issue number 117 |April 2012 GOVERNMENT RENTED BUILDINGS
CENTRAL INSPECTION
“THE MONTHLY” INTERVIEWS DR. HIBAH OSMAN www.iimonthly.com Published by Information International sal
BUDGET-LESS LEBANON
Lebanon 5,000LL | Saudi Arabia 15SR | UAE 15DHR | Jordan 2JD| Syria 75SYP | Iraq 3,500IQD | Kuwait 1.5KD | Qatar 15QR | Bahrain 2BD | Oman 2OR | Yemen 15YRI | Egypt 10EP | Europe 5Euros April INDEX 2012
5 BUDGET-LESS LEBANON
8 GOVERNMENT RENTED BUILDINGS
10 DAM PROJECTS AWAIT EXECUTION
12 ELECTORAL DISTRICTS
14 RENT OF POWER-GENERATING SHIPS
15 CENTRAL INSPECTION
20 ORGAN DONATION P: 23 P: 26
21 THE PLACEBO EFFECT: DR. HANNA SAADAH
22 ALF, BA, TA (2): DR. SAMAR ZEBIAN
23 INTERVIEW: DR. HIBAH OSMAN
25 THE BEAUTY AND COMPLEXITY OF TEENAGERS - UNDERPRIVILEGED AND UNDERESTIMATED
26 NOBEL PRIZES IN CHEMISTRY (1)
30 AZM AND SAADE ASSOCIATION P: 10
32 POPULAR CULTURE
33 DEBUNKING MYTH #56: MEMORY 47 REAL ESTATE PRICES IN LEBANON - 34 MUST-READ BOOKS: LEBANON’S QUEST FEBRUARY 2012
35 MUST-READ CHILDREN’S BOOK: THE HUMAN 48 FOOD PRICES - FEBRUARY 2012 BODY 50 TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN USA 36 LEBANON FAMILIES: SHIKHANI FAMILIES 50 BEIRUT RAFIC HARIRI INTERNATIONAL 37 DISCOVER LEBANON: CHOUKIN AIRPORT - FEBRUARY 2012
38 CIVIL STRIFE INTRO (2) 51 LEBANON STATS
40 A 20-YEAR WAIT FOR POWER-GENERATING SHIPS
41 FEBRUARY 2012 TIMELINE
44 TUNISIA’S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS |EDITORIAL WHAT SHALL WE TELL THEM? “In which country are those?”, the angelic seven-year old Let us tell our children about the followers of boy, playing in his own world, was asking his father when Jamal Basha who turned against him when they were interrupted by the voice of Sheikh Ahmad al- Turkey lost the war and about the French bribes Assir roaring through Martyrs’ Square and reassuring the given to the residents of Tripoli and Beqa’a who resisted being Christians of their safety. annexed to the new Greater Lebanon, and who, as the Syrian brutality The father was planning to tell the boy about the South and ! " ! # " its capital… about Muslim Saida resting peacefully in the residents are rallying in support of the Syrian Sunnis today. tranquility of Christian Abra… This is how Jean Aziz narrated the events he encountered Let us tell them about the Jewish Agency’s funds to the the day Al-Assir and his allies took to the streets in Martyrs’ clerics, politicians, journalists and the so-called “men of Square, thus prompting a counter protest staged by the Baath P " Party and the SSNP in a sick attempt to replay the scenes of provided to our media outlets since the 1920s. Had it not been the “Hamad Cell” and “Qornet Shehwan Gathering”. for the Turks, the French, the Khalijis, the Iranians and the Americans, we couldn’t have had a single newspaper or a TV station. Likewise we couldn’t have dreamt of a USJ or an engraved in the father’s memory and tore apart the geography AUB if it weren’t for the Catholic and Protestant missionaries. book in front of the eyes of the boy,” stated Jean Aziz, thus initiating what would be a beginning for a real dialogue between Let us tell them about the Patriarch who championed the the concerned parties unlike their so-called “dialogue table”. “Arabism of Lebanon” against the so-called “Persian expansion”, and the Mufti who prayed at the Serail because Let us start. it is a “Sunni property”. Let us tell them about the politician Did Sheikh Al-Assir commit all this? who, after yielding up the harvest of the Mufti’s prayer, repaid Is he responsible for the failure, or rather the bankruptcy ! % # of the Baath Party, the SSNP and all the political bodies in the documents of the Ministry of Finance slip by unnoticed. Lebanon? Is he responsible for the false history woven and And ironically, the Mufti chose not to question him over the fabricated with the purpose of creating a non-existent reality wealth he gathered and the hundreds-of-millions of dollars in a non-existent nation? What should we tell our children? he amassed through the duty-free zone and Sukleen. “Can’t a Let us tell them the bittersweet reality so that they can create man save from his monthly salary for God’s sake?” a sustainable new one for themselves one day. Let us tell them about the Sheikh and the monk who ordered Let us tell them about Fakhreddine who kneeled down to & ' ! the Countess of Tuscany, begging her to appoint him as others of the Syrians or the devotees of one sect or another. Tuscany’s Consul for his “putative” country, Lebanon. Let us tell them about the secularist party, which took part in the game of manoeuvring for sectarian seats in Parliament Let us tell them about the two Bashirs- Shihab and Jumblat- and the Cabinet, participated in street bloodshed and rejoiced who committed endless atrocities with an aspiration to in its victory after turning a blind eye to the killing of its kiss the Sultan’s hand, not to mention the other parts of his members all for the gain of one ministerial seat. anatomy, and conspired against each other to take over a few villages and control the lives of tens of thousands of people. Let us tell them about the Za’im who said in the 1960s that there is no water pollution in Lebanon, for our country cannot but have pure Let us tell them about the actual reasons behind the events of water. Let us make them aware of the manipulation of medicines and 1845, 1860, 1920, 1943, 1958, 1975, 1989, 2005, 2006, 2007 food products, the misuse of water and air, and the corpses scattered and all the worse that is yet to come without pointing out that a throughout the streets and the victims of medical malpractice. Christian attacked a Druze or a Druze shot a chicken, or claiming that the independence was achieved by heroic acts and that the Let us tell our children that the 15-year civil war, which claimed Ain el-Remmaneh bus massacre ignited a 15-year long war. Let the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and wreaked havoc us study the correct version of history without the tales of theft on the country, ended with an amnesty law and kept us wondering |EDITORIAL
Let us tell them about the PSP, the Lebanese Forces, the SSNP their murderers, the teachers and employees who showed up at and the Amal Movement who forged an alliance to vote against ! Hezbollah and the FPM in the elections of the Teachers’ Union Let us speak to them of the bloodshed and the tears of those few and about the Zu’ama who call for democracy in Syria while who still believe that this country is worth it… holding on to their power in Lebanon at any cost. Let us draw their attention to the Labor Confederation, which stood against Let us tell our children how important it is for people to have a set ( ) ! of values to consult and refer to as a guideline and a main reference.
Let us tell them about Saida’s garbage dump and about the If we were to summarize the Commandments of Hammurabi, 23,000 votes cast to him who promised to adopt a waste Moses, Jesus and Muhammad in only one, the choice would fall on management policy and failed to live up to his promises. Let us “do not lie”. Lies are prevalent everywhere around us and within recall the three kisses he printed on Condi’s cheek and about the us. They lied when they said they sought to build a nation and we ) ! lied when we followed them against the whispers of our hearts. who became champions and lecturers on statehood. Let us educate them on Yasser Arafat’s acts, the displacement of the The question of the boy ran parallel to a question by a seven- villagers of eastern Saida, the assassination attempts and plots year old girl: on over 230 people since 1943 and the ongoing serial murders. “You do not go to the mosque, nor does mom go to the church…What are we? Are we nothing?” ( ! * + “We are the nothing that ascends beyond all the things”, the of Lebanese and buried them in Beqa’a but was later greeted father replied. with cheers and cries of welcome upon his arrival in Beirut. “You mean that “nothing” is better than “everything?”, she said. Let us speak to them of the 2006 July War and of those politicians who broke bread with Condoleezza Rice despite Proposed questions for the history test in the how Hezbollah lavished their praise on the 2006 government, which they’ve always accused of conspiracy against Lebanon Question 1: Iskandar Riachi quotes Harold Keplin: “The and described it as a “government of resistance”. Mukhtara Palace, which was an English stronghold during the Ottoman rule, has become loyal to France. The rules Let us highlight the quotes of Iskandar Riachi: “…It wouldn’t of politics in Lebanon might transform the Maronites into be even an exaggeration to say that the people of this country English loyalists if the Druze were French…” taught the Turks the art of bribery…” Explain the reasons for the above and write a paragraph detailing the current shifting alliances like the author did Let our children know that the amnesty was given to the since 1989 to date. murderers rather than the victimized, and the compensations Question 2: Is Saida’s waste crisis acceptable in the awarded to the displacers rather than the displaced. Let them opinion of Sheikh al-Assir since the rulers of the Sunnis know that the “Movement of the Deprived” is no longer were behind the dump? Yes or no? Justify your answer. deprived and that the preservation of Seniora’s billions has Question 3: For how long will Hezbollah, the Amal become a symbol of national peace. Let us sing for and with Movement and the FPM continue to blame Hariri’s them: “Is this a country or a zoo!?” governments? How are they going to justify their opinion? Question 4: Are the Future Movement, Sukleen, Is Sheikh al-Assir responsible for all this? Solidere, and the duty-free zone considered red lines not to be trespassed? Yes or no? Justify your answer. The image wouldn’t be complete unless we point out the bright Question 5: Have you ever heard of a one case in which spots amidst the gloom. So let us speak to them of the resistance the Labor Confederation challenged the increase of that held our heads high and about the civil servants who, salaries? Specify your answer. although wallowing in poverty, said “no” to fraud and bribery. Question 6: Why did Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, General Let us speak to them of those who starved but refused to beg or ) " * ! ') ; < ! steal and those who put themselves at risk to rescue a neighbor symbols of unity? And why were they incapable of being or a stranger during the civil war. Let us speak of the parents who leaders for more than only one sect or one part of a sect? lost their children but never lost hope, the people who forgave Is it too late to change this now? LEADER | 5 BUDGET-LESS LEBANON 2012 BUDGET MIGHT FOLLOW ITS PREDECESSORS ! " #$ # ! " $ # % & ' ( $ # )" $ * ! + $ # O * P * ! . * 0 Article 83 of the Lebanese Constitution stipulates that The 2012 draft budget allocated LBP 15,144 billion = > @ |] ! [ following October 15 of every year), the government support the power sector, cover the salaries of public has to submit to the Parliament the general budget employees and the cost of debt servicing. Allocations estimates of state expenditures and revenues for the following year. The draft budget is voted upon article LBP 6294 billion while the cost of debt servicing was by article. estimated at LBP 5812 billion. The funds allocated to However, the Parliament has not received any estimates support EDL (Electricité du Liban) amounted to LBP yet and the draft budget is still stuck in the Cabinet, 3,038 billion and another LBP 2,900 billion went for which failed to submit it no less than 15 days prior to the purchase of fuel. the convening of Parliament i.e. before the beginning of October. Once the draft budget is approved in the 7 Cabinet, it has to be referred to the Parliament for LBP 215 billion for the Lebanese University [ ! " ! ! " LBP 166 billion for private free schools which will probably delay budget approval to the end LBP 35 billion for the exemption of parents from of the year. Some believe that the current draft budget paying public school fees will not be approved but will rather encounter the same LBP 120 billion for the purchasing of medicines for fate as the budgets of the previous few years (since the Ministry of Public Health ]^^_` ' {| } " LBP 340 billion for private sector hospitalization at ! the expense of the Ministry of Public Health must be submitted to the Parliament for approval before LBP 350 billion for the National Social Security Fund the promulgation of the budget of the following year, LBP 46 billion to subsidize tobacco farming which is unlikely to happen given the disagreements LBP 460 billion to produce 700 Megawatts of over those accounts and the need to re-audit them. electricity Under the terms of Law, the 2012 budget approval is a task LBP 255 billion to expand the natural gas network beyond the bounds of possibility but when politics come within the Lebanese territories to play and political bargains are forged, the approval LBP 70 billion for water dams becomes workable regardless of the content of the budget. LBP 80 billion for the Educational Center for Research and Development to support educational / programs 2012 expenditure is estimated at LBP 21,063 billion LBP 17 billion for the state-run Tele Liban television compared to LBP 19,826 billion in 2011. station 2012 revenue is estimated at LBP 14,816 billion LBP 18.5 billion for the advertising of tourist compared to LBP 14,361 billion in 2011 which campaigns ! (~' "_ ]| _ LBP 15.6 billion for sports clubs and cultural and ]^ (~' _"]| ] __ ]^] theatrical associations
