in justifying his crime on national television. A clear violation of the constitution itself as many professionals in the field of law indicated. Will this crime pass unpunished ? Will the Knight be spared from the dungeons ?

Blogger and Women's Health advocate Dr. Hasan Abdessamad jokingly begged France to ‘re-colonize’ Lebanon, citing the contrast between the French mandate-era law condemning sexual relations that are “contradicting the laws of nature” (Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code) and France's recent legalization of Gay marriage:

The country that gave Lebanon’s Penal Code article 534 now gave all its citizens the right to marry.

He also released a video condemning the mayor's actions, calling them “a crime” and demanding legal repercussions. Furthermore, the Lebanese Medical Association for Sexual Health (LebMASH), of which he is a member, released a statement condemning Mr Skakhtoura's raid.

The Lebanese Medical Association for Sexual Health (LebMASH) strongly condemns the acts undertaken, based on orders from Mr. Shakhtoura, the Mayor of Dekwaneh on April 21st 2013.

Beirut blogger Elie Wafi warns against similar incidents in the near future:

Shakhtoura and his minions aren't happy with what they saw. Gays all around. Kissing and holding hands. OMG! But above all what angered them is the sight of cross dressers, transsexuals and Syrians that walk on their two legs after 7 p.m. After 7 p.m., how could they?? Abomination!
Mr Shakhtoura almost fainted, he ordered his minions to arrest these creatures. But this isn't over, the sex of these transsexuals needs to be determined. Enno chou hawde? Rjel aw chou? [Translation: What is this? A man or what?] The case cannot wait, Lebanon's reputation is at risk, especially of its fortress: Dikwene.

This is not the first time something like that happens and I fear it won't be the last.

But why? Well the answer is simple, we are a marginalized minority. Though we might not consider our sexual orientation as an identity but when you are persecuted because of that, it suddenly becomes one.

Twitter users expressed their outrage as well:

@Egayptian: What “morality” and what “religion” gives you the right to forcibly strip people and take pictures without their consent?

@fafpink: As if closing a gay club wld make the gay community disappear #DekAbuse http://shouldiexist.blogspot.com/2013/04/lets-just-talk-human-rights.html?spref=tw … #lebLGBT #LGBT #lebanon”

@eli_beik: #DekAbuse & #LebLGBT Am gay and Proud! soon protesting against aabuse against LGBT

@DannySeesIt: LGBT persons living in Lebanon face legal and social challenges. They deserve equal rights now! #LebLGBT #DekAbuse http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Gay_rights_in_Lebanon/?wWvCEeb …

@JoSamuelAoun: I admire when homophobes start their homophobic phrase with “With all my respect to those people and to human rights” #LebLGBT

Lebanese Human Rights NGO ‘Alef’ released a statement that was re-tweeted by Daemion El Hajj:

جمعيّة ألف تدعو القوى المختصّة للتحقيق بما فعله شختورة والشرطة البلديّة في الدكوانة #LebLGBT #DekAbuse pic.twitter.com/W1wv6wFUbs

@DaemionElHajj: Alef (NGO) calls on the appropriate authorities to investigate what Shakhtoura and the municipality police did in Dekwaneh

Finally, on Facebook, activists have been posting on the page of the City Council of Parramatta, a sister city of Dekwaneh:

Dear Sir, Madam,

We would like to bring to your attention the violation of Basic Human Rights done by your sister city, Dekwane, Lebanon. The city mayor, Mr. Antoine Chakhtoura, has ordered, illegally, the closure of an LGBT-friendly club called Ghost. The closure came with the arrest of four individuals, among them a transgender person, who were taken to the police station in the police cars’ trucks, and subject to insulting and humiliating acts such as stripping them nude, taking pictures of them without their consent, and violate them verbally, physically, and even sexually.
Knowing that your city is one of the proud cities of Australia, a country known for its tolerance and respect for Human Rights; we call upon you to act publicly and show support to the LGBTQ community in Lebanon.
This is not the first time, and maybe won’t be the last time, such discriminating act might take place in Lebanon, where the road towards equal rights for the LGBT community is still ahead of us. Yet, we as a community would love to hear your support to our cause, and would appreciate any and all help you can give us.
Join us in our righteous fight, be there for us, now that no one else might help us.

