Lebanon's Promised Oil Wealth

issue number 137 |December 2013 Marriage of Female Minors between Law and Religion General Directorate of General Security the monthly interviews www.iimonthly.com • Published by Information International sal Nasser omar

Lebanon’s Promised Oil Wealth

4 Lebanon’s Promised Oil Wealth

9 Marriage of Female Minors between Law and Religion

10 lebanon’s Notaries Public 12 tourism in Lebanon

15 education in Lebanon 16 decline in Public Schools’ Student Population P: 28 P: 44 18 Mixed marriages in Lebanon (6) Beirut Mohafaza

20 expenses of the State Employees Coop 21 general Directorate of General Security 24 israeli Knesset 25 testosterone: Dr. Hanna Saadah 26 The Order versus Chaos Controversy: Antoine boutros

28 interview: nasser omar P: 48 head of al-Heri Municipality

30 Assabil 46 this Month in History- Arab World 32 Popular culture 32 Years since the Knesset’s Unilateral Annexation of the Golan Heights to Israel 33 debunking myth#76: Is the Gulf Region a Paradise for Workers? 47 status of Car Imports in Syria 34 Must-read books: Secret of the State at 48 Poverty-Stricken Iraq the General Security - Nicolas Nassif 49 real estate prices in Lebanon - 37 Must-read children’s book: Ceiling October 2013 Creatures 50 Did you know that?: 2012 One of 38 lebanon Families: Families denoting Bloodiest Years for Journalists Lebanese Towns (9) 50 Rafic Hariri International Airport 38 discover Lebanon: Baissour Traffic - september 2013 40 october 2013 Highlights 51 lebanon’s stats 44 this Month in History- Lebanon Nizam Al Qa’imaqamiyatein or the Partition of Lebanon |editorial

Maktoub

“..It was all written by God- maktoub.” Those were the words of a Lebanese survivor of the Australia-bound boat tragedy that unfolded off the Indonesian coast. Indeed, our birth, our land of birth and the families we are born into are all ordained events- maktoub. We were predestined to hail from Qab’it, Akkar. But what’s more?

Has God also predestined us to raise the banners of sectarianism and Zua’ma from birth to death? Has he predestined us to lack health coverage? Has he predestined us to be herded by the nose by legislators who fail to legislate and ministers who fail to administer and presidents who fail to preside?

Has God predestined one of the survivors to say that Hezbollah will pay him, as a Sunni, any amount, from a penny to a million, in a subliminal hint aimed at the Sunni Zua’ma to hand him money or else?

Has God ordained that the student population in public schools drops down to 30% as opposed to 70% in private schools? Has he ordained the non-implementation of the master plan for all Lebanese regions? Has God predestined our Mukhtars and heads of municipalities to wallow in bribes and corruption? Has he predestined us to have a caretaker Prime Minister and a Prime Minister-designate? Has he predestined the opulent Economic Committees* to grumble about poverty and to threaten to strike at a time when laborers risk dismissal at the slightest mention of a potential strike action?

Has God dictated inheritance of political power from grandfather to father to son? Has he dictated the squandering of millions annually on dilapidated roads? Has he ordained that we encroach on public properties and deny people access to their beach, unless they were seeking death in the Indonesian waters? Is our desperate longing for water and power supply a God-ordained fate?

Has the Lord written that we should turn disasters into parodies and trip over ourselves to demonstrate empathy toward those fleeing to Australia, in a spectacle resembling a ridiculous and disgust-inducing farce?

Our birth in Qab’it or Aadchit El-Qusair was perhaps maktoub. All the rest, we wrote it ourselves, so let us speak no more.

* Coalition of business owners. 4 | Leader

Lebanon’s Promised Oil Wealth USD 166 Billion?

Will the dream come true and what has always been a mere fantasy turn into tangible facts? The latest seismic surveys performed by global companies and confirming the presence of abundant oil and gas reserves in Lebanon’s waters have begged the question of whether Lebanon will transition from the phase of oil importation to the phase of production and exportation.

Oil Exploration Attempts Attempts during French Mandate of Lebanon The oil exploration journey began in the first Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC) began drillings in the years of the French mandate when the French town of Terbol in north Lebanon and later in 1953, High Commissioner Henry de Jouvenel issued a an American company called US Pacific Western dug decision authorizing the excavation, extraction and deep into the earth until they found gas at 700 meters exploitation of oil and metal reserves. down.

Later, research and studies were carried out in search Between 1960 and 1961, a German company working of oil resources. The most important of these was for the IPC drilled a well in the town of Adloun in south the exploration attempt initiated by French geologist Lebanon and two other wells were dug by an Italian Louis Dubertret appointed by the French Mining company in 1963 in Sohmur and Tal el-Zounoub in Authority and the National Museum of Natural Western Beqa’a and in the town of Abrine in eastern History, which launched the geological scanning Batroun. However, all these attempts proved futile as project. For 25 years, starting in 1930, Dubertret and they focused on onshore drillings only. his team worked to organize Lebanon’s geological map on a scale of 1/200,000. This study helped highlight certain aspects of the oil exploration processes and it transpired that the Lebanese territory, given the nature of its geological layers, was a favorable medium for oil and gas discovery.

Attempts after Independence From 1947, the Lebanese Company for Oil conducted surface geological surveys under the supervision of French geologist Louis Dubertret and the Lebanese geologist George Sabbagh in different Lebanese regions across an area of 3300 km2, raising the possibility of potential oil and gas deposits in the country. Later, excavations confirmed the presence of gas- in small quantities- in Yohmor as well as hydrogen sulfide gas in a mine in Hasbaya and samples were tested by the geochemical laboratories of the French Petroleum Company.

The first practical attempt toward gas exploration occurred following the independence. In 1946, the

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Leader | 5

Pre-War Attempts In 1972, the Head of the Department of Geology at The file was not accorded the attention it deserved until the American University of Beirut, Dr. Ziad Baydoun, June 22, 2010 when the US firm Noble Energy conducted submitted a study to the Arab Petroleum Conference 3D seismic surveys that confirmed the previous PGS held at the time in Algeria, where he pinpointed findings, identifying a huge natural gas field called potential presence of oil reserves in Lebanon. In his “Leviathan” in the Mediterranean Sea in the global study, Dr. Baydoun built on previous surveys that maritime zone between Palestine’ maritime borders and had estimated the existence of over 2000 meters of Cyprus, off the Lebanese coast. The Leviathan gas field maritime layers where oil can be found, adding that is said to contain 16 trillion cubic feet of gas. the reserves were most likely abundant in North Lebanon. The process of exploring for oil In turn, Lebanese scientist Ghassan Kanso conducted several studies that assured the existence of both “and gas resources is not a recent onshore and offshore oil resources in Lebanon, initiative, but rather an endeavor that mainly between Batroun and Tripoli. dates back to around 90 years, albeit it has gained further momentum and The research carried out by Dr. Baydoun encouraged follow up in the past few years several global petroleum companies to seek concessions for oil and gas exploration in Lebanon “ between 1973-74. Based on the above, one may conclude that the In early 1975, the then President of the Republic process of exploring for oil and gas resources is not Suleiman Frangieh urged Dr. Baydoun to continue a recent initiative, but rather an endeavor that dates his work and to lay down an integrated plan for the back to around 90 years, albeit it has gained further prospects of oil in Lebanon and the steps necessary momentum and follow up in the past few years. And to regulate this sector in light of the requests of perhaps, the positive findings unfolding recently are companies seeking exploration. Hence, Decree No. attributed mainly to the technological progress in 10095 was issued on April 11, 1975 allowing the seismic surveying which allowed for wider offshore Ministry of Industry and Oil to revise the concessions exploration. granted for oil exploration and to use them for the advantage of the state, but the eruption of the Civil Oil-related Legislations War a few days later brought all these efforts to a halt. In a bid to keep up with the latest exploration activities and regulate the awaited oil sector, the Lebanese Post-War Attempts government has issued several laws and decrees in Following the end of the war, oil exploration the past few years. Those included: endeavors resumed in 1993 but were also interrupted until 2002 when the government signed a contract Law No. 132 issued on August 24, 2010 on with the British firm Spectrum, whereby the latter Petroleum Resources in Maritime Waters. This law conducted a 2D survey covering the entire Lebanese consisted of 10 chapters including 77 articles that coast and revealing that the existence of oil and gas is covered the processes of licensing, exploration, now a serious possibility. extraction as well as the environmental and health impacts and the revenues assigned to the state Later, another 3D survey was performed by the and the companies. It also stipulated that the oil Norwegian firm GIC in the same area, unveiling that revenues be deposited in a sovereign fund and Lebanon’s largest oil reserves are present in the north that the methods of formation and management of off the coast of El-Abdeh. Between 2006 and 2007, the fund as well as the disposition of revenues be two 3D surveys were conducted again by PGS - one determined later. 10 years was the timeframe set in Lebanese waters and one in Lebanese-Cypriot for the exploration phase and 30 years was that set waters – and estimates suggested that Lebanon’s oil for production. The law called for the formation of wealth could reach as high as 8 billion barrels. a Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

issue 137 | December 2013 6 | Leader

Law No. 163 issued on August 18, 2011 on the autonomy with the Minister exercising tutelage Delineation and Declaration of the Maritime authority over it. It does not fall under the Civil Regions of the Lebanese Republic. This law Service Council control and is subject to the posterior consists of 18 articles that determined Lebanon’s supervision of the Audit Court. internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf Functions in accordance with the provisions of the United The Petroleum Regulatory Authority exercises the Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea signed following powers: in Jamaica on December 15, 1982. Lebanon Conducting studies to promote potential petroleum became part of the Convention by virtue of Law resources in Lebanon. No. 295 dated February 22, 1994. Drafting invitations for bids, tender requirements and licenses. The baseline of the Republic of Lebanon was drawn Managing, monitoring and following up on based on the low-water line of islands and the straight petroleum activities and the proper implementation lines joining appropriate points in accordance with of licenses. the provisions of the International Law, starting from Managing petroleum activities data and keeping the mid-point of the mouth of Nahr Al-Kabir river in petroleum register. the north to the 1949 armistice line in the south. The board of directors convenes on regular basis, The territorial sea included the coastal waters at least once every two weeks, and all decisions are stretching 12 nautical miles from the baseline. taken by majority vote. In case of a tie, the president decides. Recommendations are issued unanimously The contiguous zone was determined as the maritime and in case of failure to reach unanimity, each member zone located adjacent to the territorial sea and drafts his remarks in the recommendations. extending 24 nautical miles from the baseline. Members The exclusive economic zone is situated beyond Sectarian and political quotas did not spare the the territorial sea and includes the whole of the appointments to the Petroleum Regulatory Authority contiguous zone, extending towards the high seas but board of directors. After several push and pull rounds, not exceeding 200 nautical miles from the baseline in the Cabinet issued Decree No. 9438 on December accordance with the provisions of the United Nations 13, 2012 assigning each of the major 6 sects one seat Convention on the Law of the Sea. Accordingly, the in the board. Disagreement over the president’s sect area of Lebanon’s exclusive economic zone would be was resolved through rotation with each member 22,730 km2, i.e. around twice Lebanon’s area. assuming presidency for one year in alphabetical order according to their last names. Decree No. 7968 dated April 19, 2012 stipulated the formation of the Petroleum Regulatory Authority Members of the board of directors are: and its board of directors was appointed by virtue Assem Riad Abou Ibrahim (Druze), current of Decree No. 9438 issued on December 13, 2012. president and head of the Quality, Health, Safety The prequalification phase calling on companies and Environment Department. to participate in offshore licensing rounds was set Gaby Fouad Daaboul (Greek Orthodox), head of out in Decree No. 9882 issued on February 16, the Legal Affairs Department. 2013. Wissam Edmont Chbat (Maronite), head of the Geology and Geophysics Department. Petroleum Regulatory Authority Nasser Mostafa Htait (Shia’a), head of the Formation Technical and Engineering Department. The Petroleum Regulatory Authority board of Wissam Mohammad Ali Al-Thahabi (Sunni), head directors consists of 6 full-time members appointed of the Economic and Financial Department. for a 6-year term that may be renewed only once by Walid Nadim Nasser (Greek Catholic), head of the virtue of a decree issued in the cabinet on the basis strategic Planning Department. of a proposal by the Minister of Energy and Water. The Authority enjoys financial and administrative

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Leader | 7

Indemnities Decree No. 9975 issued on March 6, 2013 granted holding assets that exceed USD 10 billion and 34 the Petroleum Regulatory Authority members the non-operating companies with each holding assets following indemnities: that exceed USD 500 million. Lump sum salary: LBP 22 million per month Housing allowance: LBP 3 million per month Phase 2 (May 2, 2013- November 4, 2013): Launching Work abstention obligation indemnity: one third of the first licensing round. After receiving the tender the monthly salary or LBP 7,333,333. Half of this document, companies submit their proposals and the amount is paid on a monthly basis and the second half evaluation occurs between November 4, 2013 and the adds up to a total of LBP 264 million to be paid as a end of January 2014. lump sum at the end of each member’s term of office. Members and their families (wives and children) Phase 3 starting first of February 2014: Holding are entitled to full health coverage benefiting from negotiations with companies and awarding contracts first class insurance policy. In addition, they are during February 2014. granted annual education scholarships amounting to LBP 6 million for each child in school and LBP Phase 4: Exploration phase, which would last for 18 10 million for each child in university. months or more, meaning until June 2015.

Current Estimates for the Available Amounts Phase 5: Starting the excavations and extractions of Oil and Gas expected in 2020. The current estimated quantities of oil and gas vary and it is unlikely to reach an accurate number before Obstacles the commencement of drilling and exploration works. So far, things have been going as planned. However, However, the surveys conducted in the exclusive two obstacles stand in the way: economic zone and the calculations made by the Minister of Energy and Water estimated that there First obstacle were approximately 30 trillion cubic meters of gas The resignation of the government in late March and 600 million barrels of oil. According to current 2013 and the failure to form a new cabinet hinder market prices, this translates into USD 3.34 per 1000 the issuance of certain decrees, necessary to finalize cubic meters and USD 100 per barrel. Therefore, the the phased plan, particularly the decree related to the potential oil wealth would amount to roughly USD delineation of offshore blocks and their distribution 166 billion, a number that is expected to rise in light among winning companies and that regarding the of the current oil market trends, especially that the exploration and production agreement. Failure to price of the oil barrel is forecasted to jump to USD conquer this obstacle before November 2013 would 237 by 2040. result in delaying the project.

Government Plan Second obstacle The Lebanese government laid down a phased This obstacle has more serious implications and plan aimed at extracting Lebanon’s oil resources may shatter the Lebanese dream due to entrenched successfully. territorial disputes between Lebanon and Israel over maritime territories, which are yet to be delineated. Phase 1 (February 15, 2013- March 28, 2013): Israel has gnawed along 860 km2 of these territories Launching the prequalification phase by inviting and rumors suggest that it has started extracting companies to apply for a license. Over 200 companies Lebanese oil using advanced technologies. reviewed the prequalification documents but only 52 submitted their applications. 46 of those were Undoubtedly, Lebanon has entered a new and shortlisted and the results were issued on April 18, promising juncture that may help him transition from 2013. The names and nationalities of the shortlisted a debt-laden oil-importing country to a resource-rich companies are highlighted in the following Table one with revenues and profits invested in clearing its 1, including 12 operating companies each of which debts and optimizing the public utilities’ sectors.

issue 137 | December 2013 8 | Leader

Names and nationalities of the 46 Names and nationalities of the 46 companies that qualified to participate Table 1 companies that qualified to participate Table 1 in offshore licensing rounds in offshore licensing rounds Company Nationality Status Company Nationality Status

Anadarko American Operator Geopark/Petroleb Lebanese Non-operator

Chevron American Operator Heritage British Non-operator

ENI International Italian Operator INA Croatian Non-operator

Exxon Mobil American Operator Japex Japanese Non-operator

INPEX Japanese Operator JX Nippon Japanese Non-operator

Maersk Danish Operator Knoc Korean Non-operator

Petrobras Brazilian Operator Kogas Korean Non-operator

Petronas Malaysian Operator Kufpec Kuwaiti Non-operator

Repsol Spanish Operator Lukoil Russ Non-operator

Shell E& P Dutch Operator Marathon Holland Non-operator

Statoil Norwegian Operator Mitsui Japanese Non-operator

Total French Operator MOL Group E&P Hungarian Non-operator

Mubadala Carin India Indian Non-operator Petroleum UAE Non-operator Novatek GBP Cairn (UK) British Non-operator Global Resources Russian Non-operator

CC Energy Lebanese Non-operator OMV Austrian Non-operator

Crescent UAE Non-operator ONGC Indian Non-operator

Crescent/Apex UAE Non-operator PetroCeltic Irish Non-operator

Dana British Non-operator PTT Thai Non-operator

Dana Gas UAE Non-operator Rosneft Russian Non-operator

Dragon Oil UAE Non-operator Santos Australian Non-operator

Edison Italian Non-operator Soco British Non-operator

GDF Suez French Non-operator Suncor Canada Non-operator

Genel Energy British Non-operator TPAO-Turkish Turkish Non-operator Petroleum Source: Petroleum Regulatory Authority official website

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Public Sector | 9

Marriage of Female Minors between Law and Religion

There is no unified personal status law or system in Lebanon. In fact, each of the 18 officially recognized religious sects has the right to adopt the regulations it chooses according to the beliefs and the religious and jurisprudential foundations upon which the sect is based. This norm was further consolidated in Article 9 of the Lebanese Constitution which guarantees that the personal status and religious interests of the population, to whatever religious sect they belong, shall be respected.

