English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese
Related, Global News & Editorials
For July 05/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/eliasnews19/english.july05.20.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves;
so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 10/16-25/:”‘See, I am
sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and
innocent as doves. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and
flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings
because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are
to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the
Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to
death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have
them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one
who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee
to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns
of Israel before the Son of Man comes. ‘A disciple is not above the teacher, nor
a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher,
and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house
Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!”’”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on July 04-05/2020
Protest by 'Trump's Friends in Lebanon' calls for implementing UN Resolution
1559
Protests Outside U.S. Embassy Demand 1559 Implementation
Text of the Lebanese Sovereign group that was handed today to the USA Embassy In
Lebanon
Twitter/U.S. Embassy Beirut/@usembassybeirut
Health Ministry: 25 new corona cases
Hariri Hospital: Two patients released for home quarantine, one critical
condition at the hospital
Cabinet to Convene in Baabda Next Week
Tourism Institutions Risk Shutdown in September over Crisis
Lebanese Rush on Old Lighting Sources as Crisis Bites
At least two dead as Lebanon’s economic crisis continues to take its toll
Iraqi delegation briefs Diab over atmosphere of its meetings in Beirut
Lebanese Army denies circulated news via social media of tanker convoy
Hoballah inaugurates farmer's market in Tyre: For boosting production quality
Health Minister on Baalbek's concert tomorrow: A civilized and illuminating
message to the world, confirming that Lebanon will maintain its bright message
despite all darkness
Demonstrators march from Jdeidet Marjeyoun to Qlay'aa to protest price hikes
Lebanon’s devilish dollar game/Makram Rabah/Al Arabiya/Saturday 04 July 2020
Locked up: The struggle faced by migrant workers with coronavirus in
Lebanon/Chantal Lakis/Al Arabiya/Saturday 04 July 2020
Families of Syria Detainees Hope for News amid Caesar Act/Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday,
4 July, 2020
Future scenarios as Lebanon sinks deeper into crisis/The Arab Weekly/July
04/2020
Lebanese border town sounds alarm over Syrian ‘takeover’/Najia Houssari/Arab
News/July 04/2020
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on July 04-05/2020
Move to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque ‘unacceptable’: Russian Orthodox Church
Iran declines to release cause of Natanz nuclear ‘accident’ amid ‘security
concerns’
Air defense systems intercept rocket targeting US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq
Over 40 fighters killed in clashes between ISIS, regime in Syria: Monitor
Egypt to hold senate elections on August 11-12
Iraq Begins the Battle to Restore ‘State Dignity’
Egypt: Opera House Resumes Activities with 40 Concerts
North Korea Says No Need for Talks with U.S.
Heavy Rain Floods Southern Japan; over a Dozen Presumed Dead
Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources published on July 04-05/2020
Troubles mount for embattled Macron/Cornelia Meyer/Arab News/July 04/2020
Khojir and Natanz explosions wreck Iran’s strategy of deception/CHRISTOPHER
HAMILL-STEWART/Arab News/July 04/2020
Humanitarian aid and a populist act of vandalism/Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/July
04/2020
Istanbul court jails human rights activists on terror charges/Arab News/July
04/2020
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News &
Editorials published
on July 04-05/2020
Protest by 'Trump's Friends in Lebanon'
calls for implementing UN Resolution 1559
NNA/July 04/2020
"Donald Trump's Friends in Lebanon" staged a sit-in today at Awkar Square in the
direction of the United States Embassy, to demand the implementation of
international resolutions, especially #1559, amidst the spread of military and
security forces who blocked the road leading to the Embassy with barbed wires.
Protesters raised the Lebanese and American flags, and handed the Embassy's
representative a letter of appreciation for the American stances in support of
Lebanon and its army, calling on the United States to "assist in implementing
international resolutions, especially #1559."
"There is no salvation for Lebanon except by applying these decisions,
dissolving and disarming the militias and restricting the possession of weapons
to the Lebanese army and the decision of war and peace to the Lebanese state,
and extending its authority over all territories," deemed the protesters.
Demonstrators also demanded the elimination of the "people, army, resistance"
equation and converting it into the equation of "nation, people, army", in
addition to helping Lebanon overcome its economic crisis and completing the
demarcation of the borders with Syria and the closure of illegal crossings.
Protests Outside U.S. Embassy Demand 1559 Implementation
Naharnet/July 04/2020
A number of protesters gathered outside the embassy of the United States in
Awkar on Saturday demanding the implementation of UN Resolution 1559, as army
and security forces deployed in the area and blocked the road leading to the
embassy with barbed wire, said the National News Agency.
The demonstrators raised the Lebanese and American flags, and delivered a “thank
you” letter to the embassy representative for the American stances in support of
Lebanon and its army. They called on the US to "assist in implementing
international resolutions, especially 1559,” added NNA.
The sit-in came in line with the US Independence Day. “There is no salvation for
Lebanon except by dissolving and disarming the militias, restricting weapons to
the army, restricting the decision for war and peace to the state, and extending
its authority over all Lebanese territory,” they said.
On Twitter, the US embassy said: “Thank you to the group of Lebanese that made
our Independence Day special by gathering to express appreciation to the U.S.
for its ongoing partnership and support for Lebanon’s security, humanitarian,
and development challenges.”Similarly, US Ambassador Dorothy Shea shared her
wishes on Independence Day saying: “The US was founded on the ideals of equality
and opportunity for all. Our declaration of independence and our constitution
enshrine these basic rights. “This year as we celebrate our independence, let us
all reflect and renew our efforts to achieve a more perfect union,” she said.
Text of the Lebanese Sovereign group that was handed today
to the USA Embassy In Lebanon
The Honorable Ms. Dorothy Chia
Ambassador of the United States of America in Lebanon
After greeting,
We, revolutionary citizens of all Lebanese sects, hereby extend to your
Excellency and to the American people our warmest congratulations on the
occasion of the anniversary of the independence of the United States of America,
wishing you and the dear American people continued progress and prosperity.
By the way, as it is known to your Excellency, our country Lebanon is going
through an existential crisis that threatens to change its entity, cultural
identity, free democratic system, and its humanitarian mission which calls for
forgiveness, openness, acceptance of the other, and respect of his privacy, as
well as to restrict public and individual freedoms. These dangers are not
theoretical, but rather dangers that we face with all our powers.
We consider that the United States of America is historically entrusted on the
principles of freedom, justice and equality on which democracy is based. And it
has always stood and still on the side of the Lebanese people in its capacity as
active partner in addressing the security, humanitarian and developmental
challenges that our country is facing.
Based on this historical partnership, and in the name of the friendship that
unites our two countries, we seize it as an opportunity to ask for the help of
your esteemed country directly to restore Lebanon its looted funds and to
prevent the risks that threaten it due to the spread of corruption in all the
state facilities and the domination of illegal weapon and the Iranian
guardianship over its decision, and to prevent its sliding towards total
collapse and to get it out of its financial, economic and political crisis and
restore its imperfect sovereignty through your support for the only solution to
its crisis which is the three legitimates:
Implementation of the Lebanese Constitution and the Taif Agreement.
Implementation of the International Legitimacy Resolutions i.e. the resolutions
issued by the Security Council number 1559, 1680, 1701 and 1757.
Implementation of the Arab Legitimacy Resolutions emanating from the Arab
League’s decisions.
We would like again to express our gratitude for all what you have provided and
will provide in order to address Lebanon's security, humanitarian and
developmental challenges.
Sincerely Yours,
On 4 July 2020
Twitter/U.S. Embassy Beirut/@usembassybeirut
Twitter/July 04/2020
Thank you to the group of Lebanese that made our #IndependenceDay special by
gathering to express appreciation to the U.S. for its ongoing partnership and
support for #Lebanon’s security, humanitarian, and development challenges.
Health Ministry: 25 new corona cases
NNA/July 04/2020
The Ministry of Public Health announced on Saturday that 25 new cases of corona
infections have been registered, thus raising the cumulative number of confirmed
cases to-date to 1855.
Hariri Hospital: Two patients released for home quarantine,
one critical condition at the hospital
NNA/July 04/2020
Rafic Hariri University Hospital announced, Saturday, in its daily report on the
Covid-19 virus developments, that there are 13 patients infected with the
Coronavirus currently receiving treatment inside the hospital, including one
critical condition in its intensive care unit. The report indicated that 317
tests were conducted at the hospital laboratories during the past 24 hours, and
8 suspected cases were transferred from other hospitals. It added that the total
number of recoveries to-date has reached 246 cases, noting that 2 cases were
recently released from Hariri Hospital to be home quarantined after their
attending physician confirmed their clinical recovery.
The Hospital reminded citizens that the Coronavirus Contact Center for emergency
response and knowledge of test results operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
including public holidays, and can be reached at the following number 01-820830
or through the WhatsApp call service 76-897 961.