Best wishes,

A sit-in was organized by Helem, the Lebanese Gay Rights NGO for April 30.

Lebanon's Happy Offshore Oil Billboards

Moussa Bashir — Tue, 07 May 2013 08:38:50 +0000

Qifa Nabki writes:

“Lebanon’s Ministry of Energy and Water has launched a new [billboard] campaign promoting the benefits of off-shore oil exploration for the average citizen. The ads contain shots of smiling people aside captions like: “My children and I are staying in Lebanon“ or “I’m going back to work in Lebanon!“”

He continues, sarcastically “Why stop there? I think the Ministry needs a nudge in a more ambitious direction” and suggests adding: “Streets free of traffic jams, private jets, manaqeesh (a pizza-like Lebanese dish) with salmon and caviar, space exploration” etc.

Lebanon's Migrant Workers Mark May Day

Moussa Bashir — Tue, 07 May 2013 08:36:40 +0000

KAFA (Enough Racism and Violence) posted [Ar] that the migrant domestic workers in Beirut celebrated Labor's Day by holding a demonstration in which they demanded an end to the Kafala System [Sponsorship System]. The demonstration culminated with a gathering in a public park where the workers shared different aspects from their respective cultures.

Social Media and Sarcasm in Lebanon

Moussa Bashir — Tue, 07 May 2013 08:35:51 +0000

The Eleventh Room posted some funny tweets about Beirut’s first Social Media Awards event. They said the Social Media Awards hashtag #SMABeirut was going strong on Twitter days after the event. They added:

“As we were going through them, we couldn’t help but laugh out loud at some pretty sarcastic/hilarious ones. So, we thought we’d share them on our blog.”

Lebanon's First Social Media Awards

Moussa Bashir — Tue, 07 May 2013 08:33:28 +0000

Najib at Blog Baladi won the ”Blog of the Year” award in Beirut's first Social Media Awards event. He wrote this post about the ceremony in general with comments on some aspects of its organization. He also includes comments about the attitudes of some of the attendees such as those of celebrity Haifa Wehbe, among others.

Campaign Tackles Migrant Worker Exploitation in Lebanon

Joey Ayoub — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 17:42:25 +0000

Seven NGOs in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs have recently launched the “Fi Chi Ghalat” (Something is Wrong) campaign, denouncing Lebanon's controversial Kafala (sponsorship) System.

The way the system works is quite simple. All ‘unskilled laborers’ (domestic workers) must have an in-country sponsor responsible for both her or his visa and legal status. That sponsor is usually their employer as well. The system which, according to International Labor Organization senior Ms. Simel Esim, “creates total vulnerability and opens the door wide to exploitation” due to its dimension of complete dependency has created a large number of victims over the years.

Indeed, Nadim Houry, Senior Researcher for Human Rights Watch (HRW) in Lebanon, was quoted as saying:

The two leading causes of death for migrants is suicide [and] dying while trying to escape from employers.

The situation remains grim in Lebanon. According to statistics compiled by AltCity and Migrant Workers Task Force, 99 per cent of migrant workers are denied freedom of movement; 65% work more than 11 hours per day; 52% are called derogatory terms such as Hmara (donkey); 34% are not given time off; 31% are not allowed to leave the house; 14% are physically abused; and 7% are sexually abused.

This campaign comes in addition to KAFA’s [Enough Violence and Exploitation] 24/7 helpline for all migrant workers who are victims of physical and sexual abuse (76090910), the Anti-Racism Movement’s campaign against racism in Lebanese beaches and the ‘Ethiopian Suicides‘ blog’s constant reporting of cases of abuse.

