Al-Nahar, Lebanon, October 19
Over the span of just two days, millions of Lebanese took to the streets, and the number of protests throughout the country does not seem to be on the wane. The people who are demonstrating are not your regular political activists, but rather ordinary citizens who have had enough. They are people who are demanding accountability from their leaders. They are people who have profound concerns over their future livelihood. Despite several serious protests that took place in Lebanon since 2011 – ranging from the campaign to abolish the sectarian quota system to the sit-ins of 2015 – most political mobilization efforts in Lebanon have failed to date. This time, however, events on the ground are already showing that the protests are moving way beyond what we have previously seen in the country. This is happening for two key reasons. The first is the change in Lebanon’s politics, which have become more sectarian than ever before and given rise to crony capitalism and economic corruption. The second is the role that the Arab revolutions have played (and continue to play) in opening the eyes of the Arab public to the potential change citizens can bring, alongside the role of social networks in developing and promoting public awareness. What is happening in Lebanon today is the build-up of all the smaller protests that have taken place in the country in the past. Today’s events can finally be described as a true revolution, a political revolution in the fullest sense of the word. It is a revolution of young men and women who carry the pain of the vast majority of Lebanese people in the wake of growing uncertainty and fear of where their country is headed. It is a revolution of people belonging to all denominations and all ages. It is a revolution of people who are determined to restore their rights – as human beings and as citizens. And they will not take “no” for an answer. – Jamal Al-Kura (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)