Cabinet to Convene in Baabda Next Week
Naharnet/July 04/2020
The Cabinet is set to meet next week at Baabda to tackle several pressing issues
listed on the agenda including the electricity file, amid fears the country
would plunge in darkness over a fuel shortage. The government is also set to
discuss auditing the central bank’s accounts amid divisions on the chosen
foreign firm, Kroll, and allegations it might leak information to Israel. The
recent resignation of the director general of Lebanon's Finance Ministry, Alain
Biffani, is also on the table of the Cabinet, in addition to the increase in the
price of bread which drew the ire of Lebanese.
Bifani was on the team negotiating an emergency bailout from the International
Monetary Fund. He resigned from his post late in June amid a rapidly worsening
economic and financial crisis.
Tourism Institutions Risk Shutdown in September over Crisis
Naharnet/July 04/2020
President of the Syndicate of Hotel Owners in Lebanon, Pierre Achkar said on
Saturday that tourism institutions in Lebanon decided to shut down in September
if the economic crisis continues to deteriorate. In remarks he made to al-Anbaa
online newspaper, he said: “Tourism institutions in Lebanon plan to shut down in
September if the government does not take practical measures to save this sector
from which approximately 250,000 employees, or approximately 150,000 families
live. Those will have to face this suffocating crisis when the institutions
close down.”
Askhar lamented the government’s failure to implement the “vows” it made to
steer Lebanon out of the crisis, criticizing the disastrous developments in the
country. “With the reopening of the airport, we had hoped it would encourage
hotel reservations. But until this moment not a single reservation was made,
which means that a large sector in the country is dying,” said Ashkar. He said
the Arab and European tourists can not be blamed for not choosing Lebanon as a
summer destination “as long as some groups continue to attack these countries,”
he said, describing the situation as “catastrophic.”“Until this moment, nothing
heralds of good news and the inclination is mostly to shut down completely,” he
concluded. In April, the landmark Le Bristol hotel in Beirut that once hosted
royalty and survived the civil war forced to close over Lebanon's economic
crisis and coronavirus lockdown.
Lebanon is grappling with its worst financial crunch since the 1975-1990 civil
war, compounded by a nationwide lockdown since March 15, that only eased
recently, to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Lebanese Rush on Old Lighting Sources as Crisis Bites
Naharnet/July 04/2020
Lebanese in several regions around the country rushed on kerosene and candles
fearing that a shortage in fuel oil plunges the country in total darkness. In
the southern city of Marjayoun, people rushed to stock on kerosene, lanterns and
candles fearing that their alternative source of power supply from private
energy generators seize services over the shortage, said the National News
Agency on Saturday. In light of an uncontrollable spike in prices of goods and a
crippling economic crisis, the worst for Lebanon since its civil war, even
alternative primitive lighting sources like candles have become scarce and
pricey. The price of one kilo of candles was sold at LL24,000, while twenty
liters of kerosene was sold at LL100,000, from around LL20,000, according to NNA.
In the midst of the recent diesel crisis, and with the continuation of power
blackouts and the increase in the rationing hours by the state and the owners of
private generators, Lebanon has recently witnessed an eagerness to buy gas
lamps. Gas lamps were known to parents and grandparents during the 30-year
Lebanese civil war, but returned today amid the economic crisis. The economic
meltdown in Lebanon has seen the local currency lose more than 80% of its value
against the U.S. dollar in recent months amid soaring prices and popular unrest.
At least two dead as Lebanon’s economic crisis continues to
take its toll
Finbar Anderson, Special to Al Arabiya English//Saturday 04 July 2020
At least two deaths by suicide were reported in Lebanon on Friday as the
country’s economic crisis continued to take its toll. The cost of living in the
country has spiraled in recent months as the value of the Lebanese lira has
collapsed against the dollar. The government on Tuesday raised the price of a
900g loaf of bread for the first time in 8 years, from 1,500 to 2,000 Lebanese
Lira. Prices of imported goods have shot up. Local media reported on Thursday
that a man in Beirut had robbed a pharmacy at gunpoint, demanding diapers and
medicine. Supermarkets across the country have had their shelves emptied as
people stock up before the Lira loses yet more of its value. “We all know that
[the deaths are] related to the economic situation, there’s no doubt about
that,” said Lea Zeinoun, Executive Director of Embrace, Lebanon’s emotional
support, and suicide prevention hotline. The organization has seen calls
increase from around 200 per month to 500 or 600 since last December, Zeinoun
said. “We only expect it to get worse at this point. With today’s news a lot of
people have been reaching out to us,” she added. There is little prospect of a
quick solution to Lebanon’s crisis. The Government has been discussing a bailout
package with the IMF since May, but with the latter demanding major reforms
there has been little progress. Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni said Friday talks
were on hold.
Iraqi delegation briefs Diab over atmosphere of its
meetings in Beirut
NNA/July 04/2020
Prime Minister Hassan Diab received today members of the Iraqi ministerial
delegation on a farewell visit at the conclusion of their meetings held in the
capital, Beirut, where discussions centered on the atmosphere of their bilateral
talks with Lebanese officials.
In this context, the delegation renewed its readiness to support
Lebanon.The Iraqi delegation included Minister of Oil Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar Ismail,
and Minister of Agriculture Mohammad Karim Jassim, and their accompanying aids,
as well as former Deputy Hassan Al-Alawi and Ammar Sabah Mustafa on behalf of
the office of the Iraqi Prime Minister, alongside the Iraqi Chargé d'Affaires in
Lebanon Amin al-Nasrawi and the Political Advisor at the Embassy Ahmed Gamal. On
the Lebanese side, the meeting was attended by the Ministers of Industry, Imad
Hoballah, Agriculture Abbas Mortada, Energy and Water Raymond Ghajar,
Information Manal Abdel Samad, and Advisors to the Prime Minister, Khodr Talib
and Hussein Kaafarani, and the President Office Director, Judge Khaled Akkari.
Lebanese Army denies circulated news via social media of tanker convoy
NNA/July 04/2020
The Lebanese Army Command - Orientation Directorate issued a statement on
Saturday, in which it denied the recent circulated news via social media, which
included an image showing dozens of tankers in a convoy allegedly smuggling
diesel oil from Lebanon to Syria. The Army categorically denied the content of
said image, affirming that it is not along the Lebanese-Syrian borders.
Meanwhile, the Army stressed that its units are taking all the necessary
measures to control the borders, prevent smuggling and ensure the closure of
illegal crossings.
Hoballah inaugurates farmer's market in Tyre: For boosting
production quality
NNA/July 04/2020
Minister of Industry, Imad Hoballah, inaugurated this morning the farmer's
market, "Khairat Jabal Amel", organized by the "Regional Cooperative Union" in
southern Lebanon and the "Good Tree Association", during a ceremony held at the
northern entrance to the city of Tyre in the town of Abbassieh, in the presence
of "Loyalty to the Resistance" Bloc members, MPs Hassan Ezzeddine and Hussein
Jishi, alongside several dignitaries from the region. In his word on the
occasion, Hoballah welcomed this initiative that allows producers "to sell their
agricultural, food and industrial produce in a direct manner, without any
intermediaries.""I affirm our need as Lebanese citizens, today more than ever,
to economic-social activities and similar joint-solidarity initiatives in order
to alleviate the daily living difficulties and outrageous costs from the
shoulders of citizens, as they strive to secure their livelihood with dignity
and pride," Hoballah said, pointing to state's determination to head East,
keeping the interest of Lebanon and the Lebanese above all. The Minister
indicated that the "government is giving priority to meeting the needs of
industrialists and farmers, because the industrial and agricultural sectors
constitute a cornerstone of the national economy, and they provide employment
opportunities, and keep citizens well-established in their lands." "I hope that
the farmer's market will enhance the commercial and reciprocal movement, and
contribute to the processing of the food and agricultural produce in Tyre and
its surroundings, and become a model to be applied in various Lebanese regions,"
said Hoballah. He emphasized that his Ministry stresses the need to abide by the
right standards in production, tracking, packaging, and food safety, as a basic
principle that must be adhered to, "and this starts with awareness and
guidance," he added.
"The Industry Ministry is also working to boost the quality of production and
industrial products, which will lead to achieving food security," Hoballah
asseerted.
Health Minister on Baalbek's concert tomorrow: A civilized
and illuminating message to the world, confirming that Lebanon will maintain its
bright message despite all darkness
NNA/July 04/2020
Minister of Public Health, Hamad Hassan, toured the Baalbek Castle this
afternoon in the company of Baalbek Governor Bashir Khodr, where he was briefed
on the preparations underway for the concert expected to take place tomorrow
evening, entitled "The Sound of Resilience". Hassan highlighted the significance
of this artistic event, which the public will follow through the media, in
compliance with the measures of social distancing and prevention due to the
Covid-19 virus. "The culture of life, hope and facing challenges requires
persistence, determination and will. These foundations are present within the
Lebanese people, who have proven throughout their difficult experiences that
they are capable of confronting challenges, and that the future will be more
beautiful," Hassan said in a statement from Baalbek Castle. He expressed his
confidence that "the civilized and illuminating message that Baalbek will convey
tomorrow evening will constitute an affirmation that the dark and gloomy picture
we see today in our society is only a temporary phase that will end, and Lebanon
will preserve its bright message despite all the darkness."