So what are they asking for? Migrant-Rights.org has the answer:

These organizations call for the replacement of the sponsorship system with a framework that guarantees:

the right to be paid on time
the right to quit job
the right to keep her passport and belongings
the right to a system that protects her well-being, humanity and labor right
the right to a set hours of rest, including a day off outside the house

The campaign is aimed at both the population and authorities [ar]:

لازم يتغير القانون وعقلية العالم وهيدا ببلش من الشخص وبعدين الحكومة. لازم نغير نظام الكفالة!

The law and the mentality have to change and that starts with the individual and then the government, we must change the Kafala System!

And as we were reminded on the campaign's Facebook page by a Nepali migrant worker, things have to change.

I did not even get enough food. sometimes I only had bread and tea. I worked all day, with only bread and tea. One day, I asked for my full salary and told madam not to send me to wok at the houses of her friends and relatives, and I said that, ” if you don't give me my salary I will not work at all”. After saying this, I was beaten right away. She even used shoes to beat me. My right hand was broken and there were bruises all over my body. I was only taken to hospital 10 days later. But Madam told me that if I was asked by a doctor or anyone else about what happened to me, I should not tell them that I was beaten. She told me to say that, “It happened because I fell down while I was working”

Amrita from Nepal

Lebanon's First Civil Marriage “Approved by Justice”

Nada Akl — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 21:31:10 +0000

Earlier this year, Kholoud Succarieh and Nidal Darwich initiated Lebanon's first civil marriage on Lebanese soil, in a country where only religious marriages could be contracted until then, and where civil status is administered by religious authorities. The couple argues that their contract is legal according to Lebanese law, and submitted it to the Interior Ministry.

Following contradictory information about the outcome of the submission of their marriage contract to the Ministry of Interior, Kholoud Sukkarieh contacted blogger Abir Ghattas to clarify some points about the status of their marriage. Ghattas posted this explanation in her blog on February 14, 2013:

according to Kholoud: “the decision was not taken yet..it is not refused.while legally it is legislated“

On February 25, President of the Republic Michel Sleiman was following up on the issue according to a tweet from the President:

@SleimanMichel: عرض سليمان مع وزير العدل موضوع تسجيل عقد زواج نضال وخلود والمراحل التي بلغتها هذه المسألة. #civilmarriageleb #lebanon #presidency

@SleimanMichel:: Sleiman discussed the issue of registering the marriage of Nidal and Kholoud with the Minister of Justice and the current status of the procedure #civilmarriageleb #lebanon #presidency

And in response to a question, Kholoud tweeted an update more recently, explaining the marriage contract has been recognized by the Ministry of Justice but that they still need the recognition of the Ministry of Interior:

@KONi16: @RimaTarabay it was approved by justice but we need the interior to register it so we can get a family ID as husband and wife

More importantly perhaps, it looks like the couple is getting ready to welcome a new addition to the family!

@KONi16: #happyday #happyheroes am becoming a mummy feeling happy with my pregnancy

Prime Minister Resigns, as Lebanon Remains a “Sinking Ship”

Nada Akl — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 20:22:56 +0000

@Brigitte_khair: It is like the boy who cried ‘Wolf', #Mikati threatening to resign. Again. When he eventually does, no one will notice.

When rumors of his resignation started, some thought Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati was playing a game of chicken. After all, he had already threatened to resign twice before.

And then he resigned on Friday, March 22, 2013:

@Najib_Mikati:قدمت استقالتي الخطية لرئيس الجمهورية والمهم ان يبدأالحوار وأن تنشأ حكومة إنقاذية في هذه المرحلة الصعبة و أشكر الله أني خرجت كما دخلت صادقاً

@Najib_Mikati: I have presented my resignation to the President of the Republic. What's important is to start a dialogue and to establish a rescue government in this difficult phase. I thank God I have left this office as I came, with integrity

The resignation came after the cabinet didn’t approve the formation of a supervisory electoral body and did not vote on the extension of the tenure of Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi.

Blogger Qifa Nabki posted a live translation of the televised resignation speech:

8:35PM: I’ve committed myself to the country that I love.

