Hariri: Hot Diary of an Affair!

I have been beaten by his men, arrested by his police, teargassed, water-cannoned and smothered by his “riot” control! I have held banners against his policies, demanded his dismissal from office, refused to collaborate or even be seen next to any of his followers, took non-violent direct actions against his projects, policies... and presence – I was not alone; I was/still am one of many. Today I am outraged!

Today I´m struck by grief and shock to the way he got assassinated... “We” have lost an Exploiter to the hands of a bigger one! Today I wish like never before to be in Beirut, beside those loved ones, those exploited and eaten alive. In Beirut among those thousands of people marching down the streets... among the very few of them who are tearing down his pictures and spraying a series of big Nos!

No to assassinations, to hegemony, to occupation, to the World Bank, to debt, to all factions and partisans of the Lebanese mainstream political spectrum, to blinded reactionaries, to free trade, to discrimination, to neo-liberal policies... to capitalism... the list never ends!

AL Jazeera wrote on their website:
“A huge car bomb on Monday killed Lebanon's former prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri, a businessman turned politician who masterminded the country's reconstruction after its 1975-90 civil war... At least 12 others, including several of al-Hariri's bodyguards, died when his motorcade was blown up as it passed through an upmarket section of Beirut's seafront, four months after he resigned as prime minister.
Former economy minister Basil Fulaihan, also riding in the convoy, was critically wounded. At least 100 other people were hurt, officials said...
Al-Hariri had remained politically influential since his resignation and recently joined opposition calls for Syrian troops to quit Lebanon in the run-up to a May general election...
Beirut was often rocked by car bombs during the civil war, when fighting among religious and political factions all but tore Lebanon apart. But they have been rare since then.
Al-Hariri, 60, had held office for most of the past 12 years before quitting in October 2004 amid a bitter rift with Lahud. The Sunni Muslim al-Hariri spent some 20 years in Saudi Arabia, where construction deals made him a fortune that Forbes estimated at $3.8 billion in 2003.
In 1977, he struck gold when he took up the challenge of building in just six months a palace for the late Saudi king Khalid in the resort of Taif before an Islamic summit, as a sub-contractor for Oger, an affiliate of a French group.
Al-Hariri won the confidence of then-crown prince Fahd, now Saudi Arabia's king, and was awarded the rare privilege of Saudi nationality.
He then went on to become Saudi Arabia's leading entrepreneur, acquiring Oger in 1979 and founding Oger International, based in Paris.
Al-Hariri's interests extended across banking, real estate, oil, industry and telecommunications.
He founded a television station, Future TV, in Beirut and purchased stakes in several Lebanese newspapers.
He was the biggest shareholder in Solidere, the joint-stock company that sent bulldozers to revive central Beirut after Lebanon's 15-year civil war.
But politics remained a fixation for the burly businessman. In 1982, he donated $12 million to Lebanese victims of Israel's devastating invasion and helped clean up Beirut streets with his own money.
Al-Hariri also used his personal wealth to finance the Taif national reconciliation accords in 1989 which put an end to the civil war. The Sunni Muslim was back in power in 2000 after a landslide election victory as many Lebanese saw no alternative to reversing an economic slide that worsened in his absence. But optimism about the businessman's ability to resurrect Lebanon as a financial and tourism hub was tempered by the mounting number of battles fought with Lahud loyalists over privatisation and other cost-cutting plans.
When Lebanon faced a financial crisis in 2002, al-Hariri persuaded France to host an international summit of lenders who pledged enough cash to avert a meltdown.
The construction tycoon's ties with European, Asian and Arab leaders helped keep Lebanon out of an abyss of debt run up during efforts to rebuild Beirut, including an expensive downtown area that rose from the ruins to become top-end property hawked by a company al-Hariri largely owned.
Businessmen praised him for cutting through a paralysed Lebanese state bureaucracy and rebuilding war-shattered Beirut. But hopes that an economic renaissance would flower with a Middle East peace process wilted with it instead. ”(http://english.aljazeera.net/)

This is what Al Jazeera wrote about former prime minister Hariri after his assassination besides the fact that French president Jacques Chirac visited Beirut to pay respect and condolences to Hariri's family emphasizing the close friendship, being the only state president taking part in the mourning day of the funeral and visiting the grave. This was the most accessible detailed Arab coverage of the assassination in English I could find. Media in Lebanon all cried against Syrian occupation, some bluntly, some more diplomatically and “politely”.