Demonstrators march from Jdeidet Marjeyoun to Qlay'aa to
protest price hikes
NNA/July 04/2020
Activists of the Hasbaya-Marjayoun Civil Movement organized a march today, which
set out from the new Boulevard of Marjayoun, all the way to the town of Qlay'aa
in south Lebanon, to protest against the high prices of consumer goods and the
difficult living conditions, amidst the deployment of Lebanese army and security
forces in the area. Participants chanted slogans condemning the policy that has
"impoverished the people", calling on citizens of the region to participate in
the march to voice their suffering and their rejection of "the hunger that is
knocking on the doors of all the Lebanese without exception."
Lebanon’s devilish dollar game
Makram Rabah/Al Arabiya/Saturday 04 July 2020
Driving around Lebanon, one is sure to notice the gloominess that has descended
on the country and its inhabitants whose only concern at the moment is to figure
out the rate of the US dollar as their local currency is no longer worth the
paper it is printed on. While the official exchange rate is still pegged at
1,507 Lebanese lira to the dollar, the black market rate has alarmingly hit
9,300 lira to the dollar, leading to a total collapse of government subsidies
for basic commodities, like bread and fuel, which face an ever-present risk of
disappearing from the market.
At one time, successive cabinets under the late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri were
able to peg the local currency to the US dollar and to subsidize this costly and
somewhat hazardous process through its ability to convince the international
community and the regional Arab Gulf states to bankroll this skewed system.
This, however, became impossible with mounting US sanctions on Iran and its
affiliates – primarily Hezbollah – and with the international community’s
conviction that the Lebanese political class was unable to reform.
The recent devaluation of the currency has been coming for a long time;
naturally it comes after years of unheeded corruption by the Lebanese political
class and after Hezbollah’s takeover of the state. The latter placed Lebanon on
the receiving end of US sanctions, and more importantly, it earned them the
apathy of the Arab Gulf states.
Lebanon’s economic free fall is aggravated by a series of measures, or lack
thereof, by the cabinet of Prime Minster Hassan Diab. This cabinet has
endeavored to ensure that none of the adopted measures restore a sense of
normalcy or even the marginal confidence that the Lebanese once had in their
country and its once-booming banking sector. Perhaps one of the most dangerous
moves of the ruling establishment was to empower the money exchangers and to
allow them to manipulate the price of exchange as they please. In a desperate
and delusional attempt to mask their direct responsibility for Lebanon’s current
predicament, Hezbollah insists that the current economic meltdown is mainly a
result of bad governance and unjust US sanctions, and that the money exchangers
have made the current predicament worse. At the beginning of the economic
crisis, Lebanese could access small amounts in their accounts as banks would
dispense weekly allowances, typically $200 to $800, depending on the
availability of dollars. Soon, however, the ruling establishment pressured
central bank Governor Riad Salameh to divert these dollars from the banks to the
money exchangers, who now had access to $5 to $7 million a day – theoretically
to meet demand and lower the unofficial exchange rate. Rather than achieve this
intended goal, these exchangers would cause the price to reach an all-time high,
also creating a robust black market that is now impossible to control.
The Diab cabinet failed to provide any plausible explanation to why would they
empower these exchangers, essentially creating a black-market leviathan, rather
than rely on the banks. Despite the banks’ many shortcomings, they are easier to
regulate than the exchangers.
Diab and Hezbollah helped create the commotion with the money changers to divert
attention from the government’s failure to provide an economic recovery plan for
this crisis and so that they may continue to lay blame on the greed of the
people and the money exchangers, rather than own up to their shortcomings. In
essence, the currency rollercoaster is neither economic nor technical in nature,
but is only a byproduct of the political crisis that Hezbollah and its main
political ally President Michael Aoun refuse to acknowledge. Moreover, Hezbollah
is using the dollar crisis to further weaken the Lebanese economy as it benefits
from government subsidies on essential goods that are then smuggled to Syria to
help President Bashar al-Assad and make millions of dollars that are used to
play the Lebanese currency market.
The money exchange market, just like the rest of the country, is riddled with
corruption, and many of its key figures are part of Hezbollah’s economic network
and they are committed to imposing Hezbollah-mandated informal regulations or
they risk being exposed to the Lebanese legal system – and ultimately
imprisoned. The crux of this economic collapse is the Lebanese themselves who
have allowed for an armed militia like Hezbollah to become the guardian to the
clientelist system of corruption – a system that the Lebanese have exploited.
Regardless of how the situation plays out, the dollar will never return to its
official rate, and the Lebanon that was once a success story and a model for
diversity and economic prosperity is now merely a failed Iranian colony whose
economy is administered by corrupt oligarchs and their client, the money
exchangers.Once this sinks in, perhaps the Lebanese can begin to rethink their
priorities, and rather than play the devilish dollar game, they can stand up and
begin to reclaim their country.
Locked up: The struggle faced by migrant workers with
coronavirus in Lebanon
Chantal Lakis/Al Arabiya/Saturday 04 July 2020
“I didn’t really know why I was locked up – all I knew was that police were
surrounding our building and that we were told we all had to stay inside,” said
26-year-old Hassan, from Bangladesh, when I first met him during a Doctors
Without Borders’ (MSF) response mission in the Ras Al Nabaa neighborhood of the
Lebanese capital Beirut.
MSF had just launched a rapid response in Ras Al Nabaa after more than 70
migrant workers, mostly Bangladeshis all living in the same building, had tested
positive for COVID-19. Hassan looked understandably worried.
Across the street was a second quarantined building, home to several Syrian
refugee families, and where we’d eventually also respond. The residents of this
second building had all tested negative for COVID-19 but had been put in
isolation by the authorities as a “security” measure.
Since March, MSF has been carrying out various activities in Lebanon in response
to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some responses were longer than others, and some are
still ongoing. With coronavirus still a threat, we maintain some capacity to
deploy rapid response teams, whenever and wherever they are most needed. As soon
as we heard about the situation in Ras Al Nabaa in late May, we deployed a team
as soon as possible. In agreement with the Ministry of Public Health, we
deployed a medical team to collect random samples from people who might have
been in contact with those migrant workers who had tested positive for COVID-19.
Awareness and medical support are at the heart of MSF’s COVID-19 response, and
we knew that people living in the Ras Al Nabaa buildings had received neither so
far. For days, internal security forces had surrounded the buildings, preventing
residents from going outside, going to work, seeking healthcare or buying food
and water. Nestled in one of Beirut’s tight streets, entering the first building
presented us with a dreadful scene. The three-story building is home to more
than 170 men, many of whom work in the sanitation industry for various companies
in Lebanon. We found more than 40 people sharing the same apartment, lying on
beds stacked one above the other in rooms with minimal ventilation that made
practicing proper hygiene impossible.
On arrival, we initially intended to conduct a health promotion session for the
quarantined people on how to limit the spread of COVID-19. But we quickly
realized that our audience had more pressing concerns. The dim light reflected
the fear in their eyes. They wanted to know was going to happen to them.
One week earlier, a resident of the building had tested positive for COVID-19.
Without his knowledge, the Ministry of Public Health had carried out contact
tracing and went on to test everyone in the building with no prior notice. Then,
without offering any explanation, the authorities placed the positive COVID-19
patients in compulsory isolation within the building and took people who tested
negative to a hotel for quarantine.
In Lebanon, isolating people with confirmed COVID-19 is recommended not only for
migrant workers but for anybody who has the disease to slow the spread of the
virus. However, Hassan and other residents of the building were forced into
total lockdown by the security forces without a clear explanation of their
medical condition or what was happening to them. They shouldn’t have had their
movements restricted without knowing the reason, and they should have been
informed about their medical condition. These are basic rights that should exist
for everyone.
The men we talked to during our response were wondering how and when this
situation would end. We explained to them that they had all tested positive for
COVID-19 – something that hadn’t even been clearly explained to them until this
point. We talked about the protective measures they should take to avoid
spreading the virus further, including wearing masks, washing their hands and
trying to keep as much distance from others as possible, even within this
confined space that they all had to share.
One of them interrupted and said with grief: “But we don’t have any water – how
can we wash our hands?”
Realizing the distress these men were in, we quickly paired our efforts to
promote health with proper psychological support.
Our team’s response efforts in that particular building lasted for 18 days. As
the days passed, various organizations, such as the Lebanese Red Cross and
nearby mosques, donated food and water to the residents. People from the
neighbourhood asked the men to pick up their food from the ground in front of
the building before quickly returning inside. “Faster, faster, pick it up and go
inside,” was the sentence that Uddin, one of the residents, heard when he went
outside to collect the donated food.