8:36: It is necessary to raise the salaries of the civil society workers. It is necessary to hold elections on time. We need an electoral law that renews Lebanon’s message to the world (as a place of coexistence).

8:38: The President has demanded dialogue on all of these issues. We need a government that can save the country from the problems it faces.

8:39: The problems are great. I am satisfied with my efforts.

8:40: I have kept all channels of communication open. The nation comes first.

8:40: I threatened to resign twice before: Once over the funding of the Special Tribunal, and once when Wissam al-Hassan was murdered. Today the conditions are worse, economically, politically, etc.

8:41: Today, I announce my resignation, hoping this represents a way out of the problems that the country faces. I want to thank all of the political forces that cooperated with me over the past period.

8:42: Despite the worries and tension that hang over us, we are capable of overcoming them. I remain by your side. May God secure this nation.

Sadly, there is nothing exceptional in how Mikati’s mandate ended as journalist Habib Battah points out:

@Habib_B: Lebanon had 6 prime ministers over last 9 yrs. That's a new PM every 1.5 yrs. Statistically @Najib_Mikati‘s resignation is right on track.

As the country faces a political vacuum, the current context is still an unresolved crisis: ongoing violent clashes in Tripoli, north of the country, complete uncertainty over the next elections, civil servants on strike, tension over Syria…

Lebanon Spring blogger notes the resignation was inevitable in as the country “resembles a sinking ship”:

The situation in government and Lebanon resembles a sinking ship. Security situation is near chaos, sectarian tensions are highest, military clashes became the norm in his hometown Tripoli, bickering with Aoun and Hezbollah continuously existed, open borders with Syria in both directions are exploited by all parties without any control, a Foreign Minister acts independently without instructions, no agreement on elections law is looming with a serious potential of its postponement and etc. All these matters would push any prime minister to go. Didn’t Mikati also confidently say the Orthodox Law proposal won’t pass? May be we know now how. With such a government of failure, this is the best he can do.

A Platform for Middle East's Indie Musicians

Rayna St. — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 20:16:28 +0000

Music for a better future. Screenshot from Mideast Tunes’ Indiego campaign video.

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Arab World: Pope Alert, White Smoke

Amira Al Hussaini — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:39:48 +0000

Arab netizens joined the rest of the world today in awaiting news of a new pope, who will replace Benedict XVI.

As soon as the white smoke bellowed from the Sistine Chapel, Lebanese Nada Akl quipped:

@Nada_Akl: Pope alert, white smoke

Libyan Ismael wondered:

@ChangeInLibya: That's alot of white smoke. Are you sure it's just the ballots they're burning in there? #Suspicious

Syrian Karl Sharro said:

@KarleMarks: Once again, the cardinals have defeated us. They managed to elect a new pope before we managed to come up with a single funny pope joke.

And Egyptian Alyaa Gad joked:

@AlyaaGad: White smoke from the Sistine Chapel indicates that the cardinals finished having their (burned) dinner and now it's time for a joint. #Pope

Arab netizens also played guessing games on the name of the new pope, which has not been announced at the time of writing this post.

Lebanese-American Asad Abukhalil announced [ar]:

تسرّب إسم البابا الجديد: جورج دبليو بوش. مبروك.

@asadabukhalil: The name of the new pope has been leaked: it's George W. Bush. Congratulations.

And Free Tunisian noted:

فاليري سئلت عن هوية البابا الجديد فأجابت نازحة ” أكيد قطري … أنهم يشترون كل شيئ

@tounsiahourra: Valerie [a reader] asked me about the identity of the new pope so I answered joking: “It is certainly a Qatari. They buy everything.”

One Billion Rising: Progress for Women Worldwide, But Still Much to Do

Andrew Kowalczuk — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 22:16:17 +0000

On February 14 2013, a large-scale feminist media event took place, One Billion Rising [en], which was followed closely on Twitter using the hashtag #1BillionRising. The website of this campaign made an appeal to women worldwide :

On the 15th anniversary of V-Day (Violence against Women Day), 14 February 2013, we are inviting one billion women, and those who love them, to walk out, dance, rise up, and demand an end to this violence. “One Billion Rising” will move the earth, activating women and men across every country. V-Day wants the world to see our collective strength, our numbers, and our solidarity across borders.