This, however, has widened the differences between prerequisite for marriage, while a few insist that the the Lebanese. While Islamic laws permit a Muslim consent of the female’s guardian is a must, no matter man to have multiple wives (up to 4), the Christians how old the female is. are not entitled to polygamy rights. The discrepancies are not limited to marriage but cover matters of Muslim scholars, Sunni in particular, refer to inheritance, adoption, guardianship, etc. These the marriage of Prophet Muhammad to Aisha as are disputed topics that are yet to be resolved. The exemplary evidence that marrying a female minor off concern, however, lies in the sharp contradiction is acceptable if she has reached puberty. The typical between the public law and the personal status rules marriage age for males is also tied to puberty and can and regulations peculiar to each sect. This article will be between 14 and 15. attend to the marriage age of the Lebanese females as well as the terms and mechanisms associated with Catholic sects set up the marriage age at 14 for the marriage. females and 16 for males, while the Orthodox put it at 18 for both but permitted its adjustment to 15 for In the eyes of the law the former and 14 for the latter. The Lebanese legal texts make no mention of the minimum age of marriage, neither for males nor Prophet Muhammad’s Marriage to Aisha females. However, the law grants persons the legal Historic information reveals that Prophet Muhammad capacity at the age of 18, while the right to exercise tied the knot with over 12 women who were either voting in municipal and parliamentary elections is set widowed or divorced, with the exception of Aisha, up at 21. Accordingly, the age of marriage should not daughter of Abi Bakr Assediq, who was a 9-year old be anywhere below 18. virgin when the 50 something Prophet took her as his wife. The controversy surrounding this marriage is In the eyes of religion often justified by claims arguing that puberty used to Muslim scholars concur that the age of marriage is take place at a much earlier age in the hot regions linked to the signs of female puberty- that is, the age where the Prophet lived and that Aisha was mature at which a female experiences her first menstrual for her age, which permitted her marriage. Some cycle, which usually occurs somewhere between 9 believe that Aisha was 12 to 13 years old when she and 13 years of age. However, disagreement emerges was wedded, not 6 or 9 years as the rumor goes. over the need for parental consent for marriage. Some scholars believe that the consent of the guardian or Laws prohibit but religions approve. But in a country the father is dispensable and the marriage can occur where religious sects have the final say, the religious without their presence or approval. Others consider norms and rituals are likely to prevail and female parental presence and approval to be a necessary minors will probably continue to enter matrimony.

issue 137 | December 2013 10 | Public Sector Lebanon’s Notaries Public from 30 to 226

He who wanders in the Lebanese towns and cities can easily notice the proliferation of notary public signs. As a matter of fact, the abundance of notarial bureaus, accompanied with the declining demand for their services, has become a primary source of complaint and the profession that what was once deemed a gold mine seems hardly capable of covering the overheads nowadays.

Functions of Notaries Public The Lebanese law defined the notary public as being Be holders of the Lebanese nationality for no less “a public officer who is associated with the Ministry than ten years. of Justice and who receives remuneration for the Be between 25 and 48 years of age. services rendered from his clients, not from the Lebanese state.” The scope of his functions includes Be holders of the Lebanese Law Degree. the following: Enjoy all their rights and have no criminal record. Authentication of the transactions requested by Should the candidate pass the competition, he/ clients. she shall be appointed as an apprentice in a Managing and certifying the execution of the notary office, where he/she undergoes training documents set forth in the Obligations and for a 6-month period. Upon completion of the Contracts Act and more generically, any document apprenticeship, the candidate becomes a full- not prohibited by the law or not falling within the fledged notary and begins his notarial duties after jurisdiction of another public employee, as well as taking the oath before the Court of Appeals in keeping the original copies of such documents and Beirut. A notary public is referred to retirement handing the clients identical copies thereof. at the age of 64. When on leave, he is substituted by a full-timer at the Ministry of Justice or a Approving and archiving documents. judicial assistant with a law degree or a paralegal, Preparing protests and notifying the concerned appointed by the Minister of Justice, to assume person thereof . interim responsibilities. The substitute obtains 30% of revenues earned during the replacement Marking attestations and instruments with the period and the remaining goes to the original proper dates. notary public. Drafting and certifying wills. Delivering all notices and warnings Supervision on Notaries Public Numbering the record books of traders and self- The notary public undergoes financial and employed individuals. administrative inspection by one to three judges at Notarizing the signature of the translator of most. The Minister of Justice designates the judges attestations. exercising oversight from among the judges affiliated with the ministry. Taking fingerprints, keeping them, and confirming the identity of their holders Punishment ranging from simple warning to complete suspension from work may be inflicted on notaries Appointment of Notaries Public public who commit a breach of the law. Notaries public are appointed on the basis of a competition. Eligible candidates must fulfill the following conditions:

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Public Sector | 11

Revenues from Notarial Fees Notaries public charge certain fees for the benefit of notary public posts was to be dictated by cabinet the state. Those fees are determined by the documents decrees as well. and instruments they authenticate. The revenues are delivered to the Ministry of Justice Fund or to the The number of notaries public has decreased Central Treasury Fund in Beirut during specific time drastically from 30 in 1940 to 112 in 1980 and further limits (3 times a week in Beirut, twice a week at the to 226 in 2000. Table 1 illustrates the evolution of the centers of Mohafazas, and once every two weeks at number of notaries public in Lebanon. the centers of Qada’as or anytime the funds reach LBP 10 million.)

In case of default, a penalty of 1% is imposed for each day the returns are late.

According to the draft budgets in the past few years, the estimated notarial fees were as follows: 2008: LBP 20 billion 2009: LBP 24 billion 2010: LBP 30 billion 2011: LBP 36 billion 2012: LBP 32 billion (the estimates decreased in 2012 as only LBP 20 billion were brought in in 2011)

Number of Notaries Public Article 3 of Law No. 337 issued on June 8, 1994 stipulated that the number, residence and regional capacities of notaries public be specified by a decree issued by the Lebanese cabinet. Introducing new

Evolution of the number of notaries public Table 1 Legislative decree no. 76 Law issued on 29-1-1946 Legislative decree no. 2896 Legislative decree no. 3315 Mohafaza dated 7-12-1940 until 1978 dated 24-4-1980 dated 24-4-1980

Beirut 2 16 36 44

Mount Lebanon 9 28 30 88

North 8 12 21 32

South 19 7 11 16 Nabatieh 14

Beqa’a 4 6 9 29

Total 30 73 112 226

Source: Official Gazette

issue 137 | December 2013 12 | Public Sector

Tourism in Lebanon Visitors of Historic Sites Decline by 40%

Lebanon is a tourist destination par excellence. Its tourism potential is manifested in a temperate climate in both summer and winter, the country’s magnificent natural sites, a flourishing hospitality industry and diverse historic landmarks dating back tothe Phoenician and Roman eras. In the past few years, the tourism sector has been affected by the turmoil that has hit the region and spilled over into Lebanon, thus translating into a lower turnout of Arab and foreign tourists as well as Lebanese expatriates. Even those who are resident in Lebanon exhibited more vigilance in their movements across the country.

The decline in the number of tourists is illustrated in Table 1where the following can be deduced:

Jeita Grotto is the most visited tourist destination attracting around 40% to 50% of the total influx, followed by the monuments of Baalbeck at 16%, then Byblos and Beiteddine at 13% and 11% respectively. Tourists are not apparently influenced by the prices charged to visit a particular site. Jeita Grotto which charges the highest entrance fees (as illustrated in Table 3) ranks first among all other natural and historic landmarks in its tourist turnout.

Between 2010 and 2012, the number of visitors declined by 386,395 people or 40.7%. Should the current trend continue, the decline this year is likely to reach 54% as compared to 2010, noting that the sharpest decreases were registered in Tripoli (69%), Tyre (57%), Baalbeck (48.2%), Beiteddine (45%) and Jeita Grotto (44.2%).

Tourist turnout by natural/historic site Table 1 Year Site 2010 2011 2012 2013 (until late June)

Baalbeck 149,426 112,681 77,429 28,836

Byblos 112,665 110,550 83,891 40,740

Beiteddine 108,099 81,312 59,600 26,665

National Museum 56,796 49,273 38,887 18,204

Saida 51,653 47,080 45,305 17,847

Tyre 15,725 10,143 6,764 3,433

Faqra 13,988 7,766 6,685 1800 (until end of May)

Tripoli 10,497 9,694 3,247 714

Niha 781 640 522 221

Jeita Grotto 428,212 303,508 239,117 83,164

Total 947,842 732,647 561,447 221,624

Source: Lebanese Ministry of Tourism

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Public Sector | 13

Visitors by Nationality Lebanon’s archeological and natural sites do not attract the Lebanese only. In fact, some of these tourist destinations draw larger numbers of Arabs and foreigners than locals despite the security situation in the country. In 2012, those constituted 51% of Baalbeck’ tourist turnout, a percentage that would have been higher had the political and security circumstances been more encouraging.

Distribution of visitors by nationality Table 2 National Nationality Baalbeck Beiteddine Byblos Museum Saida Tyre Faqra

Lebanese 37,801 40,021 34,840 15,131 20,544 2,608 3,789

French 4,005 2,596 5,017 3,476 2,468 1,508 563

British 2,446 679 1,857 1103 875 161 257

Iranian 2,338 175 1,070 - - - 9

Turkish 2,044 604 1,962 - 150 3 -

American 1,802 927 2,613 1520 150 44 43

Iraqi 1,695 1,612 2,472 200 2,237 - 25

German 1,590 749 1,568 1192 1225 392 127

Egyptian 1,661 1,020 1,147 155 1676 - 6

Saudi 1,507 496 905 196 1,433 - 14

Italian 1,191 446 1,068 622 1527 353 4

Jordanian 1,025 241 511 50 900 - -

Emirati 126 716 485 271 550 - 12

Other 16,522 9,318 28,376 14,971 11,570 1,695 1,836

Total 77,429 59,600 83,891 38,887 45,305 6,764 6,685

% of Lebanese 49 67 41 39 45 39 57

% of Arabs and foreigners 51 33 59 61 55

Source: Lebanese Ministry of Tourism

issue 137 | December 2013 14 | Public Sector

Entry Fees Tickets for natural and historic tourist attractions in Lebanon differ in price depending on the significance of the site. The Jeita Grotto is run by a private company and has high overhead expenses, and thus charges the highest entry fees as illustrated in Table 3.

Tourist attractions’ entry fees (in LBP) Table 3 Entry fee for foreign Site tourists Entry fee for Arab tourists Entry fee for Lebanese Entry fee for students

Fortress of Tripoli 7500 7500 5000 2000

Fortress of Saida 4000 2500 2500 1000

Fortress of Jbeil 8000 5000 5000 2000

Fortress of Tyre 6000 6000 3500 1000

Baalbeck monuments 15000 10000 10000 5000

Beiteddine 10000 7000 7000 3000

Fortress of Anjar 6000 6000 3000 1500

Fortress of Majdal Anjar Free of charge Free of charge Free of charge Free of charge

Fortress of Tebnine Free of charge Free of charge Free of charge Free of charge

Fortress of Niha + 3 reserves 7000 7000 7000 5000

Moussa Castle 15000 15000 15000 7500

Fortress of Rashaya 2000 2000 2000 2000

Faqra monuments 3000 3000 3000 3000

Jeita Grotto 18150 18150 18150 10175

Kfarhim Grotto 15000 15000 10000 5000

Ain w Zain Grotto 15000 15000 10000 3000

Qadisha Grotto 5000 5000 5000 5000

National Museum 5000 5000 5000 1000

Source: Lebanese Ministry of Tourism

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Public Sector | 15

Education in Lebanon the private overshadows the public

The education sector in Lebanon has for long been the subject of much criticism. A concern that is becoming of prime importance today is the wide gap between the private and public sector in education. Though private and public schools over the world usually demonstrate different standards of quality, in Lebanon, the disparities between the two have rendered them irreconcilable with little potential for cooperation. The readiness of families and private institutions to finance education is faced with the mismanagement of the government’s financing of it. This has left a country with largely variant qualities of education that differ in accordance with the socio-economic status of students. With the advancement of private education in Lebanon, almost 20% of public spending that is being channeled public schools are slowly losing the components of towards scholarships for the children of employees. respectable institutions. The demand for public education On the other end of the spectrum, private spending on has been very low. According to a report by the Ministry education (mainly from families of students) remains of Education and Higher Education (MEHE), only 32% substantial and unhindered. of Lebanese students were enrolled in public schools for the year 2008-2009. Moreover, the Center for The problem then is not with funding, but with the lack Educational Research and Development published the of regulations for managing public schools. To address numbers of enrollment in Lebanese schools for 2010- this, efforts for administrative and managerial reforms 2011; 504,024 students were in private schools, 276,119 have been initiated by the MEHE. These include new in public schools, and 125,728 in private subsidized regulations on the recruitment process of principals schools. Likewise, enrollment in universities seems and teachers to ensure better competence, introducing to be taking a similar trend. The Lebanese University IT measures and modernizing the management of accounts for 37.7% of the total number of graduates these schools altogether. To address the problem of the for the same year, while the remaining 62.3% opt for repetition rates, the ministry has selected 100 primary private education. schools around the country where this problem is most prevalent and has allocated qualified teachers to provide The mismanagement of the public school sector has led remedial support classes. The outcomes of these to more serious consequences. According to the MEHE, procedures are still to be anticipated. 54.5% of public school teachers do not hold university degrees; an indicator of the poor quality of education Moreover, there is very little cooperation between the that is delivered to students. Consequently, student private and public sector. While the former has achieved repetition rates were found to be higher in public rather high standards of performance, the latter has not been than in private schools. The same report by the ministry able to benefit from any type of coordination between shows that for both the elementary and intermediate the two sectors in education. What is meant to be a levels, public schools have higher repetition rates. These dual system of education has actually shown very little are 60% and 40% respectively. In private schools, these teamwork in this regard. numbers decrease to 45% and 24% respectively. The long-term effects of this trend necessitate a A lot of these shortcomings can be linked to the comprehensive reformation of the manner in which this distribution of funds within the sector. In 2009, 7.23% of sector is run. Its socio-economic effects should not be public expenditures were allocated to general education; undermined. The increased spending on a sector that a considerable percentage of government spending. Of yields under-qualified graduates contributes in setting this budget allocated for education, only around 20% back the Lebanese economy. It also increases dropout goes to the Lebanese University on average. This means rates as people no longer see a point in acquiring an a lot of resources are put into the sector with only little education when it is of such poor quality. Moreover, developments. the large number of students enrolled in private schools with religious outlooks contributes to the fracturing of A UNDP report entitled ‘Towards a Citizen’s State’ civic and/or national allegiance. These reasons, among reveals that though 30% of students come from lower- others, call for a quick implementation of the initiatives middle to low-income groups, they only receive 9.6% of the ministry and for better cooperation between of government educational funding. On the other hand, private and public, so the latter can benefit from the 90% of students of the families of public employees lessons learned of the former. attend private education institutions. This is equal to

issue 137 | December 2013 16 | Public Sector Decline in Public Schools’ Student Population 30% in the public sector, 70% in the private

The ministerial statements issued by successive governments since the end of Lebanon’s Civil War two decades ago have all pledged to promote public education in Lebanon and to improve prospects for public schools so as to attract larger numbers of students.

To serve this purpose, substantial amounts have been allocated throughout the years to establish new schools or renovate old ones and to adjust curricula, train teachers and increase their pay in a bid to encourage better teaching practices. Unfortunately, all these attempts have proved to be futile as the number of students applying for public schools keeps declining year after year. Although private schooling is known to cost a pretty penny in Lebanon, the Lebanese find themselves resorting to this choice due to their lack of trust in the academic performance of public schools. This low confidence in public education manifests itself clearly when public school teachers opt for enrolling their children in private schools rather than in the ones they work at.