Tens of thousands of people took to their streets their anger, grieve and demands. All asking for a withdrawal of Syrian troops and hegemony of Lebanon. People that I have known for years and who took no part in political activism were on the street taking part in the funeral/demo and laying flowers at Hariri's grave in downtown Beirut.

Just there, few meters away from where we had the open sit-in for 45 days organized by independent activists and groups in solidarity with Palestinians under Israeli crimes in 2002. A sit-in that was a landmark in the Lebanese anti-war anti-capitalist movement, a womb for IMC Beirut, Al Yasari (an independent leftist underground publication), No War No Dictatorship campaign, the campaign to Boycott Companies Supporting Israel, the Leftist Platform, a series of high profile actions and demos ...etc. Let alone being the first extensive experience in autonomous horizontal self-organization in Lebanon. All this was happening few years ago, very few meters away from where Hariri's body lay today, and with few activists who rejected Hariri's policies, while residents of Beirut – mourners of today, whizzed in their cars towards the first warm restaurant. My friends never went there before... but they did few days ago to lay flowers on Hariri's grave and scream “Syria out now”, and “We do not want a parliament that is a doorman for Syria”... waving his pictures and flapping Lebanese flags with banners reading “enough”. Friends that never believed in any protest or action, let alone believe in the need to change things were now protesting against such a high profile issue as Syrian occupation of Lebanon. An issue that even the most radical of activists thought twice before tackeling. Out of a sudden, everyone is empowered. What did it take? An aggravated tragedy.

Friends that always praised the amount of democracy we enjoy in Lebanon compared to the rest of our “regressive” Arab neighbors - “for fuck's sake movies get launched in Lebanon at same time as Europe” ... let alone the long discussion about the quantity of quality resorts, night life and artistic entertainment. Talking to my mom - a mother - over the phone she sounded devastated. She was never a fan of Hariri nor his politics but the images of the bomb were reminiscent of so many bad civil-war memories. She never liked him, but she never wished him dead. She blamed him for many of our economical problems, but she never believed that he can be over thrown. And there she was infront of the TV, her worst nightmare got wiped out with a bigger one... rather a catastrophe!

My first reaction was a smile and taking it for a joke. Of course not! Hariri have so much money and so much power... let alone a top notch security shield. I remember my mobile phone going off network when his convoy passes by. The convoy cars were fully armored and protected (and of course he afforded the top of the line)... so no way it can happen! But still, all media reported it and showed pictures of him on a stretcher completely burned out. One of the big puppets in the hands of the capitalist system was put to a stop, but the way was worse than anyone can imagine. Shock, confusion, anger and disbelief! Who did it? Why? Why now? How? How strong are they? How far can they go? Who are they? What can we do? Who are we?

After the shock faded, I started following the on-line media religiously, sometimes pressing the Refresh icon endlessly without stopping. I was eager to read everything, to know as much as possible, to try to understand. Years ago I learnt about a ruthless system, but here I am again seeing its ruthless power in action, seeing authority and the system that “we” all believe in failing us again. And again, I see “us” waving flags and repeating the same old broken record. Even “our” grief is imported and copied for the eyes of the media. Rejecting violence and fucked up politics tuned into a reactionary wave condoning Hariri policies, even portraying Hariri as a national hero!. I heard people going “yeah he fucked the country up, but now he portrays something, he said no to Syria! He became a symbol of our freedom”

Hariri was responsible of a deteriorating economical situation and a continuous exploitation of a wide sector of the Lebanese society. He masterminded the “reconstruction” of Beirut central district... or Solidere.

