Since October 17, 2019, the Lebanese population cannot have access to savings in banks. The people of Lebanon went down to the streets expressing their anger and frustration for many days, weeks, and months. No one listened to them.
Despite international efforts to force overdue financial reforms in Lebanon, nothing was done by its political leaders. Furthermore, no one went to jail over Lebanon’s Ponzi finance scheme.
There has been the Covid-19 pandemic and a surrealistic Beirut port explosion that destroyed half of the capital on August 4, 2020. Again, no one went to jail. Instead, the courageous Judge Tarek Bitar, investigating the blast, has been the target of legal and illegal intimidation (as a reminder, the first judge on the case was removed from his functions by the Lebanese authorities).
Today, the Lebanese politicians are fighting over who would become the next President of the Republic. There is still no government formed, if Bambi understands well. There is a scary hyperinflation, a bankrupt state that cannot provide basic needs to its citizens (power, water, etc.) and meat to feed its army for over two years now. In addition, there is a massive exodus of Lebanese professionals (including badly needed physicians and nurses), families, and young people.
Bambi is writing the above, and in all honesty, she does not have any clue where to go with this post and how to end it. She just wonders what the future holds for her birth country. With this question in mind, Bambi will leave you with a Lebanese song she posted twice on this blog before. Sadly, it remains timely as you can see from an English translation of its powerful lyrics: “Revolt for once, revolt” (title). You who were waiting, what are you waiting for? What do you expect from those who stole the sunshine and sold the wind, along with their conscience? From those who stole the country and built houses larger than its squares? You who were waiting, what are you waiting for? Revolt for once. Stand up in those squares and tell them: You have stolen, you have killed, yes you have assassinated the people, the country, and the dream…. And you turned this land into a refuge for the Pharisees (or self-righteous)”