Evolution of student population by education sector Table 1 Public schools Private schools Private free schools Scholarly year Total no. of students Student population (%) Student population (%) Student population (%) 1972-1973 298,314 44.9 237,597 35.7 129,390 19.4 665,301 1991-1992 236,253 32.6 369,566 51 119,014 16.4 724,833 1992-1993 239,866 32.7 380,202 51.9 113,160 15.4 733,228 1993-1994 235,820 30.7 420,128 54.5 114,651 14.8 770,599 1996-1997 285,188 33 468,380 54.2 110,519 12.8 864,087 1997-1998 302,666 34.5 468,334 53.4 106,730 12.1 877,730 1998-1999 320,936 36.8 455,144 52.2 95,501 11 871,581 1999-2000 332,522 37.9 443,281 50.5 101,317 11.6 877,120 2000-2001 347,498 39 432,822 48.5 111,200 12.5 891,520 2001-2002 351,177 39 434,673 48.3 113,658 12.7 899,508 2002-2003 348,304 38.5 442,815 48.9 114,326 12.6 905,445 2003-2004 348,144 37.9 455,532 49.6 114,935 12.5 918,611 2004-2005 337,622 36.8 465,130 50.7 114,194 12.5 916,946 2005-2006 324,651 35.6 471,409 51.7 115,254 12.7 911,314 2006-2007 326,503 35.5 467,093 51 124,281 13.5 917,877 2007-2008 301370 33.2 480,440 52.9 126,391 13.9 908,201 2009-2010 285399 31.4 497,530 54.6 126,812 14 909,741 2010-2011 276119 30.5 504,024 55.6 125,728 13.9 905,871 2011-2012 275655 30.2 509,979 56 126,240 13.8 911,874 Source: Statistics published by the Educational Center for Research and Development

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Public Sector | 17

Table 1 illustrates the following: Between 1973 and 2012, the student population in Should this trend of decline in the numbers of students pre-university education increased from 665,301 enrolling in Lebanon’s public schools continue, it is to 991,874, i.e. by 246,573 students or 37%. This expected that only 22% of the student population percentage differed from one sector to another. The would attend state schools by 2050. public education sector recorded a decrease in student population from 298,314 to 275,655, i.e. by 22,659 Evolution of School Numbers students or 7.6% while the private sector featured The total number of schools rose from 2299 in 1992 a sharp increase of 114.6% or 272,382 students. A to 2717 in 2012. The highest increase was seen in the limited decrease of 3150 students or 4.4% was evident private sector at 60%. The number of public schools in private free schools during the same period. grew by 1.6% while private free schools shrank by 1.6% as illustrated in the following Table 2. Between 1992 and 2012, the student population grew by 187,041 students or 25.8%. The number of students Evolution of the number of schools by sector Table 2 attending public schools rose by 16.7%, equaling 39,402 students. Similarly, there was an increase in Year Public Private Private free Total both private schools and private free schools with schools schools schools 140,413 additional students or 38% enrolled in the 1991-1992 1262 673 364 2299 former and 7226 students or 6% in the latter. 1992-1993 1296 703 362 2361 The public schools’ share of students dropped from 44.9% in 1973 to 30.2% in 2012, a percentage 1993-1994 1287 786 373 2446 expected to drop further in the next few years if no measures are taken to push up the levels of confidence 1998-1999 1343 985 391 2719 in public education. On the other hand, private schools 1999-2000 1324 972 381 2677 increased their share of student population from 35.7% to 56% while private free schools decreased 2000-2001 1335 959 377 2671 theirs slightly from 19.4% to 13.8%. 2001-2002 1361 967 370 2698 Between 1996 and 2002, private school students moved to public schools, thus pushing its share of 2002-2003 1366 967 371 2704 total student population from 33% up to 39% while the intake of private schools decreased from 54.2% 2003-2004 1394 1014 373 2781 to 48.3%. Private free schools witnessed very small 2004-2005 1405 1026 368 2799 fluctuations with their student share vacillating between 12.7% and 12.8%. 2006-2007 1393 1040 379 2812

As of the scholarly year 2002-2003, the trend was 2009-2010 1365 1073 369 2807 reversed and the size of the student population in the public sector started shrinking, until it reached 30.2% 2010-2011 1281 1072 363 2716 of the total student population by 2012, down from 39%. Conversely, the share of private schools rose 2011-2012 1282 1077 358 2717 from 48.3% to 56%. Source: Educational Center for Research and Development

Private free schools’ student intake decreased from The government does not spend on public education alone, 19.4% in 1973 to 11% in 1997. This sector began its but also on private education through the scholarships and recovery in the following years and hosts today 14% subsidies it offers. In turn, parents bear the expenses of of the student population. The decline in student tuition in private schools, which translates in high costs numbers in this sector is ascribed to the closure of for everyone, while all that is needed is a comprehensive several private free schools due to their incapacity plan aimed at improving the public school system so to bear overheads costs amid the delay in state that the Lebanese have a more balanced choice which contributions. schooling sector they wish to choose.

issue 137 | December 2013 18 | Public Sector

Mixed Marriages in Lebanon (6) Beirut Mohafaza: 35,634 marriages According to the following Table 1, there were 36,634 mixed marriages in the Beirut Mohafaza.

By sect, 9138 marriages occurred between two different Muslim sects, 20,944 between two different Christian sects and 2728 between Muslims and Christians of different sects.

Mixed marriages registered in Beirut Table 1 Sect of the husband otal Latin T Alawi Sunni Sunni Druze Shia’a Others Maronite Evangelical Not specifiedNot Greek Catholic Greek Syrian Catholic Greek OrthodoxGreek Syrian Orthodox Christian diversity Armenian Catholic Sect of the wife Armenian Orthodox

Maronite 3286 1628 539 269 142 260 662 373 141 376 82 34 17 7809

Greek Orthodox 972 768 362 122 151 142 242 159 79 365 58 27 2 2 3451

Greek Catholic 917 1260 276 93 71 100 240 101 60 465 102 10 8 3703

Armenian Orthodox 128 188 91 454 429 74 88 76 39 71 18 5 2 1 1664

Armenian Catholic 100 97 56 674 51 15 51 83 18 21 5 1 1 1 1174

Evangelical 75 223 96 78 29 28 22 12 3 184 21 12 3 786

Syrian Orthodox 71 123 34 99 25 73 365 14 15 30 4 2 855

Syrian Catholic 98 131 82 54 41 13 54 11 23 21 3 1 532

Latin 195 218 188 77 53 10 16 41 9 24 10 7 1 5 854

Other Christians 99 222 98 394 72 1026 51 65 23 24 114 29 6 2 1 2226

Sunni 58 120 47 41 7 15 7 24 16 15 2631 69 36 6 3092

Shia’a 58 78 25 6 5 5 3 9 5 4 6230 42 9 6479

Druze 5 26 6 1 2 2 3 3 1 1 66 13 1 130

Alawi 3 5 2 1 1 2 24 17 55

Not specified 558 391 320 280 46 40 29 61 81 19 620 259 24 4 1 33 2766

Miscellaneous 4 9 1 6 1 2 3 12 7 1 12 58

Total 3341 6377 3442 2887 1220 2028 782 1875 959 452 8623 3259 241 58 1 89 35634

Source: Lebanon’s Civil Registration Records

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Public Sector | 19

Mixed Marriages in Lebanon 173,883 marriages including 11,000 Muslim-Christian unions

The study, which was conducted by Information Table 1 shows that: International on Lebanon’s mixed marriages and which The Maronite denomination is the most open to other has been appearing in sequential issues of The Monthly religious faiths. over the past six months reveals that the number of inter- The numbers of marriages between Sunni and Shia’a faith marital unions in Lebanon amounts to 173,883, i.e. are almost equal. only 15% of the total marriages registered in the country. There are 2,146 Sunni women married to Christian These mixed marriages are distributed as follows: partners. Among those partners, 1,084 are Maronite. 32,231 unions between two different Muslim sects There are 2,146 Shia’a women married to Christian 118,250 unions between two different Christian sects partners. Among those partners, 653 are Maronite. 10,797 unions between Muslims and Christians There are 1,061 Maronite women married to Sunni partners. Mixed marriages between partners of two different There are 624 Maronite women married to Shia’a Christian sects outnumber those registered among those partners. professing Islam and make up around 68% of the total inter- There are 1,128 Greek Orthodox women married to faith marital unions in Lebanon. Interfaith marriages within Sunni partners. the Muslim community account for 18.5% while the lowest There are 400 Greek Orthodox women married to percentage of 6.2% goes for Christian-Muslim marriages. Shia’a partners.

Mixed marriages registered in Lebanon Table 1 Sect of the husband otal Orthodox Latin T Sunni Druze Shia’a Alawite Catholic Maronite Sect of Orthodox Armenian Armenian Evangelical Miscellaneous Greek Catholic Greek Not mentionedNot Syrian Catholic Greek OrthodoxGreek Other Christians the wife Syrian Maronite 17222 16299 1147 660 626 760 1025 1009 305 1061 624 258 30 20 41046

Greek Orthodox 19593 5531 788 263 594 402 402 294 141 1128 400 158 33 10 29737

Greek Catholic 18036 6222 549 312 424 358 368 330 124 945 604 139 7 9 28427 Armenian 1409 614 485 1206 791 121 157 137 57 139 78 19 6 1 5220 Orthodox Armenian 859 272 291 1294 98 38 91 166 24 36 24 6 1 1 3201 Catholic Evangelical 865 771 462 147 47 45 33 24 5 323 134 48 2 4 2910

Syrian Orthodox 1207 510 427 185 63 105 439 29 50 67 25 10 1 1 3119

Syrian Catholic 1084 357 355 112 79 39 131 21 43 49 17 6 4 2297

Latin 1519 568 613 155 103 37 28 58 17 111 91 50 3 6 3359

Other Christians 1196 661 427 691 159 2069 128 99 44 84 228 183 45 10 4 6028

Sunni 1084 549 291 66 20 31 20 31 29 25 13939 432 1755 6 18278

Shia’a 653 243 222 13 7 14 7 11 12 7 14358 244 167 1 15959

Druze 113 70 36 3 2 4 7 4 2 1 124 90 3 1 1 461

Alawite 57 45 8 1 2 2 2 718 398 3 1236

Not specified 3742 1574 1079 398 72 89 59 81 114 29 2167 2516 326 117 4 37 12404

Miscellaneous 46 18 12 7 1 1 2 3 29 62 5 3 12 201

Total 51463 29696 26538 5556 2996 4922 2104 2801 2216 914 21483 19185 1749 2142 5 113 173883 Source: Lebanon’s Civil Registration Records

issue 137 | December 2013 20 | Public Sector Preferential Treatment Expenses of the State Employees Coop: LBP 200 Billion Annually

Contrary to the usual tradition that relies chiefly on competency and qualifications to put an employee ahead of another, the benefits and indemnities of state employees in Lebanon are not a function of skills but rather depend on the administration or ministry employing them and under-achieving members might profit from promotion and compensations if they happen to work in a “lucky” administration.

The following are samples of the contributions and Dentistry: Around 50% to 75% of the dentistry indemnities that public employees receive in their services are covered currently, which translates respective administrations: into an annual cost of LBP 460 million. The proposed amendment requests raising the rate of Ministry of Justice: A judicial collaborative fund assistance to 90%, that is an annual cost of LBP with contributions amounting to LBP 750 000 for 553 million and an increase of LBP 93 million. each employee every two months. Hospitalization: Around 75% to 90% of the Banque du Liban: A 16-month annual pay, soft hospitalization services are covered currently, loans and scholarships reaching USD 5000 in which translates into an annual cost of LBP 125 secondary education and USD 8000 in higher million. The proposed amendment requests raising education. the rate of assistance to 100%, that is an annual Ministry of Finance: Revenues climbing as high cost of LBP 138 million and an increase of LBP as LBP 5 million annually. 13 million. Water authorities: Shares of the collected revenues Education: The Coop employees benefit currently Ministry of Telecommunications: A phone from 75% assistance for education, which allowance of LBP 125 000 per month translates into an annual cost of LBP 362 million. The proposed amendment requests full education Electricité du Liban: An electricity allowance of coverage, at an annual cost of LBP 488 million LBP 125 000 per month, shares of the collected and an increase of LBP 126 million. revenues and full medical assistance. Social Security: A 15-month annual pay, full education scholarships and a 90% medical The overall expenses would thus climb up to LBP coverage. 1,179 million, an increase by LBP 232 million. The Coop staff believes these are the minimum rights and allocations they should be given in recognition of Deprived Coop the services they provide to the rest of civil servants. Their call for better pay and wider benefits is likely The staff at the State Employees Coop complains to set the path for similar demands from under-paid that the medical and educational benefits they receive employees in different sectors, which highlights once are incommensurate with the tasks and duties they again the need for a unified benefit allocation system perform. In a corrective attempt, the State employees that eliminates the bias and determines pay in line Coop submitted a draft proposal aimed at amending with the respective ranks and qualifications. the system of benefits, particularly those related to hospitalization and education.

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Public Sector | 21 General Directorate of General Security From the Maronite to the Shia’a

The General Directorate of General Security is one of Lebanon’s four security apparatuses, which also include the Lebanese Army, the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces and the General Directorate of State Security.

However, contrary to its counterparts, the role of this Fighting dissolved parties and secret and banned apparatus goes beyond security and military functions, associations. for it also assumes administrative responsibilities by Preparing the notices and the prosecutions related to issuing Lebanese passports, visas and residence permits. banning travel and entry to the country as well as looking for information on suspects. Establishment Participating in the surveillance of the territorial, The General Security was established during the maritime and aerial frontiers. year that followed the creation of the state of Greater Lebanon, pursuant to decision No. 1601 dated January Monitoring audiovisual broadcasting stations and 5, 1921. The General Security was initially known as the movie recording videos. First Office and was transformed into a general security Preparing studies related to regulating the censorship directorate within the Ministry of Interior pursuant to on printed publications and recordings, as well as Decree No. 3845/k issued on August 27, 1945, which regulating censorship on press and media outlets. is considered the actual date of its establishment. The Providing the facilities required by foreigner parties Beirut-based directorate may initiate branches across concerning the delegations, missions, invitations Lebanon. It falls directly under the Ministry of Interior and meetings for the Arab and foreign visitors. and is headed by a director. The first appointed Director Keeping an eye on all that is related to foreigners General was Edward Abou Jaoude. including their entry to Lebanon, their stay and departure in addition to observing their movements Security Functions and ensuring their safety. The laws in force have granted the General Directorate Preparing correspondence related to foreigners’ of General Security powers in the security, media and deportations and to security-related incidents. administrative sectors such as: Gathering political, economic and social information Following up on the affairs related to the stay of for the government. foreigners. Evaluating, analyzing and exploiting all the Coordinating the relations with the foreign missions information in different domains. in Lebanon. Participating in Judicial investigations within the Implementing all the duties of contacts and relations limits of offenses committed against the internal or between the Arab and foreign embassies and external security of the State. diplomatic missions as well as the international and Arab organizations within the framework of Monitoring the preparation and implementation of trainings and educational sessions abroad. security measures. Controlling and facilitating the arrival and departure Fighting whatever endangers the security by the of foreign travelers. means of surveillance and prosecuting those who engage in sabotage, troublemakers and those who Escorting foreign statesmen arriving in Lebanon spread rumors that could jeopardize the security. and ensuring their security during their visit on the Lebanese territories.

issue 137 | December 2013 22 | Public Sector

Delivering transit passports. Post Staff in 1959 Staff in 1974

Delivering permanent and temporary residence Director General 1 1 permit cards. Commissioned Officer 16 250 Organizing and delivering travel documents for the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon or arriving from First Excellent Inspector 7 abroad. 200 Excellent Inspector 15 Issuing entry visas. First Degree Inspector 40 Supervising all the applications related to 800 Second Degree naturalization requests and personal status. Inspector 100 Escorting the Lebanese statesmen. Third Degree Inspector 35 1000 Officer 70 Staff of the General Directorate of General Security Administrative Officer 5 20 The vast range of functions demanded from the General Contract engineers, - 8 Security and its increasing scope of work has entailed physicians, dentists a significant expansion in its manpower, particularly Technicians - 40 in the past couple of decades. The number of staff Delegated Staff (Judge - 11 increased from 289 in 1959 to 330 in 1961 and further and Grade 3 employee) to 650 in 1971. By 1974, the General Security was Wage-earner - 100 providing 2430 jobs, a number that soared to around 8001 by 2013. Total 289 2430 Souce: Official website of the General Directorate of General Security

Staff in 2013 as determined by Post Staff in 1990 Staff in 1992 Staff in 1996 Decree no. 9945 dated 25-2-2013

Director General 1 1 1 1

Brigadier General 6 10 20 30

Colonel 25 30 38 60

Major/ Lieutenant 40 ( Major) 80 ( Major) 55 110 Colonel 60 (Lieutenant Colonel) 130 (Lieutenant Colonel)

Captain 70 75 90 150

First Lieutenant, 90 (First Lieutenant) 140 210 300 Lieutenant 120 (Lieutenant)

Chief Warrant Officer Inspector/ Warrant - 500 525 1000 Officer Inspector

First Excellent Inspector/ 800 900 900 1500 Excellent Inspector

First Degree Inspector/ Second Degree 1200 1250 1250 2000 Inspector

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Public Sector | 23

Staff in 2013 as determined by Post Staff in 1990 Staff in 1992 Staff in 1996 Decree no. 9945 dated 25-2-2013

Third Degree Inspector/ 2000 2500 2500 2500 Officer

Administrative Officer 20 20 20 20

Contract engineers, - 20 20 20 physicians, professors

Technician - 74 74 74

Delegated Staff - 11 11 11

Wage-earner - 125 125 125

Total 4,317 5,826 5,894 8,001

Souce: Official website of the General Directorate of General Security

Directors General 15 Directors General have succeeded to the presidency of the General Security since 1948 as illustrated in Table 3. It has been generally accepted that the director Director General From To general of this security apparatus should be a Maronite or belonging to any other Christian community. Prince Farouk Abillamah 14- 04-1977 22-09-1982 However, the norm changed in 1998 following the election of Emile Lahoud as President of the Republic and the post was handed to the Shia’a who in turn Mr. Zahi Bustani 11- 12-1982 10-04-1984 surrendered the State Security to the Catholics. The Maronite felt wronged by this compromise, which, Dr. Jamil Nehme 10-04-1984 11-10-1988 according to them, disturbed the sectarian balance established in public administrations. Major General Brigadier Nadim Lteif 11-10-1988 18-01-1991 Jamil Sayyed became the first Shia’a to assume the post of Director General, while Prince Farid Chehab Mr. Raymond Rafael 18-01-1991 21-12-1998 was branded as the longest serving Director General with approximately 10 years in office. Major General P.S.C Jamil Al 21-12-1998 05-05-2005 Sayed

Interim General Assaad El- 05-05-2005 07-10-2005 Director General From To Takash

Major General P.S.C Wafic 07-10-2005 04-12-2010 Prince Farid Shehab 31-07-1948 19-09-1958 Jezzini

04-12-2010 13-12-2010 General Toufic Jalbout (he had Interim General Siham Harake the rank of Captain when he 03-10-1958 31-12-1964 assumed office) Interim General Raymond 13-12-2010 20-07-2010 Khattar Mr. Joseph Salameh 07-01-1965 21- 07- 1971 Major General P.S.C Abbas 21-7-2011 - Brigadier General Antoine Ibrahim 21-10-1971 1-11-1976 Dahdah Souce: Official website of the General Directorate of General Security

issue 137 | December 2013 24 | Electoral laws

Israeli Knesset 120 Members Elected on Proportional and Partisan Basis

The national legislature of Israel is known as the Knesset, a Hebrew name meaning ‘assembly’. As reiterated by Israeli politicians, the Knesset is elected according to an electoral law attentive to securing fair representation of the diverse groups making up the Israeli community.

