The critics of PM Mikati’s policy of dissociation are loud and relentless (this blog included). MTV has even dedicated a TV feature to a quote by Desmond Tutu: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor”.
But as I watched yesterday’s demos, I couldn’t help but notice that even March 14 is somewhat complicit in dissociation. Yesterday’s turnout in the rival demonstrations was exclusive to Salafis and Baathist. The demonstrators were not joined by other mainstream anti-Syrian (Future Movement) and pro-Syrian (Hezbollah) parties. It was as if there was an agreement behind the scene between the FM and Hezbollah not to show up. Why? Because that would contribute to social unrest in Lebanon and nobody wants that.
I don’t know about you, but avoiding an anti-Assad demonstration to prevent civil strife sounds like textbook dissociation to me.
As an aside, yesterday’s exercise in controlled democracy –where extreme marginal parties were given a space to let off steam without affecting the system or the balance of power in any way– is a testimony to the sophistication of the political game in Lebanon and its ability to manage tension.
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look at the end of the day, dissociation or not, the lebanese parties both pro and anti-assad are exploiting the tragedy unfolding in syria for their own narrow calculations/interests. my point is whether they took a stand that is on the looks of it ‘honorable’ or ‘dishonorable’, they have nothing in mind except their interests. no one really cares for the plight of the syrian people. how can we trust march 14′s rhetoric when they include in their ranks some of the most racist- anti-Syrian people voices we know? on the other hand, how can we trust march 8, when they have indeed sided with the oppressor? even when a side in lebanon ‘does the right thing’, they would be doing it for the ‘wrong reasons’.
bottomline: no one is making an ethical stand on the syrian question. NO ONE.
Desmond Tutu perhaps?
lol. I don’t know, i was shocked when south africa sided with Gaddafi (Mandella’s ANC is in power there)..
I have high regard for the internal opposition in Syria, especially Haitham Manna’a and Michel Kilo (Ashraf al Bunni, even Haitham al-Maleh who split from the SNC). i distrust the SNC and the Muslim Brotherhood, and the FSA scares me (just look at what the militias are doing in Libya, this could be the sign of things to come in Syria). Anyone calling for foreign intervention is suspicious to me, no matter the motives. The Egyptian revolution never called for foreign intervention, and Mubarak WAS killing a lot of them (don’t start comparing numbers, the principle is the same, more or less).
The Future Movement had another important reason not to show up yesterday: the anti-Assad demonstration was organised by Salafists, and the last thing the FM wants is to be seen in association with extremist sunni groupings.