Mazen H. ABBOUD – L’Ancien au Moyen-Orient a-t-il expiré? Pourquoi? Et comment le nouveau Moyen-Orient va être?
Ce sont des questions qui sont rarement posées dans le Levant, ou dans ce que l’on appelle le Moyen-Orient. Est-ce qui se passe actuellement pourrait être considéré comme un rêve pour certains et un cauchemar pour d’autres, et est-il est un processus inévitable?
Il est bien évident que le Moyen-Orient est en pleine métamorphose, les murs de la peur se sont effondrés à travers ce qui est appelé les médias sociaux. Les régimes autocratiques et oppressifs tremblent et tombent, le changement est le résultat d’une dynamique interne (comme la quête de la liberté) engendrée par un changement dans l’environnement régional. Ce qui se passe maintenant dans le Levant, pourrait être comparé à la chute du mur de Berlin et des régimes communistes en Europe de l’Est dans les années 1990. Ces évènements constituent en effet une nouvelle étape dans le parcours historique de la région. Apparemment, les élites de la région ont lancé des révolutions, par le biais des médias sociaux contre des régimes autocratique, qui n’ont pas pu parvenir à un développement et des droits fondamentaux de la liberté d’expression et d’action, ou la vision de régimes qui ne pouvaient pas protéger leurs territoires, soit contre les agressions israéliennes ou à atteindre une paix réelle et complète éternelle avec ce dernier.
Cependant,, ce n’est pas la même histoire dans les différents pays. On peut citer l’exemple de la Libye, ou l’on peut aussi l’odeur du parfum de pétrole qui a aidé à la dernière escalade de la situation, tandis qu’en la Syrie on peut ressentir l’ombre de la lutte du conflit entre l’Occident et l’Iran sur la question du Moyen-Orient ainsi que des affrontements entre les sunnites et chiites pour le pouvoir dans la région.
Il est évident que le président Obama a saisi l’occasion et se fit l’avocat du changement et la démocratie au Moyen-Orient; son administration fait un bon usage de modifier cette région et pour obtenir par la voie diplomatie ce que les autres administrations ne pouvaient pas obtenir par les guerres contre des régimes en perte de vitesse.
Personne ne sait exactement ce à quoi le nouveau Moyen-Orient ressemblera dans les années à venir, mais je suis certain qu’il ne pourra pas ressembler à l’Europe d’aujourd’hui, le Moyen-Orient n’étant pas l’Europe orientale, et 2011 n’étant pas 1992. En outre, le coût du changement dans la région de pétrole et les conflits seraient beaucoup plus élevés et les résultats potentiels pourraient se révéler des engagements politiques dans le court et moyen terme plus intenses pour nous et le monde.
Il est vrai que les pays émergents du Moyen-Orient seront plus démocratique à long terme, mais moins modérés, moins variés, et moins stables dans les courts et moyens termes, les régimes émergents devront certainement tenir compte de la véritable identité des populations étant intrinsèquement antioccidentales et les conservatrices. On peut s’attendre à ce que les minorités devront disparaitre avec les musulmans modérés, mais également qu’une une paix véritable entre Arabes et Israéliens serait impossible avec la mise en place de régimes plus extrémistes, aussi bien dans les pays arabes qu’en Israël. Nous devons donc nous attendre à un regain de violence et de chaos dans le court et le moyen terme.
Cela explique que les politiques suivies par les États-Unis pour des changements dans le Moyen-Orient reste un cas spécifique à chaque pays de la région, sur la base d’une analyse composée par des variables qualitatives de la liberté, la démocratie, de l’extrémisme, la stabilité et la paix. Cependant, cela n’est pas une tâche facile à conduire, personne ne pouvant spéculer précisément les effets de la dégradation dans un certain état face à la sécurité internationale, à la situation politique et économique, et aux les risques d’interférences des intérêts constitués par le pétrole qui constitue un paramètre important de l’économie mondiale.
Enfin, ce qui se passe au Moyen-Orient en général et la Syrie, en particulier, est important, et inévitable. Il s’agit de la lutte d’un peuple pour obtenir ses droits fondamentaux en évinçant un régimes autocratique et oppressif. Il s’agit d’autant plus du début d’un dur processus de développement à long terme pour la construction d’un démocratie? Nous pouvons croire le Moyen-Orient est aujourd’hui dans une situation critique, mais également d’une réalité, l’ensemble du monde se réjouissant de devenir un meilleur endroit à vivre.
Published by libnannews Web on the 27th of May.2011
http://libnanews.com/2011/05/27/lemergence-dun-nouveau-moyen-orient/
إظهار الرسائل ذات التسميات Poltitical Analysis. إظهار كافة الرسائل
إظهار الرسائل ذات التسميات Poltitical Analysis. إظهار كافة الرسائل
الجمعة، 27 مايو 2011
الأحد، 22 مايو 2011
The Emergence of a New Middle East
The Emergence of a New Middle East
By Mazen H.ABBOUD
Has the Old Middle East expired? How did it happen? Why? & how the new Middle East is going to be?
