via @SandraDamnianos
So, it looks like the Sedd El Bauchrieh area on the northern outskirts of Beirut has joined the many Lebanese municipalities engaging in this very lightly veiled, but despicable act of racism. These illegal and blatantly racist banners and posters have been springing up in several areas where a rise in petty crime has been blamed on the influx of Syrian refugees.
This is unacceptable, and despite the Minister of Interior Affairs and Municipalities indicating municipalities had no right to enforce such a curfew and that it was not within their jurisdictions to enforce one, the authorities have done nothing to remove these posters and discipline those behind them. One Baabda municipality chief even boasted “if we catch one, we’ll lock them up at the police station and send him off the next day”
For those of you who do not read Arabic and wondering what the hell I’m talking about, the above announcement roughly translates as “WARNING. Due to the current security situation, any foreign individual may not go about past 8:00PM”
Having disgruntled bigots and political leaders say these things might be understandble. They’re bigots and politicians and we expect no better from them. However, the municipality speaks on the behalf of its constituents in a more direct fashion, and I am certain that the average Lebanese citizen is not as cruel, inhumane and racist as these posters suggest. For shame.
The Zouk Mikayel municipality hasn’t gone as far in their banners, and instead, posted a banner that translates “For our Syrian brethren residing in Zouk Mikayel, please proceed to the municipality to register your name and place of residence” which is slightly more acceptable, but highly unlikely since many of the refugees are afraid to disclose their locations for fear it could land in the hands of the regime or extremist rebel elements that might want to harm them, and I for one, would not trust Lebanese authorities with my safety and privacy.
Here’s another example, courtesy of The Daily Star and Beirut.com
This is how the Lebanese people are killing tourism in our country while our authority is in deep sleep. Everyone in Lebanon is responsible of protecting himself because simply NOBODY (authority, police etc…) will protect you!!!
Disgusting!
Keep them off the streets . One of those dickheads cut the throat of my 50 year old neighbor ; she lost her speech. Another one nearly raped another neighbor of mine on her way home . 7aj ba2a haraket .
Assuming anything you said is true, will these posters stop these violent criminals from going out? No. This is just as stupid as closing border crossings. You’re punishing the innocents while the terrorists and criminals will roam free.
You know what pisses me off the most? It’s that Lebanon’s racism against “foreigners” is very specifically directed at a certain type of foreigners… you won’t see any such curfew enforced on Europeans or Americans who might be visiting or working in the country….
It’s absolutely revolting! Yes there’s possibly a rise in petty crime but that’s because the influx of Syrians into Lebanon has not been met with decent infrastructure to host and help them rebuild their lives! These people who have lost everything, who are living on practically nothing will most certainly need to scavenge for their livelihood! Syrian refugees in Turkey have been set up in built-up camps (not tents) attend school and vocational training and are somehow being integrated into the economy….
If you want to reduce petty crime you incompetent nincompoops tackle the root, help these people earn their living, provide them with adequate basic human living conditions! -_- Do you really think that imposing an 8pm curfew is gonna stop petty crime?
I don’t see how we are to blame in this situation.
The lebanese government isn’t even giving its own people their rights, and suitable infrastructure. How are they expected to give it to syrian refugees?
Unfortunately, yes, crimes haven risen since syrians have been taking refuge here.
Rape, murder, assaults, harassment, theft. I will not say that I understand theft, but I will overlook the matter since they are in need. but can someone explain how is it the mean to an end to rape or murder or assault??
Even syrians who are working (as cab drivers) have been assaulting and harassing girls. (ka eno li fina mech mkaffina).
Beirut’s safest streets (mar mkhayel, gemayze) have turned into hell for most of us. We can’t even walk home alone anymore.
Why on earth would a syrian man allow himself to grab a girl’s ass on makdissi street?
Again, li fina mech mkaffina. We have enough ze3ran in lebanon, we are constantly subject to verbal assault; so now that we are conditioned (lol), it is time to heavily integrate physical assault?