issue 117 | April 2012 6 | LEADER
LBP 15 billion for the purchasing of public Revenues from Casino du Liban: LBP 186 billion transportation buses Revenues from the Lebanese lottery: LBP 71 billion LBP 120 billion for road works Revenues generated by the Port of Beirut: LBP 65 LBP 180 billion for road maintenance billion LBP 15 billion for the management of Saida’s ' ~ ( (~' _ garbage dump Revenues from Beirut International Airport: LBP LBP 250 billion for land appropriations 78 billion LBP 27 billion to pay rent to owners of property Revenues from the regularization of previous occupied by UNIFIL construction violations: LBP 106 billion LBP 108 billion for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Retirement provisions: LBP 78 million of which LBP 61 billion are to be paid in 2012 and Work permit fees: LBP 48 billion LBP 47 billion in 2013 Administrative fees: LBP 481 billion of which LBP LBP 12 billion to erect a building for the Lebanese ]]{ ! (~' ]| Customs at the Port of Beirut billion from general security fees LBP 11 billion to erect buildings for the Internal Security Forces & LBP 8 billion for the rehabilitation of Al-Soltaniyyi The 2012 draft budget introduced new taxes and raised –Saida road [ (~' + revenues. The draft budget focused on: LBP 15 billion for the establishment of a tourist port Raising the ) " ! ^ ] in Jounieh Raising the ! LBP 7 billion for the establishment of an IT network Raising the ! { among schools Imposing an additional LBP 2,000 LBP 8 billion to erect a building for the Ministry of Imposing an additional LBP 500,000 Public Health with 3 digits and LBP 250,000 on LBP 19 billion for the renovation and equipment of 4-digit plates. These fees are doubled if the plate school premises holds a repetitive number sequence. Charging the seekers of building permits LBP 150 8 * 000 for every square meter set for the construction Total government revenues are distributed over the of a shelter but used for another purpose. This fee following: was LBP 10 in the past. * Importing cars of minimum 6 years old (instead of 8). Tax revenues are estimated at LBP 11,583 billion or |{ ] @ [ ! " LBP 3,399 billion of which LBP 1,160 billion are ; * [ ! (~' "]_ O $ taxes on interest earned in local banks. Taxes on property stood at LBP 1,088 billion of * # which LBP 841 billion are collected from real estate registration fees. Taxes on goods and services stood at LBP 5,746 P billion of which LBP 3,959 billion are earned from . the VAT. In addition to the subsidies granted to the power sector, Customs and other import duties stood at LBP 873 the salaries of public employees, the end of service billion. " allocated funds to the Ministry of National Defense & 9 * ! [ Non-tax revenues are estimated at LBP 3,233 billion or by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, ] { the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and the Transfers from telecommunication services: LBP Ministry of Interior and Municipalities as detailed in 1,923 billion the following Table 1.
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Distribution of expenditures from _ ] the highest to the lowest-spending Table 1 ! [ ! department Allocation As previously stated, the draft budget is still stuck in Due debts 5,812 the Cabinet and once submitted to the Parliament, it Subsidies to the state-owned EDL 3,038 Salaries and end of service benefits 1,830 previous years. Hence, Lebanon will remain without Ministry of National Defense 1,800 [ Ministry of Education and Higher the numbers mentioned in the budget proposal are not Education 1,475.6 but a mere translation of intangible and unachievable Presidency of the Council of Ministers 1,440 forecasts and estimates. Ministry of Interior and Municipalities 1,136.3 Ministry of Energy and Water 957.1 < Ministry of Public Health 554.4 8 The allocations granted for public retirees stand at LBP Ministry of Public Works and Transportation 538.2 "{^ ! ! ! {^ Ministry of Finance 497.1 ]^ * ! " ! ! ! _ ! Ministry of Labor 362.6 { Ministry of Social Affairs 200 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants 159 Retirement costs 153.1 (of which LBP 61 billion are Retirement salaries End-of-service Ministry of Justice allocated to the (LBP billion) benefits (LBP STL for the year billion) 2012) Parliament Police 8 6.5 Ministry of Agriculture 100 State Security 35 9.5 Parliament 69.4 Lebanese Army 657 289 Ministry of Economy and Trade 56.2 Internal Security Forces 300 80 Ministry of Information 43 General Security 80 55 Ministry of Culture 34 Civil agencies 270 40 Ministry of Tourism 27.6 Total 1350 480 Ministry of Youth and Sports 20 Presidency of the Republic 17.5 LBP 10 billion allocated for advertising campaigns Ministry of Environment 12.1 for the Ministry of Tourism Ministry of Telecommunications 10.5 LBP 12.4 billion allocated for travel expenses Ministry of the Displaced 8.2 LBP 13.7 billion for delegations and conferences in Ministry of Industry 7.7 Lebanon and abroad LBP 905 billion for the National Commission for Constitutional Council 1.73 Lebanese Women presided by the First Lady and Reserve funds 700 ! ! Source: draft budget 2012 LBP 885 billion for the Syrian-Lebanese Supreme Council Similar to previous draft budgets, the striking fact LBP 29.5 billion for secret security expenditures about this draft budget is the limited availability LBP 45 million for the Syndicate of Press [ |] Photographers expenditure covers only three items (debt servicing, LBP 500 million for the Lebanese Press Syndicate salaries and power subsidies) noting that these are LBP 500 million for the Lebanese Editors Syndicate not investment expenditures but rather irreplaceable LBP 249.2 billion for the Civil Servants Cooperative consumption expenditures. Likewise, revenues are LBP 340 billion for private sector hospitalization at mainly generated from three main sources: the VAT, the expense of the Ministry of Public Health the customs duties and the telecoms transfers which
issue 117 | April 2012 8 | PUBLIC SECTOR GOVERNMENT RENTED BUILDINGS: LBP 90 BILLION ANNUALLY
The Lebanese government rents hundreds of buildings ! public agencies and schools. Huge funds are allocated # every year for the occupancy of the buildings and the O * amounts increase every once in a while due to: +& 0 ; The liberation of rental agreements signed after = " >0; ="? 1992, hence authorizing the landlords to sign new @ ; contracts with higher rental fees every three years. The increase of the rents signed before 1992 by P ! salary bracket in the private sector. . # NB: The Council for South Lebanon, the Educational Center for Research and Development, the Social The highest cost borne by the government goes for Economic Council, some branches of the Lebanese the rent of the UN Economic and Social Commission University, the Green Project and many others are for Western Asia (ESCWA) headquarters in Solidere. excluded from the list of buildings. Adding the rent Table 2 draws a comparison between the rents paid for of those would bring the annual cost to over LBP 100 each ministry and public administration in 2012 and billion. those paid in 1998. A dramatic increase may be noted in the rent of most public agencies and the decrease registered in a few cases is due to the relocation into 0* new buildings or the construction of state-owned ones. Funds spent on the rent of public buildings stood at LBP 51.1 billion according to the 1998 state budget < " || years reaching LBP 90.6 billion as estimated in the 2012 draft budget.
Shows the evolution of government buildings rents Table 1 Year Cost (LBP billion) 1998 51.1 2000 61.5 2002 67.6 2003 68.1 2004 68.1 2005 68.5 2006 70 2008 71.4 2009 77.4 2010 86.2 ESCWA-Beirut 2012 90.6 Source: The budget and draft budget laws
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Distribution of rents Table 2 Distribution of rents Table 2 Rent in Rent in Rent in Rent in 2012 1998 Ministry/Administration 2012 1998 Ministry/Administration (LBP (LBP (LBP (LBP million) million) million) million) Presidency of the Council of Directorate General of Roads and 399 1,400 Ministers 550 959 Buildings Accountability Bureau 1,128 480 Urban Planning 430 295 Civil Service Board 485 360 Directorate General of Civil Aviation 4 6 Central Inspection 1,089 320 Directorate General of Land and Maritime Transport 946 516 Sunni Ifta Departments 90 50 Lebanese Army 1.800 1.100 Sunni religious courts 510 393 Ministry of Education and Higher Higher Islamic Shia’a Council 110 85 Education 219 200 Jaafari Ifta Departments 47 19 Primary and middle schools 16.500 10.000 Jaafari religious courts 598 194 Secondary schools 8.700 6.500 Druze religious courts 142 40 Ministry of Public Health 1,193 691 Islamic Alawi Council 49.8 - Ministry of Economy and Trade 703 320 Higher Disciplinary Committee 21 20 Ministry of Agriculture 1,520 230 Central Administration of Statistics 525 17 Ministry of Telecommunications- Post office 290 370 General Directorate of State 550 352 Security Ministry of Labor 758 122 Druze Religious Council 247.2 15 Ministry of Information 50 100 Office of the Minister of State for Ministry of Energy and Water 290 413 Administrative Development Affairs 1,088 - Directorate General of Oil 170 80 Constitutional Council 335 330 Ministry of Tourism 19 80 Ministry of Justice- Courts 608 838 Ministry of Culture 600 750 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants- Central Administration 675 313 Ministry of Environment 670 300 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of the Displaced 730 321 Emigrants- ESCWA building 11,750 10,363 Ministry of Youth and Sports 265 200 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants- Directorate of 549 560 Ministry of Social Affairs 220 400 Emigrants Affairs Ministry of Industry 330 100 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants- Embassies 24,500 13,600 Source: The 1998 budget law and the 2012 draft budget Ministry of Interior and Municipalities 52 1,458 Directorate General of Internal ; Security Forces 1,305 936 Many solutions are being proposed to reduce the ever- Directorate General of General growing rental costs, of which we mention: Security 955 480 Laying down a phased plan for the construction Civil Status General Directorate 60 432 of public buildings on state-owned land in Beirut Mount Lebanon Mohafaza 27 25 and other regions and giving priority access to this North Mohafaza 50 160 accommodation to those having the highest rents. # ! ! Nabatieh Mohafaza 3 4 in the public buildings that have vacant space. Akkar Mohafaza 50 - Shutting down the embassies and consulates present Ministry of Finance 2,927 2,655 in minor countries. Lebanese Customs Administration 1,300 670 Directorate of Real Estate Affairs 1,502 367
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DAM PROJECTS AWAIT EXECUTION * A B ! . * # @ #$ $ * $ * # $ # ! $ ' * # $ * @ $ ! # * #!