Those are question that are seldom asked in the Levant, the so called Middle East. What is happening could be considered as a dream for some & a nightmare for the few others; but as a matter of fact, it is an inevitable process.
It is quite clear that the Middle East is in metamorphosis; the walls of fears collapsed for good by social digital media; autocratic & oppressive regimes are shaking & falling; the change is the outcome of an internal dynamicity (quest for freedom) engendered by a change in the regional atmosphere; what is happening now in the Levant, could be compared to the fall of Berlin wall & the communist regimes in Eastern Europe in the 1990s; it is indeed a new milestone in the historical course of the region, which is in the making. Apparently, the elites of the region initiated revolutions, through digital social media, to outset oppressive & autocratic regimes, which could not achieve development and basic rights to freedom of expression & action; regimes that could not either shield their territories from Israeli aggressions or achieve a real comprehensive & everlasting peace with it.
However, nowadays this is not the whole story everywhere, since initiating an uprising is an issue & investing in it is another; for example, in Libya one can smell also the scent of fuel that affected the latest escalations of the situation; whereas in Syria one can feel the shadows of the struggle of the West with Iran over the Middle East & of the clashes between the Sunnite & Shiite over the power game in the region.
It is obvious that President OBAMA grasped the opportunity & became the advocate of change & democracy in the Middle East; his administration is making good use of the change to get by diplomacy what the other administrations could not get by wars from the endangered regimes.
Nobody knows exactly how the new Middle East will look like in the next few years; however, I am sure that it would not look like Eastern Europe now; I believe that the Middle East is not Eastern Europe; moreover, 2011 is not 1992. In addition, the cost of change in the region of oil & conflicts would be much higher & its potential outcomes might turn out to be political liabilities in the short & medium term on us & the World.
It is true that the emerging Middle East would be more democratic in the long run; but it would be less moderate, less varied, & less stable in the short & medium terms; the emerging regimes will certainly reflect the true identity of the people that are anti-western & conservatives; then, it is expected that minorities will fade away along with moderate Muslims; then, real peace between Arabs & Israelis would be impossible due to the fall of the game on both sides(Arabs & Israelis) into the hands of extremists; it would be a violent & chaotic Middle East in the short & medium term. This is explains why US policies toward changes in the Middle East is case specific. It seems, US administration designed for each case in the Levant a specific set of conducts based upon the outcome of a formula made up of the qualitative variables of freedom, democracy, extremism, stability & peace.
However, this is not an easy task to do, since nobody can speculate exactly the effects of the degradation in a certain state on the international security, political & economic situation; the risks of interferences in this region of fuel are indeed great; the sick World Economy will be affected badly by soaring fuel prices.
Finally, what is happening in the Middle East in general & Syria, in particular, is important, & inevitable; it is the struggle of the people of the region to gain their basic human rights by shaking & ousting autocratic & oppressive regimes; in addition, it is the beginning of a hard & a long term development process toward building democracy, which has no time & cost frames. I believe the Middle East of nowadays is in critical situation; it is at the operating room of the world hospital; so, it is imperative that the doctor (the free world) has the means & know how to treat the patient properly to recover in the long term; the patient should recover to make real development, economic prosperity, & democracy & peace, a reality; then, the whole World would rejoice & become a better place for people to live in.
By Mazen H.ABBOUD
Has the Old Middle East expired? How did it happen? Why? & how the new Middle East is going to be?
Those are question that are seldom asked in the Levant, the so called Middle East. What is happening could be considered as a dream for some & a nightmare for the few others; but as a matter of fact, it is an inevitable process.
It is quite clear that the Middle East is in metamorphosis; the walls of fears collapsed for good by social digital media; autocratic & oppressive regimes are shaking & falling; the change is the outcome of an internal dynamicity (quest for freedom) engendered by a change in the regional atmosphere; what is happening now in the Levant, could be compared to the fall of Berlin wall & the communist regimes in Eastern Europe in the 1990s; it is indeed a new milestone in the historical course of the region, which is in the making. Apparently, the elites of the region initiated revolutions, through digital social media, to outset oppressive & autocratic regimes, which could not achieve development and basic rights to freedom of expression & action; regimes that could not either shield their territories from Israeli aggressions or achieve a real comprehensive & everlasting peace with it.
However, nowadays this is not the whole story everywhere, since initiating an uprising is an issue & investing in it is another; for example, in Libya one can smell also the scent of fuel that affected the latest escalations of the situation; whereas in Syria one can feel the shadows of the struggle of the West with Iran over the Middle East & of the clashes between the Sunnite & Shiite over the power game in the region.