Beyond lacking food and water and being locked in a building, these men were
afraid and had to deal with the stigma attached to them given their situation.
During one of our visits, we noticed a crowd of people gathered on the street
corner. They were shouting and demanding the return of migrant workers to their
countries of origin.
“I heard the people scream, and I knew it was the residents of the area,
complaining about the fact that we lived there among them,” said Hassan. I could
see on his face and the faces of other residents that the protests had impacted
their mental health. Not only did their terrible living conditions mean they
were at a higher risk of contracting coronavirus, they also had to face and hear
people’s rejection. Migrant workers, living in a country that is not their own,
often face a certain stigma, and this was exacerbated by receiving a positive
COVID-19 test. It led Hassan to wonder if coming to Lebanon for work in the
first place had been a mistake. “I personally would prefer to go back to
Bangladesh at this point,” he said. He explained that, as if experiencing
COVID-19 and racism had not been bad enough, he had also been heavily impacted
by Lebanon’s current economic crisis.
“In my country, I might at least save some of the money I earn,” said Hassan.
“Here I can’t save anything anymore, and I can’t even transfer any dollars to my
family back home.”
The onset of the coronavirus lockdown in Lebanon – on top of the ongoing
economic crisis – meant that many workers faced a further reduction in access to
healthcare. The stigma they face in Lebanon has also increased since the
beginning of the pandemic. Our recent rapid response in Ras Al Nabaa is just a
brief picture of this situation. Coronavirus does not differentiate between
migrants, refugees or Lebanese citizens, and our response to the pandemic
shouldn’t either, not only as humanitarian workers but also as individuals.
People’s ability to access healthcare and to receive proper treatment and
information about their medical condition should not be defined by their status
in Lebanon.
Families of Syria Detainees Hope for News amid Caesar Act
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 4 July, 2020
Alaa Arnous and his family found the photo of his father Mohammed online last
week, the first proof of his fate since he was seized by Syrian government
forces seven years ago. The image showed his corpse, his face battered and
bruised, his mouth hanging open.
The elder Arnous was among thousands of Syrians who, since their country’s civil
war began in 2011, went missing into Syrian government prisons. Survivors and
rights groups say thousands more are known to have died under torture.
Anguished relatives are poring over photos of torture victims from Syrian
prisons, posted online by activists after the United States imposed heavy new
sanctions on the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad last month.
“We were living on hope that he was still alive,” Alaa Arnous told The
Associated Press from the opposition-held town of al-Tah in northwest Syria as
he looked at his father’s photo on his smart phone.
“It is terrible when you see the photograph of your father and imagine what the
torturers did to him,” he said.
The photo is among tens of thousands of images of torture victims smuggled out
of Syria in 2013 by a forensic photographer-turned-whistleblower who used the
code name Caesar. The photos became public at the time, but most were images of
piles of bodies, difficult to identify.
But activists have begun circulating more detailed photos again online after the
US imposed its new sanctions, named the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act,
after the photographer. The sanctions bar anyone around the world from doing
business with Assad’s government or officials, and among its provisions it
demands Syria release detainees and allow inspections of its prisons.
For Mohammed Arnous’ wife, Nadima Hamdan, the impact of the photos was
unbearable. She searched for hours through the photos. She not only found her
dead husband — who was arrested in 2013 as he travelled to Lebanon for work —
she also found photos of her brother and nephew.
“May God burn the hearts of those who burned our heart and turned our children
to orphans,” she said.
Former detainees in Syrian government prisons speak of horrific experiences —
being packed for months or even years in tiny cells, receiving little food and
undergoing constant, severe torture.
“There were lots of people who died under torture. I used to be blindfolded but
could hear a person tortured next to me taking his last breaths before he dies,”
said Omar Alshogre, a former Syrian detainee speaking from Sweden, where he now
lives.
Alshogre was detained at the age of 17 along with three of his cousins, two of
whom died. He paid his way out of jail after three years in prison. Between 30
to 50 prisoners died every day at the facility where he was held, known as
Branch 15, he said.
Alshogre, who testified about his ordeal at the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee’s hearings on the sanctions in March, said Lebanese and other
foreigners — including Iraqis, Palestinians and Tunisians — were also held at
Branch 15.
The sanctions have also raised hope in neighboring Lebanon that Damascus will be
pressured to reveal the fate of hundreds of Lebanese believed abducted by Syria
during the years it dominated Lebanon — from the Lebanese 1975-90 civil war up
to 2005. Alshogre’s testimony about Lebanese prisoners still alive further
fueled their families’ demands for information.
In Beirut, Laure Ghosn has tried for 37 years to learn the fate of her husband
who was kidnapped by a Syrian-backed group during the civil war and then handed
over to Syrian authorities.When Syria released a group of Lebanese prisoners in 2000, the name of her
husband, Charbel Zogheib, was on a list of those expected to be freed in a
subsequent round, she said. But it never happened. More than 10 years ago, a
Lebanese man released from Syria called her and told her he had been Zogheib’s
cellmate in Syria’s notorious Tadmor prison, the 64-year-old Ghosn said.
“We want to know if they are alive,” Ghosn said, weeping, at her Beirut home.
“If they need treatment, we can treat them. If they are dead and they have
killed them, then we can pray for them.” Her daughter, Ruba, who was six when
her father disappeared, sat next to her.
Ali Aboudehn, who spent years imprisoned in Syria and now heads the Association
of Lebanese Prisoners in Syrian Jails, said his group and other activists have
documented 622 Lebanese prisoners held in Syria. He said Lebanese authorities
requested information about them from the Syrians, who acknowledged a few of
them being held on criminal charges and denied any knowledge about others.
“I have hope,” said Aboudehn. “We cannot prove that someone is dead until we see
that person’s body.” He said one of his cellmates, a Syrian-Lebanese, was alive
up until 2018, when Aboudehn got word he died, 30 years after his arrest.“They should either give us bodies or people who are alive. This is what will
satisfy us,” he said.
According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, Syrian authorities detained
some 1.2 million people since the country’s conflict began in March 2011. As of
the beginning of June, 12,325 were documented as having died under torture in
Syrian government prisons, the SNHR said in a report released late last month.
At least 12,989 are still detained or missing, their fates unknown, according to
the report. Another 16,000 are missing in detention by other factions in Syria’s
war.
Alshogre says the number of those who died in Syrian government jails is much
higher than 15,000.
In mid-June, two Lebanese politicians filed a legal complaint in Beirut against
Assad over their missing compatriots. The move is largely symbolic.
“This is a wound that remains open for the families, and therefore such a wound
does not heal,” said legislator Eddy Abilama of the Lebanese Forces party.
“It is our responsibility to investigate this case as much as we can.”
Future scenarios as Lebanon sinks deeper into crisis
The Arab Weekly/July 04/2020
BEIRUT - Lebanon is drifting deeper into crisis as it fails to do anything to
remedy its collapsing currency and wider financial meltdown, raising big
concerns for its stability.
Hopes of salvation through an IMF deal have retreated with the government either
unwilling or unable to enact reforms, hamstrung by the conflicting agendas of
sectarian leaders who don’t want to yield power or privileges.
With Lebanon facing one of its most difficult moments since independence in
1943, the choices made by its most powerful actor, Iranian-backed Hezbollah,
will be vital in shaping what happens next.
Here are some scenarios:
PARALYSIS CONTINUES, COLLAPSE ACCELERATES
Prime Minister Hassan Diab faces growing demands to quit but Hezbollah sees
keeping him in place as the least bad option it has, believing any change would
be seen as a political defeat and open the way to a prolonged government vacuum.
But he can deliver neither reforms nor progress on the IMF track.
Without external support, the pound collapses further, extending an 80% crash
since October. Dwindling central bank reserves continue to be exhausted.
Venezuela-style hyperinflation begins. Social unrest and crime increase.
A gradual deterioration in the security situation leads sectarian parties to
take law and order into their own hands, a throwback to the 1975-90 civil war
that splintered Lebanon into sectarian cantons.
“If the current depreciation trends continue, within weeks, we will see the
first signs of self protection” said Mohanad Hage Ali of the Carnegie Middle
East Center, referring to the prospect of groups patrolling neighbourhoods.
The collapsing value of public wages undermines the state security forces’
ability to provide security.
Lebanon fractures as state authority frays.
Shunned by the West, Diab looks east – an approach advocated by Hezbollah. He
seeks Chinese investment, though China does not provide any kind of financial
bail-out. Seeking to boost trade, Diab may normalise ties with Syria, steering
Lebanon closer to Iran’s orbit and deepening its isolation.
GOVERNMENT STARTS REFORMS, COLLAPSE SLOWED
Desperate to halt the currency’s collapse, the sectarian elite gives a green
light for the hitherto ineffectual government to enact some reforms. Western
states led by France pile on pressure for change.
Hezbollah, feeling the political pain of the collapsing pound, leans on other
groups to deliver some of these changes.
IMF talks take a more serious path.