"* @ @ Of the 9 billion cubic meters of rainfall, around 6 list of the dam projects, which are yet to materialize. billion cubic meters are subject to evaporation and Despite the urgency of these projects, only two (Brissa, leakage, and 3 billion cubic meters remain available Yamouni) are in use now while the others await funding for use. The actual exploited amount stands roughly at or political and developmental consensus. 1.1 billion cubic meters (Subsurface water: 600 million m3- Springs: 950 million m3- Dams: 50 million m3) Prospective lakes and dam Table 1 at a time when the demand reaches around 150 billion Capacity (million !" ^^ ! ! Dam/Lake Region cubic meter) that is likely to augment year after year. El-Manzoul Dam Matn 350 (thousand m3) % Bessri Dam Chouf- Jezzine 120 Currently, there are four dams and lakes in Lebanon Bakaata Dam Kessrouan 6 with a capacity of 230 million cubic meters. They are Qaysamani Dam Baabda 1 the following: Maasser el-Chouf Lake Baabda 2.2 C . 7 it was built in 1959 in the middle reaches of the Litani River in the Beka’a Valley. Damour Dam Baabda 42 It has a capacity of 220 million cubic meters and Laqlouq Lake Jbeil 500 (thousand m3) is used for hydropower generation and irrigation Rtaybe Lake Jbeil 300 (thousand m3) (around 37 thousand hectares). Meqdad Lake Jbeil 2 ; . 7 it was built in 2007 in the highs Janna Dam Jbeil 30 of Kessrouan and has a capacity of 9 million cubic Azzounieh Dam Aley 4.1 meters. It is fed by the Al-Laban Spring and provides water for irrigation, consumption and domestic use Al-Assi Dam Hermel 37 to the regions of Kesrrouan and North Matn. Wadi Sbat Dam Hermel 1.5
/ 7 It is located in Matn and has a Yamouni Dam Baalbeck 1.45 capacity of 500 thousand cubic meters. Younine Dam Baalbeck 5.8 Massa Dam Zahle 8 Kwashra Lake: It is located in Akkar and has a capacity of 350 thousand cubic meters. It serves Berhasha Lake Zahle 550 (thousand m3) mainly irrigation and agricultural purposes. Ain Arab Lake Rashaya 2 Al-Bared Dam Akkar 37 9D % The Ministry of Energy and Water has laid down a plan Noura El-Tahta Akkar 35 for the decade aimed at creating 50 lakes and dams to Qorquk Dam Akkar 20 provide 640 million cubic meters of water and treat
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Prospective lakes and dam Table 1 Prospective lakes and dam Table 1 Capacity (million Capacity (million Dam/Lake Region cubic meter) Dam/Lake Region cubic meter) Qamou’a Lake Akkar 1.2 Nabe’e Al-Tassi Dam Nabatieh 500 (thousand m3) Akkar Lake Akkar 700 (thousand m3) Kfarwi Lake Nabatieh 550 (thousand m3) Brissa Dam Dennieh 800 (thousand m3) Jba’a Lake Nabatieh 260 (thousand m3) Dar Beshtar Dam Koura 55 Ainbal Dam Sour 500 (thousand m3) Hadath al-Jiyyi Bsharri 370 (thousand m3) Shahour Dam Sour 560 (thousand m3) Al-Arz Lake Bsharri 1 Bareesh Dam Sour 1.25 Iaal Dam Zgharta 12 Kounin Dam Bint Jbeil 750 (thousand m3) Al-Msaylha Dam Batroun 6 Ayta Sha’ab Dam Bint Jbeil 1.8 Bala’a Dam Batroun 1.2 Kfarhouna Dam Jezzine 1.2 Rahwi Dam Batroun 2.2 Jernaya Dam Jezzine 950 (thousand m3) Khiam Dam Marjeyoun 850 (thousand m3) Azbiyi Lake Jezzine 600 (thousand m3) Ebel Es-Saqi Dam Marjeyoun 50 Laba’a lake Jezzine 800 (thousand m3) Kfarsir Dam Nabatieh 15 Blatet el-Jamajem Saida 2.5 Ansar Dam Nabatieh 1.5 dam Sala’a Lake Hasbaya 2.5 Khardali Dam Nabatieh 120 Source: Ministry of Energy and Water.
Qaraoun Dam
issue 117 | April 2012 12 | PUBLIC SECTOR ELECTORAL DISTRICTS EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION OF DISTRICTS AIM TO ENHANCE ZU’AMA INTERESTS ; # $ * # * ! * * * # \ * F !
The major amendments targeted district distribution and parliamentary seats yielding different outcomes with every new arrangement. The following table shows the distribution of districts and parliamentary seats depending on the set of electoral laws in force at the time.
Distribution of districts and seats in each electoral year Table 1 Parliamentary Number of Election year Districts (seat/district) seats districts Beirut (5)- Tripoli (1)- Mount Lebanon (8)- South Lebanon (6)- Beka’a (6)- 1922 30 6 North Lebanon (4) Beirut (5)-Mount Lebanon (8)- South Lebanon (7)- Beka’a (6)- North 1925 30 5 Lebanon (4) 45 (15 appointed Beirut (8)- North Lebanon (9)- Mount Lebanon (14)- South Lebanon (8)- 1929 5 MPs) Beka’a (6) 25 (7 appointed Beirut (4)- North Lebanon (6)- Mount Lebanon (8)- Beka’a (4)- South 1934 5 MPs) Lebanon (3) 63 (21 appointed Beirut (15)- North Lebanon (12)- Mount Lebanon (17)- Beka’a (8)- South 1937 5 MPs) Lebanon (11) Beirut (9)- North Lebanon (12)- Mount Lebanon (17)- Beka’a (7)- South 1943 55 5 Lebanon (10) Beirut (9)- North Lebanon (12)- Mount Lebanon (17)- Beka’a (7)- South 1947 55 5 Lebanon (10) Beirut (13)- South (14)- Beka’a (11)- Zgharta, Batroun, Koura (6)- Tripoli 1951 77 9 (6)- Akkar (4)- Kessrouan (5)- Baabda, Matn (9)- Chouf, Aley (9) Beirut 1 Mdawwar (1) Beirut 2: Ashrafieh, Rmeil, Saifi (2) Beirut 3: Mazra’a (1) Beirut 4: Zqaq El-Blat, Bashoura, Msaytbeh, Ras Beirut (2) Baabda (2)- Matn (2)- Burj Hammoud (1)- Deir el-Kamar, Shhim (2)- Joun, 1953 44 33 Baakline (2)- Aley (2)- Kessrouan (1)- Ftouh (1)- Jbeil (1)- Tripoli 1 (1)- Tripoli 2 (1)- Dennieh (1)- Koura (1)- Zgharta (1)- Besharri (1)- Batroun (1)- Akkar (2)- Saida (1)- Zahrani (1)- Nabatieh (1)- Jezzine, Maghdoushi (2)- Marjeyoun (1)- Sour (1)- Bint Jbeil (1)- East Beka’a, Zahle (2)- West Beka’a, Rashaya (2)- Baalbeck (1)- Hermel (1) Beirut 1: Msaytbeh, Mazra’a, Ashrafieh, Rmeil, Saifi (5) Beirut 2: Mdawwar, Ras Beirut, Marfa’a, Zqaq El-Blat, Mina’a el-Hosn, Dar el-Mrayse (6) Baabda (4)- Matn (3)- Burj Hammoud (1)- Deir el-Kamar, Shhim (2)- Joun, 1957 66 27 Baakline (2)- Aley, Damour (3)- Kessrouan, Ftouh (3)- Jbeil (1)- Tripoli (4)- Dennieh (1)- Zgharta (2)- Bsharri (1)- Koura (1)- Batroun (1)- Akkar (4)- Saida (1)- Zahrani (1)- Nabatiyeh (2)- Jezzine, Maghdoushi (3), Marjeyoun, Hasbaya (1)- Sour (2)- Bint Jbeil (1)- Zahle (4)- Rashaya, West Beka’a (2)- Baalbeck, Hermel (4)
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Distribution of districts and seats in each electoral year Table 1 Parliamentary Number of Election year Districts (seat/district) seats districts Beirut 1: Mdawwar, Ashrafieh, Rmeil, Saifi, Marfa’a, Mina’a el-Hosn (8) Beirut 2: Zqaq El-Blat, Bashoura, Ain El-Mrayse (3) Beirut 3: Mazra’a, Msaytbeh, Ras Beirut (5) Saida (1)- Zahrani (2)- Sour (3)- Nabatieh (3)- Jezzine (3)- Bint Jbeil 1960 99 26 (2)- Hasbaya, Marjeyoun (4)- Tripoli (5)- Dennieh (2)- Batroun (2)- Koura (2)- Zgharta (3)- Bsharri (2)- Akkar (4)- Zahle (5)- Baalbeck, Hermel (7)- West Beka’a, Rashaya (3)- Chouf (8)- Aley (5)- Baabda (5)- Matn (5)- Kessrouan (4)- Jbeil (3) 1964- 1968- 99 26 Same distribution adopted in 1960 1972 Beirut (19)- South Lebanon, Nabatieh (23)- North Lebanon (28)- Baalbeck, 1992 128 12 Hermel (10)- Zahle (7)- West Beka’a, Rashaya (3)- Baabda (6)- Kessrouan (5)- Matn (8)- Chouf (8)- Jbeil (3) Beirut (19)- Beka’a (23)- The North (28)- South Lebanon, Nabatieh (23)- 1996 128 10 Chouf (8)- Aley (5)- Baabda (6)- Kessrouan (5)- Matn (8)- Jbeil (3) Beirut 1: Ashrafieh, Mazra’a, Saifi (6) Beirut 2: Msaytbeh- Bashoura- Rmeil (6) Beirut 3: Dar el-Mrayse, Ras Beirut, Zqaq el-Blat, Mdawwar, Marfa’a, Mina’a el-Hosn (7) South Lebanon, Nabatieh (23)- Zahle (7)- Baalbeck, Hermel (10)- West 2000 128 13 Beka’a, Rashaya (6)- Jbeil, Kessrouan (8)- Baabda, Aley (11)- Chouf (8)- Matn (8) North Lebanon 1: Akkar, Bsharri, Dennieh (11) North Lebanon 2: Tripoli, Minnieh, Koura, Batroun, Zgharta (17)
2005 128 13 Same distribution adopted in 2000 Beirut 1: Ashrafieh, Rmeil, Saifi (5) Beirut 2: Bashoura, Mdawwar, Marfa’a (4) Beirut 3: Ras Beirut, Mina’a el-Hosn, Mazra’a, Dar el-Mrayse, Msaytbeh, 2009 128 Zqaq el-Blat (10) Saida (2)- Zahrani (3)- Sour (4)- Nabatieh (3)- Marjeyoun, Hasbaya (5)- Bint Jbeil (3)- Jezzine (3)- Chouf (8)- Aley (5)- Baabda (6)- Matn (8)- Kessrouan (5)- Jbeil (3)- Zgharta (3)- Batroun (2)- Koura (3)- Bsharri (2) 2013 128 ? ?
From 1922 to 2009, Lebanon has witnessed 19 parliamentary elections. Lebanese electoral law has been amended 13 times adjusting the number of parliamentary seats and the distribution of districts. Elections took place according to these laws in the years 1943-1947, in the years 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972 and the years from 2000 to 2005. The number of districts varied from 5 to 6, and was then increased to 9. They were later increased to 33 ]|" ]_" ] ^" @ ! parliamentary seats varied between 25 (in 1934) and 128 (from1992).
Should we anticipate a proportionality-based electoral law?
How many districts should there be according to the new electoral law?