It is obvious that President OBAMA grasped the opportunity & became the advocate of change & democracy in the Middle East; his administration is making good use of the change to get by diplomacy what the other administrations could not get by wars from the endangered regimes.
Nobody knows exactly how the new Middle East will look like in the next few years; however, I am sure that it would not look like Eastern Europe now; I believe that the Middle East is not Eastern Europe; moreover, 2011 is not 1992. In addition, the cost of change in the region of oil & conflicts would be much higher & its potential outcomes might turn out to be political liabilities in the short & medium term on us & the World.
It is true that the emerging Middle East would be more democratic in the long run; but it would be less moderate, less varied, & less stable in the short & medium terms; the emerging regimes will certainly reflect the true identity of the people that are anti-western & conservatives; then, it is expected that minorities will fade away along with moderate Muslims; then, real peace between Arabs & Israelis would be impossible due to the fall of the game on both sides(Arabs & Israelis) into the hands of extremists; it would be a violent & chaotic Middle East in the short & medium term. This is explains why US policies toward changes in the Middle East is case specific. It seems, US administration designed for each case in the Levant a specific set of conducts based upon the outcome of a formula made up of the qualitative variables of freedom, democracy, extremism, stability & peace.
However, this is not an easy task to do, since nobody can speculate exactly the effects of the degradation in a certain state on the international security, political & economic situation; the risks of interferences in this region of fuel are indeed great; the sick World Economy will be affected badly by soaring fuel prices.
Finally, what is happening in the Middle East in general & Syria, in particular, is important, & inevitable; it is the struggle of the people of the region to gain their basic human rights by shaking & ousting autocratic & oppressive regimes; in addition, it is the beginning of a hard & a long term development process toward building democracy, which has no time & cost frames. I believe the Middle East of nowadays is in critical situation; it is at the operating room of the world hospital; so, it is imperative that the doctor (the free world) has the means & know how to treat the patient properly to recover in the long term; the patient should recover to make real development, economic prosperity, & democracy & peace, a reality; then, the whole World would rejoice & become a better place for people to live in.
الخميس، 25 نوفمبر 2010
Syria Growing Role in Lebanon
Syria Growing Role in Lebanon
By Mazen H.ABBOUD
Septmember.2010
Following the assassination of slant Prime Minister Rafic ALHARIRI, which triggered the 14th of March demonstration, the Syrians withdrew from the Lebanon humiliated. They felt betrayed by most of the Lebanese; the international community recognized the wrights of the Lebanese to self determination; thus a new period of Lebanon modern history, which was full of hopes & fears began.
However, Self determination was not enough to make a sustainable change in a country located at the heart of the Israeli- Palestinian problem; it was not enough in the Lebanon, a land of cocktail of minorities, which enjoyed too much freedom & with no accountability practices. Self determination was not enough for the land of cedars to grow & prosper; it was not enough for the new born to survive the threats of the Levant, which is the kingdom of fears & turbulent history.
The Syrians claimed that they withdrew from the Lebanon voluntarily because they did not want to pay the price reset by the changed market curve; a price they said was determined to be “disarm Hizbullah”.
Now as the Syrians are getting back to Lebanon through the international tribunal gate (making good use of the tribunal effects & implications on the fragile Lebanese dynamic equilibrium), the Lebanese are worried about the new era, which is still in the shaping process.
It is worth mentioning that the Syrians got stronger following the withdrawal of Waleed JUMBULAT from the 14th of March coalition; a step, which made the pro Syrian opposition become a majority at the parliament house.
However, Syria growing power in Lebanon should not be understood solely from Waleed JUMBULAT’s detour lens. The step was nothing but a translation of Syria developing regional & international might. As a matter of fact, the Syrians succeeded in surviving the most critical period of their history, following the assassination of ALHARIRI, due to their capabilities of absorbing shocks, their knowledge of how to make use of the weak points within the systems of the Western democracies & of the fears of friendly and hostiles regimes in the Middle East of the chaos that might result from the fall of the ALASAD’s dynasty; moreover, the Syrians made good use of their strategic position at the heart of the conflict for the Middle East.
President ALASAD knew how to normalize & develop the relations with Turkey at the optimum time, how to act in Iraq, & how to restructure his relations with Saudi Arabia, which were almost broken.
I believe that restructuring Syria relations with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia was ALASAD’s toughest job; the Syrian president knew how to make the Saudi Monarch forget the insults, by offering the king valuable information on the work of dormant Saudi cells, which were preparing to assassinate him; Islamic terrorism is indeed a mutual concerns to both states, which witnessed a rise in terrorists’ activities at almost the same time.
It is clear that the Syrians were good barters too; they offered the Americans some stability in Iraq, in exchange for economic interests & a more active role in the Lebanon & the region.