Number of MPs Bloc No. of Members The Israeli Knesset is composed of 120 members, each belonging to a registered political party and Likud Yisrael Beiteinu 31 serving as representative thereof. Yesh Atid 19 Voting and Candidacy Ages Israeli Labor Party 15 The minimum age of voting according to the Israeli The Jewish Home 12 law is 18 and Israelis have full right not to exercise this optional right. The candidacy age stands at 21. Shas 11 Term of Office United Torah Judaism 7 The Israeli Knesset is elected to office for 4 Hatnuah headed by Tzipi Livni 6 consecutive years and has the right to dissolve itself and call for early elections by a simple majority of Meretz 6 61 votes. Hadash 4 (Arabs)

Voting System United Arab List 4 (Arabs) Israel adopts a proportional party-list voting system to allocate Knesset seats. The number of seats that each Balad 3 (Arabs) list is assigned is proportional to the number of votes Kadima 2 it receives, granted that it passes an election threshold of 2% of the overall vote. Candidates cannot run for Total 120 Knesset except through registered party lists and thus voters select the party of their choice, not any specific candidate. A barrage of comments and analyses the most expressive of which was the following statement Women’s Quota issued by Aljazeera Net followed the Israeli electoral The Israeli electoral law does not assign a specific results: quota for women. In the most recent elections, 27 women accounting for 22.5% of the total members “In its 65-year history, Israel has completed elections made it to the Knesset compared to 23 women in the for the 19th Knesset while some Arab countries previous elections. are still hardly acquainted with elections… This suggests that Israel does not defy the Arab world Current Knesset with its military capacities, technical advancement The latest parliamentary elections of Israel were held and the well-being of its people only, but also with its on January 22, 2013. Out of 23 parties that ran the education system and universities as well as its press electoral contest, 12 managed to gain seats, including and research centers and above all with its democracy, 3 Arab parties that snatched 11 seats. The results elections and rotation of power.” broke down as follows:

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Health |25

Testosterone |Dr. Hanna Saadah|

The word ‘testis’ derives from Latin, meaning witness, presumably because the testicles testify that the newborn child is male. In the 19th century, Arnold Berthold began work on testicular function by castrating and transplanting testicles in fowl. In 1889, Brown Séquard injected himself with an extract of dog and guinea pig testicles, and reported transient rejuvenation. In 1927, Fred Koch, using 40 pounds of bovine testicles, extracted 20 mg of a substance, which re-masculinized castrated roosters, pigs, and rats. This testicular hormone substance, which was isolated and synthetized in 1935, was aptly named Testosterone.

Testosterone, which is also produced by the ovaries and unexplained fatigue, and age-related muscle wasting with adrenal glands, promotes sexual development, increases increased abdominal fat. Inappropriate use of testosterone, bone and muscle mass, prevents osteoporosis, and is which is also widely practiced, may increase blood volume, essential for health and well-being. Males produce worsen sleep apnea, enhance baldness, cause testicular twenty times more testosterone than females and their atrophy, and reduce sperm counts. In the US, testosterone blood levels are 7 times higher, but females are more prescriptions have increased 500% between 1993 and 2000, sensitive to the effects of testosterone, which promote and that pattern continues today, fueled by the numerous pubic and axillary hair, clitoral enlargement, sexual advertisements advocating the use of testosterone. desire, sexual function, and post-orgasmic relaxation. A pivotal study by Finkelstein et al. published on September In men, testosterone also acts as a health hormone, 12, 2013, in the New England Journal of Medicine has promoting cardiovascular health, reducing body fat, clarified some of our current misconceptions. By looking blood sugar, and blood pressure, increasing well-being at both testosterone and estrogen levels in men, they found and energy, and delaying the frailty of age. Higher that the consequences of reduced testicular function are testosterone levels increase romantic competitiveness caused by both testosterone and estradiol deficiencies: and its levels decline after men fall in love and father children. Moreover, men who maintain higher levels a) Abdominal fat accumulation, which begins during have more extramarital sex, drink and smoke more, mild testosterone deficiency, is mainly caused by the low and sustain more personal injuries. estrogen levels. The accumulated visceral fat increases resistance to insulin, increases blood lipids, invites Currently, testosterone replacement therapy is diabetes, and increases strokes and heart attacks. fashionable and widely prescribed for both men and women. For women, it is mainly given to improve b) Muscle and bone strength begin to decline mainly libido. However, other uses include improving when testosterone deficiency becomes severe, leading bone and muscle mass, fatigue, and certain types of to falls, fractures, and dependency. depression. Potential side effects in women include acne, increased facial hair, decreased scalp hair, and c) Poor libido and erectile dysfunction are a consequence increased risk in breast and gynecological cancers. The of both low testosterone and low estrogen levels. science, concerning when to prescribe testosterone for Therefore, blaming male decline on testosterone women and in what dose, is still developing. Current deficiency alone is no longer tenable. Estrogens play treatment trends, which are based on hormone levels, a key role in regulating body fat, sexual function, and clinical experience, and female demand may radically bone metabolism. As both estrogen and testosterone change once controlled data become available. deficiencies produce the decline, both estrogen and Women who have lost their ovaries, are on the birth control testosterone are needed to treat it. Luckily, treating pill, or are going through menopause, tend to have lower with testosterone alone does provide sufficient estrogen testosterone levels, but many continue to have healthy because estradiol is a natural metabolite of testosterone. libidos. Treating these women based on blood levels Whereas only 20% of men over sixty are testosterone alone is not supported by science. Treating women, who deficient, 50% of men over eighty become deficient. are suffering from significant anxiety and depression with Therefore, measuring both testosterone and estradiol hormones, based on their blood or saliva levels, is also levels might prove more helpful in assessing sexual unsupported by science even though it is widely practiced. dysfunction, bone and muscle loss, fat accumulation, In contrast, current treatment in men is primarily based on and geriatric frailty. However, men should only be blood testosterone levels, but levels are only measured if there treated with testosterone because treating them with are compelling reasons such as poor libido, osteoporosis, estrogen will cause chemical castration.

www.hannasaadah.com - www.information-international.com - [email protected] issue 137 | December 2013 26|eyeing horizons

|Antoine Boutros| The Order versus Chaos Controversy

Saturn is considered one of the most peculiar planets of our solar system. It is best known among scientists and in the imagination of people for its fascinating rings. Its eccentricity, however, is attributed to one of its moons, which goes under the name of Hyperion and is distinguished by its irregular potato-like shape. When it spins around Saturn, Hyperion is turned upside down.

Contrary to its predictable and orderly orbit, the Until recently, scientists have been trying to explain rotation of Hyperion exhibits chaotic and irregular the difference between order and chaos in a direct variations. While most celestial bodies have a ball- manner by simply saying that this system is complex. rolling motion, Hyperion’s motion resembles that But complexity is no sufficient justification, for of a ball hitting the ground then bouncing up only chaos may originate from a system with the utmost to fall and rebound again to infinity. What happens simplicity. The difference, apparently, lies in the exactly to make way for this puzzling rotational distinctive natures of order and chaos. For instance, behavior? the factors responsible for the ebbs and flows interact with each other in a systematic manner Early in history, the rotational period of Hyperion that may be predicted beforehand, thus imparting around its own axis (length of a day on Hyperion) a manifestation of order. The weather, on the other was by far faster than its rotational period around hand, depends on changeable elements interacting Saturn (length of a year). Its motion was orderly at in irregular ways that are hard to foretell in advance. the time. With time, the gravitational force of Saturn This implies that the weather belongs to the world led to slowing down Hyperion’s self rotational of chaos or blindness. period and made it assume a spinning top form. Due to friction, Hyperion continued to lose its energy until it reached a level equaling its irregular motion. Maritime meteorology can In a matter of days, the stability of millions of years “predict the ebbs and flows for the disappeared, giving way to multi-directional chaotic long haul and there even exist variations during 3 or 4 orbital cycles. accurate charts detailing these tidal movements for the future Such unfathomable phenomena are not restricted to fields that are remote from everyday life. In fact, years. However, aircraft navigators they encircle the human life from all its sides. A cannot obtain similar predictions veteran seaman is capable of knowing the temper of the weather patterns, even if just of the sea. Maritime meteorology can predict the for hours or a couple of days ebbs and flows for the long haul and there even exist “ accurate charts detailing these tidal movements for the future years. However, aircraft navigators In the early 1960s, and in order to study weather cannot obtain similar predictions of the weather conditions, American scientist Edward Lorenz patterns, even if just for hours or a couple of days. was conducting a number of experiments at the Even the supercomputers with the most advanced renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology and fastest processors fail to crack the code of long- using computer simulations to generate weather range weather forecasts. Why is that? patterns. Wishing to reexamine a number of

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. www.irthsumer.com - www.information-international.com - [email protected] eyeing horizons |27

The Order versus Chaos Controversy

findings, Lorenz ran his program again. In order to surprise emerged when Feigenbaum spotted beautiful save time, he entered the values that his computer mapping patterns during the transformation of digits had calculated and reported, and which differed from regularity to non-regularity. He also observed slightly from the initial values, expecting to reach that dissimilar equations produce the same patterns similar results. When he returned to his office one during the transition from order to chaos, noting that hour later, he realized that the predictions were a constant numerical value has always underlain absolutely different. In other words, the minor these patterns. This discovery constituted a major imperceptible differences spotted at the time of entry milestone that allowed the study of the dividing line evolved rapidly into system-level variations that between orderly and chaotic behaviors. affected the entire output resulting in significantly different outcomes. A new science germinated from The chaos theory unravels an entirely odd, rather this observation, unveiling many of enigmas and new, universe. It gives rise to new mathematics and perplexing phenomena ranging between disruption, introduces a radical view toward the eccentricities complexity and chaos. and peculiarities of nature. This view is premised on the idea that a bewildering discipline underlies the apparent chaos of the world and that this discipline The chaos theory unravels an can be understood through modern tools and “entirely odd, rather new, universe. methods and a fresh look into the world. It gives rise to new mathematics and introduces a radical view toward If we go back to the Hyperion example and its the eccentricities and peculiarities vacillation between order and chaos, we realize that of nature. This view is premised these two paradoxical phenomena are manifestations on the idea that a bewildering of the celestial bodies’ motion and are governed by discipline underlies the apparent different physical laws: inevitable laws as to location chaos of the world and that this on the one hand and random ones as to direction discipline can be understood on the other. In this sense, the solar winds or the through modern tools and methods gas clouds between planets may be deemed random and a fresh look into the world stimuli affecting the direction that Hyperion takes. “ However, this is not possible because the same In the mid 1970s, while working at the Los Alamos laws, Newton laws of motion and gravity, provide National Laboratory in New Mexico, mathematical explanations for both the regular and non-regular physicist Mitchell Feigenbaum noticed patterns of phenomena, in the motion of Hyperion. regularity in the behavior of simple mathematical equations when repeated each time the results This makes it all the more complicated. What is the were fed into the computer as computations. It truth of the matter, then? This, we will answer in our is established among mathematicians that the next issue. equations can be treated to produce a predictable linear sequence of digits, then a non-linear one. The

issue 137 | December 2013 28| Interview

The Monthly Interviews

nasser omar Head of al-Heri Municipality Al-Heri goes solar

Although being home to one of the largest cement companies in Lebanon, the town of al-Heri lies along a beautiful sandy shore known for its pure waters and its soft, powdery sand, which have made it a destination for several tourist and maritime facilities. The Monthly interviewed the Head of al-Heri Nasser Omar Municipality on the achievements, future projects and the living conditions in the town.

In order to ensure constant supply of power, we purchased electricity generators and recruited workers to install power lines to all residents, all at What are the major milestones that the premium cost. This project was made possible thanks municipality has achieved on the levels of to the support of the Social and Cultural Development infrastructure, environment and economic and Association (INMA) and helped provide labor administrative reform? opportunities to the people. Rampant prostitution has been brought to a halt and the municipality has The municipal council started its activities from undertaken the maintenance of al-Heri’s mosque scratch 20 years ago. Sidewalks were a central point and remains in charge of the monthly pay and the of attention as the town was completely devoid of transportation expenses of the Imam running the roads and sidewalks. We built sidewalks and load- mosque. bearing walls and introduced paved roads. We also made roadways from the highway to the center of the In terms of sewage disposal, al-Heri was initially town to alleviate the transport burdens and facilitate excluded from the sanitary sewerage plan that the movements of the residents. The main entrance covered Anfeh and Shekka, but the municipality into al-Heri was expanded after the acquisition of the followed the matter with the Ministry of Water and land necessary for the realization of the project. Energy and processed the necessary paperwork,

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Interview |29

which yielded eventually the acceptance of al-Heri and medical aid to the disadvantaged and the low- to the project. The same applied to the potable income families in al-Heri, not to mention that we water project following our communication with the assist with equipment and office supplies to both the Council of Development and Reconstruction and Internal Security Forces and the Civil Defense. We the relevant authorities. The project is approaching even undertake the repairing of their vehicles and the completion but there still remains a small part of the cleaning of their offices. town uncovered. Are there any major obstacles that impede the In addition to the above, we have taken the work of the municipal council? unprecedented step of launching a solar power campaign across the town in a bid to mitigate adverse Like most Lebanese towns, al-Heri suffers from a environmental impacts, produce energy and reduce swelling influx of Syrian refugees. Their numbers power bills. This initiative falls under the Ministry have grown to about 500, that is half the town’s of Water and Energy’s plan to promote solar heating population size. This has overstrained the public installation. In cooperation with KYPROS and utility networks and imposed larger expenses on the the Social and Cultural Development Association municipality, especially in terms of waste collection. (INMA), the municipality managed to install around 130 solar heaters to al-Heri residents, all free of The presence of cement plants in the town has charge. This project is aimed at transforming al-Heri naturally promoted the spreading of toxic dust, into an exemplary environmental town. which has proved detrimental to both health and environment.

What are the future projects you are planning at In cooperation with KYPROS the moment? “and the Social and Cultural Development Association (INMA), Currently, we are in the process of constructing a water the municipality managed to tank to provide enough supply to all households. We install around 130 solar heaters have also started building a medical dispensary, but to al-Heri residents, all free of the project is moving slowly due to lack of funds. charge. “ What are the main sources of municipal income? Al-Heri’s municipality depends first and foremost The beach has been taken meticulous care of. We on the collection of taxes from the tourist facilities organized regular cleaning campaigns and kept and the HOLCIM cement company operating in the it under surveillance day and night to curb any town. We also have our share of revenues from the encroachments. Fully aware of the immense perils and Independent Municipal Fund. The amount projected the detrimental effects of sand extraction on marine for this year was LBP 110 million, but we so far have life, the municipality challenged the endeavors aimed received only half of it. at extracting sand from al-Heri’s basin and was able, after a tugging war and a round of lawsuits, to suspend How many employees are there in the municipality? the project. In addition, we undertook the restoration and the equipment of a fishery port. There are 16 workers, 2 full-timers and 14 working on daily basis. On the social level, 5 to 6 million Lebanese pounds are distributed every month in the form of social

issue 137 | December 2013 30 | Culture, religion & Art

Assabil

Establishment Aware of the importance of reading and public libraries in empowering individuals and developing communities and knowing that knowledge is a key factor in fostering true citizenship, Assabil was founded in 1997 as a non-governmental association aimed at establishing, developing and advertizing public libraries across Lebanon as well as encouraging socio-cultural activities that inspire people to visit such libraries. Allowing public libraries to develop individuals An 18-member administrative committee including and communities. people with extensive expertise manages the Providing free and unlimited access to knowledge association. Assabil opened Beirut’s first municipal as being an essential prerequisite for the public library in the Bachoura area in 2000. The development of a well-informed citizenry and project was carried out in cooperation with the democratic society. Municipality of Beirut, which offered the building, and the Regional Council of Ile de France, which Activities provided the equipment and the books. The second Assabil coordinates a network of 30 libraries located public library was established in Geitawi in 2004 outside Beirut and supports them by: thanks to support from the Heinrich Böll Foundation. Providing books. Four years later, another library was set up in Monot Transferring expertise by organizing training Street, Beirut. workshops to libraries’ staff. Involving them in the activities held by the All three libraries are open to all citizens, with no association (seminars, inviting authors and discrimination of any kind as to social or economic intellectuals, etc). class, thus facilitating encounters between people of Promoting their role as a point of convergence different social, religious and political backgrounds between people as well as their mission in raising and allowing them to come together and exchange awareness and reviving reading. views and ideas. The association’s resource and training center is located in Ras Nabe’e and is only In addition, the association holds a series of activities open for teachers, librarians, educators and specialists. of which we highlight the following: A cultural event held every Monday and covering Objectives music, poetry, cinema, etc. Assabil aims first and foremost at: Free storytelling hour every Friday and Saturday. Shifting the focus from infrastructure to human Consultancy services and transfer of expertise. capital building. Hosting international authors in a number of public Establishing and supporting public libraries that libraries within Assabil network what is known as are free and open to all. the Neighborhood project. Providing a space to promote social and cultural National reading week under the auspices of the exchanges. Minister of Culture.