Will district distribution in 2013 be identical to the one established in 2009 or should we look ahead to new formulas that might produce new results?
issue 117 | April 2012 14 | PUBLIC SECTOR
RENT OF POWER-GENERATING SHIPS: USD 180-280 MILLION ANNUALLY? # # $ # $ ! G $ @ #! ( # 0 # = @ #$ #$ # # ! 9 !
highly demanded by other shortage-stricken countries in The Cabinet approved by virtue of decision No. 1 dated the region such as Iraq and Pakistan. These two countries September 29, 2010 the formation of a ministerial committee have already been supplied with two vessels, thus tasked with discussing the rental of power-generating ships. delaying the process of providing ships for Lebanon. The meetings held by the committee led to a consensus over @ ) ! @ ) Energy and Water published an advertisement in newspapers they do not have a wide market worldwide and the announcing its willingness to provide electricity through the ! ! rental of ships or generators. 60 companies were interested in the invitation to tender bids with 23 submitting their Cost proposals. The number of the companies eligible for the bid Regarding the expenses in case of an agreement with | Karadeniz Powership Co. the Ministry of Energy and 7 companies offered the provision of fast-rotating Water reported the following: generators which operate on diesel oil and may be The average energy cost per kWh is 4.8 cents (without placed near the regional switching stations (around 45), the fuel cost which has not been determined yet). but their offers were turned down due to their high cost, The offer presented by Karadeniz Powership Co. can be the lack of space necessary to accommodate the engines ! and the impossibility of allocating energy equally. vessel within three months from negotiating the contract. 4 companies offered the supply of medium-speed The second vessel would be delivered in six months. generators that could be placed inside the power The annual cost stands somewhere between USD 180 plants but their offers were also refused for lack of million and USD 280 million and ensures an additional two room inside the plants as well as the costly equipment to three hours of supply per day. The Ministry pointed that, needed for their installation and connection to the grid. compared to the cost borne to produce the same amount 6 companies suggested the provision of medium- of electricity from the plants, leasing the ships would save speed generators and turbines that could be placed them USD 100 million to USD 300 million every year. on board the vessels moored alongside the plant’s wharf and be connected to the grid. The Lebanese want electricity and they are pressing for this rightful demand at any cost and regardless of all the high @ ) < " ! & power-generating ships raises many questions, such as: Absence of technical and logistical complications Why did the Ministry rule out the offers suggesting as to the installation and connection to the grid the operation of generators inside or nearby the Affordable price plants and opt for a less common technique? Quick solution that does not necessitate equipment ! [ ! favor of only one? @ ) What is the actual cost of leasing those ships after of the six companies do not work in power generation adding the fuel expenses? and are awaiting to be awarded the contract to buy the Is it true that the Ministry will save USD 300 million vessels and equip them. Therefore, the Ministry settled thanks to this offer? on the offer presented by the Turkey-based Karadeniz The contract has not been awarded yet noting that another bid Powership Co. and reiterated the urge to enter into an was offered by a US company, but PM Najib Mikati refused to immediate contract with them because their services are go ahead with the bids offered by the two companies arguing that the cost is too high and suggesting to re-launch the tenders. issue 117 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. PUBLIC SECTOR | 15 CENTRAL INSPECTION MISSION UNACCOMPLISHED I $ % G BJB * # ! I $ # !
0 " ! The Central Inspection was established pursuant to be referred to the Attorney General at the accountability Decree law No. 115 dated June 12, 1959 and is located bureau for his auditing, review and recommendations. within the executive branch of government. The President of Central Inspection presents all G inspection reports to the Inspection Board (composed The Central Inspection has jurisdiction over all civil ' " service agencies and administrations (save the Council education inspector) within one month from the date for Development and Reconstruction, the National he was handed the reports. As for the inspection reports Social Security Fund, Banque du Liban and the referred to the Accountability Bureau, they fall within Investment Development Authority of Lebanon) as the same time limit starting from the date they were well as all municipal employees. The Judiciary, the reviewed and returned to the President. army, public and internal security forces, overseas delegations and the Lebanese University are subject ; } # The Central Inspection includes the following divisions: Decree No. 115 entrusted the Central Inspection with: I Monitoring all civil service agencies and I " which municipalities, ensuring their compliance with consists of: the rules and regulations, detecting violations and The Central Administration imposing disciplinary measures on the violators The General Administration Inspection: it has a Improving administrative work methods and jurisdiction over all civil service agencies and procedures municipalities and is responsible for the supervision Giving advice to administrative authorities of its of work methods and employee behavior, own accord or upon their request performance and compliance with the rules and Coordinating common works between various regulations public agencies The General Engineering Inspection: it conducts Conducting studies and inspections as assigned by investigations pertaining to civil, transportation, the relevant authorities electrical and telecoms engineering The General Education Inspection: it conducts = " inspections in public schools and ensures the correct reports on the responsibilities they had to undertake to execution of work tasks and the competency and ' } # @ performance of teachers as well as their abidance !! ! by the set programs and curricula at the most. This duration cannot be extended except The General Social Medical Agricultural Inspection: upon special authorization by the President, provided it assumes its responsibilities in the medical and that the extension limit does not exceed one month. ! and municipal medical departments The President of Central Inspection refers a copy of the The General Financial Inspection: its task is auditing ! agency in addition to the Civil Service Council. Should public money
issue 117 | April 2012 16 | PUBLIC SECTOR
The Government Commissariat at the Higher George Awad: he was appointed on December 3, Disciplinary Committee: it is responsible for 2004 following his transfer from the Judiciary and [ ! relevant report and referring it to the Higher Disciplinary Committee Budget The budget of the Central Inspection falls under the " 7 its main function is to government budget and has reached around LBP 10,942 run and check and supervise public tenders for works billion in 2010. However, the actual expenses exceeded commissioned by all public agencies and ministries. this amount and rose to LBP 11.7 billion owing to the The Research and Guidance Department was part of LBP 1.1 billion increase in personnel expenses. Wages the Central Inspection but was later separated from it (~' ] {^ and coupled with the Civil Service Council pursuant to of the total Central Inspection expenses. Table 1 shows Law No. 222 dated May 23. the expenses in 2010.
I 7 The 2010 Central Inspection expenses Table 1 According to a law, the Central Inspection personnel Expenses 2010 (LBP) should include 328 employees and 31 hourly employees Stationery and office supplies 5.890.000 but the current number is restricted to 192 employees, 13 Publications, books and references 21.279.000 hourly employees, 21 contract employees, 10 transferred Other office supplies 383.000 ! " | Fuel and oil for generators 14.993.000 The posts are distributed according to the following Heating fuels 370.000 grades: Other administrative supplies 9.570.000 Grade 1: 11 posts of which 4 are vacant Liquid fuels 5.249.000 Grade 2: 5 posts of which 3 are vacant Electricity 29.443.000 Grade 2 or 3: 208 posts of which 63 are vacant Wired communications 215.411.000 Grade 3: 14 posts of which 8 are vacant Office rent and maintenance 1.133.791.000 Grade 4: 57 posts of which 31 are vacant Regular maintenance 22.768.000 Grade 5: 33 posts of which 14 are vacant Post 3.701.000 Ads 1.200.000 % I Print publications 4.696.000 Many have succeeded to the presidency of Central PR 819.000 Inspection since its establishment to date (February Insurance 1.220.000 2012): Cleaning services 79.860.000 Chawkat Al-Manla: he was appointed on November Remunerations 14.588.000 13, 1959 and served till July 1, 1962 when he re- Employees’ salaries 5.287.598.000 assumed his previous post as an advisor at the State Contractual employees’ salaries 244.904.000 Shura Council. Wages 139.825.000 Abdul Rahman Tayyara: he was appointed on July Family compensation 131.196.000 2, 1962 and used to serve as the Director General of Compensations for extra work 2.159.422.000 national economy Temporary transportation allowances 531.008.000 Hisham Sha’ar Fees to the National Social Security fund 23.472.000 Riad Soubra: he was appointed as a proxy on April Rewards 749.100.000 23, 1990 and used to serve as the Director General Inter-Lebanon transportation services 787.847.000 of the tenders Various expenses 3.734.000 Fawzi Hbeish: he was appointed on November 21, Furniture 6.120.000 ] ]_" Technical equipment 7.117.000 1996 IT equipment 15.768.000 Kamal Saba: he was appointed on November 12, Transportation equipment 37.675.000 1997 following his transfer from the Accountability Technical maintenance 8.197.000 Bureau and served till 1999 Fouad Hedmos: he was appointed on March 19, IT maintenance 1.564.000 1999 and served till 2004 Transportation vehicles’ maintenance 1.114.000
issue 117 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. PUBLIC SECTOR | 17
I 8 Grade 4) and one (a Grade 3 employee) was deprived from promotion until further notice. ( * The content of the 2010 Central Inspection report was O9 I N 0 not different from that of the reports issued in previous The Inspectorate General of Education imposed 66 years. The report was also restricted in pinpointing sanctions. The sanctions included: the defects, which led to a failure in addressing the Delay in the promotion of 15 teachers of whom six administrative misconduct and reinforcing the adequate are Grade 4 school principals, three are Grade 4 censorship and accountability in the civil service. In the teachers and six Grade 3 secondary teachers. absence of a real reformative will, such reports would Reduction in the pay of 37 teachers of whom six remain just ink on paper featuring the problem without are Grade 4 school principals, sixteen are Grade taking any action or applying any sanctions to resolve it, especially that the disciplinary measures suggested including two high school principals. by some inspectorates are very lenient considering the Reprimand of 14 teachers including three Grade 4 pervasive corruption in the public service. school principals, seven teachers belonging to the same grade and four Grade 3 secondary teachers ) including two high school principals. In its introduction, the report states clearly that the personnel shortage and the high vacancy rates, which R9 I N S $ ; # [ ^ ! & " inspection process. The Inspectorate General of Health, Society and Agriculture also suggested the sanctioning of 26 I employees who were found liable for misconduct. The # ! " sanctions included: inspectorates in operation have imposed punitive Reduction in the pay of ten employees of whom measures on 173 employees, contract employees and seven belong to Grade 2 and three belong to Grade 5. workers for misconduct in the public service. Delay in the promotion or the regular raise of sixteen employees of whom eight belong to Grade 9 I N " 2, two belong to Grade 3 and six in Grade 4. # " the Inspectorate General for Administration subjected J9 I N G 45 employees to sanctions for violation of the Code The sanctions imposed by the Inspectorate General of Conduct. The nature of those sanctions varied as of Finance targeted 32 employees. The transgressions follows: committed were greeted with: Reprimand: one Grade 4 employee Reprimand: three permanent employees and one Reduction in pay: sixteen permanent employees, temporary worker ! " ! Reduction in pay: seventeen people including nine and eleven temporary workers. The sanctioned permanent employees and eight temporary workers employees were distributed over the following Delay in promotion/raise: eleven people including two grades: permanent employees and nine temporary workers Grade 2: one Grade 3: twelve Grade 4: sixteen " I Delay in promotion/raise: eight permanent employees of whom two belong to Grade 3, one to The Central Inspection Committee held 24 sessions in 2010 during which it reached 234 decisions that Suspension from work: one hourly employee lead to sanctioning 154 employees and referring 6 to the Higher Disciplinary Committee, 44 to 9 I N 0 the Accountability Bureau and another two to the In its turn, the Inspectorate General of Engineering Cassation Public Prosecution. The employees who sanctioned four employees of whom three were were held accountable for the offences they committed reprimanded (two of them in Grade 3 and the third in are distributed over the ministries shown in Table 1.