Poster advertising “One Billion Rising” in France

The “One Billion Rising” project set a goal of “shaking the world into a new consciousness”, through quasi-ritual self-expression in the form of walking and dancing.

A new consciousness of violence

In her 2010 book J'ai tué Schéhérazade : Confessions d'une femme arabe en colère (“I killed Schéhérazade : Confessions of an angry arab woman”), which describes her development as a woman activist, author Joumana Haddad wrote:

A friend asked me one day: “What is your favorite place in the world ?” . . . “Inside my head.”

Here is a very simple answer, which to many may seem too easy, but which nevertheless describes an unresolved conflict.

In Egypt, for example, women refuse to be complacent, and recently – two years after the popular uprising against the political regime – women protested in Tahrir Square against the harassment to which they have been subjected. Laurie Penny, a columnist for The Independent newspaper, shared a picture on her blog of Egyptian women marching against sexual harassment.

In India, although events have been held regularly to denounce the normalization of daily attacks, it was a gang-rape in New Delhi in December 2012 which ignited the crowds, and attracted the attention of media.

In France, the public is enthralled by FEMEN, a group of Ukrainian women activists who protest topless across Europe, as well as about the issue of marriage for all and laws concerning prostitution.

On Twitter, opinions differ. Information is shared, sometimes anonymously: marches are tweeted live, and users report, protest, ask questions, and share their feelings and personal experiences.
These voices have carried so far that some media have described it as a visible phenomenon, radical movement, or revolution in progress.

“Women still don't know how to take their space”

Meanwhile, women gathered for the art performance Silver Action, by Suzanne Lacy, at the Tate Modern Gallery in United Kingdom on February 3, 2013, did not seem to share this opinion. During the event, hundreds of British women, over 60 years old, described their feelings in a verbal performance, which was relayed on Twitter by invited listeners. They described their active roles in feminist demonstrations between the 1950s and 1980s, revealing advances in human rights, but also similarities between yesterday and today.

Listeners reacted on Twitter, for example, self-described feminist Lee Webster (@leepster) wrote:

@leepster: ”My son has friendships with women that aren't sexual. That used to be unheard of” #silveraction making me realise what I take for granted.

Alice Haworth-Booth (@ahaworthbooth) said:

@ahaworthbooth: ”Men have changed, and we must continue to empower men to ask the same questions we are asking” – of power & status quo #SilverAction

Journalist Julie Tomlin (@JulieTomlin) wrote:

@JulieTomlin: 'Young women may have mobile phones but they seem just as ignorant as we were…’ #SilverAction

Joanna Sawkins (@JoannaSawkins) said:

@JoannaSawkins: Women still don't know how to take their own space. That fact is scary #silveraction

A question of intergenerational transmission between activists has also arisen, because, while over the years, women have gained more freedom, the fundamental problem which they face remains the same: what role should they take?

Reappropriation of the body

Illustration by Chili Con Cacahuete, used with permission.

To take possession of one's space, for a woman, is first to reappropriate her own body, such as in matters like abortion, prostitution, and sexuality. To exist as a human being requires first “to be present as me“, to quote Joumana Haddad. In France, a man controlled his land, his property, his children, and his wife until 1793, the year in which the equality of women in marriage was proclaimed. Prior to 1793, the body of a woman thus was an object which belonged legally to a man, like an item of furniture. After 1793, although equality in marriage recognized a woman's value, her status as a full-fledged human being was nevertheless conditioned by her attachments to men. This mentality changed only very slowly – for example, in the Civil Code of 1802, a woman was still defined as “an unable citizen”. This “disability” would not be abolished until 1938.