In addition, the Syrians proved to understand perfectly the Middle Eastern political Market; they knew how to leverage their relations with the Iranians, Saudis, Russians, & the west in response to the changes of supply & demand in order to optimize their national interests & viability.
On the other hand, the 14th of March could not control the Lebanese game; this is due to Lebanon hybrid democratic system, its diversity, its fragile social structure, which made it more vulnerable & receptive to foreign & regional interferences; moreover, the absence of visibility, coordination & proficiency in the 14th of March made the situation worse; as a result the Lebanon became an excellent barometer of the continuously changing relations between Syria & the other players; so almost every political move in the Lebanon should be understood in the light of the dynamicity of the region.
Finally, it seems that my country has got no leaders who got combined the visibility & the capabilities, in order to minimize the risks on its people; moreover, I do not know if stability & relative prosperity would be perfect substitutes to freedom, sovereignty, & independence; meanwhile the Lebanese is asked to eat the dishes prepared by the international & regional cuisines!!!
By Mazen H.ABBOUD
Septmember.2010
Following the assassination of slant Prime Minister Rafic ALHARIRI, which triggered the 14th of March demonstration, the Syrians withdrew from the Lebanon humiliated. They felt betrayed by most of the Lebanese; the international community recognized the wrights of the Lebanese to self determination; thus a new period of Lebanon modern history, which was full of hopes & fears began.
However, Self determination was not enough to make a sustainable change in a country located at the heart of the Israeli- Palestinian problem; it was not enough in the Lebanon, a land of cocktail of minorities, which enjoyed too much freedom & with no accountability practices. Self determination was not enough for the land of cedars to grow & prosper; it was not enough for the new born to survive the threats of the Levant, which is the kingdom of fears & turbulent history.
The Syrians claimed that they withdrew from the Lebanon voluntarily because they did not want to pay the price reset by the changed market curve; a price they said was determined to be “disarm Hizbullah”.
Now as the Syrians are getting back to Lebanon through the international tribunal gate (making good use of the tribunal effects & implications on the fragile Lebanese dynamic equilibrium), the Lebanese are worried about the new era, which is still in the shaping process.
It is worth mentioning that the Syrians got stronger following the withdrawal of Waleed JUMBULAT from the 14th of March coalition; a step, which made the pro Syrian opposition become a majority at the parliament house.
However, Syria growing power in Lebanon should not be understood solely from Waleed JUMBULAT’s detour lens. The step was nothing but a translation of Syria developing regional & international might. As a matter of fact, the Syrians succeeded in surviving the most critical period of their history, following the assassination of ALHARIRI, due to their capabilities of absorbing shocks, their knowledge of how to make use of the weak points within the systems of the Western democracies & of the fears of friendly and hostiles regimes in the Middle East of the chaos that might result from the fall of the ALASAD’s dynasty; moreover, the Syrians made good use of their strategic position at the heart of the conflict for the Middle East.
President ALASAD knew how to normalize & develop the relations with Turkey at the optimum time, how to act in Iraq, & how to restructure his relations with Saudi Arabia, which were almost broken.
I believe that restructuring Syria relations with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia was ALASAD’s toughest job; the Syrian president knew how to make the Saudi Monarch forget the insults, by offering the king valuable information on the work of dormant Saudi cells, which were preparing to assassinate him; Islamic terrorism is indeed a mutual concerns to both states, which witnessed a rise in terrorists’ activities at almost the same time.
It is clear that the Syrians were good barters too; they offered the Americans some stability in Iraq, in exchange for economic interests & a more active role in the Lebanon & the region.
In addition, the Syrians proved to understand perfectly the Middle Eastern political Market; they knew how to leverage their relations with the Iranians, Saudis, Russians, & the west in response to the changes of supply & demand in order to optimize their national interests & viability.
On the other hand, the 14th of March could not control the Lebanese game; this is due to Lebanon hybrid democratic system, its diversity, its fragile social structure, which made it more vulnerable & receptive to foreign & regional interferences; moreover, the absence of visibility, coordination & proficiency in the 14th of March made the situation worse; as a result the Lebanon became an excellent barometer of the continuously changing relations between Syria & the other players; so almost every political move in the Lebanon should be understood in the light of the dynamicity of the region.
Finally, it seems that my country has got no leaders who got combined the visibility & the capabilities, in order to minimize the risks on its people; moreover, I do not know if stability & relative prosperity would be perfect substitutes to freedom, sovereignty, & independence; meanwhile the Lebanese is asked to eat the dishes prepared by the international & regional cuisines!!!