issue 117 | April 2012 18 | PUBLIC SECTOR
Distribution of sanctions by ministry Table 1 A six- A six- Referral to Referral # of Deductions month A 30-month month the Higher Referral to the to Ministry employee up to 15 full delay of delay of unpaid Disciplinary Accountability criminal day’s pay promotion promotion suspension Committee Bureau judiciary Presidency of the Council of Ministers Ministry of Justice Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Ministry of Interior and Municipalities 456 1 1 1 159 Ministry of Finance 2 1 1 1 1 2 3 Ministry of Public Works and Transport 113 3 2 Ministry of National Defense Ministry of Education and Higher Education 16 42 15 4 1 2 16 6 Ministry of Public Health 11 2 2 1 Ministry of Economy and Trade 1 Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives 1 Ministry of Telecommunications Ministry of Labor Ministry of Information 1 Ministry of Energy and Water 1 Ministry of Tourism Ministry of Culture Ministry of Environment Ministry of the Displaced 6 Ministry of Youth and Sports Ministry of Social Affairs 2 1 Ministry of Industry Public agencies 1 1 2 1 Water agencies 8 1 4 2 EDL 1 Municipalities 4 Total 31 88 24 8 3 6 49 25 Source: Central Inspection report
Most of the transgressions committed by employees Violations of administrative regulations: 59 included work hour violations and misuse/abuse of Violations entailing criminal prosecution: 49 administrative authority. The offences varied as follows: Other offences: 4 Engagement in unrelated or forbidden job tasks or responsibilities: 7 The offenders who committed incidents of inappropriate Work-hour violations: 52 behavior were distributed over the following grades Misuse of administrative authority: 76 noting that the majority of them were Grade 3 and Violations of conduct regulations: 17 Grade 4 employees: _^ Grade 1: 1 employee Grade 2: 9 employees
issue 117 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. PUBLIC SECTOR | 19
Grade 3: 57 employees S I Grade 4: 69 employees report Hourly employees: 3 Contract employees: 15 The 2010 Central Inspection report approached a number of issues of which we will note the following: " The responsibility of managing and administrating the tenders and bids necessary to meet the needs and It has become evident that pre-school and facilitate the work of public agencies should rest kindergarten teachers, both contractual and full-time with the Central Inspection Tenders Administration. are not specialized in teaching this particular cycle. However, many practices are employed to encroach upon the Administration’s authority thus crippling its = @ ! Nothing has changed with regards to the state of ] & !! contracting. The hourly rates of contractual teachers by all public agencies and ministries. The projects and have continued to increase similarly to previous deals awarded thanks to the Tenders Administration years and the weekly teaching hours amounted to reached LBP 217 billion in 2010 and were mostly in 159,702 in the scholarly year 2009-2010 compared to favor of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. 158,637 hours in the previous year. It is worthwhile noting that the hourly rates registered higher levels despite the decline in the number of public school Distribution of the tenders controlled by Table 2 the Tenders Administration by ministries students. Total Total value Ministry # of value (foreign deals (LBP) currencies) < “There are 527 full-time teachers working in Ministry of Public Works and Transport 52 148.039 - vocational and technical education in addition to Ministry of Energy and another 1,265 teaching on a contract-basis. The Water 11 4.210 - abundance in the number of contract teachers is Ministry of Agriculture 11 11.496 USD 925 hindering the improvement of teacher competence due thousand Ministry of Public Health 1 4.115 - help the teachers upgrade their level of aptitude. This, Ministry of Finance 2 4.468 - ! [ Ministry of Education and 5 4.527 - [ ! Higher Education technologies, leads to disparate levels in imparting to USD 4.714 million the students the skills demanded in the market.” Ministry of Interior and 10 984.1 EUR 14.856 Municipalities million million 8 GBP 145.8 thousand “The Central Inspection recommended by virtue Ministry of Youth and 496.7 of decision No. 144 dated July 8, 2010 that the Sports 2 million - Directorate General of Finance -Ministry of Finance- recover an amount of LBP 15 000 from an assistant Ministry of Justice 2 211.1 - million < ! USD 5.639 (~' ^^^ ! million EUR 14.856 in Western Beqa’a.” Total 96 178.547 million GBP 145.8 ! & thousand auditing but the substantial amounts slip unnoticed! Source: 2010 Central Inspection report
issue 117 | April 2012 20| LAW
ORGAN DONATION The Monthly ! % $ * # # * !
to treat the illness or injury of another person or to serve The issue of organ and tissue donation was given special P attention in both public and private provisions of the 1. Submitting a legal will or any valid written document Lebanese Law. Article 480 of the Penal Code incriminates proving that the decedent had ordered and consented to ! ! donate his organs upon death or educational purposes without the consent of those 2. Obtaining the permission of the decedent’s family who have rightful authority over the body in question. Furthermore, Article 30 of the Lebanese Code of Medical It is worthwhile noting that the decedent’s express wish + to donate his organs to assist others or to contribute dissect organs from human bodies only in the event that to science should be respected similarly to the wish of the decedents had autonomously willed that their organs those who request that their body remain untouched could be used after death or upon consent given by their after death. More to the point, the decedent’s silence ! } " over the manner of procurement of his body, transfers the legislative decree No. 109 dated September 16, 1983 the right of decision to his parents or to other people, that includes the handling organ procurement and the like the doctor in our case, providing that his next- donation of tissues for medical research is considered the of-kin have no objections and that there is an urgent ultimate legal reference in this regard. Upon examination need for an immediate organ extraction for fear that the of those provisions, we are going to underline the targeted organs might get damaged. importance of the public principles regulating the right to use one’s own body and to specify the legal requirements % necessary to carry out organ donation procedures. donation The National Committee for Organ Donation and % * * Transplantation was established by virtue of decision 1/509 bodies after death issued in 1999 for reasons of public utility. It is headed by The individual has the right to decide the fate of his own the Minister of Health and its rapporteur is the Head of the body at his own discretion and to impose his will on Order of Physicians. In a similar context, an eye donation his family and society provided that it does not violate branch under the name “The National Eye Bank” was the laws in force. This rule, which is considered the introduced in 2000. The establishment of the committee cornerstone with regards to organ donation should be ! ! attuned to other public principles banning the use of the wish and offers guidance and support to his family. body in an inhuman or a degrading manner i.e. banning any In practical terms, the donor must state his willingness agreements that encourage organ trade given that the body to donate his organs pursuant to a will drafted by the is a non-monetary item that goes beyond the boundaries of # legal transactions. Furthermore, the body should be used to form at the headquarters of the above committee or serve a public utility by offering an undisputed contribution online in order to obtain a donation card. This way, the ! # !! above, the Lebanese legislature has determined by virtue of agreements signed with the hospitals or by means of decree 109/1983 the legal terms governing the procedures the donation card in the case of sudden death. of organ donation before and after the death of the donor. This article shed light on the regulations set forth by the Lebanese legislature to handle the process of organ * and tissue donation and highlighted the measures organs that should be taken on a practical level. Burial Article 2 of decree 109/1983 authorizes “the extraction arrangements and the extent to which non-traditional of organs and tissues from a dead body or from the body burial rites such as the cremation and the establishment of a person who was declared dead on arrival at hospital of private cemeteries are accepted will be our point of focus in the upcoming issue. issue 117 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. HEALTH|21
THE PLACEBO EFFECT |Dr. Hanna Saadah|
$ # # ! S $ * #$ @ ! I # * * * #$ # # # * ! = * $ $ * $ > 7 I ?
# " to use the placebo effect to enhance the therapeutic against which the active treatments are measured. There ! are certain conditions that respond favorably to placebos Just like negative beliefs can block the placebo effect, and others that do not. Conditions that primarily depend so can medicines and brain disorders. The narcotic antagonist, Naloxone, can block the pain relieving effect depression, anxiety, fatigue, pain, headache, insomnia, etc. of placebos while dementias can resist all kinds of placebo ^ ! # effects. Informing depressed patients who, unknowingly, cases, comparing the active treatment with the placebo have done well on a placebo, that they are not taking may not reveal a large difference. However, in conditions the real treatment causes them to quickly relapse into where measurable physical indicators are evident depression. Because researchers have become more such as infections, broken bones, strokes, heart attacks interested in understanding the placebo effect, rather than hemorrhages, etc. the placebo response is extremely low. just controlling for it, a program in placebo studies was Our belief systems and our human natures recently established at the Harvard Medical School. predetermine our placebo responses. If one believes A placebo, when presented as a muscle relaxant will that antibiotics help bronchitis, then taking an antibiotic cause muscle relaxation, when presented as a stimulant may help one feel better in spite of the fact that acute will increase heart rate and blood pressure, when bronchitis is a viral infection and antibiotics only kill presented as caffeine will cause arousal, and when bacteria. If one believes that vitamin C helps colds, one presented as alcohol can cause feelings of intoxication. tends to improve on vitamin C even though it has no Large pills can have greater placebo effects than small antiviral effects. If one believes in homeopathy, one pills and colored capsules have a more powerful placebo tends to respond to homeopathic treatments even though effect than white pills. A person describing how much " ! a certain inert substance, such as a plastic bracelet worn diseases that heal naturally can respond very favorably " to placebos. However, severe diseases that worsen others to wear the same bracelet and realize the same when untreated show a very poor placebo effect. If one ) !! has a deadly but treatable cancer and believes that herbs placebo effect such as asthma and eczema. Similarly, are the best treatment for it, then one will most likely side effects have been attributed to inert placebos in die of that cancer in spite of one’s strong belief in herbs. controlled trials as much as they have been to the active Studies show that belief can change brain chemistry, treatments. Withdrawal symptoms have even occurred modify brain connections, activate selective brain when inert placebos were abruptly discontinued. " ! ! # Placebos do not work for everyone. Depending on the ! disease and cultural beliefs, estimates are that a third of a treatment the patient would be more likely to respond humanity is susceptible to placebos and it is this third ! " Certain sham treatments work quite well if administered studies in business. However, this placebo effect tends to diminish with time and with the increasing severity of are spent annually on such treatments all over the world. the disease being treated. ! " It is not unethical to use the placebo effect to enhance in controlled studies, may have enhanced, placebo ! ~ effectiveness when administered in a way that inspires to knowingly prescribe placebos to unsuspecting, uninformed patients because that is a form of deception.
www.hannasaadah.com - www.information-international.com - [email protected] issue 117 | April 2012 22| THE AMAZING BRAIN
ALF, BA, TA…..AND THE BRAIN SCIENCE |Dr. Samar Zebian| OF LITERACY: THE ILLITERATE MIND
PART 2 OF 3 phonological awareness suggest that the acquisition of literacy involves the ability to dissect language into (# small, non-meaningful phonemic units. Illiterate adults ! T ! ) " * @ # ! ! " 9 > $ phoneme blending, and initial phoneme deletion. * $ $ * #?! However, they perform much better on phonemic tasks if they are asked to think about larger units such as syllables Reading is a very complex skill but it might be hard or rhyming words which may suggest that abstract to appreciate how complex because it is automatic in ! ! most adults; almost as automatic as seeing the color of a car parked outside your window or perceiving the Even in tasks where the literate and illiterate do equally sound of thunder. Its complexity is more obvious if we well, such as judging the magnitude of familiar quantities, consider how much time and effort it takes children to Functional MRI scans showed that college graduates learn to read and write and how long it took humans emphasized left hemispheric processes whereas the illiterate activated both hemispheres during the task. In a of human (homosapien) history and for most of that post-fMRI interview, which probes the strategies used to time the majority of the world population could not ! ! & ! " read and write. It is often the case that cultural artifacts reported having used visual images, which may explain (such as writing), which take a long time to develop the bilateral activation of the occipital lobe in this group. evolutionarily, also take a long time to be acquired The college graduates predominantly used abstraction ontologically (during an individual’s lifetime). to make magnitude judgments, which may explain why there was an emphasis on left hemispheric activation. Although the functional connectivity of the brain varies dramatically from person to person, from illiterate to Researchers have also looked at differences in motor illiterate, cognitive/neuroscientists have observed some ! [ commonalities in the brains and cognitive processes of the illiterate. I will focus on studies, which have and take more time performing actions on command employed tasks minimizing (as much as possible) task (especially facial actions), pretending to do something, ! ! ! imitating meaningless movements, alternating for the illiterate compared to the literate but also movements with both hands (doing something with subsequently obscure what we can learn about their the right hand and then the left hand) and producing a similarities and differences in cognitive processing. sequence of movements. Turning to memory processes, the illiterate compared First research suggests that the literate process to schooled individuals do not spontaneously organize phonemes, especially phonemes in pseudo words (non- to-be-remembered information. The illiterate’s recall of words that abide by spelling sound rules but have no information is best with external cues, which involve meaning, i.e. drake, plupt), differently from the illiterate. recognition memory. @ ! ! and their brains seem to do it differently from the The research that we have reviewed in this article literates’. During pseudo word repetition, the illiterate ! show: 1) decreased activation of a left inferior parietal brain there are functional differences in the way illiterate region, 2) differences in the way Broca’s areas and the individuals process language. For other domains such as inferior parietal lobe and Wernicke’s area interact. meta-linguistic awareness and memory, we observe clear Meta-linguistic awareness, which is the skill of being behavioral differences. In the next article, we consider & " how this knowledge can be used to make the teaching also been studied in the illiterate. Studies, which examine and learning of literacy more effective for adult learners.