Solidere

Solidere is what some people use to refer to down town Beirut. It is not an arabic word, and it is not the name of the area. Solidere is a Hariri-owned company, with some small-fish shareholders. It drove people out from Beirut down town by either petty money, or state force (sometimes extra non-governmental intimidation) and took over their property. All of Beirut central district now, including Martyr's Square is owned by Solidere. Funny, ha? Solidere owns a public square, imagine if Solidere wanted by its lawful right to fence downtown Beirut!

Well it did, in many cases we were asked not to gather/ protest in that “public square” cause it is a private property and does not even lie under the authority of the municipality. You can only go there if you are dressed in a certain way – few reported cases of people being asked to leave the “property” else remove their kufiahs. It is a place for everyone, except those living with a limitted income or under poverty line... more accuratly 60% or more of the population.

To make it funnier, the Lebanese parliament lies at the heart of this “property”... and even more, the Italian embassy, the British embassy, the Spanish Cervantes,... and the United Nations House. All this were more parking lots are rising and more bourgeoisie apartments and big corporations are taking bigger shapes. Where the rosey and velvety society of Lebanon have itself some fun and "democracy".

The area is sealed by Lebanese army on all ends, and in some past cases they shut down the whole area even in the face of journalists (a recent case was the peaceful anti-capital punishment protest http://www.beirut.indymedia.org/ar/2004/01/908.shtml). The army reportedly denied individuals to access the area... Hariri's area.

Hariri Fairytale

Hariri indulged in continuous debts, and some grants to Lebanon's “reconstruction”. We got “reconstructed”... we have the best highways now, a top notch first class airport, a source-of-pride stadium, and all multi-nationals you can dream off. Unemployment rates increased and prices soared higher. It was not only the movies, a beer in a Beirut Downtown pubs can cost you more than one in London... further “civilization” was introduced, a democracy of the few.

Under Hariri's term as a prime minister, the WTO was pushed further and deeper in Lebanon. So did Free Trade on the expense of millions of workers, women and children worldwide. Privatization was taking over, everything was due for it from the electricity to the mail-service. Hariri's companies and affiliated ones were taking over left and right. His personal money and contacts were used to run state matters where no one else could manage... or benefit. Several drastic economical outcries happened under Hariri's term, leading to the killing of five demonstrators in April 2004 by the Lebanese army. http://www.beirut.indymedia.org/ar/2004/05/1286.shtml

Another landmark in Hariri-style democracy is the attack on the Jnah underpriviliged area in March 2004 where the Lebanese army used tanks to attack protestors refusing to pay exagerated electricity fees to a government that denies them even affordable clean drinking water. http://www.beirut.indymedia.org/ar/2004/03/1000.shtml

That was not the only time where Hariri's government got its hands dirty with state-repression. Hariri was responsible for the September 1993 killings where 10 anti-Oslo agreement protesters (some say Hezbollah members - Hezbolah is now taking Hariri as a resistance figure) got killed on the hands of the Lebanese army.

Some people argue that he gave Lebanon an international trust-worthy name after the civil war; well he made it possible for us to drink Starbucks and eat Mcdonalds. The name he made was only appealing for those who could afford, or for multinational corporations and investors that has nothing held more sacred than profit, not even life itself. Corporations that do nothing but ruin our local economy, local and global environment and human rights. A democracy that is based on capital and totalitarian rule of capitalism. The one depending on genetically modified crops, sweatshops, and the planet´s exploitation.

He on the other hand sent people on grants to study and earn degrees – he had his own organization for that, Al Hariri Foundation. Some of those “good students” were to earn a salary working in his companies, or become his voting sheep. People oriented their voting choices according to his choices... he was the money provider in a dying economy – that he was killing, and he was the one who “provided for the kids' education”. He was the Sunni figure, the one who decided that him being born in Sidon in the south is not of an enough political impact so moved his papers to Beirut and ran there for elections... in the capital, becoming an MP of Beirut, a prime minister, and a leader/ puppeteer of small exploiters who ran were he told them. In the past municipal elections he received quite a blow when the majority of the citizens of Beirut did not vote, still his babies hatched in the municipal board of Beirut. Yesterday, all of Beirut marched in tears demanding that Syria goes out.