الاثنين، 15 نوفمبر 2010
لبنان والديموقراطية
لبنان والديموقراطية
جريدة الديار -مساحة فكرية
8-11-2011
«لست ملزما بالفوز، الا اني ملزم بأن أكون ذاتي. نعم لست ملزما بالنصر بل اني ملزم ان اعيش في النور الذي فيّ. اؤيد كل من هو على صواب. واؤيده فقط عندما يكون على حق وصواب. واتركه عندما يخطىء».
ابراهام لينكولن ـ الرئىس السادس عشر للولايات المتحدة الاميركية (1861 ـ 1965)
رحت افتكر بلبنان وبمنتخبيه، وانا اقرأ كلمات الرئيس لينكولن تلك. فكان ان تحسرت على اندحار بعض المبادىء التي اعطت لبنان تمايزه في هذا الشرق العربي. واسترجعت التاريخ، محاولا بذلك تحديد مكامن الخلل البنيوي في البلد.
فكان ان ادركت ان لبنان الدولة كان قد سقط زمانا طويلا، طفلا صغيرا، في خضم الصراع على الشرق الاوسط والقدس. فعلى ما يبدو لم يكن مقبولا ان تنشأ ديموقراطية في هذا العالم العربي، لا تشبه طبيعة هذا المحيط الى حد بعيد. فكأن الانتماء الى العالم العربي قد عنى تبني كل وجوه هذا المحيط وميزاته دون أي تباين جوهري معه، والا اتهمنا بالخيانة والتآمر.
فكان ان سخّف قادتنا الديموقراطية، وارسوا نظاما لا يشبه الا نفسه. فهو بظاهره ديموقراطي لكن بباطنه قبلي. لقد بنوا احزاب الاشخاص التي تتواتر على المراكز القيادية في الدولة. حرصوا على ارساء ناد مغلق للحكام لا يدخله اي مواطن. ثم ساعدهم المحيط على اكتساب صيغة الالوهة او القداسة.
فكان ان سقط لبنان السقطة الاولى، طفلا صغيرا. سقط بداية لما تجاهل حكامه ارساء احزاب حقيقية على النمط الغربي، مع كل مستلزمات الانتخابات وتداول السلطة والمحاسبة. نعم لقد خلق قادتنا مزيج نظام غريب على مقاس مصالحهم. فكان ان برزت ديموقراطية لبنان الممسوخة لكن مع بعض الامل بتغيرها وتطورها.
لقد أخطأ غالبية بناة الجمهورية، على ما يبدو، في ترجمة مبدأ المحاسبة. فأضحى محسوبية وزبائنية في ثقافتنا. فكان ان تحولوا هم بدورهم من قادة الى ديوك تتناحر على السلطة حتى حدود افناء الخصم الذي تحوّل الى عدو حتى الموت. وأضحى اليوم كل من يؤمن بمقولة الرئيس لينكولن هذه، خارجا عن الشرع والمجتمع ويستحق عقاب جهنم والرجم حتى الموت.
لقد تبنت الاحزاب التقدمية في لبنان الوصفة الغربية في ادارة الاحزاب، مع النظريات الاقتصادية الماركسية كفلسفة لتحركها، على عكس الاحزاب اليمينية التي تبنت فلسفة تحرر الاسواق لكن من دون تبني الديموقراطية في ادارة هذه المرافق. فكان العقم في انتاج القيادات في البلد الى حد كبير، الا من خلال الاقطاع او الحروب. ثم كان الخراب الكبير في مرحلة ما بعد الطائف حيث تلاشت الاحزاب بفعل وحش الامن المتآمر على الكيان بتحالف وشراكة مع وحش المال.
فكان ان اضحت الناس في بلدي رعايا وليس مواطنين. واضحى زعماء الطوائف والحروب انبياء، بالنسبة الى الناخبين، انبياء كذبة يتعاطون دون خجل ووجل في ادنى تفاصيل حياة الناس. والادهى ان غالبية الناس اضحت لا تخجل من كونها مستعبدة. لا بل تتباهى بكلمات السر التي تحل عليها، فتعميها عن التفكير والمعرفة ورؤية الحقائق. نعم، اضحت الناس في جهل وجحود!!!
ان معركة المستنيرين في البلد اليوم هي القول والعمل لارساء قناعة جديدة في المجتمع ترتكز على واقعة ان ليس رضى الزعيم والخط من رضى الله، وان الزعيم وخطه قد يخطئان. وبأن من تجرأ فخالف الزعيم والخط، او اختلف معهما في الرأي، ليس كافرا يستحق نار جهنم ونيران الالسن ولعنات الاقرباء والاصدقاء.
معركتنا اليوم هي في تقويم الاحزاب او ارساء تجارب جديدة. واني سأؤيد حتما من القيادات من يتبع الديموقراطية في ادارة خطه، اذا ما كانت اهدافه نبيلة. فالوسائل هي موازية بأهميتها للاهداف. ولتحقيق هدف نبيل يتوجب سلوك وسيلة نبيلة ايضا، والا الديكتاتورية!!