Signs of reform may yield some aid, particularly from Europe that will be
concerned by the prospect of another Arab state collapsing at its doorstep and a
new influx of refugees arriving on its southern shores.
But Hezbollah’s continued influence will limit how much support is forthcoming.
Gulf Arab states, which want to see the militant group’s wings clipped, will
steer clear, held back by both their own concerns and U.S. advice.
“If the international community doesn’t want the country to go to very dangerous
places, we might see some initiatives,” said Nabil Boumonsef, deputy
editor-in-chief of An-Nahar newspaper.
COLLAPSE BRINGS NEW GOVERNMENT WITH NEW APPROACH
Confronted by the costs of collapse, the political elite including Hezbollah
agree on a new approach to government that brings reforms and steps to address
U.S. and Gulf Arab concerns over Hezbollah.
Hezbollah agrees to take a back seat in state affairs and acquiesces in the
formation of a government that can win broad international support. This seems
unlikely for now.
“If Hezbollah sees that the big fire is going to hurt it a lot, starve its
people, as others, and take Lebanon into a situation it doesn’t want … perhaps
it will be convinced to make a concession,” Boumonsef said. “But so far I have
not seen them reach this level of vision.”
Lebanese border town sounds alarm over Syrian ‘takeover’
Najia Houssari/Arab News/July 04/2020
Ex-PM Saad Hariri voiced his ‘deepest concerns’ over developments in the village
BEIRUT: Residents of Tfail, a Lebanese farming community on the border with
Syria, say they are powerless to stop their farmland being destroyed by
bulldozers watched over by gunmen who appear intent on taking control of the
town.
According to anxious residents, confusion over the boundary between Lebanon and
Syrian is adding to the problem, with many sections of the border yet to be
demarcated.
The issue has drawn the attention of Lebanese leaders, with former prime
minister and head of the Future Parliamentary Bloc Saad Hariri last Tuesday
voicing his “deepest concerns” over developments in the village.
Hariri suggested the threat to Tfail might be part of “a dark scheme of
displacing its inhabitants as part of plans to make demographic changes in the
region.”
The Lebanese-Syrian border is 380 km long, but only a 40 km section was
demarcated in 1935 after greater Lebanon was established. The war in Syria has
stalled attempts to demarcate the rest.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Muallem said 10 days ago that his country “will
not demarcate the borders with Lebanon, neither will it accept the deployment of
international forces on the borders, for this is only done among enemies.”
Tfail resembles a peninsula within Syrian territory, and there is no access to
the town from the Lebanese side. In order to get to other Lebanese cities or
towns, residents have to go to Damascus before heading to their destination in
Lebanon and vice versa.
However, the war in Syria, and particularly the battles in the Syrian Qalamoun
mountains, led to the displacement of Tfail’s residents, Lebanese or Syrian
refugees who headed to various Lebanese regions via the town of Brital.
Tfail residents work in agriculture or serve in the Lebanese army. Most of the
townsmen are Sunnis.
FASTFACT
The Lebanese-Syrian border is 380 km long, but only a 40 km section was
demarcated in 1935 after greater Lebanon was established. The war in Syria has
stalled attempts to demarcate the rest.
Three Syrian towns lay near Tfail: Hosh Arab to the east, Assal Al-Ward to the
north and Rankous to the south. Ham is the closest Lebanese town to Tfail and is
linked to the village via rugged roads. Tfail gets basic services from Syria,
including telecommunications and electricity.
Arab News investigated what was going on in the town. Sheikh Ayman Al-Rifai,
former mufti of Baalbek-Hermel governorate, said that: “The Lebanese central
bank owns 1,800 shares of the town’s lands, after having confiscated properties
owned by MEPCO Bank, while there are other lands owned by various people.
“Meanwhile, there are people who have encroached on these lands, cultivated, and
inherited them without having legal documents of ownership. It seems a Lebanese
citizen from the town bought land where there was previously a Syrian
checkpoint, and started cultivating it, which infuriated Tfail residents.”
Al-Rifai said that he had contacted the Lebanese army to find out what was going
on and pointed out that “the officer in charge informed him that the leveling of
the land enabled the army to set a checkpoint, which was for the benefit of
Lebanon.”
Rumours are suggesting that the buyer was a Syrian man linked with the regime of
Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Arab News contacted the new land owner, Mohammed Hassan Diqqo, 35, a Lebanese
businessman who lives in Tfail.
Diqqo said he bought 20,000 dunums (equivalent to 20,000 square meters) from
Mahmoud Ali Khanafer, a Lebanese from south Lebanon, and that he has title deeds
issued by Lebanese authorities.
However, he refused to reveal the amount he paid for the land, noting that he is
a “partner with the Lebanese central bank in owning the town.”
Diqqo said that “there are 70 houses in Tfail, 45 of which are owned by Syrians
and 25 by Lebanese, while only 10 houses are permanently inhabited by Lebanese.”
He said that “neither Hezbollah nor the Syrian regime have anything to do with
what he is doing in the town,” and insisted that he is “executing a
developmental project to plant 100 fruit and forest trees over a period of five
years as part of an investment plan to set a water-filling factory, as water
resources are abundant in Tfail.”
Diqqo said that he has provided jobs for 200 Lebanese and Syrian nationals.
He said that a road that was repaired to link the town with Lebanese territory
is illegal since it was set without securing land acquisitions.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published on July 04-05/2020
Move to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque ‘unacceptable’: Russian Orthodox
Church
Reuters/Saturday 04 July 2020
Converting Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia monument from a museum to a mosque would be
“unacceptable”, a senior official in the Russian Orthodox Church said on
Saturday. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has proposed restoring the
mosque status of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, a sixth century building at the
heart of both the Christian Byzantine and Muslim Ottoman empires and now one of
Turkey’s most visited monuments. “We can’t go back to the Middle Ages now,”
Metropolitan Hilarion, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for
external church relations, said on state television, the Interfax news agency
reported. “We live in a multipolar world, we live in a multi-confessional world
and we need to respect the feelings of believers.” He said the Russian Orthodox
Church did not understand the motive for Hagia Sophia’s conversion and that it
believed domestic politics was behind the move. “We believe that in the current
conditions this act is an unacceptable violation of religious freedom,” he was
quoted as saying.
Iran declines to release cause of Natanz nuclear ‘accident’ amid ‘security
concerns’
AFP/July 04/2020
Iran’s top security body said Friday it had determined the cause of an
“accident” at a nuclear site but declined to release details, citing security
reasons. “Investigations by relevant bodies have accurately determined the cause
of the accident at... Natanz nuclear complex,” said a spokesman for Iran’s
Supreme National Security Council, referring to one of the country’s main
uranium enrichment plants. “Due to certain security concerns the cause and
details of this accident will be announced at the proper time,” state news
agency IRNA quoted Keyvan Khosravi as saying. The Islamic republic’s nuclear
body said the incident happened Thursday at a warehouse under construction at
the complex in central Iran, saying it caused no casualties or radioactive
pollution. A handout picture provided by Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation (aeoinews)
shows a warehouse after it was damaged at the Natanz facility, one of Iran's
main uranium enrichment plants, south of the capital Tehran on July 2, 2020.
Iran's nuclear body said an accident had taken place at a warehouse in a nuclear
complex without causing casualties or radioactive pollution. There was no
nuclear material (in the warehouse) and no potential of pollution, Iranian
Atomic Energy Organisation spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi told state television. A
handout picture provided by Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation (aeoinews) shows a
warehouse after it was damaged at the Natanz facility, one of Iran's main
uranium enrichment plants, south of the capital Tehran on July 2, 2020. Iran's
nuclear body said an accident had taken place at a warehouse in a nuclear
complex without causing casualties or radioactive pollution. There was no
nuclear material (in the warehouse) and no potential of pollution, Iranian
Atomic Energy Organisation spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi told state
television.Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization gave no further details, but Natanz
governor Ramezan-Ali Ferdowsi told the Tasnim news agency that a fire had broken
out at the site. Hours after the announcement on Thursday, IRNA published an
editorial warning Iran’s arch-foes against hostile actions, saying that unnamed
Israeli social media accounts had claimed Israel was behind the incident. “If
there are signs of hostile countries crossing Iran’s red lines in any way,
especially the Zionist Regime (Israel) and the United States, Iran’s strategy to
confront the new situation must be fundamentally reconsidered,” the agency said.
Iran’s nuclear body has yet to provide an explanation for the cause of the
incident, which came six days after an explosion near a military complex in
Parchin area southeast of Tehran rocked the Iranian capital.
Authorities blamed that blast on “leaking gas tanks.” Parchin is suspected of
having hosted conventional explosion tests with nuclear applications, which the
Islamic republic denies. Tehran announced in May last year it would
progressively suspend certain commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal with major
powers, unilaterally abandoned by the United States in 2018 followed by the
reimposition of biting sanctions. Iran restarted enriching uranium at Natanz
last September after having agreed under the accord to put such activities there
on hold. Tehran has always denied its nuclear program has any military
dimension.