Few months ago that same square witnessed a protest against the re-election of President Lahoud and its consecutive constitution, it had banners calling on Syrian withdrawal and hands off Lebanon. Around a hundred young people showed up. People were tucked in their houses ranting about the economical situation and Syrian hegemony. We were a 100 surrounded by hundreds of army soldiers, riot police and endless checkpoints... the rest of the country was silent, blessing the re- “election” of Lahoud as a president. http://www.beirut.indymedia.org/ar/2004/09/1634.shtml

Hariri's assasination is a national tragedy on many levels, but he is never and will never be a symbol of freedom and social justice. He is responsible for so many atrocious policies and actions that “we Lebanese” are paying for and will do for quite sometime. Hariri the powerful, the invincible, the man who holds so much power, ties and connections to world's high corporate world, state heads and monarchs. He was a Lebanese MP, tycoon, former prime minster, billionaire, body-guarded by top of the line security experts and almost a Saudi prince... still “they” - whoever they were – managed to take him down. Just like this... snap! Just when he no longer satisfied their needs, or maybe when his death became more beneficial than his life.

A capital-monger taken down fueling all enmity to Syria to the extent that Syrian exploited workers in Lebanon are being beaten down the streets to no one's astonishment. Everyone is running around to copy Princess Diana's pictures by laying candles and flowers and posing for international media. Media is talking again about Hariri the “builder of Beirut”, “Mr. Beirut”, “the re-constructor of Lebanon”, “national hero” and a “martyr”; with pictures of Chirac holding Hariri's wife's hand. I wonder if Mobarak gets assassinated tomorrow... or even Bush, will they turn into national heroes? ... maybe also people would light them candles and lay flowers on their tombs. Maybe if Pinochet stayed in office enough to be assassinated he would have got the same as well. Lebanese people are all demanding Syria out, people are hysterically in the street denouncing violence, something we suffered for so long. It was inspiring to see as much in the streets crying out loud against assassinations and bombs; and against the Syrian occupation. But as someone who lived 26 years in the state of Lebanon, and who carries its passport, I carry a bigger fear now. A fear that this wave of country-wide solidarity turn out into further racism and nationalism/ fascism. Syrian workers who are exploited both by “their” government and “ours” are the victims again. Hariri's assassination is a rejected practice, a further establishment of a system that oppressed us for so long yet Hariri was nothing but another tool of repression and exploitaiton.

the outrage is total, we all are...
the grief is deep,
the shock is beyond belief,
the bombing brings nightmares of past life ... the worst of all,
the demand for an immediate Syrian withdrawal, military and
politically is nonnegotiable,
but condoning Hariri's policies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lebanese youth are teaming under cries rejecting violence; it is inspiring to see it happen. But I missed a point, how did he rebuild the country? Or brace us for freedom? Or even thought of us beyond police batons, army bullets, and empty pockets and mouths? Please tell me my country fellow men and women... if you finally decided to march for freedom and "independence" why march towards Hariri´s tombstone? Why construct/emphasise more symbols and leaders...especially out of criminals? If "we" are demanding independence why do not we march to Jnah or Hey El Selloum with chants for Syria to get out and the government to fall?

My grief and outrage is for those who died on Thursday May 27th, 2004 in Hay El Seloum. My grief and apologies is for those who are still jailed, beaten and unheard off just for demanding food that day... to the thousands in jails in Lebanon and Syria for voicing their dissent. My solidarity is with you and no-one else, my apologies in the name of these thousands marching today... sorry they did not march in thousands before May 27th for you, or even later on the 29th, or 30th....or today for you!

Sorry they did not march till the Exploiter got terminated by a bigger fish!

I wonder, what fish will munch on us now after he is gone!

http://beirut.indymedia.org/ar/2005/02/2213.shtml