The concept of a woman's body as an object belonging to a man is not restricted only to French society. Martine Costes-Peplinski [fr], a sexologist, liked to begin her lectures with a reference to a folktale:

Schéhérazade, voilà des années que je raconte cette histoire pour introduire mes exposés sur la violence conjugale : comment les femmes ont dû – faute de pouvoir civil, civique et économique – développer ce savoir-faire conjugal que les hommes ont longtemps nommé : « le pouvoir sur l’oreiller ». Utiliser les quelques heures partagées pour obtenir par mille habiletés et stratagèmes ce que le droit vous refuse.

Schéhérazade, many years ago I told this story to introduce my lectures on domestic violence: how women, lacking civil, civic and economic power – had to develop this conjugal expertise, which men have long called “the power of the pillow.” Using a few shared hours to obtain, using a thousand skills and tricks, that which is denied to you by law.

Schéhérazade, in the collection of stories One Thousand and One Nights, volunteers to stop the massacre perpetrated by the king of Persia, Shâhriar, who, convinced of the infidelity of all women, marries a virgin every day, whom he kills on the morning after the wedding night. For one thousand and one nights, Schéhérazade tells him a story each night, captivating him, and thereby forestalling her execution.

The task of this woman was to preserve the integrity of her body, which is to say, the control of her life. Although the king in this story must be considered a tyrant and a lunatic, the text nevertheless shows a form of daily imagination employed by Schéhérazade, and which must still be used today by women trapped in an abusive relationship. This could include all types of avoidance mechanisms, from submission, to indignation, or rage.

A global revolution

The fight to stop violence against women has always taken place on two fronts: that of bodily and spatial reappropriation, and that of global human revolution. This is because men are not the only ones to commit violence, and equally because, conversely, women are not the only ones to suffer it.

This is the viewpoint of Joumana Haddad in her article entitled “Boys Against Men”:

What is required now, alongside the female revolution, is no less than a male revolution: a radical, structural, non-violent, non-sloganistic revolution, which can promote a more mature and fulfilling relationship between the two sexes. And while doing so, gentlemen, simply remember this: Machismo is not about men against women. It is about boys against men.

A Couple's Civil Marriage Rejected in Lebanon

Nada Akl — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 19:57:17 +0000

Seen as a potential long-awaited breakthrough, it’s fair to say the union of Kholoud Succarieh and Nidal Darwich on January 17, 2013, was the most celebrated marriage in Lebanon.

In a country where secular marriage is not an option, the couple celebrated what would have been the first civil marriage on the Lebanese soil, had it been recognized by the government. This reignited the debate concerning civil marriage, something many have been demanding for decades.

In Lebanon, civil status is administered by religious authorities. This includes child custody in case of divorce, inheritance, marriage, and complicates unions between members of different religions. For years, members of civil society have been demanding an optional civil marriage to no avail, until Succarieh and Darwich challenged the status quo by arguing that the current legal framework makes civil marriage possible.

The bride and groom base their claim on a provision of Decree number 60 of the 1936 law, which states that Lebanese not belonging to any particular sect fall under a civil family law administrated by the state. After going through an administrative procedure to strike their religious sect off their personal records, the couple did all the necessary paperwork, including publishing a marriage intent and signed all relevant documents with a notary public, then submitted their marriage to the Ministry of Interior pending its official announcement.

The news of their marriage made headlines and was followed by another small leap towards civil marriage: President of the Republic Michel Sleiman repeatedly declared himself in favor of civil marriage. He tweeted:

@SleimanMichel: Some Politicians oppose #civilmarriageleb but that will not change my beliefs nor will it deter me from getting the train on the right track

Those words have been very positively received amongst those who have been waiting to hear them for a long time in Lebanon and abroad.
@Ramez Kozma said:

@RamezKozma: @SleimanMichel Dear president Sleiman: millions & millions of Lebanese immigrants living abroad are proud to have you as their president…

And thoughts from @MyriamSfn

@MyriamSfn: @SleimanMichel Civil marriage isn't an obligation. Those who don't like it can leave the chance for those who do! Its time to have it in Leb

@JadBaroudi tweeted:

@JadBaroudi:You might not wish to practice #CivilMarriageLEB, but it is your duty as a #Lebanese #Citizen to support the right of others to practice it!