Air defense systems intercept rocket targeting US Embassy
in Baghdad, Iraq
Ismaeel Naar, Al Arabiya English/Sunday 05 July 2020
Air defense systems in Iraq have intercepted a rocket targeting the US Embassy
in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, according to Al Arabiya’s
correspondent.
A Patriot battery system was able to respond to the rocket but was unable to
intercept it far enough and therefore fell within the Green Zone, local media
outlet al-Dijla TV reported citing its own security source.
Over 40 fighters killed in clashes between ISIS, regime in
Syria: Monitor
AFP, Beirut/Saturday 04 July 2020
Clashes between Russia-backed Syrian regime forces and ISIS have killed more
than 40 fighters on the two sides in just 48 hours, a Britain-based war monitor
said Saturday. Fighting and Russian air strikes in the central desert province
of Homs since late Thursday have taken the lives of 18 pro-government fighters
and 26 extremists, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. “The fighting
started in the night of Thursday to Friday with an [extremist] assault on regime
positions” near the town of al-Sukhna, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said.
ISIS fighters have retained a roving presence in Syria’s vast Badia desert,
despite losing their last shred of territory last year. They regularly carry out
attacks there. ISIS declared a cross-border “caliphate” in large parts of Syria
and neighboring Iraq in 2014, but several military campaigns against it chipped
away at that proto-state and eventually led to its territorial demise. Syria’s
war has killed more than 380,000 people since it started in 2011 with the
repression of anti-government protests, before evolving into a complex conflict
involving world powers and extremists.
Egypt to hold senate elections on August 11-12
Reuters, CairoSaturday 04 July 2020
Egypt will hold elections for a second parliamentary chamber on Aug 11-12,
election commissioner Lasheen Ibrahim told a televised press conference on
Saturday. Members of the chamber, known as the Council of Senators, will be
two-thirds elected by the public and the rest appointed by the president.
Iraq Begins the Battle to Restore ‘State Dignity’
Baghdad – Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 4 July, 2020
For the past 17 years, much has been said about the need to restore the
authority and dignity of the Iraqi state, but little has been done to that end.
The battle started with the American invasion in 2003 and is ongoing with Iran
and Turkey’s violations of Iraq’s borders and the so-called resistance axis,
comprised of a number of pro-Iran factions that possess weapons outside the
control of the state. These factions have been operating in line with Iran’s
agenda in Iraq, which has established a “deep state” in the country. The battle
is imminent, but the question remains: who will deal the first blow? All prime
ministers who preceded current Premier Mustafa al-Kadhimi have avoided an open
confrontation with the “outlaws”. Nouri al-Maliki was the exception when he
waged an offensive in 2009 against the Sadrists in al-Basra and al-Amara.
Kadhimi was appointed to his post with the pledge to Iraqis to hold early and
transparent elections and with them, restore the dignity of the state.
Reverse equation
Kadhimi’s opponents, starting with the armed factions and the Fatah bloc headed
by Hadi al-Ameri, expected the new premier to overlook the militias’ firing of
Katyusha rockets against American targets in Iraq, whether at the US embassy in
Baghdad’s Green Zone, the capital’s international airport or the Taji military
base. Kadhimi, however, proved them wrong. Soon after coming to office, he
sought “strategic” dialogue with the Americans, which would include discussions
on their troop withdrawal from Iraq. The militias, wary of both parties’
intentions, delivered their own message with the nearly daily launch of Katyusha
rockets against US interests. Undeterred, the PM went a step further by ordering
a raid against the Kataib Hezbollah militia, detaining several of its members,
in what was seen as a precedent in the confrontation between the state and armed
groups. His attempt to restore the dignity of the state took a misstep when all
but one of the detainees were released. Adding insult to injury were the freed
members who trampled on posters of the PM and other officials soon after their
release.
Kadhimi believes that such reactions are to be expected, given that he has taken
the bold step to buck the trend of his predecessors and wage a head-on
“grinding” confrontation against the militias. He is likely expecting more
losses, even personal ones, in the future. The PM still holds many cards in the
confrontation, significantly that one remaining detainee, who is seen as a hefty
catch. The detainee can help lead authorities to the sources of the armament of
the militias, allowing security forces the opportunity to shift tactics by
focusing on the source, rather than raid the factions’ headquarters.
Big night?The morning of June 26 was eventful for Kadhimi, who had a busy
schedule. It culminated with a midnight raid by the elite Counter-terrorism
Service against the Kataib Hezbollah headquarters. It was a bold step by the
premier, whose government is barely two months old.
The premier may have been hasty in his move. Sunni member of the parliamentary
security and defense committee Mohammed al-Karbouli told Asharq Al-Awsat that
the confrontation with the outlawed armed factions and militias is “inevitable,
but it requires means and mechanisms so that the state does not lose its dignity
in the process.”He remarked that the PM was dragging the counter-terrorism units
into this battle. The units have presented major sacrifices in the battle
against ISIS and it may not be wise to involve them alone in the confrontation
with the factions, Karbouli warned. “Neither the units, nor Kadhimi are
qualified now to take on this role.”The PM may be headed towards two losses:
waging a losing battle and failure to achieve victory, while also creating
divisions within the state and military institutions, he added. The first step
should be building a strong and unified military that is “completely loyal to
the state” until the conditions are ripe to launch the confrontation. Head of
the Center for Political Thinking in Iraq, Ihssan Shmary told Asharq Al-Awsat
that Kadhimi broke the mold by appearing “more committed in implementing his
ministerial agenda, especially in regards to limiting the possession of weapons
to the state.” By waging a confrontation with the outlawed factions, he is
demonstrating that he is acting away from political pressure and dictates, he
added. He warned that the raid will have “major political repercussions,”
explaining that Kadhimi does not boast a political bloc. The factions do and
they may come together to impede his government’s work. Moreover, the militias
would have now realized that Kadhimi is not willing to turn a blind eye to their
practices, which would give them the incentive to resolve their disputes and
unite to confront this new challenge. Kadhimi will then have to focus on which
approach to take, such as his ability to stall and garner political and popular
support.
Egypt: Opera House Resumes Activities with 40 Concerts
Cairo - Abdel Fateh Faraj/Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 4 July, 2020
After having suspended all activities over more than three months, the Cairo
Opera House will resume its activities with 40 performances to be held in
open-air theaters this summer season. Strict precautionary measures suggested by
the Egyptian Ministry of Culture will be taken to protect the fans in
attendance.
Major stars from Egypt and the Arab world are scheduled to perform, including
Mohamed Mounir, who performed at the opening of the Arab Music Festival on the
main stage of the Cairo Opera House last year, Omar Khairat, Ali Al-Hajjar,
Medhat Saleh, the Cairo Symphony Orchestra and Yahya Khalil. The live concerts
will kick off on July 9th, after three months of online concerts that had been
presented by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture as part of its Stay at Home ...
Culture is Between Your Hands initiative, which aimed to encourage citizens to
stay at home to curtail the spread of the new coronavirus. Despite the
exceptional circumstances, this season’s diverse and rich performances will
alleviate isolation, according to Mohamed Mounir, the media spokesman for the
Egyptian Ministry of Culture, who adds:"All 40 of the new season’s concerts will
be held in large open-air theaters that can accommodate performers and allow for
compliance with the rules of social distancing.” The Minister of Culture’s
summer program caters to attendees’ diverse tastes, from fans of classical,
Arabic, and jazz music, to youth groups.”He is also keen to point out that "the
new concerts will not affect the virtual performances program which the ministry
kicked off more than three months ago, especially in light of the Minister's
directives to develop them further. "The Ministry coordinated with the National
Media Authority to broadcast the opera concerts live on Egyptian television."
For the first time in months, tickets for shows at the Cairo Opera House can be
purchased online through its official website, and, per the Egyptian
government’s directives, attendance will be limited to 25% of the venue's
capacity. Attendees will be sanitized upon entry after they have their
temperature taken, and social distancing rules will apply. Attendees are to wear
face masks and remain at a safe distance from one another, and the venues will
be sanitized and decontaminated before and after each performance.
North Korea Says No Need for Talks with U.S.
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 04/2020
North Korea does "not feel any need" to resume talks with Washington, a senior
diplomat for the country said Saturday, days after Seoul called for a summit as
it seeks improved ties with Pyongyang. The statement by the North's vice foreign
minister Choe Son Hui came after former US national security advisor John Bolton
on Thursday reportedly said President Donald Trump might pursue another meeting
with leader Kim Jong Un in October. South Korean President Moon Jae-in -- who
has long backed engagement with the North -- on Tuesday also called for another
meeting between Kim and Trump, saying the South would be making "utmost efforts"
to make it happen. But Pyongyang does "not feel any need to sit face to face
with the US", Choe said in a statement carried by the North's official Korean
Central News Agency.
