Bambi discovered this inspiring thinker, writer, and artist during one of her visits to Beirut a few years ago. She recalls having enjoyed listening to an interview with him on the MTV channel, namely in a daily political show entitled “Beirut El Yaoum” (Beirut Today).
He was cowardly assassinated (and perhaps even tortured?) today. It seems that he went missing for a few hours, as you can see in the English short news video below.
Can you imagine? He only had his ideas and words whilst his killers have their powerful criminality… whomever they are.
You can see him below in a video with his spouse, Ms. Monika Borgmann (of German origins) talking in French about one of their movies on Lebanese prisoners lost in Syrian jails. Mr. Slim often criticized Hezbollah’s (or maybe even Amal’s?) toxic ties with Iran and Syria. Like all his fellow citizens, he also was lucid about the endemic state of corruption in his beloved country. He studied philosophy in France. He spoke several languages, including Arabic. The latter is a tough language to master, especially written Arabic, but Mr. Slim had a linguistic talent.
He was a publisher, partnering with his sister, author Rasha al-Ameer (picture below). Along with his beloved spouse, he founded the Umam Documentation and Research and Hayya Bina (or Let’s Go) organizations.
Umam organized art exhibitions, film screenings, and round tables to discuss issues related to civil violence and civil war memory. Indeed, the ghost of war is still vivid in Lebanon and, if Bambi is not mistaken, schools are still reluctant to teach the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990). However, as we all know and according to Mr. George Santayana, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it“. Thanks to Mr. Slim and Ms. Borgmann for having worked to help Lebanon in creating an archive of war. Together, they produced movies (e.g., one on the massacre of Sabra and Shatila, on prisoners in Syria, and one in progress on Syria’s civil war thus far; 10 years already).
Bambi’ heart goes to both Frau Borgmann and Ms. al-Ameer as well all Mr. Slim’s friends, colleagues (national and international), and the shocked yet not surprised Lebanese population. We are all speechless… May you rest in peace Mr. Slim. Thank you for your courage and work. May your memory be eternal… and, for once, may justice prevail!!
To conclude this post, despite the best wishes for justice, the Lebanese authorities sadly cannot be trusted… even if the family members know the killers, as per l’Orient Le Jour (https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1250805/-nous-savons-qui-sont-les-tueurs-affirme-la-soeur-de-lokman-slim.html). May God know how to comfort their hearts…