Blogger Gino ran a poll asking people if they're for or against civil marriage in Lebanon. 92.51% of his readers were in favor. @MannounM is hoping the time has come

@MannounM: Civil marriage is a fundamental and undeniable right which should be given to the Lebanese. Time for #civilmarriageleb has come!

However, the battle is nowhere near won. The Interior Ministry referred the marriage of Kholoud Succarieh and Nidal Darwich’s to the Justice Ministry who rejected it. In addition, Prime Minister Nagib Mikati declared that there was no need to get into “useless debates” on civil marriage at this point. Like many, blogger Lebanese Voices deplored the fact that civil marriage did not make it on the government’s agenda so far:

(…) a law that allows people to love, mix and decrease sectarianism would confuse the hell of our electoral laws for the government and therefore to protect their majesties parliamentary seats, civil marriage has been scratched of the last meeting and shelved yet again! Because “Mikati [sees] debate on civil marriage useless in face of political paralysis” and to that i say: Dear @Najib_Mikati, it’s my right to get married in the country that i pay taxes to, not its religious institutes. I’m Lebanese not a Sect.

The idea of a civil marriage was also rejected by many other prominent leaders, including Lebanon’s Grand Mufti Kabbani who issued a fatwa against civil marriage. Reactions were not positive online:

@jeanassy: Not sure if 2013 or 1013! Thanks to Mufti Qabbani! #CivilmarriageLeb Lebanon

and @pamoula’s hopes are not high:

@pamoula: #civilmarriageleb will not happen, religious figures will not allow it, and politicians will never say no to them they need them

Since 2009, the Lebanese have had the option of striking their religion off identity cards. So far in practice this remained a symbolic gesture. However, if the government ever does recognize optional civil marriage, thousands could soon be following suit, and finally be able to get married in Lebanon rather than traveling abroad for a civil ceremony, as many have been doing in recent years (nearby Cyprus being the choice destination). On a broader political and national level, this will also mean that the state will finally recognize its citizens outside the imposed structure of religious belonging. One cannot stress what an important achievement this could be. Or perhaps it would be enough to just quote a sentence read on a banner held by a participants in a demonstration favor of civil marriage: “civil marriage not civil war”.

Those who desire can sign the online petition [ar] demanding civil marriage in Lebanon.

Arab World: Pan Arab Web Awards Academy Scam

Layal Al Khatib — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:11:28 +0000

Lebanese blogger Rita exposes the terms and conditions of the “Pan Arab Web Awards Academy” competition which makes the participants “buy” their award in this post.

An “OMG Law” for Lebanon During Election Year?

Nada Akl — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 20:09:02 +0000

2013 is a parliamentary election year for Lebanon and this means that once again, electoral law debates are making headlines in a country marked by institutionalized sectarianism.

The local context can be tricky to understand: Members of Parliament are elected in each district by universal suffrage, but parliamentary seats are distributed between the different religious communities. Christians get 50 per cent of seats and Muslims are allocated the other half. In theory, this aims at minimizing discord between the country’s 18 religious confessions and ensuring proper representation of all communities. In practice, members of underrepresented communities accuse the system of gerrymandering.

Image from Lebanon's 2009 Parlementary Elections, by Sana Tawileh on Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)

In the heated squabble for a fair application of democracy, a draft law dubbed the “Orthodox Gathering Election Law” was the topic of a recent controversy. It suggests that instead of dividing Lebanon into electoral districts, all citizens in the country vote as members of a single district, and each community will be electing their own MPs. This means that people would only be able to vote for representatives of their own sect. You can read the full text here [ar]. While some support the proposal, arguing that it would allow a proper representation of all Christian communities, others strongly rejected it; but the law could also have unexpected results according to commentators online.