"Dreamers" had been raising hopes of an "October surprise", she added. "The US
is mistaken if it thinks things like negotiations would still work on us," Choe
said. Washington "does not consider the DPRK-US dialogue as nothing more than a
tool for grappling (with) its political crisis", Choe added, using the North's
official name. Bolton had reportedly said Trump would meet with Kim if it would
help his re-election chances. The North has "already worked out a detailed
strategic timetable" to deal with the "long-term threat" from Washington, Choe
said.
Talks over Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal have been stalled since a Hanoi summit
between Trump and Kim collapsed in early 2019 over what the North would be
willing to give up in exchange for sanctions relief. Recent reports have said US
Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun is due to visit Seoul next week to
discuss talks with North Korea, although the South's foreign ministry has not
confirmed the trip. Last month Pyongyang issued a series of vitriolic
condemnations of the South over anti-North leaflets that defectors send back
across the militarised border -- usually attached to balloons or floated in
bottles. It also upped the pressure by blowing up an inter-Korean liaison office
and threatening military measures against Seoul but last week said it had
suspended those plans in an apparent sudden dialling down of tensions.
Choe's statement comes a day after Seoul's presidential Blue House appointed as
its new spy chief a former lawmaker who played a crucial role in organising the
first inter-Korean summit back in 2000. The move is widely seen as a sign of
Moon's determination to maintain pro-engagement policies despite the North's
abandonment of its nuclear and missile test moratoriums.
Heavy Rain Floods Southern Japan; over a Dozen Presumed Dead
Associated Press/Naharnet/July 04/2020
Heavy rain in southern Japan triggered flooding and mudslides on Saturday,
leaving more than a dozen people presumed dead, about 10 missing and dozens
stranded on rooftops waiting to be rescued, officials said. More than 75,000
residents in the prefectures of Kumamoto and Kagoshima were urged to evacuate
following pounding rains overnight. The evacuation was not mandatory and it was
not known how many actually fled. "I smelled mud, and the whole area was
vibrating with river water. I've never experienced anything like this," a man in
a shelter in Yatsushiro city, in western Kumamoto, told NHK TV. He said he fled
early fearing a disaster. NHK footage showed large areas of Hitoyoshi town in
Kumamoto inundated in muddy waters that gushed out from the Kuma River. Many
cars were submerged up to their windows. Mudslides smashed into houses and
floodwaters carried trunks from uprooted trees. Several people were standing
atop a convenience store as they waited for rescuers. Kumamoto Gov. Ikuo
Kabashima later told reporters that 14 residents at a flooded elderly care home
in Kuma village were presumed dead after being found during rescue operations.
He said three other elderly residents had hypothermia. They were among some 60
residents at the riverside care home Senjuen, where floodwaters and mud gushed
in, stranding the residents, NHK said. The Japanese Self-Defense Force said it
had dispatched troops to join rescue efforts at the site.
In Tsunagimachi district, two of three people buried underneath mudslides were
pulled out without vital signs, Kumamoto prefectural crisis management official
Takafumi Kobori said. Rescuers were still searching for the third person.
In another badly flooded town, Ashikita, six people were unaccounted for and a
seventh was seriously injured, Kumamoto officials said. In the mountainous
village of Kuma, residents stranded at their homes were being airlifted by a
rescue helicopter. In Hitoyoshi city, rescuers transported some residents in a
boat. Flooding also cut off power and communication lines. About 8,000 homes in
Kumamoto and neighboring Kagoshima were without electricity, according to the
Kyushu Electric Power Co. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe set up a task force and said
up to 10,000 defense troops were being mobilized for rescue operations. The
Japan Meteorological Agency earlier issued warnings of extraordinary rain in
parts of Kumamoto, which is about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) southwest of
Tokyo, but later downgraded them as the rainfall — estimated at 100 millimeters
(4 inches) per hour — subsided.
The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources published on July 04-05/2020
Troubles mount for embattled Macron
Cornelia Meyer/Arab News/July 04/2020
The past three years have not been easy for French President Emmanuel Macron. A
fuel tax sparked the “gilets jaunes” protests, an attempt to reform the outdated
pension system led to widespread public-sector strikes, and his government is
accused of an inadequate response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now municipal elections have not ended well for Macron. The environmentalist
EELV and its socialist allies put mayors into Lyon, Strasbourg and Bordeaux,
Anne Hidalgo retained Paris only after endorsing their green agenda, and Marine
Le Pen’s far-right party captured Perpignan. La Republique En Marche (LREM), the
party Macron founded before the 2017 general election, won no major metropolis.
Macron has about two years to reposition himself before he faces another
presidential election, and his first move was to replace his prime minister.
Edouard Philippe’s popularity rating in March, when the pandemic took hold in
France, was 27 percent compared with 39 percent for Macron. By last week that
had been reversed to 43 percent for the prime minister and 35 percent for the
president.
It is rarely a winning strategy to overshadow one’s boss. Philippe resigned on
Friday, to be replaced by the relatively unknown Jean Castex, mayor of Prades in
the Pyrenees Mountains and a formidable and efficient technocrat. Like Macron
and Philippe, he is a graduate of the ecole nationale d’administration, the
school for France’s elite. Castex is known as “M. Deconfinement” because he led
the coordination of efforts by national, regional and local administrations to
ease the COVID-19 lockdown. He is also the national coordinator for the Paris
2024 Olympics.
Macron has about two years to reposition himself before he faces another
presidential election, and his first move was to replace his prime minister.
Castex is a safe pair of hands and does not seek the limelight, which is
important before an election, but the president’s choice tells us more than
that. Macron held a senior role on socialist President Francois Hollande’s
staff, but his politics since then have moved right. Philippe and Castex both
come from the ranks of the pro-business Republicans. Some on the left and among
the environmentalists believe Macron has merely replaced one right-wing prime
minister with another.
The next two years will be no easier for Macron than the past three. He has
already admitted that the path to economic recovery after the pandemic will not
be without obstacles. Also, no matter how much he espouses the environmental
agenda, it will not be economically straightforward; environmentally sensible
tax increases on gasoline and diesel gave birth to the gilets jaune. So in the
short run at least there may well be a trade-off between environmental and
economic policies.
It is easy to criticize those who govern; pleasing some of the electorate
inevitably angers others. On the European stage, however, Macron was at least
able to co-opt German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s backing for the EU’s pandemic
rescue package, which was no mean feat; Germany has form for financial prudence
and balancing its budget, and the package was supported even by Wolfgang
Schauble, Germany’s famously frugal former finance minister. Whatever happens to
Macron and his party in the next election, he deserves congratulations for his
efforts to forge a compromise in Europe during the pandemic — very much in de
Gaulle’s tradition of France as “La Grande Nation.”
*Cornelia Meyer is a business consultant, macro-economist and energy expert.
Twitter: @MeyerResources
Khojir and Natanz explosions wreck Iran’s strategy of
deception
CHRISTOPHER HAMILL-STEWART/Arab News/July 04/2020
LONDON: A huge explosion east of Tehran in the early hours of June 26 caused
widespread fear and confusion in the Iranian capital. This situation was caused
in no small part by the government itself, which quickly started spreading
misinformation about the cause and intensity of the blast, which occurred near a
military complex. Despite the regime’s evasive actions and statements, snippets
of truth have gradually emerged. Experts agree that the explosion is yet another
embarrassment for a stretched regime, but behind it lies a reminder of the
threat posed to the region and, further afield, by the Islamic Republic.
When video footage of the blast surfaced online, the Iranian Defense Ministry
quickly rolled out a spokesman to downplay the incident. Davoud Abdi, speaking
on state television, dismissed it as a minor blast at a gas-storage facility in
a “public area” of the Parchin military complex, outside the Iranian capital.
A well-known former site of nuclear activity, an explosion at the Parchin
military complex would undoubtedly have been a serious incident. However,
analysts and social media users quickly poured cold water on this assertion and
identified a different military instalment east of Tehran — Khojir — as the true
location of the blast. Samuel Hickey, research analyst at the Washington-based
Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, told Arab News that satellite
imagery proves that “the explosion took place at the Khojir missile production
complex in eastern Tehran, and not at Parchin as suggested in some media
outlets.”Why Tehran would claim the blast occurred at Parchin, not Khojir, is
“an intriguing mystery,” said Hickey.
A missile hits a target ship during an Iranian military exercise in the Gulf of
Oman in June, as Iran test-fired a “new generation” of cruise missiles; inset
below, the mysterious blast on June 25, thought to be at the Khojir miss. (AFP/File
Photo)
This question is particularly pertinent given Tehran’s apparent transparency
surrounding a July 2 fire at the Natanz complex, a known nuclear facility in
Isfahan. The prompt release of pictures of the damage caused and open lines of
communication with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) contrasted
sharply with its response to the Khojir blast. This behaviour may suggest a
particular sensitivity to information on the activity taking place at Khojir.
Hickey said Khojir “has numerous underground facilities and tunnels whose exact
function remains unknown.” So, while specific details of the activity at the
site are unclear, he suggests that “providing political cover for any activities
at Khojir” is of paramount importance to the regime.
