Roula Azar-Douglas, a Lebanese-Canadian journalist, editor, author, and PhD candidate living in Beirut, Lebanon, wrote the following on her Facebook Page (Bambi will translate her sister’s words further below):
“Au moment où des partisans du pouvoir, aveuglés par leur servitude envers leurs leaders et leur haine de l’autre, fabriquent des mensonges sur ce père de famille, honnête, intègre, pacifique, aimé de tous ceux qui le connaissent, qui a mené les dernières élections municipales contre les partis politiques et qui a réussi à percer leur liste, sauvagement et froidement tué alors qu’il manifestait pacifiquement avec son épouse et l’un de ses enfants, d’autres compatriotes de différentes confessions se portent volontaires pour soutenir sa famille. Ci-dessous la Shouf National College promet d’assurer gratuitement l’éducation de ses enfants” (Roula Azar-Douglas, Faceboook Page, November 14, 2019).
Ms. Azar-Douglas wrote her FB message before the latest additional good news from the American University of Beirut (AUB) came out.
Both the Shouf National College & the AUB promised to ensure a free-of-charge education to Mr. Alaa Abu Fakher’s children, from now until their university graduation. This will not make the tragedy disappear but hopefully this will help support his widow and her family for years to come.
Here is Bambi’s translation of her sister’s text:
“While supporters of those in power, blinded by their loyalty to their leaders and their hatred of others, are fabricating lies about this father who was decent, peaceful, loved by all who know him, who led the recent municipal elections against political parties and who managed to break through their list, and who was brutally and coldy killed while demonstrating peacefully with his wife and one of his children, other compatriots of different faiths volunteered to support his family. Below the Shouf National College promises to provide free education for his children“ (taken from Roula Azar-Douglas, Faceboook Page, November 14, 2019; translated from French to English by Bambi).
May Mr. Alaa Abu Fakher rest in peace. May his family, slowly but surely, find inner peace despite the injustice and the absurdity.
May freedom of expression knows how to keep prevailing.
May democracy win, not just in Lebanon but also everywhere in the world.
May we keep caring for each other, in small and big ways, like those described in this post.