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Culture, religion & Art | 31

Horsh Beirut Festival, which was held this year in Assabil is planning to launch Beirut’s largest public the last two weeks of September and featured musical library in Tareeq Jdideh by the end of 2014. It is events, plays for kids, poetry evenings etc. with the noteworthy that the association runs all these activities aim of promoting vibrant public spaces through in cooperation with the Municipality of Beirut, which nature. supports Assabil through an annual donation of LBP 200 million. Funds are also provided from several international organizations including the Regional Assabil is planning to launch Council of Ile de France (CRIF), Heinrich Böll “Beirut’s largest public library in Foundation, Open Society Institute, etc. in addition Tareeq Jdideh by the end of 2014 to individual donations in cash or books.

“ Obstacles Another example of the achievements of Assabil is The obstacles that restrict the work of Assabil include: the Kotobus, a mobile library launched in 2008 and The absence of a widespread culture of reading circulating in the Southern and Northern Suburbs of among the Lebanese. Beirut. The Kotobus visits public schools and allows The difficulty in finding free public spaces and their students to benefit from books and other book- covering overhead expenses. related services. Meager funds.

issue 137 | December 2013 32 | Culture, religion & Art popular culture

At the American University: Senior Year

I packed my luggage and returned to my village to enjoy some tranquility before the start of the university.

During registration for the third year, I enrolled for a course I would never forget. I forgot all about mathematics and nothing of chemistry stayed in my head, but this course, I could not wipe off my memory: Astronomy with Mr. Brown. The course unfolded an infinite universe before our eyes. It dwarfed us into particles of dust, unseen except under a microscope. I took a class on education with Mr. Boulos Khoury. All that I recall of it is an educational reformer whose name was quite appealing to my ears: Pestalozzi. I also attended a moral science class with Father Crawford and a psychology class with the two-meter tall long Mr. Cilly, of which I recall nothing.

I left no stone unturned in my search for a summer job. I needed to pay my fourth year tuition and I did not wish to spend the summer in Ras el-Matn. What should I do?

The people of Ras-Beirut used to move up to their mountain residences for the summer to spend the vacation in a lovely weather. Some of them would seek a volunteer to look after their homes in their absence. The Alumni Association secretary who liked me asked if I would like to sleep over and keep an eye on his home during the summer. I welcomed the idea, packed my things and moved to Chahade Chahade’s house. He was even thoughtful enough to send me clusters of Zahle’s grapes during the vacation.

Finally, an unexpected blessing came my way. An Egyptian female journalist, working in the field of feminism, wanted to learn English. She knew the principles but was seeking deeper knowledge to be able to read the Andre Gide book on economics, which had been translated into English. She needed one hour’ tuition every morning and would pay 75 piasters. Excellent, I thought!

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. debunking myth #76 Culture, religion & Art | 33

Is the Gulf Region a Paradise for Workers?

Myth: Arab Gulf countries and more specifically the United Arab Emirates have been praised for the ample opportunities they provide not only to their nationals, but also to foreigners in search of better work conditions. Finding a job seems much easier than in one’s own country, the money seems to come easy, and all with a glitzy glamorous lifestyle to enjoy outside of the work environment.

Fact: Migrant workers from different parts of the world are continuously flocking to the UAE with the expectation of finding numerous opportunities and better salaries. And this rings true in cases if you are an engineer or a financial consultant. If you are a lower income worker, the picture is not so rosy, as it is mostly this sector of the labor market that bears the burden of archaic labor laws. In the forefront, this is manifest in the prohibition of trade unions and strikes- UAE penal code can even enforce punishment on workers, who in as little in number as three refrain from coming to work. On a more mundane basis, this translates to inhumane working conditions and of suicidal tendencies among workers. Coming from lower income countries in Africa and South East Asia, migrant workers are lured by the luxurious image of the Arab Emirates. Much like migrant workers who move to Lebanon, these laborers usually arrive with the burden of debt to the recruitment agency that charges unrealistic amounts for visa processes and travel expenses. Deceived by the salaries they are promised, paying off these debts seems feasible upon the first few months of work. Sooner or later, many find out that their jobs actually pay a lot less than they were advertised for. Low incomes trap workers in between trying to pay debts, and trying to send money back home to their families. Though in effect prohibited by the government, the confiscation of passports is still commonplace. Therefore many are unable to leave and are obliged to stay and work, especially since they cannot afford tickets to go back home. The result is exceptionally long labor hours and appalling work conditions such as physically straining construction work in the desert heat, or exploitation as a domestic worker. Apart from the work stress, laborers are made to live in overcrowded camps out in the desert and away from the bright lights of the cities. With not many options for relief, a trend of suicide has emerged among Southeast Asian workers in the Gulf. The Indian consulate in Dubai has explained that on average 2 Indian migrant workers commit suicide weekly. Most memorable is the story of the Indian worker who jumped off the 147th floor of Borj Khalifa in May 2011. Are Gulf countries really providing improved work conditions? In that regard, do they even stand out from other developing nations at all?

issue 137 | December 2013 34 | Culture, religion & Art must-read books

Secret of the State at the General Security* Nicolas Nassif

Since its establishment, the General Security has been playing a pivotal and decisive role in the Lebanese life at the level of security, politics and administration. This body has a wide array of responsibilities that cover the diverse aspects of the Lebanese life. In his book Secret of the State- Chapters in the History of the General Security 1945-1977, Lebanese author and journalist Nicolas Nassif unravels some of the secrecy that has often shrouded the political and security functions and achievements of this apparatus. Yet, there remain many secrets in the modern history of the General Security in particular that are left unsaid for fear that their disclosure could expose their holders to undesirable risks. The book delves into five main eras that marked the early formation of the General Security. was motivated by a number of reasons drafted by Bechara Qahwaji: “Public and secret meetings have First/ Nuclear Era: Edward Abou Jaoudeh serious implications on social movements and must (1945-1948) be addressed closely by the General Security. They constitute an effective method in influencing the This stage was known for its tight supervision of masses and stirring public opinion, particularly those political parties, mainly those that were banned that are held behind closed doors because they are such as the Syrian Social Nationalist Party and the usually aimed against the policies and safety of the Communist Party. Motivated by the extensive state. It is necessary to keep track of the activities expertise he had gained from the Police Directorate, of individuals, parties and organizations in order to Commissioner Bechara Qahwaji suggested that the know the time and whereabouts of their meetings General Security ought to steer attention towards and keep an eye on them when in session, either this type of data collection. Political parties had by attending in person when the meetings are held risen significantly since the mid 1940s following the openly or by designating a member trusted to gather different roles they had assumed during the battle the adequate information or by secretly investigating of independence in shaping the national political the news through the attendees themselves or through and options as well as Lebanon’s relationships with loyal informed sources.” Syria, the Arabs and the West. Holding dissenting ideologies and beliefs, these parties entered in local According to Nassif, Abou Jaoudeh left no lasting conflicts in the Lebanese towns and villages and raced influence on the General Security. His tenure was against each other to promote their visions and attract a short transitional period that lacked experience supporters from among the young in the schools and and organization and was marked by occasional neighborhoods. chaos. He assumed his role inspired by President Bechara Khoury and left his post mysteriously, Upon the instructions of Bechara Qahwaji, the moving to the General Directorate of the Ministry General Security Chief issued on March 18, 1946 of Education. Later under the presidential term of a memorandum number 16, which authorized the Camille Chamoun, he was dismissed from service General Security personnel to monitor the activities and moved into the banking industry. In 1960, he of political parties and associations. This mission ran for Parliament but did not succeed.

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Culture, religion & Art | 35

Second/ Singularity Era: Farid Chehab (1948- 1958) Farid Chehab was the longest serving chief of the “Your visit is much appreciated. But nevertheless I General Security. The 10 years he spent in office were wish to investigate,” Qahwaji replied politely. marked by several crises mainly those in 1952 when President Bechara Khoury was forced to resign and Qahwaji was used to conveying the image of a in 1958 at the end of Camille Chamoun’s presidential knowing man in front of everyone. He put embassies term. under surveillance and tapped phone conversations using the large headsets and the “eavesdropping The Secret Archives Department was activated and table” initiated by the French mandate in 1939 in gained a high standing by Chehab, between 1957 order to monitor all the telegrams, messages and and 1958. During this time, he issued circulars to all phone calls that could help in tracking the suspects ministries, public administrations and municipalities posing threats to France in Lebanon. Eavesdropping as well as the Gendarmerie Command and the Police was at the heart of the measures taken by the French Directorate urging them not to appoint or recruit authorities to secure the safety of its troops and any employee except upon the approval of the monitor the movements and resistance schemes of Political Department at the General Security tasked their Lebanese rivals. As soon as the Lebanese were with examining his conduct, partisan affiliation and handed down the Telephone Authority after the criminal background to verify that he had not been withdrawal of the French troops, the “eavesdropping convicted or part of any banned party. The findings table” became part of the responsibilities given to the of the investigations that the successive Chiefs of General Security under the control of Edward Abou the Investigation Department, Hussein Nasrallah and Jaoudeh in 1948. Bechara Qahwaji, used to conduct prior to referring the arrested people to the judiciary were added to Information gathered from the wiretaps was not all the Department records. Upon arrest of a suspect, recorded in official reports. The General Security Nasrallah and Qahwaji would inquire from the Secret Chief would decide what was fit to be transmitted Archives Department about his file and gather all to higher authorities and would cut out some of information related to him to form links based on the content including slander and defamation. The potential previous offences. President of the Republic received many such reports- in Arabic, French or both- some of which Former Shura Council Head, Judge Youssef Saadallah were written by hand and others on a typewriter. Farid Khoury (1983-1990) recounts that in the wake of his Chehab jotted down wiretapping notes containing success in the Judicial Assistant Contest in 1955, he insults made by a number of politicians against him was summoned by the General Security Political personally during internal or external phone calls Department and informed that his affiliation with the with Damascus. He never hesitated in writing down banned Syrian Social Nationalist Party had thwarted the accusations thrown at him. his appointment to the post. Khoury’s descent from the nationalist town of Ain Akrin reinforced the Wiretapping became a regular source for secrets and allegations brought against him. information throughout Chehab’s term and he was the first to assign this mission to the General Security “There is a black spot in your history that hinders before it was snatched by the Second Division in the your appointment”, Bechara Qahwaji told him. Judge 1960s. Farid Chehab collected all handwritten and Khoury denied any connection to the SSNP, asserting typed wiretapping reports, thereby making a huge that he and his family supported the Phalanges archive for himself, even after leaving the directorate, Party, but he Head of the Political Department was because of the precision of the data it provided, not persuaded and needed someone to vouch for the mainly relating to the turbulent 1950s. accuracy of the defense. Seeking help, Judge Khoury dropped by the pharmacy of the Head of the Phalanges Party, Pierre Gemayel, in the Martyrs’ Square requesting his interference. The next day, Gemayel Third/ Construction Era: Toufic Jalbout (1958- headed to the Political Department accompanied by the 1964) Personal Status General Director Farid Habib. The two Captain Toufic Jalbout was an army officer who stressed to Qahwaji that, unlike Ain Akrin’s Khoury was appointed to chair the General Security at the fellows who are known to be SSNP loyalists, Youssef beginning of Fouad Chehab’s presidential term. Saadallah Khoury and his family were Phalangist.

issue 137 | December 2013 36 | Culture, religion & Art

He initiated a number of administrative reforms that would assume the form of a coup d’etat, Jalbout highlighted below: was taken aback that the party followed through with its escapade. Practicing more sternness in implementing the legal procedures necessary to grant foreigners Fourth/ Atrophy Era: Joseph Salameh (1965- annual cards of residency, especially after detecting 1971) fake Lebanese IDs in circulation and discovering that a number of Mukhtars and policemen were Nassif branded the chairmanship of Joseph Salameh involved in the forgery. over the General Security under the presidential term of Charles Helou as being a phase of atrophy marked Reducing the time frame allotted for the by the diminishing role of the General Security and completion of certain transactions and specifying its transformation into a mere civil institution. the maximum processing time for the issuance of a passport to 3 days. Jalbout also introduced Fifth/ Significance Era: Antoine Dahdah (1971- the red-inked application for expedited passport 1977) processing without charging extra fees. Thus, the Colonel Antoine Dahdah moved to head the General General Security was capable in just 3 months of Security from the Lebanese Navy. His brother, issuing 400 passports per day. Rodrigue, was married to Lamia, the daughter of the Allowing wives to obtain passports without then President of the Republic Suleiman Frangieh. the approval of their husbands. At the time, the Nassif recounts that Colonel Dahdah held the regulations in force necessitated the prior approval. President in high regard and considered him to be his first and foremost political authority. Therefore, the Forcing Syrian nationals to use the white-colored direct responsibility that he and his security apparatus card for entry into Lebanon and the red-colored were assigned was to protect the order and maintain card for exit and archiving these cards for future the continuity of the presidential rule by ensuring use should a security need arise. Before 1960, stability and tight supervisory measures. Given his an ID or a passport was the only requirement for close ties with the President, Dahdah had a political crossing the border. role that stretched beyond the prerogatives stipulated by the law. Dahdah would often find excuses to Organizing and updating the files of the foreigners overplay his role and expand his functions. Yet, residing in Lebanon. he resigned to abide by the command of his direct superior, the Minister of Interior. The kidnapping of Jalbout was one of the significant Discontented with his position, Dahdah assumed incidents in his life. On Saturday, 30th of December the capacity of the political and security advisor of 1961, the General Security Chief was taken captive the President who was known for his temper and during the coup d’etat attempted by the Syrian Social for hardly involving any advisors, ministers or close Nationalist Party against the Chehabi rule. Shortly connections in his decision-making. after midnight, nationalist militants broke into Jalbout’s house in Hamra Street and forcibly dragged The political and security turmoil that afflicted the him out. Unlike the Chief of Staff, Youssef Chmait Dahdah term culminated in the eruption of the Civil and the Commander of the Military District, Colonel War in 1975. On April 10, 1973, an Israeli commando Abdul Qader Chehab who were hauled out in their landed in Beirut and killed three Palestinian leaders pajamas, Toufic Jalbout was allowed to put his clothes in their houses in Verdun, thus stirring a row between on before his detention. Jalbout hadn’t hired any President Suleiman Frangieh and PM Saeb Salam guards to watch over his house as his relationship with that escalated into an irreconcilable rift. Knowing the SSNP was never plagued by any apparent rows that it would be difficult to carry out the confrontation or misunderstandings, despite the news circulating without a potent Sunni premier, Dahdah advised the about the activism of the latter and the confirmation President to resign from his post. of Inspector Joseph Abou Samra thereof.

Although informed a few days prior to the attempted * A 496-page book written by Nicolas Nassif and published by the coup that the SSNP was poised for an insurgency plot General Directorate of General Security.