اشعر ان لبنان قد دخل في ممارساته السياسية اليوم شريعة القرون الوسطى، وتخلى عن القيم الصانعة للحضارة.
الا ان هذا كله لن يمنع من هم مثلي من دعم ما يرونه صوابا وحقا، وترك ما يعتقدونه باطلا من المواقف. ولن اهتم شخصياً مثلا، بعدم قدرة البعض على قراءة خطي!!!
فحسبي ان الانصياع للجهل ليس اولوية عندي بل عيش قناعاتي هو اولويتي. اعيش قناعاتي، بغض النظر عن النتائج (وصلت او لم اصل، نجحت ام لم انجح...) اقول كلمتي واعمل لها بغض النظر عما يقال فيّ:
اعتقد انه قد اضحى من الضروري جدا العمل على اعادة تكوين مجتمع مدني حقيقي في لبنان. مجتمع مدني منفصل عن السلطة والحكام، يمارس ادوارا رقابية.
اخيرا، ان كلا منا مدعو اليوم الى الدفاع اكثر عن لبنان عبر صون المبادىء المؤسسة للديموقراطية فيه. وان مهمة رجال الاقلام والفكر المستنير هي نقل الحقيقة مهما كان الثمن. فالخوف يتعاظم اليوم من ان ينغمس الاعلام في بلد الارز، اكثر فأكثر، في الزواريب. فيضحى من البروباغندا، وان هذا ما يحصل عادة في ازمنة الحروب والصراعات. وجسد الاعلام اللبناني «لبيس». مهمتنا اليوم هي الحفاظ على المواطنة ومحاربة الرعاية. الطريق طويل وشائك، اعلم. واننا لسنا ملزمين بالنصر بل بالعيش في النور والحق كما يقول لينكولن.
مازن عبود
جريدة الديار -مساحة فكرية
8-11-2011
«لست ملزما بالفوز، الا اني ملزم بأن أكون ذاتي. نعم لست ملزما بالنصر بل اني ملزم ان اعيش في النور الذي فيّ. اؤيد كل من هو على صواب. واؤيده فقط عندما يكون على حق وصواب. واتركه عندما يخطىء».
ابراهام لينكولن ـ الرئىس السادس عشر للولايات المتحدة الاميركية (1861 ـ 1965)
رحت افتكر بلبنان وبمنتخبيه، وانا اقرأ كلمات الرئيس لينكولن تلك. فكان ان تحسرت على اندحار بعض المبادىء التي اعطت لبنان تمايزه في هذا الشرق العربي. واسترجعت التاريخ، محاولا بذلك تحديد مكامن الخلل البنيوي في البلد.
فكان ان ادركت ان لبنان الدولة كان قد سقط زمانا طويلا، طفلا صغيرا، في خضم الصراع على الشرق الاوسط والقدس. فعلى ما يبدو لم يكن مقبولا ان تنشأ ديموقراطية في هذا العالم العربي، لا تشبه طبيعة هذا المحيط الى حد بعيد. فكأن الانتماء الى العالم العربي قد عنى تبني كل وجوه هذا المحيط وميزاته دون أي تباين جوهري معه، والا اتهمنا بالخيانة والتآمر.
فكان ان سخّف قادتنا الديموقراطية، وارسوا نظاما لا يشبه الا نفسه. فهو بظاهره ديموقراطي لكن بباطنه قبلي. لقد بنوا احزاب الاشخاص التي تتواتر على المراكز القيادية في الدولة. حرصوا على ارساء ناد مغلق للحكام لا يدخله اي مواطن. ثم ساعدهم المحيط على اكتساب صيغة الالوهة او القداسة.
فكان ان سقط لبنان السقطة الاولى، طفلا صغيرا. سقط بداية لما تجاهل حكامه ارساء احزاب حقيقية على النمط الغربي، مع كل مستلزمات الانتخابات وتداول السلطة والمحاسبة. نعم لقد خلق قادتنا مزيج نظام غريب على مقاس مصالحهم. فكان ان برزت ديموقراطية لبنان الممسوخة لكن مع بعض الامل بتغيرها وتطورها.
لقد أخطأ غالبية بناة الجمهورية، على ما يبدو، في ترجمة مبدأ المحاسبة. فأضحى محسوبية وزبائنية في ثقافتنا. فكان ان تحولوا هم بدورهم من قادة الى ديوك تتناحر على السلطة حتى حدود افناء الخصم الذي تحوّل الى عدو حتى الموت. وأضحى اليوم كل من يؤمن بمقولة الرئيس لينكولن هذه، خارجا عن الشرع والمجتمع ويستحق عقاب جهنم والرجم حتى الموت.