issue 117 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. [email protected] - www.information-international.com INTERVIEW |23 THE MONTHLY INTERVIEWS DR. HIBAH OSMAN FOUNDER OF BALSAM % * $ T # ! = S < T >=S
The Monthly conducted an interview with Dr. Hibah out what to do; managing their symptoms; making sure Osman, Executive Director and founder of The Lebanese they are comfortable. The palliative care philosophy Center for Palliative Care – Balsam, a non-governmental was very appealing to me as a family doctor because it organization that works to relieve patient suffering and was very close to family medicine in terms of approach. improve quality of life. You’re not looking at a disease. You’re looking at a human being who happens to have a disease. You want S to make sure they are comfortable and functional despite “The reason we came up with this idea is the complete their medical condition. This is when I got exposed to lack of this service. I’m a family doctor by training and palliative care. I learned that you can manage symptoms had never been interested in “the end of life” issues. really well. I learned that it is important to pay attention When I began to practice in Lebanon and as my patients to family members, not just the person who is sick, by were getting older and developing serious illnesses, I empowering them to take care of their family member noticed what a major gap in the health care system we and reducing their fear and uncertainty to help them feel have. We routinely abandon our patients when their competent. When the patient eventually reaches the end, illness progresses and there is no hope for cure. There is the family can deal with their grief a lot easier because no system to support them during this process.” they feel they were able to do everything they could for this person. I found this very rewarding and decided it was Dr. Osman continues “This is what led me to palliative ! ! P ~ ! care. In the Lebanese health system, there is no structure registered in March 2011. for it. Medical schools do not provide training in palliative care. It is not recognized as a specialty, so it is ( ) not reimbursable by health insurance..” Balsam’s vision is to ensure that palliative care is available and accessible to all people in Lebanon. The Lebanese “I started providing this kind of care to my patients: Centre for Palliative Care aims to relieve suffering and ! ! ! improve the quality of life of people with life-threatening
issue 117 | April 2012 24| INTERVIEW
or life-limiting illnesses through patient care, advocacy, Osman is teaching a course to Public Health graduate capacity building and research. students on death and dying. The team works on multiple Balsam believes in: levels to try to increase awareness and change the way Providing the best quality of life for as long as life lasts. people deal with serious illness. Supporting life, not hastening death. @ ! _^ Respecting patients’ wishes, values and beliefs. need palliative care. In Lebanon, few if any people who It also believes that: ! "^^^ ! No one should live in pain. Many of those are suffering and dying in pain. This is No one should live in fear. not acceptable and something must be done about it. We No one should die feeling alone. need to provide training in palliative care, and encourage + ; * " * that they can get paid for providing these services.” 9 % Balsam utilizes an interdisciplinary team approach to < support patients and their families and encourage them to Dr. Osman admits: “A major challenge is that there is no make informed decisions about their medical care that are funding for palliative care. We believe that everybody in line with their values and beliefs. They aim to prevent and relieve suffering and help patients maintain the best about this. This is why we decided not to let money come possible quality of life despite their illness. In addition to into the picture at all in the service we provide.” Dr. medical care, Balsam provides emotional, social, spiritual Osman says “The problem is no one covers this service; and practical support and counseling. The team is available not any insurance company, NSSF or Ministry of Health. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and provides care at home We’ve had to resort to private donors to do that. We spend as well as in the hospital. To ensure that this service is a lot of our efforts fundraising when we could use this accessible to anyone who needs it, the service is provided time to take care of our patients. Until now, we are able free of charge. Families who have the means to pay can to cover the basic expenses of our services. Ideally, we give donations to support the care of other patients. [ For now, we have only one full time nurse and two part 9 " * # time nurses because we cannot afford to employ more. Balsam is actively working to promote palliative care both We are restricted to providing care only in Beirut and in in the community as well as at the policy level. It aims to the number of patients we can care for at any one time.” increase the awareness about the philosophy and practice of palliative care as an alternative approach to illness, We also need to train the staff because there is no training death and dying. The Balsam team played an active role in palliative care in Lebanon. We believe this is very in pushing for the establishment of a National Committee important to allow us to continue to provide the best on Pain and Palliative Care under the Ministry of Public quality of care. We have to send our staff to train in other Health, which is working to establish palliative care in countries. This costs a lot of money.” Lebanon. This is the result of the efforts made together with She continues: “We would also love to have more space, the Lebanese Cancer Society to set a national strategy for but we cannot afford it. We function from my private clinic palliative care so it can be introduced into the health system. and we have dedicated a room for Balsam in this clinic. The Several members of Balsam are currently serving on the ~ ! ! committee. Balsam members are also actively participating We try to keep overhead costs to the bare minimum.” in conferences, teaching and publishing information to increase awareness about palliative care. ; Since its establishment, Balsam has catered for twenty- 9 # / I " one patients with cancer, advanced heart disease and Balsam believes in making palliative care available to progressive neurological illnesses. Despite limited everyone in Lebanon. To achieve this, Balsam is working resources, they have been able to provide the patients with to create training opportunities in palliative care for health medical equipment, care for them at home and support care professionals throughout Lebanon. Team members them during hospital admissions. The objective in 2012 is are setting up awareness activities in the community. Dr.
issue 117 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. CULTURE, RELIGION & ART | 25
/ # # many times it’s unbelievable, when we give them the slightest smile, we have made them happy, and given them hope. Moody, impulsive, maddening; why do teenagers behave Have fun! Life is beautiful. You just have to let go of a few the way they do? I believe that the most exasperating traits things, and trust me, you will be overwhelmed. are the key to success in the future. I want you to know that EACH AND EVERY ONE OF As soon as people leave their childhood, they move onto a YOU is BEAUTIFUL. whole new life; a life where they want to be free and to have Always wear a smile upon your face. A smile makes fun with no boundaries. everything simple. During adolescence, the brain undergoes what you can call extensive remodeling, where thoughts are rearranged, and teens view life at a & N # 9" ; 9N different angle. At this stage, all they seem to do is constantly nag at their parents, and of course, out of care and responsibility, parents always say “no” to whatever the teen wants. + * + To all of you teenagers out there: I, myself, am a teenager, and I know how hard this stage is. If God gave males and females the same brain then by It isn’t fun at all, it’s hard and it’s disappointing. I remember what right are women underestimated? A famous Chinese when we were little; we always used to say “I want to grow proverb says “women hold up half the skies”. If we try up.” Now that we’ve grown up, well, halfway there anyway, to imagine this image we can clearly see that women are < " equally important as men in all aspects of life. Then why are and live with what we are given. We’ve only seen a quarter of women still underestimated and underprivileged in many what the real world is like, and nobody said we were going communities although they have a huge effect socially and to get everything we asked for. We have to be tolerant, and economically. a lot more appreciative than we are. We shouldn’t blame our First of all, women have a lot of important contributions to parents, they’ve been through this stage, and they weren’t too society. They bring children and they are responsible for happy about it either. The reason why they constantly say no " ! is because they care. They don’t want us to see the ugly side of according to its methods of upbringing. In addition to that, the the world, although that is bound to happen and we can’t hide presence of females in a community forces people to act more from everything. I’m not going to be “Little Miss Perfect” and polite; men are known to be less polite than women in their tell you what and what not to do, because I annoy my parents behavior and ways of speech. We can notice this in schools, probably a thousand times more than you do. in universities and public places. More than that, women are The stage we are currently going through is probably the most pillars in their families and play a major role in strengthening beautiful and the most complex stage we’ll ever go through in the ties between family members. How many women do we our entire lives. You have to learn how to smile more often, know who have carried a whole family on their shoulders? to have fun even if things don’t go the way you want them Women also have an important contribution in a country’s to. You have to look up to your family, and say thank you, economy. Nowadays a lot of women occupy a higher rank because all the hassle you go through is double the hassle to in jobs than before. Today females have a higher percentage them. You have to accept things the way they are, and don’t of getting a job and many more have very successful careers let your “love life” get in your way. To all the girls and boys than before, especially due to their commitment to continue out there, you are all beautiful in every possible way, and their education unlike past times. In universities the number someone, someday will see that. Focus more on your school of females who are going for higher education is increasing. work rather than rebelling. I’m not saying you have to stay at More women, especially in Lebanon, are traveling to home 24/7 memorizing an entire book, but remember your pursue education and better opportunities. Women in many university and your future rely on the grades you achieve. Be developed countries are proving themselves and proving % ~ that they create an important asset in a countries economy in what you believe, and set out your dreams. and development. Our annoying traits that we have now will make us strong If women have all of these qualities, then why are they and wise people when we are older. underestimated and underprivileged? Men and women Just remember that we are all upset now. This stage shows us should together and equally carry the skies and the world what life really is and that it isn’t just about playing with your into a better future. toys like when you were a child, don’t blame your parents please. They really care, and even though we disrespect them so # 8 9" ; 9N
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NOBEL PRICES IN CHEMISTRY (1) / B $ & % T % T 0 ; JRB AJO T ! = * & % T $ A U * T ! / $ # * * & % T * #! Nobel prices in Chemistry 1950-2011 Year Name Nationalitiy Born Division of Prize Purpose 2011 Dan Shechtman Israel 1941 For the discovery of quasicrystals Richard F. Heck USA 1931 was awarded jointly to Richard 2010 Ei-ichi Negishi China 1935 F. Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi and For palladium-catalyzed cross couplings in Akira Suzuki organic synthesis Akira Suzuki Japan 1930 Venkatraman Ramakrishnan India 1952 Was awarded jointly to Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, For studies of the structure and function of the 2009 Thomas A. Steitz USA 1940 Thomas A. Steitz and Ada E. ribosome. Ada E. Yonath Israel 1939 Yonath Osamu Japan 1928 Shimomura was awarded jointly to Osamu 2008 Shimomura, Martin Chalfie and For the discovery and development of the green Martin Chalfie USA 1947 Roger Y. Tsien fluorescent protein, GFP Roger Y. Tsien USA 1952 For his studies of chemical processes on solid 2007 Gerhard Ertl Germany 1936 surfaces Roger D. For his studies of the molecular basis of 2006 Kornberg USA 1947 eukaryotic transcription. Yves Chauvin France 1930 Robert H. Grubbs USA 1942 Was awarded jointly to Yves For the development of the metathesis method 2005 Chauvin, Robert H. Grubbs and in organic synthesis Richard R. Richard R. Schrock Schrock USA 1945 Aaron Israel 1947 Ciechanover Was awarded jointly to Aaron 2004 Ciechanover, Avram Hershko For the discovery of ubiquitin-mediated protein Avram Hershko Hungary 1937 and Irwin Rose degradation Irwin Rose USA 1926 Peter Agre USA 1949 For discoveries concerning channels in cell Jointly with one half to Peter membranes: for the discovery of water channels 2003 Agre and with one half to For discoveries concerning channels in cell Roderick USA 1956 Roderick MacKinnon membranes: for structural and mechanistic MacKinnon studies of ion channels John B. Fenn USA 1917 For their development of soft desorption One half jointly to John B. Fenn ionisation methods for mass spectrometric Koichi Tanaka Japan 1959 and Koichi Tanaka analyses of biological macromolecules 2002 For his development of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for determining the Kurt Wüthrich Switzerland 1938 The other half to Kurt Wüthrich three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules in solution William S. Knowles USA 1917 One half jointly to William S. For their work on chirally catalysed Knowles and Ryoji Noyori hydrogenation reactions 2001 Ryoji Noyori Japan 1938 K. Barry The other half to K. Barry For his work on chirally catalysed oxidation Sharpless USA 1941 Sharpless reactions Alan J. Heeger USA 1936 Was awarded jointly to Alan J. 2000 Alan G. New 1927 Heeger, Alan G. MacDiarmid For the discovery and development of MacDiarmid Zealand and Hideki Shirakawa conductive polymers Hideki Shirakawa Japan 1936