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. must-read children’s book Culture, religion & Art | 37

Ceiling Creatures

By Nabiha Mheidly. Illustrations by Hassan Zahreddine. Published in its first edition by Dar Al- Hadaek in 2011. Karim is an eight-year old boy from a poor family and living in a modest old house. Nighttime is the happiest part of Karim’s day. Every night, as he retires to bed, he lies down with his face contemplating the patches of peeling paint hanging from the ceiling and forming unusual shapes on the surface. “What could this cow be doing? It must be looking for grass. If it fails to find it, it will suffer from thirst and it will not give us milk.” The following night, he looked up at the ceiling and saw a puzzled bird hovering over a mulberry tree. “Come on, generous tree. Feed the hungry bird,” Karim said. “What is this man up to? I guess I have recognized him. He’s here to steal the farm.” Karim alerted the dog to the looming threat, eliciting from the animal a bark that scared the thief away. “Look at that dark grey cloud billowing across the sky. It is going to rain.” Karim spent his nights reading the ceiling until one night, as he was lying down on his bed, his searching eyes couldn’t find the grey cloud, nor the bird, nor mulberry tree and the cow. His father had repainted the ceiling. It was then when Karim started writing about his ceiling characters. Ceiling Creatures targets 7 to 9 year-olds. It aims at activating their imagination to help them derive ideas from shapes and forms and employ them to understand everyday matters.

issue 137 | December 2013 38 | Culture, religion & Art Lebanon Families

Family Names Denoting Lebanese Towns (9)

Tripoli

Zgharta In the ninth part of the series dedicated to the families named after Lebanese towns, Roads Balamand A‘arjes Ehden The Monthly continues to track these families, which carried different names initially Becharre The Cedars Batroun Hadet Hasroun Ras Baalbeck Deir el Ahmar but were given later the names of the towns into which they moved. Some of them Maqne Jbail Qasr el-Banat

Hadath Iaat maintained their sectarian affiliation, while others converted into the mainstream Ghazir Baalbeck Jounieh sects of the region where they settled. Niha BEIRUT Zahle Baabda Shtaura Aley Dahr el-Baidar Bhamdoun Anjar Deir el-Qamar Saghbini (Al-Saghbini): 870 members Meshref Beiteddine Moukhtara This family is named after Saghbine, a town located in Qaraoun Lake Yanta Saida Jezzine the Western Beqa’a Qada’a, 70 km from Beirut, at an Libbaya Aiha

Nabatiye Hasbaya altitude of 1150 m above the sea level. Saghbine hosts Marjayoun Beaufort Castle around 6000 people, the majority of which are Maronite Sour (60%). Other members of its population belong to the Greek Catholic community (35%), with a minority of Greek Orthodox and evangelicals (5%). Maronite The Saghbinis are distributed by sect and region as follows: Mazraat Yashouh: 12 Maronite Jal el-Dib: 21 Tibeh, Baalbeck: 108 members Ashrafieh: 65 Shikhani (Al-Shikhani): 833 members Terbel, Zahle: 380 This family name is derived from the town of Shikhan, Deir el-Qamar: 8 which is situated in the Qada’a of Jbeil, 45 km from Hazmieh: 17 Beirut, at an altitude of 250 m above the sea level, with Saifi, Beirut: 4 a Greek Orthodox majority and a Maronite minority. Hadath: 15 Shikhan is home to 380 people. Jdita: 15 Mansourieh: 8 The Shikhanis are distributed by sect and region as follows: Greek Catholic Maronite Jensneya, Jezzine: 35 Abrin, Batroun: 35 members Al-Mieh w Mieh, Saida: 25 Batroun: 40 Ashrafieh: 18 Druze Bqesmaya: 30 Breeh, Chouf: 35 Kfarnabrakh, Chouf: 10 Greek Catholic Mhaydtheh, Rashaya: 20 Amshit: 10 Ashrafieh: 5 Yashou’i (Al-Yashou’i): 321 members Burj Hammoud: 30 This family name is inspired from the town of Mazraat Bekfaya: 110 Yashouh in the Mayn Qada’a, which is situated 15 km Naqash: 8 from Beirut, at an altitude of 350 m above the sea level, Amarat Shalhoub: 25 with a predominantly Maronite population (90%) and Rasiyat at-Tahta/al-Fawqa, Zahle: 40 Armenian and Greek Catholic minorities. Mazraat Yashouh is home to 2300 people. Greek Orthodox Batroumin, Koura: 52 members The Yashou’is are distributed by sect and region as Shikhan: 65 follows: Qalhat, Koura: 26 Syrian Orthodox Bechmezzine: 40 Hawsh al-Oumara, Hay el-Sayde, Sayidat al-Najat Bdebba, Koura: 66 (Zahle): 123 Deddeh: 47 Msaytbeh: 48 Antelias: 10 Latin Catholic Sidd el-Boauchrieh: 11 Batroun: 18 Dar el-Mreisseh: 15 Sunni Syrian Catholic Saadnayel, Zahle: 15 Ashrafieh: 4 Majdal Anjar: 20

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Discover Lebanon Culture, religion & Art | 39

Baissour 9 Inter-Faith Marriages only

Tripoli

Overnight, Baissour was thrust from the shadows Zgharta Balamand Roads A‘arjes to the spotlight. The tranquil town hit the headlines Ehden

Becharre The Cedars Ras Baalbeck when members of the prominent Druze Malaeb Batroun Hadet Hasroun family avenged the marriage of their sister to the Deir el Ahmar Maqne Sunni Rabih el-Ahmad by cutting off the man’s Jbail Qasr el-Banat Hadath Iaat penis. So what is the situation in Baissour now and Ghazir Baalbeck how many mixed marriages are registered there? Jounieh Niha

BEIRUT Zahle Baabda Shtaura Aley Dahr el-Baidar Bhamdoun Location  Baissour Anjar Deir el-Qamar Meshref Beiteddine The town of Baissour is located in the Qada’a of Moukhtara Aley, at an altitude of 750 m above the sea level. It is Qaraoun Lake Yanta

25 km from Beirut and stretches across 600 hectares. Saida Jezzine Libbaya Aiha

Nabatiye Hasbaya Population Marjayoun The registered population in Baissour is estimated Beaufort Castle at 7,700 people all of whom belong to the Druze Sour community. There are 5,100 voters distributed mainly and almost equally between the Aridis (2450 voters) and the Malaebs (2150 voters). The rest of voters belong to smaller families such as Nassar (32), Tarabay (50), Daqour (17), Houssaiky (42), Jaramani (28), Najib (10), Bou Harb (17) and Ghoussainy (10). Apart from both the known and the concealed circumstances surrounding the Rabih el-Ahmad case, Families and Mixed Families the castration incident has thrust into the forefront the Baissour is home to 1190 families. Although the rigidity and uncompromising attitude still exhibited number of the Druze females married to non-Druze in by certain religious communities toward inter-faith Baissour is not known, the total number of marriages marriages in Lebanon. In this context, MP Walid between the Druze and non-Druze is 9, which is only Jumblat urged the Druze community to come out of 0.75 % of all marital unions. Women married to Druze its shell warning that the lack of openness to others from Baissour are distributed by sect as follows: would only feed hatred and pose a serious threat to the Sunni: 6 future. Jumblat added that the brutality exercised in Shia’a: 1 Baissour requires religious scholars and intellectuals Greek Catholic: 1 to take immediate action to wrench the Druze out of Greek Orthodox: 1 their isolation.

issue 137 | December 2013 40| Media October 2013 Highlights

October 2 Families of the survivors and the Security plan underway for the city The central committee of the Fatah deceased in the Indonesian boat tragedy of Tripoli. Movement headed by Palestinian block roads in Tripoli and Akkar President Mahmoud Abbas decides to demanding the return of the bodies, the October 5 dismiss the former commander of Al- release of the arrested and the dispatching Minister of energy and Water Gebran Kifah Al-Mousallah Mahmoud Issa, of an official delegation headed by State Bassil announces the postponement of nicknamed Lino, which raises fears of Minister Omar Karami to Indonesia in oil exploration tenders until January security repercussions inside the Ain El- order to find a solution to the crisis. 2014. Helweh Camp. Hezbollah hands over its checkpoints Caretaker PM Najib Mikati meets at the entrances of the Nabatieh city to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon October 8 the Lebanese Army. in New York and the latter reiterates his LF Leader Sami Geagea tells MTV Future bloc reports that the delay commitment to support Lebanon. that he opposes the extension of the in handing the Special Tribunal for Minister Nicolas Fattoush slams term of President Suleiman, stressing Lebanon the data it requires obstructs Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi, the that he will not run for presidency nor the course of justice, adding that the director of the Office of State Security in will he support the candidacy of General presence of illegal arms is to blame for Beqa’a and officers of the Presidential Michel Aoun. the emigration of many Lebanese in Guard, accusing them of corruption and President Michel Suleiman, illegal ways. acceptance of bribes. Safadi hits back by caretaker PM Najib Mikati, former saying “to be defamed by one’s inferiors PM Fouad Seniora, former President October 3 holds proof to one’s higher standing,” Amine Gemayel, Army Commander The monthly statement of the adding that the decision to assign Jean Qahwaji and a number of ministers Maronite Bishops following their State Security to investigate the matter and MPs attend a banquet held by meeting under the chairmanship of violates customs for exercise of power. businessman Gaby Tamer in his house Cardinal al-Rai applauds the subsidence ISF Chief Brigadier General Ibrahim in Sin el-Fil. of self-security, calling for the formation Basbous orders recruitment of ISF Telecom Regulatory Authority of an unconditional government. reserves for active duty. Chairman Imad Hobbalah responds to Speaker Nabih Berri calls on the accusations thrown at him by MP Parliament to convene in order to October 7 Ghazi Youssef. approve the auctioning of all 10 offshore 18 survivors of the Indonesian boat Fishermen in the Dalieh area take oil blocks. tragedy to return to Lebanon soon and to the streets in protest of the warning ISF Chief Brigadier General Ibrahim repatriation of the bodies of victims still to evacuate the huts they are occupying Basbous reveals to a delegation from await completion of DNA testing. along Ain Mreisseh’s coastline. the Editors’ Syndicate that there are Caretaker Finance Minister AUB’s highly successful antibacterial cars carrying bombs that have entered Mohammad Safadi asks caretaker agent named the Beirut Reaction by Lebanon and that the ISF is tracking Prime Minister Najib Mikati to approve Veteran Professor Makhlouf Haddadine. them down. the payment of Lebanon’s share to Lebanese physician Gabriel Gharib “I am not running as a candidate for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. tops the list of 200,000 cardiologists in the presidential elections, which means The payment would be made in three France. I will not visit anyone and ask them to installments to cover Lebanon’s share Caretaker PM heads a meeting elect me. Those who want to elect me for the year 2013 amounting to LBP 58 to discuss the situation of prisons in are welcome to do so,” says Michel to billion. Lebanon during which it turns out that NBN TV channel. In his interview with Voix du Liban, 75% of the credits allocated to improve MP Nouhad Mashnouq rules out the prisons has been wasted on brokerages October 4 possibility of holding presidential and logistics. Security guard arrested for attempting elections and expects extension of “He who ties the formation of the to smuggle explosive materials to an President Suleiman’s term. government to the dismantling of the inmate in the Roumieh prison. Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Army-People-Resistance equation Omar Atrash, the suspect accused Rashid Qabbani announces Tuesday, will lie in wait for so long,”says MP of standing behind the attacks in the 15th of October, as the first day of Eid Mohammad Raad in his speech in the southern suburbs appears on Al-Jadeed al-Adha. Yohmur town of Western Beqa’a. TV and dismisses the accusations, stressing that he is simply defending his land and religion and that he will not turn himself in.

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. October 2013 Highlights Media |41

October 9 October 11 October 15 Speaker Nabih Berri continues to MP Walid Jumblat tells As-Safir The ISF Intelligence Branch hands attend the Inter-Parliamentary Union newspaper that the triple-8 formula over the names of 7 suspects from Jabal Meeting in Switzerland and meets Iran’s that he once supported is no longer Mohsen involved in the twin Tripoli Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, stressing convenient and ought to be replaced with explosions and the Arab Democratic that the Iranian-Saudi rapprochement the 6-9-9 formula. He adds that he does Party leader Refaat Eid denies any link brings relief to the region. not support the extension of President with the suspects. The Lebanese official delegation Suleiman’s term nor the election of a Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon returns from Indonesia with 18 Lebanese president by absolute majority. Ghadanfar Rokon Abadi visits former survivors. Repatriation of the bodies of The Special Tribunal for Lebanon PM Fouad Seniora. victims still awaits completion of DNA indicts Hassan Habib Merhi as being Verbal skirmishes erupt between testing. a fifth suspect in the assassination Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil and North Mufti Sheikh Malek Shaar of former PM Rafik Hariri. Merhi is Minister of Energy and Water Gebran returns from France after having spent thought to have filmed the Abou Adas Bassil over contracting out oil blocks 10 months there for fear of being killed video. and each of them threatens to publish in Lebanon. Shaar says his return came Military judiciary files a lawsuit classified documents. on heels of security assurances. against the defected Syrian Colonel The Lebanese Army detects a vehicle Syrian war planes fire rockets at the Ahmad Amer for recruiting members to laden with 50 kilograms of explosives in Wadi Hmeid area of Arsal. fight against the regime in Syria. Al-Maamoura and defuses the bomb. The Future Bloc objects to holding Security forces come under fire while Former ISF Chief reveals on MTV caretaker cabinet sessions to approve oil trying to bring down illegal buildings in that Syria has a hand in the twin Tripoli decrees, arguing that only a new Cabinet Alma, Zgharta. explosions and that the late Intelligence should attend to oil wealth. Chief Wissam Al-Hassan had survived Prominent figures gather round MP October 12 four assassination attempts before his Hadi Houbeish’ dinner table including Veteran singer Wadih Safi dies at the death, adding that the Neemeh car was President Michel Suleiman, PM- age of 92. used to smuggle weapons between designate Tamam Salam, former PM Omar Al-Atrash and his bodyguards Lebanon and Syria and has nothing to Fouad Seniora, Army Commander Jean die in an ambush in the outskirts of Arsal. do with the explosives. Qahwaji, Patriarch al-Rai and General Al-Atrash was involved in the attack MP Ahamd Fatfat says to Al-Liwaa Security Chief. on the Southern Suburbs in addition to newspaper that MP Walid Jumblat is no General Security arrests Lebanese other terrorist activities. longer playing a centrist role. and Syrian members of a terrorist The arrest of a suspect from Jabal Former PM Saad Hariri undergoes network suspected of plotting to plant Mohsen in the twin Tripoli bombings surgery in France to remove pins placed car bombs and conduct assassinations. raises tensions in the area and results in in his leg after a skiing accident in A Vatican investigative committee an exchange of gunfire between Jabal 2012. Jumblat also heads for France for has convicted Lebanese priest Mansour Mohsen and Bab el-Tebbaneh. treatment and to meet Hariri. Labaki of sexually abusing at least three The Free Patriotic Movement holds children and soliciting sex from a number a conclave in Deir El-Qalaa under October 18 of others,the French La Croix magazine the chairmanship of General Michel A delegation of the March 14 General reports. Mansour was sentenced to life Aoun and concludes the meeting by Directorate meets Tripoli’s dignitaries of prayers and barred from attending reiterating its opposition to extending to discuss the possibility of holding a public mass or contacting minors. the presidential term of President conference to promote the image of the Suleiman, stressing that the Movement city. October 10 enters in alliance with those who share Syria’s top Military Intelligence Celebratory gunfire heard in Tripoli its commitment to reform. Officer General Jamaa Jamaa dies in upon the return of local group leader MP Okab Sakr criticizes MP Wali clashes in Deir El-Zour. Jamaa was the Saad El-Massri from Turkey. Jumblat for changing his position chief of Syrian intelligence during Syria’s MP Suleiman Frangieh foresees toward the Syrian crisis, reiterating his presence in Lebanon and his name was a presidential vacuum, noting that if support of the Syrian people against the mentioned during investigations into the current political status favored the autocratic regime. Rafik Hariri’s assassination. March 8 Forces, the priority should be Beirut ranks among top 20 cities to nominate General Michel Aoun as October 14 around the world according to Conde President. Frangieh urges a constitutional The Free Patriotic Movement Nast Traveler World 2013 Competition amendment to elect the President by an commemorates the ousting of General based on readers’ choices. absolute majority (half-plus-one) rather Michel Aoun on October 13, 1990. Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara than by a two-thirds majority. The first day of Eid Al-Adha Boutros Al-Rai heads a meeting aimed News circulates about a serious confirmed on Tuesday for the Sunni at discussing the land dispute in Lassa in possibility of releasing those kidnapped and Wednesday for the Shia’a and the presence of Minister of Interior and in Azaz. Hezbollah. Municipalities Marwan Charbel.