لقد تبنت الاحزاب التقدمية في لبنان الوصفة الغربية في ادارة الاحزاب، مع النظريات الاقتصادية الماركسية كفلسفة لتحركها، على عكس الاحزاب اليمينية التي تبنت فلسفة تحرر الاسواق لكن من دون تبني الديموقراطية في ادارة هذه المرافق. فكان العقم في انتاج القيادات في البلد الى حد كبير، الا من خلال الاقطاع او الحروب. ثم كان الخراب الكبير في مرحلة ما بعد الطائف حيث تلاشت الاحزاب بفعل وحش الامن المتآمر على الكيان بتحالف وشراكة مع وحش المال.
فكان ان اضحت الناس في بلدي رعايا وليس مواطنين. واضحى زعماء الطوائف والحروب انبياء، بالنسبة الى الناخبين، انبياء كذبة يتعاطون دون خجل ووجل في ادنى تفاصيل حياة الناس. والادهى ان غالبية الناس اضحت لا تخجل من كونها مستعبدة. لا بل تتباهى بكلمات السر التي تحل عليها، فتعميها عن التفكير والمعرفة ورؤية الحقائق. نعم، اضحت الناس في جهل وجحود!!!
ان معركة المستنيرين في البلد اليوم هي القول والعمل لارساء قناعة جديدة في المجتمع ترتكز على واقعة ان ليس رضى الزعيم والخط من رضى الله، وان الزعيم وخطه قد يخطئان. وبأن من تجرأ فخالف الزعيم والخط، او اختلف معهما في الرأي، ليس كافرا يستحق نار جهنم ونيران الالسن ولعنات الاقرباء والاصدقاء.
معركتنا اليوم هي في تقويم الاحزاب او ارساء تجارب جديدة. واني سأؤيد حتما من القيادات من يتبع الديموقراطية في ادارة خطه، اذا ما كانت اهدافه نبيلة. فالوسائل هي موازية بأهميتها للاهداف. ولتحقيق هدف نبيل يتوجب سلوك وسيلة نبيلة ايضا، والا الديكتاتورية!!
اشعر ان لبنان قد دخل في ممارساته السياسية اليوم شريعة القرون الوسطى، وتخلى عن القيم الصانعة للحضارة.
الا ان هذا كله لن يمنع من هم مثلي من دعم ما يرونه صوابا وحقا، وترك ما يعتقدونه باطلا من المواقف. ولن اهتم شخصياً مثلا، بعدم قدرة البعض على قراءة خطي!!!
فحسبي ان الانصياع للجهل ليس اولوية عندي بل عيش قناعاتي هو اولويتي. اعيش قناعاتي، بغض النظر عن النتائج (وصلت او لم اصل، نجحت ام لم انجح...) اقول كلمتي واعمل لها بغض النظر عما يقال فيّ:
اعتقد انه قد اضحى من الضروري جدا العمل على اعادة تكوين مجتمع مدني حقيقي في لبنان. مجتمع مدني منفصل عن السلطة والحكام، يمارس ادوارا رقابية.
اخيرا، ان كلا منا مدعو اليوم الى الدفاع اكثر عن لبنان عبر صون المبادىء المؤسسة للديموقراطية فيه. وان مهمة رجال الاقلام والفكر المستنير هي نقل الحقيقة مهما كان الثمن. فالخوف يتعاظم اليوم من ان ينغمس الاعلام في بلد الارز، اكثر فأكثر، في الزواريب. فيضحى من البروباغندا، وان هذا ما يحصل عادة في ازمنة الحروب والصراعات. وجسد الاعلام اللبناني «لبيس». مهمتنا اليوم هي الحفاظ على المواطنة ومحاربة الرعاية. الطريق طويل وشائك، اعلم. واننا لسنا ملزمين بالنصر بل بالعيش في النور والحق كما يقول لينكولن.
مازن عبود
الأربعاء، 22 أبريل 2009
A War also on the Lebanese Identity & the Mediterranean
Written on April the 5th,2008
On July the 13th, Israel launched a Retaliation war on Lebanon, a war that is to be remembered as the most destructive in the Modern Lebanese History.
It was indeed a War of thirty three Days that destroyed most Lebanese infrastructure, affected the Ecosystem & degraded some aspects of human Life dignity.
However, despite all this it did not achieve its declared main purpose; that is to eradicate HIZBULLAH Guerilla from the South but instead strengthened further this militia position in its camp. As this first phase of the July war came to an end, we began assessing its damages on human made structures as well as on the sustainability of some natural resources.
While gazing in the Lebanon in this post war period, one can not imagine why man hatred is this much directed toward what is considered the weakest points of the ecosystem. If men are quarrelling among themselves for power, dignity & ownership of land then why target the ecosystem & pollute the Sea, the forests...
The horrifying July War did not spare the air & the soil as well. As if its purpose was to pollute Lebanon & to add degradation of the nature to its already existent political plague.