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Nobel prices in Chemistry 1950-2011 Year Name Nationalitiy Born Division of Prize Purpose For his studies of the transition states of 1999 Ahmed H. Zewail Egypt 1946 chemical reactions using femtosecond spectroscopy Walter Kohn Austria 1923 1998 Was divided equally between John A. Pople UK 1925 Walter Kohn and John A. Pople Paul D. Boyer USA 1918 One half jointly to Paul D. Boyer For their elucidation of the enzymatic and John E. Walker mechanism underlying the synthesis of 1997 John E. Walker UK 1941 adenosine triphosphate (ATP) For the first discovery of an ion-transporting Jens C. Skou Denmark 1918 The other half to Jens C. Skou enzyme, Na+, K+ -ATPase Robert F. Curl Jr. USA 1933 Sir Harold W. Was awarded jointly to Robert 1996 Kroto UK 1939 F. Curl Jr., Sir Harold W. Kroto For their discovery of fullerenes Richard E. and Richard E. Smalley Smalley USA 1943 Paul J. Crutzen The 1933 Netherlands Was awarded jointly to Paul J. For their work in atmospheric chemistry, 1995 Mario J. Molina Mexico 1943 Crutzen, Mario J. Molina and F. particularly concerning the formation and F. Sherwood Sherwood Rowland decomposition of ozone Rowland USA 1927 1994 George A. Olah Hungary 1927 For his contribution to carbocation chemistry For his invention of the polymerase chain Kary B. Mullis USA 1944 reaction (PCR) method Jointly with one half to Kary 1993 B. Mullis and with one half to For his fundamental contributions to the Michael Smith establishment of oligonucleotide-based, site- Michael Smith UK 1932 directed mutagenesis and its development for protein studies Rudolph A. For his contributions to the theory of electron 1992 Marcus Canada 1923 transfer reactions in chemical systems For his contributions to the development of 1991 Richard R. Ernst Switzerland 1933 the methodology of high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy Elias James For his development of the theory and 1990 Corey USA 1928 methodology of organic synthesis Sidney Altman Canada 1939 1989 Was awarded jointly to Sidney For their discovery of catalytic properties of Thomas R. Cech USA 1947 Altman and Thomas R. Cech RNA Johann Germany 1943 Deisenhofer Was awarded jointly to Johann 1988 Deisenhofer, Robert Huber and For the determination of the three-dimensional Robert Huber Germany 1937 Hartmut Michel structure of a photosynthetic reaction centre Hartmut Michel Germany 1948 Donald J. Cram USA 1919 Was awarded jointly to Donald For their development and use of molecules 1987 Jean-Marie Lehn France 1939 J. Cram, Jean-Marie Lehn and with structure-specific interactions of high Charles J. Charles J. Pedersen selectivity Pedersen Korea 1904 Dudley R. USA 1932 Herschbach Was awarded jointly to Dudley 1986 R. Herschbach, Yuan T. Lee For their contributions concerning the dynamics Yuan T. Lee Taiwan 1936 and John C. Polanyi of chemical elementary processes John C. Polanyi Germany 1929 Herbert A. For their outstanding achievements in the Hauptman USA 1917 Was awarded jointly to Herbert 1985 A. Hauptman and Jerome Karle development of direct methods for the Jerome Karle USA 1918 determination of crystal structures Robert Bruce For his development of methodology for 1984 Merrifield USA 1921 chemical synthesis on a solid matrix
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Nobel prices in Chemistry 1950-2011 Year Name Nationalitiy Born Division of Prize Purpose For his work on the mechanisms of electron 1983 Henry Taube Canada 1915 transfer reactions, especially in metal complexes For his development of crystallographic electron microscopy and his structural 1982 Aaron Klug Lithuania 1926 elucidation of biologically important nucleic acid-protein complexes Kenichi Fukui Japan 1918 1981 Was awarded jointly to Kenichi Roald Hoffmann Poland 1937 Fukui and Roald Hoffmann For his fundamental studies of the biochemistry Paul Berg USA 1926 One half awarded to Paul Berg of nucleic acids, with particular regard to recombinant-DNA 1980 Walter Gilbert USA 1932 For their contributions concerning the The other half jointly to Walter determination of base sequences in nucleic Frederick Sanger UK 1918 Gilbert and Frederick Sanger acids Herbert C. Brown UK 1912 For their development of the use of boron- 1979 Was awarded jointly to Herbert and phosphorus-containing compounds, Georg Wittig Germany 1897 C. Brown and Georg Wittig respectively, into important reagents in organic synthesis For his contribution to the understanding 1978 Peter D. Mitchell UK 1920 of biological energy transfer through the formulation of the chemiosmotic theory For his contributions to non-equilibrium 1977 Ilya Prigogine Russia 1917 thermodynamics, particularly the theory of dissipative structures William N. For his studies on the structure of boranes 1976 Lipscomb USA 1919 illuminating problems of chemical bonding John Warcup For his work on the stereochemistry of Cornforth Australia 1917 Was divided equally between enzyme-catalyzed reactions 1975 John Warcup Cornforth and Bosnia and Vladimir Prelog For his research into the stereochemistry of Vladimir Prelog Herzegovina 1906 organic molecules and reactions For his fundamental achievements, both 1974 Paul J. Flory USA 1910 theoretical and experimental, in the physical chemistry of the macromolecules Ernst Otto Fischer Germany 1918 Was awarded jointly to Ernst For their pioneering work, performed 1973 Otto Fischer and Geoffrey independently, on the chemistry of the Geoffrey Wilkinson organometallic, so called sandwich compounds Wilkinson UK 1921 For his work on ribonuclease, especially Christian B. One half awarded to Christian concerning the connection between the amino Anfinsen USA 1916 B. Anfinsen acid sequence and the biologically active conformation 1972 Stanford Moore USA 1913 The other half jointly to For their contribution to the understanding of Stanford Moore and William H. the connection between chemical structure William H. Stein USA 1911 and catalytic activity of the active centre of the Stein ribonuclease molecule For his contributions to the knowledge 1971 Gerhard Herzberg Germany 1904 of electronic structure and geometry of molecules, particularly free radicals for his discovery of sugar nucleotides and their 1970 Luis F. Leloir France 1906 role in the biosynthesis of carbohydrates Derek H. R. for their contributions to the development of the Barton UK 1918 was awarded jointly to Derek H. 1969 R. Barton and Odd Hassel concept of conformation and its application in Odd Hassel Norway 1897 chemistry for the discovery of the reciprocal relations 1968 Lars Onsager Norway 1903 bearing his name, which are fundamental for the thermodynamics of irreversible processes
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Nobel prices in Chemistry 1950-2011 Year Name Nationalitiy Born Division of Prize Purpose one half awarded to Manfred Manfred Eigen Germany 1927 Eigen 1967 Ronald George UK 1897 the other half jointly to Ronald for their studies of extremely fast chemical Wreyford Norrish George Wreyford Norrish and reactions, effected by disturbing the equlibrium George Porter UK 1920 George Porter by means of very short pulses of energy for his fundamental work concerning chemical 1966 Robert S. USA 1896 bonds and the electronic structure of molecules Mulliken by the molecular orbital method Robert Burns for his outstanding achievements in the art of 1965 Woodward USA 1917 organic synthesis for her determinations by X-ray techniques 1964 Dorothy Crowfoot UK 1910 of the structures of important biochemical Hodgkin substances Karl Ziegler Germany 1898 1963 was awarded jointly to Karl for their discoveries in the field of the chemistry Giulio Natta Italy 1903 Ziegler and Giulio Natta and technology of high polymers Max Ferdinand Perutz Austria 1914 was awarded jointly to Max 1962 Ferdinand Perutz and John for their studies of the structures of globular John Cowdery Cowdery Kendrew proteins Kendrew UK 1917 for his research on the carbon dioxide 1961 Melvin Calvin USA 1911 assimilation in plants for his method to use carbon-14 for age 1960 Willard Frank USA 1908 determination in archaeology, geology, Libby geophysics, and other branches of science Jaroslav Czech for his discovery and development of the 1959 Heyrovsky Republic 1890 polarographic methods of analysis for his work on the structure of proteins, 1958 Frederick Sanger UK 1918 especially that of insulin Lord (Alexander for his work on nucleotides and nucleotide co- 1957 R.) Todd Scotland 1907 enzymes Sir Cyril Norman Hinshelwood UK 1897 was awarded jointly to Sir Cyril for their researches into the mechanism of 1956 Nikolay Norman Hinshelwood and chemical reactions Nikolaevich Russia 1896 Nikolay Nikolaevich Semenov Semenov for his work on biochemically important sulphur 1955 Vincent du USA 1901 compounds, especially for the first synthesis of Vigneaud a polypeptide hormone for his research into the nature of the chemical 1954 Linus Carl USA 1901 bond and its application to the elucidation of Pauling the structure of complex substances Hermann for his discoveries in the field of 1953 Staudinger Germany 1881 macromolecular chemistry Archer John Porter Martin UK 1910 was awarded jointly to Archer 1952 John Porter Martin and Richard for their invention of partition chromatography Richard Laurence Laurence Millington Synge Millington Synge UK 1914 Edwin Mattison McMillan USA 1907 was awarded jointly to Edwin 1951 Mattison McMillan and Glenn for their discoveries in the chemistry of the Glenn Theodore Theodore Seaborg transuranium elements Seaborg USA 1912 Otto Paul was awarded jointly to Otto Hermann Diels Germany 1876 for their discovery and development of the 1950 Paul Hermann Diels and Kurt diene synthesis Kurt Alder Poland 1902 Alder
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AZM AND SAADE ASSOCIATION FROM BUD TO FULL-BLOOM "T ; # * # ! 0 The Azm and Saade was established on April 6, 1988 The Association has around 350 employees currently in by virtue of Ministry of Interior decree 96/ad at the addition to another 200 working at the Azm Educational initiative of brothers Taha and Najib Mikati (the current Campus. Prime Minister) who named the Association after their late parents, Azmi Taha Mikati and Souad Abdallah S Ghandour. @ +! ! of which four are located in Tripoli’s neighborhoods < ' * (Bab el-Raml, Abou Samra, Ghoraba, Mankoubin) The Association seeks to provide comprehensive and one in Qalamoun. Those fully-equipped centers social and educational services in Lebanon at large, offer medicines and provide medical and dental care and especially in the city of Tripoli and its vicinity. in addition to regular check-ups and screening tests Similarly, it offers assistance to foster vocational ! (~' ]^^^ (~' rehabilitation and develop technical skills. The ultimate 5000. goal of the Azm and Saade is to ensure the welfare of The central pharmacy in Bab el-Raml also provides the community and to improve the human condition ! ^ so that people will get the chance to lead full lives in _^ ! an environment that encourages honesty, cooperation, the Qalamoun dispensary is committed to offering respect and dignity’s preservation. citizens similar services. The Association operates two mobile clinics that " * serve the residents of both Akkar and Dennieh, In its 24-year history, the Association has carried out ! a wide range of activities and projects that offer social 4500 per month. Furthermore, medical assistance is provided to the sick that may need hospitalization school and university levels. The Association, which in private hospitals, not to mention the vaccination campaigns and the diabetes tests, which fall under over the years to embrace today several associations the Association contributions to the health sector. operating under the name “Azm and Saade Group”. The Group consists of: Social Azm and Saade Association Azm Educational Campus Azm Association for Sports Development Azm Youth (Beit el-Fan) in el-Mina Azm Forums The Association has created forums for engineers, doctors, bankers, traders, professors, and civil servants in addition to other forums addressing social and educational development.