Hiding the true nature of the Khojir military instalment and its network of
underground tunnels, he said, may even “be a higher priority for Tehran than
covering for its past nuclear weapons program.”
Humanitarian aid and a populist act of vandalism
Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/July 04/2020
In the current political atmosphere, it has become all about appealing to the
base. In this department UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is up there with the
leading nationalist-populist opportunists, as he has demonstrated by merging the
Department for International Development (DfID) with the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office (FCO).
The merger is an extension of Johnson’s rhetoric during the Leave campaign and
the years leading up to Brexit after the 2016 referendum. Overseas aid directed
at the poorest people in the world, which DfID has been in the forefront of
promoting, can be equally justified from a national-interest, realpolitik
perspective as from a moral-ethical one, but sadly not from the
nationalist-populist point of view, of which the prime minister is a leading
proponent.
It is not only the act itself, which was described by one leading British NGO as
vandalism, but the characteristic demagogy that accompanied Johnson’s
announcement of this merger. “For too long, frankly, UK overseas aid has been
treated like a giant cashpoint in the sky, that arrives without any reference to
UK interests,” he said. To demonstrate what he meant by this, he added: “We give
as much aid to Zambia as we do to Ukraine, though the latter is vital for
European security. We give 10 times as much aid to Tanzania as we do to the six
countries of the western Balkans, who are acutely vulnerable to Russian
meddling.”In other words, he perceives the DfID and the FCO as one and the same
in promoting and protecting British national interest, solely through the narrow
prism of fending off a direct security threat to an ally and preventing
expansionism by another country. This is precisely what the DfID was not formed
to deal with, and now its role of serving Britain’s national interest through
making the world a safer and more equitable place by providing people with
opportunities and social mobility appears to be seriously threatened.
Johnson has trivialised and reduced international relations to what it was in
the heyday of the European Balance of Power system —the exclusive realm of
diplomats and generals. His move also reveals a lack of moral fiber. For
instance, supporting Ukraine’s resistance to Russian expansionism no doubt has
its merits, and to this effect the EU has imposed sanctions on Moscow following
Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its intervention in east Ukraine. But in
contrast to the FCO, one of whose tasks is to devise policies to contain
aggression in the international arena, the DfID’s mandate was to assist in
alleviating poverty in a sustainable manner — and while more than half of
Zambians live on less than $1.90 a day, such extreme poverty can hardly be found
in Ukraine.
Boris Johnson has trivialised and reduced international relations to what it was
in the heyday of the European Balance of Power system —the exclusive realm of
diplomats and generals.
When the DfID was formed in 1997 under a Labour government, it was with the
intention that the UK would become a leading force in an approach whose slogan
was “Make poverty history.” In the years since, it has built a worldwide
reputation in the humanitarian aid field due to the expertise built up among its
staff in dealing with some of the most challenging aspects of providing help in
some extremely complex and dangerous locations, and/or where civil wars,
warlords, corruption and authoritarian regimes have made its job almost
impossible.
It has not only been a morally correct course of action, but abroad it has also
increased the UK’s prestige (a commodity that is unquestionably beneficial),
served British interests in promoting its core values, reduced the attraction of
radical groups and prevented the displacement of populations. In its early days
the DfID was a pioneering force in introducing the Millennium Development Goals,
which eventually enjoyed global endorsement and led to global poverty being
halved within 15 years. It enhanced gender equality and improved the health
conditions and life expectancy of hundreds of millions of people in some of the
poorest places in the world. And it eventually encouraged the even more
ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Britain’s fingerprints are all over this paradigm shift in addressing poverty in
its widest sense, and the DfID has been at the heart of it. Its independence,
and the people it attracted to work for it, made it a world leader in changing
the lives of those most in need. No disrespect to the FCO; it has a different
mission, which complements DfID’s, and when both operate in tandem the UK’s
national interest is served best. However, forcing the two together into one big
department of state, especially under a minister from a party which is so inward
looking, is to disregard nearly a quarter of a century of success in taking a
less simplistic view of the UK’s national interest and significantly improving
the human condition, and has put a big question mark over the future of such
good work.
As was the case during the Leave campaign, Johnson is playing on nationalistic
sentiments devoid of facts. UK aid at a level of 0.7 percent of gross national
income (GNI) is anchored in law and is not going to change; however, nearly a
quarter of this sum is already being spent by departments other than DfID, and
not necessarily in line with its remit to combat inequality and poverty. This
trend is bound to increase with the merger this autumn.
No surprise, then, that three former British prime ministers — Tony Blair, under
whose premiership DfID became an independent department; his successor Gordon
Brown; and David Cameron, during whose time in office the UK committed to spend
0.7 percent of its GNI on overseas development — expressed their dismay at the
move, calling it a mistake that will lose the UK respect and therefore influence
in the international arena.
Johnson’s act of sabotaging the UK’s role on the world stage should surprise no
one who has witnessed his behavior during the Brexit debacle, his attitude to
minorities and his disregard for society’s less fortunate. On this occasion his
actions are to the detriment of both his country and those many millions around
the world who are in a desperate need of an empowered DfID that will make a
difference to their lives.
*Yossi Mekelberg is professor of international relations at Regent’s University
London, where he is head of the International Relations and Social Sciences
Program. He is also an associate fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House. He
is a regular contributor to the international written and electronic media.
Twitter: @YMekelberg
Istanbul court jails human rights activists on terror
charges
Arab News/July 04/2020
ISTANBUL: Human rights activists, including a former head of Amnesty
International’s Turkish branch, have been jailed by an Istanbul court on
terror-related charges in a decision condemned as an “outrage” by fellow
campaigners.
Amnesty International Turkey’s honorary chair Taner Kilic was sentenced to six
years and three months in prison for “terror organization membership.”Gunal
Kursun from the Human Rights Agenda Association; Idil Eser, former executive
director of Amnesty International Turkey; and Ozlem Dalkiran, former head of
Amnesty International’s communications department, were each handed jail terms
of one year and 13 months for “aiding a terror organization.”Their lawyers said
the motive behind the high-profile case, which concluded on Friday, was to
silence and intimidate human rights organizations. Amnesty International has
described the case as a travesty of justice.Idil Eser, a defendant in the case,
told Arab News: “It is disappointing and legally concerning to be punished as a
human rights defender for acts which are not criminal. It is not a crime to
defend human rights. We hope that this conviction which is baseless in legal
terms would be annulled at the appeal. It is crystal clear that all defendants
in this case are not criminals, because there is not a crime at all.”The
defendants are now expected to appeal the verdict in the case dubbed the
‘Buyukada trial.”Other human rights activists, including Nalan Erkem, lknur
Ustun, Ali Gharavi, Peter Steudtner, Veli Acu, Nejat Tastan and Seyhmus Ozbekli,
were acquitted. The activists were arrested three years ago in a police raid on
a hotel on Buyukada Island, near Istanbul, where they were taking part in a
workshop. Police seized their computers and phones, and arrested the group on
terror charges.
It is disappointing and legally concerning to be punished as a human rights
defender for acts which are not criminal. It is not a crime to defend human
rights. We hope that this conviction which is baseless in legal terms would be
annulled at the appeal.
Idil Eser, a defendant
The prosecution claimed that the hotel gathering was a “secret meeting to
organize an uprising,” in order to trigger a “chaos environment” in the country
– a claim categorically denied by the defendants. Members of the international
community stood in solidarity with the accused and said that the case is
politically motivated. “Another disappointing court verdict against civil rights
and civil society in Turkey. Not how we put our relations on a positive track.
My thoughts are with imprisoned and families. Solidarity with democratic forces
in Turkey!” tweeted Sergey Lagodinsky, chair of the EU-Turkey delegation at the
European Parliament. Dunja Mijatovic, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for
human rights, voiced concerns that Turkey is targeting and silencing human
rights defenders.Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International’s Turkey researcher, who
observed the hearing, said the verdict is an outrage based on absurd allegations
without any evidence and is supported by a pro-government media smear campaign.
“It was a huge disappointment. It has been three years and 12 hearings so far.
What we saw is that the court in its verdicts decided to stick with the claims
of the government media in Turkey, rather than justice, reason and logic,” he
told Arab News. “We are not only disappointed for these human rights activists
in the trial, but also for anyone who believes in justice and peaceful civil
society activism in Turkey. But we won’t give up until all are acquitted and we
will be campaigning for justice,” he added.
Later this month, prominent civil society figure and businessman Osman Kavala
will mark his 1,000th day behind bars over allegations of terror and fomenting
chaos in the country by funding human rights activism.Erdal Dogan, the lawyer
for Idil Eser, said defending human rights has never been easy in Turkey.
“However, in recent years, those who defend human rights have been demonized,”
he told Arab News. Dogan says a court decision to maintain the verdict will
signify a move away from the modern legal and universal human rights systems.
“In that case, the regime will get out of hand and no civil and independent
social monitoring will be applied,” he added.