There was a disgusting black fog when I woke up this morning. When I went out to the balcony, there was a slight stench. I live on the sixth floor. I didn't get the full stench until I went down. They started burning tires along the Corniche before dawn. Instead of the blue Mediterranean this morning, it was a grey/black/green cloud.
As we were walking to school this morning, my preganant teacher/friend was covering her mouth.
Hezbolla wants the government to resign. They've been camping out downtown for maybe almost a month. The government is not stepping down. Hizbollah has been threatening to escalate things. People figured it would start after the Armenian Christmas. But now it's Ashoura. Their most holiest time--a ten-day mourning period. The culmination is next Monday. That's already an official holiday. It's the time when the Shia mourn the death of Huseyn, the son of Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Mohamad, who was killed in the battle at Kerbala by the Ummayads. You might see video footage of people walking in the streets, flagellating themselves. Sometimes the blood flows heavily. Hizbolla actually doesn't like that. They tell the people not to do it.
Let's see if there's school tomorrow.
It's such a weird situation. The government's not going to resign. Hizbolla is most likely not going to back down. They say they have all this support--in numbers and money. It looks like they are going to have to prove it.
Some say it comes down to the army. Will they stay faithful to this government? These guys have been camping thruoghout Beirut for the past month now. I'm sure they're tired. They don't get paid anything.
Who knows what will happen? Allah beya3rif.
2 comments:
Hey Jane-
Just wanted to say hi. You're my go-to-source for behind the scene updates from Lebanon. Didn't even read the BBC article on Beirut strikes before I had to see what you had to say.
Interestingly, I'm doing a lecture today on Ancient Benin, where their holiest shrine was called 'Aruosa'. The Portuguese Catholic Mission there also took up the name 'Aruosa'. Ashoura-Aruosa.
A.O-A
hey, so I inadvertently commented in the wrong spot. (was reading through some of your musings and agree, it's really interesting to hear about what's going on over there). hope you keep safe. also agree, that your perspectives on your experiences are always more helpful then blanket statements about Israel, etc. but, anyway, pretty impressive the blog you have developed.
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