Turkey is Denmark, compared to Lebanon.
so maybe, just maybe, Turkey should take the syrian refugees, that we’ve been treating oh-so-badly, house them and give them the support they need.
So, yes, OF COURSE it is a racist flyer (it’s written in arabic for a reason)
and OF COURSE this curfew isn’t for Europeans and Americans. [Seriously, how does this affect tourism?]
Surely, those stupid and trivial flyers will not help, at all.
But there are no excuses for vice and (petty) crime. none.
Of course there isn’t and criminals should be punished to the full extent of the law. The attitude and mentality this portrays though, does not help the situation at all and makes what is looking like a long-haul of refugee status in Lebanon all the more uncomfortable and dangerous. The lawlessness and danger must be blamed on the government, who’s too busy debating sectarian voting laws that guarantee their return to power instead of enforcing law and order. Crime is unacceptable, especially when committed by people we are harboring from harm’s way in their own country. But, treating the innocents, which are a majority of them, in that way, is not what a civilized country does and in no way helps fix the situation
We are famous for many many things. Appropriate and effective problem solving is definitely not on the list.
Come to think of it, I understand our parents and the way they dealt with their problems; when your government can’t protect you… well, you have to protect yourself.
Personally, i think the flyers are a way for the average although racist citizen to evoke his own law, to protect his own. being that all of you have so gallantly stated our corrupt and petty government reputation, i just cant see for the life of me why you’re so strung on the flyer. again this is only my personal opinion but before you can tame the dog you must rid it of the one that bears the leash. so in conclusion. this flyer was the average Ali’s reaction to his oblivious law keepers. instead of going off on each other in blogs. organize a neighborhood watch its not like we don’t have a lot of young Lebanese men who wouldn’t love to bludgeon a man if they were to see him assaulting or raping a young woman. nothing like the idea of a hero to protect the streets of a shuddered and dank Beirut.
Yes, because vigilante justice has worked out insanely well for Lebanon in the past =P
I am personally involved in helping a few Syrian families to cope with their new “conditions” as refugees, so i am all too familiar with the problems that they are facing daily. However, i think these banners that the municipalities are hanging are also justified in light of the quasi-absence of law enforcement agents in many neighborhoods. Recently, there has been an increasing demand for pepper spray and tasers for young women to use for self defense , especially if they have to walk some distance to go to their homes or work… the streets are not always safe after dark, and if this is the only practical way that municipalities find to deal with existing danger-irrelevant of its source- then so be it! Tough times call for Tough measures, even if u find them a bit racist . Safety comes first.
If these banners worked, I would probably support them too. But, do you think a criminal would think twice because of these banners?
There is nothing wrong with this, it is an extraordinary measure for extraordinary times.
1- Let’s say we need a police force of 100 for every 10,000 people in an area. If the number of people swell to 100,000 do you really expect 100 police officers to be able to keep the peace? Remember that this was not established on Day1, it was established after a pattern started emerging of an elevated number of crimes committed by certain people at certain times.
2- You might say “hire more police officers”, or “let them earn money so they don’t have to commit crimes”. Our country is in debt if you remember, we are barely afloat the way we are now.
3- “Turkey is providing these people with so many good services unlike us…”, check the size of Turkey, its economic power … and then compare that to Lebanon.
4- These bans are more of a deterrent than actual law enforcement (just like the stupid antennas that security guards wave at Parking entrances). If the would-be perpetrator does not get an opportunity to commit a crime, then the crime doesn’t get committed.
5- Of course not every refugee wants to commit a crime, but there’s a certain significant percentage that does (for personal needs), and it will increase the longer the war drags on and they have no way of earning their living.
6- But seriously now, since when were Lebanese streets at night safe for women ever? Or even going in taxis/buses alone… The only thing that changed is that crimes have more chance ending up as murder now than just rape/asssault/theft/abuse.