As a direct result of the War, It is obvious that Israel got out with less moral might. However, it got instead compensation, which is permanent visa to continuously visit the Lebanese waters & air. Furthermore, the Hebrew State achieved its revenge against the country of the Cedar Revolution, it seems. It made sure that this little place of fragile freedom & Democracy in the Middle East will not be able to recover from this post crisis easily.
On the other hand, its counterpart, the Lebanese guerilla, that survived the attack still holds a permit to invest the ground & what is under it (the underground), by one condition, that its leader plays the game properly, as he always did!!!
It seems that the main outcome of the July War is a change in the gender identity of the Lebanon, a shift from the dreamt of "Lebanese Monaco" of the Middle East to already made "Hanoi" of the Mediterranean Basin.
I am afraid that one day; we may wake up & find ourselves in a different country. The Lebanon of Nowadays is getting into a chaos phase of no definite political & economic gender identity. Thus big parts of the Lebanese people would find themselves urged to look into the mirror every day to make sure that their faces are still the same. Then, they have to look by the windows to the country panoramic view to confirm that their Lebanon is still the same.
Even the Mediterranean Sea changed its blue color following this war with the seepage of some 15000 tons of heavy fuel into the Sea.
I do not know whether the Marine South-North westerly oriented winds, which drove the patches of fuel oil along the Lebanese Coasts till the Syrian Waters & turkey, will pursue its direction. Or will it change its direction as expected & be North-South easterly oriented to pollute what remains from the Lebanese Coastal Lines. So that every contact with modernism will come to an end!!!
I am afraid that Lebanon changed & the Mediterranean stopped to be the Sea of seas in this era of the beast.
We got fears from the incoming beast whose address is in here & whose name is “the clashes of civilization theory”. A beast that is deepening the distances & poisoning our little dreams…
Finally, we are afraid that one Day we weak up & see the world also, with depleted seas, depleted water & polluted air, a world without animals & vegetations. Then by that time money, land, fuel & power will be Useless!
It was indeed a War of thirty three Days that destroyed most Lebanese infrastructure, affected the Ecosystem & degraded some aspects of human Life dignity.
However, despite all this it did not achieve its declared main purpose; that is to eradicate HIZBULLAH Guerilla from the South but instead strengthened further this militia position in its camp. As this first phase of the July war came to an end, we began assessing its damages on human made structures as well as on the sustainability of some natural resources.
While gazing in the Lebanon in this post war period, one can not imagine why man hatred is this much directed toward what is considered the weakest points of the ecosystem. If men are quarrelling among themselves for power, dignity & ownership of land then why target the ecosystem & pollute the Sea, the forests...
The horrifying July War did not spare the air & the soil as well. As if its purpose was to pollute Lebanon & to add degradation of the nature to its already existent political plague.
As a direct result of the War, It is obvious that Israel got out with less moral might. However, it got instead compensation, which is permanent visa to continuously visit the Lebanese waters & air. Furthermore, the Hebrew State achieved its revenge against the country of the Cedar Revolution, it seems. It made sure that this little place of fragile freedom & Democracy in the Middle East will not be able to recover from this post crisis easily.
On the other hand, its counterpart, the Lebanese guerilla, that survived the attack still holds a permit to invest the ground & what is under it (the underground), by one condition, that its leader plays the game properly, as he always did!!!
It seems that the main outcome of the July War is a change in the gender identity of the Lebanon, a shift from the dreamt of "Lebanese Monaco" of the Middle East to already made "Hanoi" of the Mediterranean Basin.
I am afraid that one day; we may wake up & find ourselves in a different country. The Lebanon of Nowadays is getting into a chaos phase of no definite political & economic gender identity. Thus big parts of the Lebanese people would find themselves urged to look into the mirror every day to make sure that their faces are still the same. Then, they have to look by the windows to the country panoramic view to confirm that their Lebanon is still the same.
Even the Mediterranean Sea changed its blue color following this war with the seepage of some 15000 tons of heavy fuel into the Sea.
I do not know whether the Marine South-North westerly oriented winds, which drove the patches of fuel oil along the Lebanese Coasts till the Syrian Waters & turkey, will pursue its direction. Or will it change its direction as expected & be North-South easterly oriented to pollute what remains from the Lebanese Coastal Lines. So that every contact with modernism will come to an end!!!
I am afraid that Lebanon changed & the Mediterranean stopped to be the Sea of seas in this era of the beast.
We got fears from the incoming beast whose address is in here & whose name is “the clashes of civilization theory”. A beast that is deepening the distances & poisoning our little dreams…
Finally, we are afraid that one Day we weak up & see the world also, with depleted seas, depleted water & polluted air, a world without animals & vegetations. Then by that time money, land, fuel & power will be Useless!
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