issue 137 | December 2013 42| Media October 2013 Highlights

Kidnappers of pharmacist Wissam anniversary of Bigadier Genral Wissam amphitheater built next to the cedar Khatib release him after 16 days in Al-Hassan’s assassination. During an forest. exchange for a ransom. event held for the same purpose in Parliament convenes for the first “General Aoun is a good-hearted Btouratij, Major General Ashraf Rifi time in 5 months and re-elects the man and the row between Minister Ali reiterates that Al-Hassan has shielded same committee and bureau members. Hassan Khalil and Minister Gebran Lebanon from sedition by exposing the Speaker Nabih Berri urges committees Bassil will not affect the relationship Samaha-Mamlouk plot. to go back to discussing the electoral between the Amal Movement and the Text messages warn that An-Nussra law. Free Patriotic Movement,” Speaker Front sent 4 car bombs to Lebanon. Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Nabih Berri assures to An-Nahar. Lebanese Forces Leader Samir Boutros Al-Rai heads to Qatar on an General Security Chief General Geagea says that those detained in official visit following an invitation by Abbas Ibrahim affirms that the date Syrian prisons are no less human that Qatari Prince Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad of release of the Azaz pilgrims is the pilgrims kidnapped in Azaz and Al-Thani. approaching. equal efforts should be exerted to set Grand Mufti Mohammad Rashid UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon them free,. Qabbani calls Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah urges the Lebanese authorities to take Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad and congratulates him on release of the all measures necessary to remove and Rashid Qabbani announces the pilgrims kidnapped in Azaz. demilitarize Hezbollah. completion of the elections of the Higher The Special Tribunal for Lebanon Islamic Council despite the boycott will hold a pre-trial hearing on Tuesday October 19 and absence of quorum in the previous 29th of October in preparation for the Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs sessions. start of the trial in the Ayyash et al. case. Khaled Al-Atiyyah announces that Qatar’s intervention succeeded in October 22 October 24 releasing the Lebanese who were Five missiles launched by Syrian Clashes continue in Tripoli raising kidnapped in north Syria. General rebels land in the city of Hermel and the death toll to 2 and the injuries to Security Chief General Abbas Ibrahim result in physical damage. 30, including members of the Lebanese assures from Istanbul that the Lebanese Mount Lebanon’s Investigative Army. are now in good hands and will arrive in Judge Ziad Mkanna approves the release General Security Chief, Major Lebanon in a couple of days. of 3 people arrested in the kidnapping of General Abbas Ibrahim meets Syrian President Michel Suleiman meets Turkish pilots on bail of LBP 500,000. President Bashar Assad in Damascus ambassadors of the European Union and President Michel Suleiman chairs to discuss the abduction of Aleppo’s demands their assistance in bearing the a security meeting at the Baabda bishops and the latter reiterates his burden of Syrian refugees and the EU presidential palace to coordinate among support for all efforts aimed at securing announces a contribution of 70 million all security apparatuses and come up their release. euros. with a strategy to unveil all sabotage Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Wata Al-Msaytbeh’s residents acts. Boutros al-Rai meets Qatari Prince protest over the ISF’s quelling of ISF begins quelling illegal Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani who illegal construction in the area and the construction in Wata Al-Msaytbeh amid promises to do all that lies in his power to Progressive Socialist Party refuses to protests from residents. release the abducted bishops and offers back up the transgressors. Russian Ambassador to Lebanon him a land of 10,000 m2 to establish the The Ministry of Telecommunication Alexander Zasypkin reaffirms Russia’s first Maronite church in Qatar and the appoints Lebanese singer Haifa Wehbi keenness on the Christians of the region. Gulf region. as ambassador for road safety. Clashes in Tripoli leave 6 wounded. Speaker Nabih Berri adjourns Roumieh’s Prison Justice Council US Ambassador to Lebanon, David legislative session until November 20 adjourns the trial of Islamist prisoners Hale, visits the March 14 General due to lack of quorum. until November 29. Directorate in Ashrafieh and meets MP French MPs urge President Hollande Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Azaz Marwan Hamadeh, Dory Chamoun, to release George Ibrahim Abdullah, the return to Lebanon on board of a Qatari Antoine Saad and Fares Souaid. oldest political prisoner in France. aircraft simultaneously with the release and return of Turkish Airlines pilots. October 23 October 25 PM-designate Tamam Salam rushed During the inauguration of President Michel Suleiman chairs to hospital following food poisoning. renovation works at the port, President a security meeting aimed at examining Lebanese Forces Leader Samir Michel Suleiman replies to his Syrian the situation in Tripoli in the presence of Geagea pays a secret visit to President counterpart’s speech saying that no caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati Michel Suleiman in Baabda. one has the right to criticize Lebanon’s and security leaders. MPs Michel Aoun and Suleiman disassociation policy. Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Frangieh hold a reconciliatory meeting Former Minister Eias El-Murr Mikati expects Lebanon to take part at the residence of Aoun’s son in law, appointed head of Interpol’s Fund for a in Geneva II peace talks despite the Shamel Roukoz. Safer World for the next seven years. government’s disassociation policy. The ISF commemorates the first Supporters of MP Gebran Tawk President Michel Suleiman prevent the ISF from removing the inaugurates an avenue named after him

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. October 2013 Highlights Media |43 and a new building for the Hazmieh Lebanon hosts the Christians of the The Lebanese Forces win the NDU municipality, stressing that he rejects the Levant Convention for the first time elections uncontested for the third MPs boycotting of Parliament sessions under the auspices of President Michel consecutive years. and urging the adoption of the defense Suleiman and the concluding statement Military Investigation Judge Fadi strategy that puts all weapons under reiterates the Muslim-Christian dialogue Sawan issues arrest warrants against 17 state control. and urges the prevention of Christian suspects in the Baabda and Southern STL Registrar Daryl Mundis urges emigration. Suburbs attacks. Lebanon to pay its share of the court’s Former Minister Hassan Mneimeh budget. tells Al-Liwaa that the checkpoints October 31 The Bar Association holds a set up by the Lebanese Army in the General Security Chief General celebration at the Phoenicia Hotel in Southern Suburbs are only decorative Abbas Ibrahim holds a meeting with the honor of lawyers who have spent 50 and Hezbollah is still the one controlling directorate’s officers and asserts that the years in practice, including Speaker security. channels of communication are open Nabih Berri. Former PM Saad Hariri reports that with the kidnappers of the bishops. MP Okab Sakr refrains from the Syrian regime is punishing Tripoli Jaafarite Mufti Sheikh Ahmad responding to the accusations hurled through armed chaos. Qabalan annuls the marriage of Eva at him in the case of those abducted in Ghadi Darwish, the first Lebanese Ghazal, a 13-year old minor who Azaz. born without religious identity. was abducted and forced to marry Minister of Energy and Water, Gebran Hassan Msheik 16 days earlier. Ghazal October 26 Bassil, announces that the scan of 45% was reportedly kidnapped over an Clashes continue between Jabal of Lebanon’s maritime economic zone outstanding debt owed by her father. Mohsen and Bab El-Tebbaneh leaving 5 has proved the presence of 95.9 trillion Ali Sabeh kills his brother dead and 50 injured. Former ISF Chief, cubic feet of natural gas and 865 million Mohammad in the Southern Suburbs of Ashraf Rifi holds a press conference at barrels of oil. Beirut over inheritance disputes and gets his residence, during which he holds In a speech delivered during the 25th arrested in Al-Masnaa while attempting Syria and Hezbollah accountable for the anniversary of the establishment of the to escape to Syria. unrest. Great Prophet History, Hezbollah’s The Future Movement slams General Security Chief General Secretary General Sayyed Hassan aloofness in Nasrallah’s speech. Abbas Ibrahim meets Qatari Prince Nasrallah accuses the KSA of thwarting Tranquility returns to Tripoli after the Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to the political solution in Syria and the cease of fights and the Lebanese Army discuss further the controversy of those Cabinet formation in Lebanon. He also deploys its troops in Bab Tebbaneh. abducted in Syria. urges March 14 Forces to accept the 9-9- STL Trial Chamber holds its first The Zouk Mikael Municipality 6 formula before it is too late, adding hearing in preparation for the trial celebrates its platinum jubilee in the that the authorities know the identity of scheduled for January 13, 2014. presence of President Michel Suleiman the perpetrators behind the car bombings 159 deaths and 1165 injuries reported who asserts that presidency will be and that the cases of all the abducted in Tripoli between May 2008 and handed down naturally contrary to should be closed. October 2013. what has happened in the past 40 In response to Nasrallah’s speech, Ahmad Mohammad Ali, the driver years. Suleiman calls for shortening MP Sami Gemayel notes that the 622 of Arab Democratic Party leader Rifaat Parliament’s term of office and Lebanese thought to be present in Eid, handed in by the Army Intelligence conducting elections, adding that the Syrian jails are detainees, not missing for involvement in the twin bombings Lebanese are repeating the error of persons. “Should we kidnap the Syrian that targeted Tripoli. relying on foreign powers. ambassador so that the state takes action The Army Intelligence refers to the to ensure their release,” Gemayel adds. October 31 judiciary two suspects in the abduction The Lebanese Army deployed in Former MP Ali Eid summoned of pharmacist Wissam Al-Khatib. Bab Tebbaneh, Tripoli, despite sniper in relation to Tripoli bombing case The Lebanese Order of Physicians attacks. following confessions made by his honors Dr. Gabriel Gharib who has been A Lebanese national, a Turkish driver. selected best cardiologist in France, in national and 10 other fugitives referred The Maronite Bishops monthly the presence of General Michel Aoun. to the judiciary for involvement in car statement regrets the failure to form a MP Sami Gemayel visits LF leader bombings. new government and the transformation Samir Gegaea in Meerab to promote Health Minister Nathem Khalil of Parliament into platform to settle coordination efforts. denies the news circulating about a scores. plan to dump Syrian chemical waste in The Administration and Justice October 28 Lebanese landfills. Committee resumes its meetings to Continuous clashes in Tripoli push PM-designate Tamam Salam leaves discuss a new draft electoral law. the number of dead to 13 and injured for Geneva. PM-designate Tamam Salam visits to 60. The Lebanese Army enters Jabal Former PM Saad Hariri meets a former PM Saad Hariri in Paris. Mohsen and mourns the death of one of number of prominent figures in France, its surgeons. including former PM Fouad Seniora and MP Boutros Harb.

issue 137 | December 2013 44| Media

This Month in History- Lebanon Nizam Al Qa’imaqamiyatein or the Partition of Lebanon

During the great national crises and the wars that Lebanon has known since the 1943 independence- particularly during the 1958 events and the 1975 Civil War, several formulas were proposed to divide Lebanon into two areas, one for the Muslims and one for the Christians, thus providing a final solution for the plight of coexistence between the country’s different sects. The establishment of Al Qa’imaqamiyatein whereby Lebanon was partitioned into administrative districts, one for the Druze and one for the Maronite, attested clearly to the attempts aimed at resolving the disputes between the two communities but failed to present a long-lasting solution, which entailed the abolition of the two-district system and the formation of the Mutasarrifiyah.

Circumstances Leading to the Establishment to form a Maronite emirate in Mount Lebanon with of Al Qa’imaqamiyatein French assistance, which was an endeavor challenged The history of Mount Lebanon is known to have staunchly by the Druze and their British allies. The been a series of ongoing conflicts between the Druze-Maronite disputes served, along with the Christians- particularly the Maronite- and the international conflicts- between the French and the Druze in their race for power. The slightest and British in particular- as a ground for war. The expected most trivial incidents would trigger violent clashes occurred in September 1841 when a Maronite citizen leaving thousands dead and injured and resulting in from Deir El-Qamar hunted a partridge in the outskirts massive displacement of citizens. Expectedly, the of the Druze town of Baaklin, thus infuriating the foreign interventions- Ottoman, British, French, Druze guards who intercepted the hunter and beat Egyptian and Russian- played a significant role in him up. In a retaliatory move, the inhabitants of Deir feeding the hostilities and deepening the rifts. El-Qamar advanced to Baaklin and killed 17 Druze. The incident paved the way for further violence After the defeat that the Emir of Mount Lebanon, that reached its peak during the Druze attack on Prince Bashir Al-Chebabi II, and his Egyptian ally Deir El-Qamar on October 14, 1841, when heinous Mohammad Ali Pasha suffered at the hands of the battles occurred between the Druze and Maronite Ottomans and the British, the emirate of Mount communities leaving tens if not hundreds dead on Lebanon was handed down, following Ottoman both sides. The sectarian war extended to cover the approval, to Prince Bashir Qassem or Bashir III who regions of Shouf, Matn, Jezzine and Western Beqa’a was known to have a weak personality. No sooner and the great powers accused the Ottoman authorities had he come to power than tensions started to rise of backing the Druze and fomenting strife. between the new ruler and the Druze who sensed that he had preferences for the Maronite. The Druze The Druze achieved a stronger position that allowed protested this bias before the Ottoman Sultan urging them to impose their own terms, ousting Prince him to interfere and draw the line for the Prince or Bashir III from power and halting the Chehabi rule else depose him. The rapprochement between the officially on January 13, 1892. Later, the Ottomans Prince and the British at the expense of the French appointed Serbian Omar Pasha as governor of helped instigating the Christians against him too. Mount Lebanon, which practically meant that Mount Lebanon lost its relative autonomy and was Hence, the two parties agreed on ousting Prince annexed to the Ottoman Empire. Bashir Qassem but remained divided over who was to succeed him. Highly influential Maronite Patriarch Several European countries exerted pressure on the Youssef Houbeish wanted to bring back Prince Bashir Ottoman Empire in a bid to challenge the measures Al-Chebabi II to power, while the Druze recommended it had taken, which ushered another round of Sunni Prince Salman Chehab. Disagreement only battles thus entailing the concoction of the Al lead to reinforcing the long-harbored Maronite desire Qa’imaqamiyatein option.

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Media |45

Al Qa’imaqamiyatein System advanced towards one of the most significant Druze On December 7, 1842, the Ottoman Sultan decided, strongholds, Mukhtara. France assisted Christians in in agreement with the European countries, to burning down Druze towns and the Druze retaliated partition Mount Lebanon into two administrative in kind thus leading to atrocities and slaughters on districts- Al Qa’imaqamiyatein- a southern district- both sides that claimed the lives of hundreds of Qa’imaqamiya- with a Druze majority and a civilians. Against the backdrop of international northern district with a Christian majority. The pressure, the Ottoman Empire dispatched Chakib demands to allocate a third district to the Orthodox Effendi to put an end to violence. The Ottoman did not avail and so the Orthodox area of Koura was delegate arrived on September 14, 1845 and separated from the Christian district and annexed to arrested the Christian and Druze notables who took the Ottoman province. part in the fighting. He dismissed both Qa’imaqams and amended the system that was in force, setting The Christian Qa’imaqamiya stretched from the up a district council of 6 members representing all 6 Damascus Road towards the north. It hosted 74,700 major sects in each Qa’imaqamiya. In the Christian people distributed as follows: 56,580 Maronite Qa’imaqamiya, the district council consisted of 2 members, 10,150 Druze, 6,720 Catholic and Maronite members, 1 Greek Orthodox, 1 Greek 1,250 Orthodox. The Maronite Qa’imaqams who Catholic, 1 Sunni and 1 Druze, while it consisted succeeded to the rule of this district were: in the Druze Qa’imaqamiya of 2 Druze members, Prince Haidar Ismail Abi Lamaa who remained 1 Maronite, , 1 Greek Orthodox, 1 Greek Catholic in power until his death (1843-1854) and 1 Sunni. A 7-member advisory council Prince Bashir Assaf Abi Lamaa who was representing the largest sects along with the Shia’a deposed the same year he was appointed (1854) was also formed. Prince Bashir Ahmad Abi Lamaa who was also deposed from power (1854- 1858) Abolition of Al Qa’imaqamiyatein System Prince Hassan Ismail Abi Lamaa who was These arrangements facilitated the representation dismissed giving way to Prince Bashir Ahmad of people and the retention of the role of minorities Abi Lamaa once again (1858) in each Qa’imaqamiya, thus cancelling the Youssef Bayk Karam who served as Qa’imaqam prerogatives of the feudal lords and passing most until the abolishment of Al Qa’imaqamiyatein of their powers to the district council. In a bid to System. protect their interests, Druze and Christian feudal families united to fend off the looming threats. The Druze Qa’imaqamiya stretched from the The turmoil showed no signs of slowing down Damascus Road towards the south. It had 63,590 and culminated in the 1856 Revolution (Peasant people distributed as follows: 25,450 Druze Revolution) lead by Tanios Chahine in Kessrouan members, 17,350 Maronite 18,590 Catholic and against feudal powers. The revolution, backed by 5,200 Orthodox. The Druze Qa’imaqams who Maronite Patriarch Boulos Masaad, managed to succeeded to the rule of this district were: expel the El-Khazen family and to confiscate their Prince Ahmad Erslan who was deposed from properties. power and replaced by his brother Prince Amin (1843-1845) However, strife remained dormant until an all-out Prince Amin Erslan who remained in power sectarian war erupted in April 1860. The war dragged until his death (1845-1858) on until July and was marked by heinous massacres Prince Mohammad Erslan (1858-1861) against the minorities of each Qa’imaqamiya. Thousands of people were displaced and slaughtered The 1845 Amendments until finally the European countries intervened and Being that each Qa’imaqamiya hosted minorities put an end to the Al Qa’imaqamiyatein System, belonging to religious groups different from the which had proved to be throughout its 18 years in predominant ruling sect, sectarian discord broke force a futile option that only lead to reinforcing out again. Christians- from Jezzine in particular- internal and sectarian divides.

issue 137 | December 2013 46|Arab World Focus

This Month in History- Arab World 32 Years since the Knesset’s Unilateral Annexation of the Golan Heights to Israel

At the end of 1981, two Knesset groups- one including 18 members from the Likud right-wing party- proposed a bill calling for the annexation of the Golan Heights to Israel. 70 Knesset members signed a petition that was filed to the Israeli government to approve the annexation.