@Paul_Salem expressed fears that such a law would only exacerbate sectarian divisions in the country:

@Paul_Salem: So-called #orthodox election law proposal suggests each religious community elect its own deputies; would be ‘great leap backward'.

On A Separate State of Mind, blogger Elie Fares states he strongly rejects the sectarian arguments:

I believe that what the Orthodox Law is telling me is unacceptable. But I’m a Christian minority in thinking so. Most Maronites and Christians, especially some of our politician who double as Christian saviors-wannabes, want you to believe that what I believe is wrong. They are telling you that their way is the only way for you to get your rights. They want you to believe that if Christians don’t elect every single Christian-designated MP, then they’re being persecuted.

The Orthodox Law isn’t the way we get back our “rights.” We get back our rights by voting to people who can fight for those rights without turning it into a media propaganda as they kickstart their 2013 election prospects. We get back our rights by actually knowing what our rights are. And let me tell you, those rights aren’t Lebanon’s Christians selecting half of its parliament all by themselves.

It's also worth noting that, as always, the Lebanese election law marginalizes the many who simply don't identify with any recognized religious communities. @LeNajib wonders :

@LeNajib: If you're an atheist or agnostic, who do you vote for under the Orthodox law? #JustAsking

On the other hand, some argue that the law proposal is justified. @maidenrose1 tweets:

@maidenrose1: Orthodox Electoral Law is similar to Robin Hood; sometimes you should do Bad things for Good reasons #LebanonSectarianSystem #TaefAgreement

Interestingly enough, according to some, this could also be an opportunity to be seized for liberals. Elias Muhanna explains on his blog Qifa Nabki that if implemented, the law could have unexpected effects. The proposal (he calls it the OMG Law) could, in a way, help dismantle sectarianism by mobilizing the many citizens who are frustrated by the country’s sectarian system. He adds that, if passed (although he doesn’t believe it will), the law could pave the way for a senate, and also be an opportunity for liberals to get elected:

Under the OMG law, there will be no hiding the fact that Lebanon’s “consociational democracy” has devolved into nothing more than a constellation of sectarian communities who coexist in uneasy and suspicious alliances. The myth of inter-confessional harmony will be shattered.

(…)I think it’s worth noting that a Lebanese parliament elected on the basis of the Orthodox law is nothing more than a senate, at least as it is envisioned by most of the people who have thought about it at any length.

(…) It would seem to create unprecedented opportunities for reform-minded candidates to get elected. By implementing proportional representation in a single national district, the law drastically lowers the barriers to entry for candidates outside the mainstream political parties.

In a similar perspective, blogger Karl Sharro highlights four unintended consequences of the law:

1-Should the Orthodox proposal be adopted, it will be the first time under any election law that secularists will be able to pool their votes nationally, albeit under sectarian groupings. (…)
2- Sectarian mobilisation will be weakened if there is no threat from other voters ‘distorting’ the process. (…)
3- Paradoxically, sectarian credentials will become less important than competence and political credibility. (…)
4- Local zo’ama (leaders) will eventually lose their power. (…)

On Beirut Spring, Mustapha adds:

If the Orthodox election law is in effect and the existential fears of Christians was reduced, what excuse will people use to prevent Lebanese women from granting their children the lebanese nationality, to treat Palestinian refugees with dignity or for that matter to have a decent demographic census in the country to properly allocate development funds?

The question is: Should we lose respect for the liberals who decide to endorse this law for the aforementioned reason? Should we admire the fact that they’re finally thinking tactically? Or would we rather they languished in high-minded hell than endorse such a morally questionable law?

The proposal was promoted online and on television with this video [ar], where people from different Christian sects state their religion and hometown, then express their concern over the fact that they don’t feel represented in Parliament with the current electoral law.

In the days that followed, clever parodies of the TV advert appeared online, with people stating random identity markers, from their blood type to being a hipster. Don’t miss the YouTube video [ar] by Ali Zakaret, and Karl ReMark’s take on his blog [ar].