Following rapid deliberations, the Israeli Knesset able to observe, with the naked eye, the north-eastern issued on October 14, 1981 the Golan Heights Law part of occupied Palestine as well as the Syrian which was signed by the then Israeli President Yitzhak territories until the fringes of the capital, Damascus. Navon and PM Nenachem Begin and adopted by a majority of 62 votes against 21. In his address to Israel strived to launch biblical and ideological the Knesset at the time, PM Nenachem Begin said: campaigns aimed at emphasizing the Jewish historical “..The Golan Heights were part of Palestine in the ties with the Golan terrain and its surroundings. They past. Those who demarcated the region during the replaced Arabic signs with signs in Hebrew and English First World War drew up arbitrary borders with Syria. and abolished all historic Arab monuments in the The situation is being corrected now, as only the middle and the south of Golan, mainly in the towns of irrational would expect Israel to withdraw from the Quneitira and Fiq. Service and administrative centers Golan Heights…” The Israeli decision was greeted were transformed into agricultural settlements and with staunch rejection by both the Syrian government Israeli media endeavored to magnify the threats that and the UN Security Council, which emphasized that the Golan would impose locally and internationally if the forcible acquisition of property is inadmissible handed back to Syria, let alone the security hazards it in accordance with the United Nations Charter and would pose to its own security. branded the Israeli decision as being null and void and without international legal effect. Meticulous care was given to scholarly curricula and textbooks focused on extolling the virtues of Jewish The Golan Heights Law postulated that ‘’the law, history, leaving Arab and Islamic cultures in the jurisdiction and administration of the state of Israel shadows. Jewish holidays were adopted as official shall apply to the Golan Heights.’’ The map annexed to holidays and a full blockade was imposed on Syrian the Law designated the region falling between the 1923 Arabs, cutting off their contact with their families borders and the 1974 ceasefire line as being part of in Syria. It is noteworthy that the Israeli authorities Israel’s northern governorate. The population present have also imposed Israeli nationalities on Syrian west of the 1974 line was estimated at the time at nationals in the occupied Golan, bargaining with 40,000 people of which 20,000 were Druze and Alawite them over matters that relate to their personal life Arab natives who stayed in the towns of Majdal Shams, and subsistence. Many inhabitants refused to obtain Mas’ade, Buq’ata, Ain Qanyi and Ghajar and 17,000 the nationality or to participate in any election of any were Israelis who settled in the area after 1967. kind, be it parliamentary or municipal.

Israel’s Practices in the Occupied Golan Heights The decision to annex the Golan Heights to the Zionist Israel’s decision to annex the Golan Heights aimed entity came in 1981 to exemplify yet another attempt at promoting and expanding Jewish settlements in of reinforcing the Zionist aspirations, which began synchrony with the projected strategic objectives- in 1967 when the successive Israeli governments military, economic and political- so as to lay hands initiated expansionary policies, taking over on further Arab territories. The greed for this area is agricultural areas and water resources and resorting rooted in the great strategic significance it holds, for to military settlement operations in a bid to strip the by merely standing on the Golan plateau, one may be region of its Arab identity and historical legacy.

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Arab World Focus|47

Status of Car Imports in Syria

Syria’s car market has not been shielded from the repercussions of the civil war that has now entered its third year, causing profound implications on labor and investment sectors. Prior to the conflict, the car market was one of Syria’s most active industries, flourishing thanks to incentives offered by car dealers to encourage sales as well as credit facilities granted by banks to assist Syrians in possessing the cars they wanted.

According to the General Directorate of Syrian The decline of the Syrian pound against the dollar Customs, 98,942 vehicles were imported into Syria has also had a major impact on importing cars and via the ports of Tartous, Latakia, Banian and Arwad translated into higher prices thus leading to sharp falls in 2007. Some Syrians would even replace their cars in sales. As a precautionary measure aimed at saving with newer ones on a yearly basis. The popularity the market from collapse, banks ceased funding car of the car industry before the war helped pumping purchases especially following the clear deterioration momentum into other car-related sectors including in income that accompanied the economic crisis. car mechanics, bodywork repairs, denting, smithery Against the decline in the purchasing power, Syrians and paint works and services. However, since the have shifted into buying precious metals- gold- and outbreak of the revolution, car imports into Syria foreign currencies instead of cars. Soaring fuel have been showing a steep decline. The number prices have rendered low-income earners incapable of imported cars decreased in 2010 to 88,072 and of covering their car expenses and banks resorted to further to 35,490 in 2011, reaching an all-time low increasing interest rates on delinquent debts. in 2012 at 2019 cars only. The revenues from the imported cars fell to 93 million Syrian pounds down Conversely, the market of second-hand cars recorded from 4,268 billion in 2010. The Syrian market was a significant increase in demand, which covered dependent primarily on car imports from Korea (Kia small-sized cars in particular, as people refrained and Hyundai), China (Honda), Japan (Toyota) and from seeking large cars following the prevalent thefts Iran (Iran Khodro), for these makes were affordable and security incidents that targeted those types of to all social classes. Trade of European cars was vehicles. completely interrupted due to sanctions and shipping difficulties. Surprisingly, the car-related figures provided by Syria’s Central Bureau of Statistics website contrast drastically with those reported by the customs.

The car industry was at the forefront of the sectors affected by the conflict in 2010, especially that most showrooms are located at the heart of the turmoil- stricken zones like Damascus. In fact, Damascus alone used to host around 425,654 imported vehicles, but the violent clashes wreaked massive havoc on the import business and resulted in freezing sales and closing down of showrooms, not only in the capital but in the rest of the governorates coming under fire such as Hama, Homs, Dara’a, Aleppo and Deir Ez-Zour.

issue 137 | December 2013 48|Arab World Focus

Poverty-Stricken Iraq

The Iraqi economy has shown commendable growth since the country finally reached relative stability after years of invasion. The opening up of the oil sector made way for a rapid growth of the country’s economy, making it the fastest growing economy in the region today. But this growth has been mostly one-sided. The increased revenues coming in from the oil sector have not yet been translated into tangible reconstruction and development. Therefore, while the country’s GDP is expected to grow by 9% in 2013 by the International Monetary Fund, the sectors of industry and agriculture are still facing challenges from poor infrastructure to mismanagement and climate change. The profits of the oil sector have yet to transform the state of the country’s poor infrastructure and help recover the basic services of housing, medicine, and education.

Iraq currently has the fifth largest reserve of crude after the invasion and sectarian violence during the oil in the world. According to IRIN, the humanitarian 2000s. Coupled with the deplorable state of basic news and analysis service of the United Nations, service delivery such as clean water and electricity, the revenues made from oil in 2012 reached USD the reform of the health sector has been very slow 94 billion and are expected to reach more than USD and has failed to reach remote rural areas. The IRIN 100 billion over 2013. This revenue however, has so report “Iraq Ten Years On” cites a survey by the Iraq far mostly been generated into expanding the public Knowledge Survey that found 40% of Iraqis believe sector, therefore only creating more jobs among that health care services are either ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’. public officials. Not only are more officials hired, their The majority of Iraqis do not have health insurance. salaries have also increased. While this supports the growth of the middle class, it does nothing to alleviate Today Iraq is plagued by constant and worsening poverty from the country. It also diverts spending violence and sectarian hostilities. The looming social from more pressing sectors such as infrastructure and and security challenges cast a dark shadow over health. Moreover, given the inflation that the country the country and threaten the fabric of Iraqi society. has seen, the rise in salaries has not yielded a higher Reversing the cycle of violence requires a National purchasing power. The World Bank estimates that Development Plan in a way that gives all Iraqis equal 22.9% of the Iraqi population is living below the access to security, justice, employment and essential poverty line. services, thus contributing to poverty alleviation.

Struggling to strike a balance among the country’s political factions, the pre-occupied government remains highly corrupt. According to Transparency International, Iraq ranked 18th in corruption among all other countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index completed for 2012. As a result, the absence of basic services such as water and electricity continue to burden the daily lives of the Iraqi people. Additionally, the lack of investment into industry and the low levels of agricultural production have opened up the country to cheaper imports, discouraging local production even further.

In addition to that, the country’s health sector, already suffering from sanctions and brain drain under Saddam, the basic facilities were also shattered

issue 137 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. prices |49

Real Estate Prices- Towards October 2013

Prices of some apartments sold in October 2013 Table 2 Against the backdrop of the political and security Region Area m2 Price (USD) USD/ m2 turmoil plaguing Lebanon, Syria and the region Beirut at large, a state of stagnation continues in the real Tallet al-Khayyat 220 1,100,000 5,000 estate market in Lebanon. Several construction Badaro 370 1,295,000 3,500 projects, both residential and commercial, have been Burj Abi Haidar 110 264,000 2,400 cancelled or put on hold, resulting in a sharp decline Mar Elias 200 480,000 2,400 in supply. No fluctuations were recorded in the prices Ashrafieh/ Rizk 185 555,000 3,000 of small and medium-sized apartments while slight Ashrafieh/ al-Sayyd 120 324,000 2,700 price decreases marked luxury apartments. Land Ashrafieh/ Fassouh 170 510,000 3,000 purchases declined as well against increased price Hamra 150 600,000 4,000 rates especially in Beirut and its vicinity. Baabda Baabda/ Brazilia 270 540,000 2,000 Tables 1 and 2 illustrate the prices of some estates Hazmieh/ Mar Taqla 290 609,000 2,100 and apartments sold in October 2013. Antounieh 140 224,000 1,600 Yarzi 420 1,092,000 2,600 Prices of some estates sold in October 2013 Table 1 Al-Jamous 145 188,500 1,300 Region Area m2 Price (USD) USD/ m2 Sfeir 130 162,500 1,250 Furn el-Chebbak 165 231,000 1,400 Beirut Shiyyah 170 280,500 1,650 Ashrafieh/ Monot 560 7,280,000 13,000 Matn

Ashrafieh/ Rmeil 410 2,050,000 5,000 Sin el-Fil/ Horsh Tabet 320 960,000 3,000 Antelias 165 247,500 1,500 Baabda Mansourieh 120 180,000 1,500 Hazmieh 930 2,185,500 2,350 Awkar 210 399,000 1,900 Broumana 200 326,000 1,630 Ghoubeiry 780 1,716,000 2,200 Aley Matn Doha Hoss 150 195,000 1,300 Ain Saadeh 4,300 2,580,000 630 Khaldeh 170 178,500 1,050 Choueifat 170 255,000 1,500 Monteverdi 1,100 1,320,000 1,200 Bshamoun/ Madares 190 275,500 1,450 Aley Doha/ Aramoun 140 168,000 1,200

Aley 960 672,000 700 Kessrouan Zouk Mikhael 150 195,000 1,300 Reshmaya 1,600 80,000 50 Ballouneh 165 214,500 1,300 Kessrouan Tabarja 120 180,000 1,500 Jounieh 170 255,000 1,500 Kfardebian 1,000 360,000 360 Shnaneer 210 283,500 1,350 Ajaltoun 1,050 472,500 450 Souhaileh 220 341,000 1,550 Source: Compiled by Information International- October 2013 Source: Compiled by Information International- October 2013

issue 137 | December 2013 50| Did you know that?

2012 One of Bloodiest Years for Journalists

121 journalists were killed in war-stricken 10 journalists were killed by organized crime in zones such as Syria and Somalia in 2012. Mexico and insurgents in Pakistan.

107 journalists and media workers were killed 5 each were killed in Iraq and the Philippines. in targeted attacks, bomb blasts and cross- fire incidents in 2011. The International Federation of Journalists, which represents more than 600,000 journalists 35 journalists and media workers were killed in 134 countries, said that, in many cases, in the revolt against Bashar Assad in Syria, journalists were deliberately targeted because which topped the list of the most dangerous of their work and with the aim of silencing them. countries for media in 2012. References: 18 journalists were killed in Somalia in 2012 - Croft, A. (2012, December 31). 2012 one of “bloodiest years” in Somalia, where African peacekeepers are for journalists: media body. Reuters.com. Retrieved from : http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/31/us-media-deaths- battling Islamist rebels linked to al-Qaeda. idUSBRE8BU09720121231

Beirut International Airport  Beirut International Airport  Rafic Hariri International Airport Traffic- September 2013

4,821,696 is the number of Rafic Hariri International Airport traffic in September 2013 compared to August Table 1 passengers- departing, arriving and 2013 and September 2012 in transit- who have used the Rafic % of change August September September % of change August/ Hariri International Airport since the Traffic September 2012/ 2013 2013 2012 September 2013 beginning of 2013 until the end of September 2013 September, compared to 4,579,013 passengers during the same period Arriving airplanes 3,145 2,771 2,686 -11.9 +3.1 last year, meaning an increase of Departing airplanes 3,157 2,764 2,683 -12.5 +3 5.3% or 242,683 passengers. Rafic Hariri International Airport Total no. of airplanes 6,302 5,535 5,369 -12.1 +3 handled 538,985 passenger Arriving passengers 343,406 227,850 232,024 -33.6 -1.8 movements in September 2013, down from 726,939 in August, i.e. a Departing passengers 382,497 309,572 310,896 -19 -0.42 decrease of 26%. Compared to the Transit passengers 1,036 1,563 3,864 +51 -59.5 same period last year (September 2012), passenger traffic registered a Total no. of passengers 726,939 538,985 546,784 -26 -1.4 slight decline of 1.4% Imported goods (per ton) 4,638 4,885 4,155 +5.3 +17.6 Table 1 illustrates the traffic at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Exported goods (per ton) 3,410 4,184 3,766 +22.6 +11.1 September 2013 compared to August 2013 and September 2012. Total amount of goods 8,048 9,069 7,921 +12.7 +14.5 Source: Information International and the Directorate General of Aviation Stats & Numbers |51

SNumberstats& Publications

LBP 1,210 billion is the Publications by Kutub (in Arabic): Publications by Information International (in Arabic): the advance granted to the 1- Al-Wasita Ila Ma’rifat Ahwal Malta & Kashf Al- Mukhabba’e ‘An Funun Europa. 1- Salaries and Remunerations in the Public Sector Ministry of Finance for the 2- Public Seaside Properties 2- The Memoirs of Juliette El-Mir Saadeh purpose of bridging the 3- Lebanon’s Parliamentary History 1920-2000 3- As-Saq ‘Ala As-Saq fi ma Huwa Al-Fariaq 4- Taxes and Fees funding gap between the 2005 4- Rihlati Fi Al-Jazirah Al-Arabiyyah Al-Wusta, 5- Lebanon in Figures 1992-2002 6- Lebanon in Figures 2003-2004 expense of public salaries, Hamad, Sammar, Qacim, Hedjaz 1878-1882. 7- Lebanon in Figures 2005-2006 wages and pension benefits [Voyage Dans L’Arabie Centrale.] 8- Lebanon in Figures 2007-2008 and that of 2013. Public sector 5- Al-Shi’ir Ind Al-Badu (Bedouin Poetry) 9- Lebanon’s MPs and Lebanese Parliamentary Elections 1960 - 2009 6- Rihlati Fi Bilad Al-Rafidayn wa Iraq Al’Arab pay in 2005 stood at LBP 10- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, [Utazasom Mesopatamiaban és Irak-Arabiaban] candidate and confession-North District 3,582 billion. 7- Laqatat Mughayira: Al-Tasweer Al-Mahalli Al- 11- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, Mubker Fi Filasteen. 1850-1948. candidate and confession-Beirut District 12- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, LBP 3,276 billion is the 8- Fi Khidmat Al-Watan. Mukhtarat Min Al-Watha’iq candidate and confession-Mount Lebanon District revenue yielded from value Al-Khassa Lil ‘Amir Farid Shehab. 13- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, added tax (VAT) collections in 9- Matbakh Baytna candidate and confession-Beqa’a District 14- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, candidate 10- Antoun Saadeh Wa Al-Hizb Al-Souri Al-Qawmi 2012 compared to LBP 993 and confession-South and Nabatiyeh District Al-Ijtima’i Fi Awraq Al-Amir Farid Shehab Al- 15- Municipal Elections 2010 billion in 2002 when the VAT Mudir Al-‘Am Li Al-‘Amn Al-‘Am Al-Lubnani. was first imposed and to LBP 11- Mudhakarat Dhabet ‘Uthmani Fi Najd Publications by INMA (in Arabic): 1361 billion in 2003. The 2012 12- Qasami ... Wasiyyati Muthakarat. [Memoirs of Deeb Kirdiyeh.] 1- “I am Responsible, All of Us are Responsible” revenues account for 25% of 2- “Our Environment is Our Home” the total revenues. 13- Trablous Al-Sham 3- “My Society is My Responsibility” 14- Jeniyat Al-Nabi 4- “My Society is My Responsibility” Workbook 5- “I am a Student, I am a Citizen: Ways Towards LBP 90,798 billion (USD 15- Mokhber Al-Konsoliya State Building” 16- Antoun Saadah 1932-1949 6- “I am a Student, I am a Citizen: Ways Towards 60.2 billion) was the size of State Building” Workbook 17- Antoun Saadah, A Biography, Lebanon’s public debt by the 7- “Lebanon Wars, why?” Volume 1. The Youth Years 8- Discrimination in Lebanon end of July 2013, up by LBP 18- The Face of the Prophet, 7,157 (USD 4.7 billion) from Khalil Gibran and the Portraits of the Temple of Arts the same period last year. 19- May Ziadeh, Evolution of a free female thinker 20- USA in the Middle East 3,240 is the average number 21- Alone Together of brand new cars sold per 22- Mission in Hijaz - Lion Roche month in 2013. 23- Aleppo Cuisine 24- From An-Nabk to Florida 25- Institution of Aesthetic Discourse -Saad el-Kassab 26- Al A’mal Al She’rya Al-Kamila -Kamal Keir beik 27- Majhoulat Gibran To Subscribe: 28- Shweir and Its Hills, A phtographic record Al-Borj Building, 4th Floor, Martyrs Square Beirut Central District Telephone: 961-1-983008/9 961-3-262376 Fax: 961-1-980630 [email protected] www.iimonthly.com www.information-international.com © Information International SAL All rights reserved License No. 180/2003

Publications by Information international

2003-2004 | 2005-2006 | 2007-2008

Information International Al-Borg Building, 4th Floor Martyr’s Square, Commercial Center Beirut - Lebanon P.O.BOX: 11-4353 Beirut, Lebanon Tel: (961-1) 983008/9 Fax: (961-1) 980630 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.information-international.com