At the forefront of the Group is the Tripoli Central Administration, which includes an HR department, an accounting department, a PR center and an IT center.
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; The social sector is composed of the following assistance. The department played a leading role departments: in the construction of the Azm Mosque in Bab el- The Survey and Social Evaluation Department Raml, the Azm Mosque in Qalamoun and the Zafer tasked with identifying the poorest families and Bellah Mosque in the Dam and Farez area in Tripoli. determining what constitutes appropriate aid and A department responsible for safeguarding the services for them. clergy and the scientists The Social Development Department, which aims A religious awareness department in charge of at promoting autonomy and helping people become holding religious conferences and seminars independent and make their own living. The Social Contributions Department, which / # supports small projects and provides in-kind The center is a joint-project between the Azm center donations for needy families. The donations include for biotechnology research and applications and the clothing and charity banquets that have taken place higher institute for doctoral studies in science and since 2005 in Tripoli, Beirut and Beqa’a with meals technology at the Lebanese University. The North for around 15 000 people during the holy month of Laboratories were equipped thanks to a USD 2 million Ramadan. The department also introduced the Azm donation from the Azm and Saade Association, which Productive Families program in Abi Samra in order also pledged to grant scholarships amounting to USD to facilitate the creation of new job opportunities 3 million for the accepted applicants wishing to pursue by urging women to make homemade products and their biotech doctoral studies in this institute. providing the help necessary for the development, promotion and selling of those products. + * # The Family Development Department, which adopts @ +! a social intervention policy and offers guidance and evident in the contribution it offered to the construction counseling services for adolescents and parents. of the Engineering Faculty at the Tripoli branch of Beirut Open University and the restoration of the 0 ( ! The educational sector was also marked by substantial accomplishments of which we mention: . * The Maloula-based Azm Educational Campus, The mission of this sector can be summarized by the which includes a school, a technical institute, an assistance in constructing municipal buildings and administrative training center and an academic restoring the streets, squares and neighborhoods. The development center, all with reasonable subsidized erection of El-Mina municipal building was among the fees ! & ! " The Rehabilitation Center for the Blind, which the work is currently frozen in this sector. enables visually impaired people to adapt to life conditions "T " ; . * School scholarships for needy and distinguished The Azm Association for Sports Development aims students at establishing sports clubs and sponsoring sporting Higher education loans to be repaid on a monthly activities. It also organizes and manages youth camps. basis and with no interest after graduation. The Azm Arts and Crafts Center, which holds For over a quarter of a century, the Azm and Saade training sessions and organizes craft fairs for selling Association has succeeded, thanks to its founders’ funds arts and crafts products. " & offer ample contribution to all the sectors addressing 8 human needs and social welfare. It is worthwhile The religious sector contains: noting that many achievements are in progress at the A department tasked with safeguarding the mosques, time in addition to other prospective projects saved for churches and religious shrines and providing the future. construction, rehabilitation and equipment
issue 117 | April 2012 32 | CULTURE, RELIGION & ART POPULAR CULTURE
“…AND WAR BROKE OUT!”
We returned from Brummana and the villagers hurried out to welcome us. We were a distinctive group of high standing: the students of the High School. But we did not go back to Brummana due to the outbreak of war and the famine. This is how Naoum Frayha surprised the Mashayekh of our village when they dropped by the terrace of Madam Nostas to greet him.
Naoum Frayha had abandoned his home in Ras Matn and headed down to Beirut to try his luck in the city. His father did not have a mulberry stick nor did he have olive and pine trees, and those who did not own a piece of land in the village would migrate elsewhere. Naoum pursued his education at the School of the Three Moons before he established a bookstore. He was knowledgeable about the matters of life, contrary to the Mashayekh of our village who were still living in the old times, of the outer world, which were outside their sphere of knowledge and interest.
Is it true that the war broke out? Between who is it being fought? Yes, the war has erupted and may God shield us from its woes. Is Russia involved? And our honored country? Of course they are. Our country has allied itself with Germany. I wish it had sided with Russia. God bless Russia. Had it not been for it, we couldn’t have mounted the bell on top of the Church of Our Lady.
And so, the news of the outbreak of the World War I (1914-1918) made the rounds and then came the appalling famine. It was nothing like the (
As for us, the young ones, we did not care a bit about the war and its events. We were happy to return to our peers and have a good time in the summer of 1914. We savored the sweetness of liberty after the prison we suffered at school and we left the events of war to the Mashayekh. They would wait the arrival of Mr. Naoum every Friday evening to hear the latest accounts of the war and Madam Nostas would say: “Why are you that interested anyway? Let them kill each other!”. Not one person ! " on Lebanon.
issue 117 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. DEBUNKING MYTH #56 CULTURE, RELIGION & ART | 33
MEMORY: ALWAYS ACCURATE?
(# 7 # # Some believe that if they recall an event so assertively and if they feel they “are remembering the event just like yesterday”, then they can be sure about the accuracy of the memory (Passer & Smith, 2010). These types of recollections are predominant in the courtroom. Numerous victims and eyewitnesses have ! ! However, are these recollected memories always accurate?
8 #7 # # " ! ! @ ! ! >= " ]^^{` [ ! " [ ! ! ! * ! ! clear, that people picture them as if they were snapshots of moments in time. However, numerous studies around the world ! ! > ` & ! ! * [ ! " [ ! " ! describe autobiographical details (e.g. where they were, with whom they were, what were they doing) of the 9/11 terrorist " ! & < " [ ! ! ! >} " ]^^` ) " far, the DNA testing revealed nearly 200 cases in which innocent defendants were sent to prison based on the victim’s or eyewitness’s memory recollections (Passer et al., 2010). ) ! ! ! ! ! ! information (Porter et al., 2010, p279). This misinformation effect is mostly examined in courtrooms, while investigating eyewitnesses. Every word or two can distort the recalled memory. Repeated Leading or suggestive questions can even lead to false memories. For example, in a study conducted by Elaine Burgwyn-Bailes and her coworkers (2001), the researchers interviewed children between the ages of 3 and 7 after they underwent a plastic surgery for facial lacerations. Each time, the ! ! < " [ ! questions (e.g. “Did the doctor’s helper use any needles?”) and suggestive questions (e.g. “The lady took off your watch, didn’t she?”) about events that never occurred during the children’s operations. @ ! ! + ! ! " to forget where it was we encountered (Passer et al. 2010, p280). For example, eyewitnesses would look at a series of mug shots and report that the perpetrator is none of them. Several days later, when eyewitnesses are asked to recognize the perpetrator from a live lineup that does not include the person who committed the crime, but includes one person who was pictured in the mug, they would mistakenly identify that person as the perpetrator. Source confusion occurs because the eyewitnesses are recognizing the face, but they are failing to remember that this recognition is from the mug shot and not the crime scene (Passer et al., 2010).
References Passer, W.M., & Smith, E.R. (2010). Psychology: the Science of Mind and Behavior (5th edition). New York McGraw-Hill International Edition. Burgwyn-Bailes, E., Baker-Ward, L., Gordon, B.N., & Ornstein, P.A. (2001). Children’s memory for emergency medical treatment after one year: The impact of individual differences variables on recall and suggestibility. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 15, S25-S28. Conway, A.R., Skitka, L.J., Hemmerich, J.A., & Kershaw, T.C. (2009). Flashbulb memory for 11 September 2001. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 23, 605-623. Ost, J. , Granhag, P.A., Udell, J., & Roos af Hlelmsater, E. (2008). Familiarity breeds distortion: The effects of media exposure on false reports concerning media coverage of the terrorist attacks in London on 7 July 2005. Memory, 16, 76-85. Porter, S., Bellhouse, S., McDougall, A., ten Brinke, L., & Wilson, K. (2010). A prospective investigation of the vulnerability of memory for positive and negative emotional scenes to the misinformation effect. Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science/Revue Canadienne des Sciences du Comportement, 42, 55-61. Wade, K.A., Sharman, S.J., Garry, M., Memon, A., Mazzoni, G., et al. (2007). False claims about false memory research. Consciousness and Cognition: An International Journal, 16, 18-28.
issue 117 | April 2012 34 | CULTURE, RELIGION & ART MUST-READ BOOKS
LEBANON’S QUEST 8 ; B U M BOB ( F
“Lebanon’s Quest”, written by Meir Zamir and published in 1997 by I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd, required a broad and and their territorial claims to Tripoli and the Beqaa extensive study in the archives in France, Britain, and valley. The Lebanese Christians sought to ensure, Israel. It is the second volume of a trilogy which aims through Grand Lebanon, a refuge from a Muslim- to re-evaluate Lebanon’s Political History under the dominated Middle East, whilst the Arab National French mandate (1918 – 1946). Movement was desiring to have Greater Syria. ‘’The # ! " @ * ! ) nationalists regarded France not as a friendly nation Lebanon, 1918 – 1926”, Zamir tackled and studied M " ! " the internal, regional, and international developments guide them toward independence and statehood – but leading to the establishment of the state of “Grand as a colonial Christian, Western, anti-Muslim power, Liban” in 1920, and the dominant role of the Marronites, which had denied their national aspirations and was when France and Britain redrew the political map threatening their religion, culture and language’’. of the Middle East following the Ottoman Empire’s The second chapter, In Search of a Viable Political collapse. Later, the writer worked to cover the period System, inspects the process of rising up of the political between the declaration of the Lebanese Republic in institutions in Lebanon – the presidency, the government, May 1926 and the outbreak of the Second World War. and parliament – and the factors which integrated This period was so decisive in the stage of building into the system at that time (negative features such as the State of Lebanon based on the Western concept political patronage and corruption, sectarianism and of parliamentary democracy, within a society divided clientelism). Moreover, this part of the book discovers along national, religious, and sectarian lines. Zamir’s the trials to change the system through two revisions study and discussion went wider than the sectarian of the 1926 constitutions, and tackles the government ! ! [ struggle among political, religious, and economic elites struggle among the Maronites political elite. who exploited sectarianism to assure access to the new Chapter three, The Struggle for the Presidency, digs political institutions and wealth of the state. into the details of inter- and intra- sectarian relations in The major focal points of this book are: French policy the start of 1930s and the failed Franco-Syrian treaty in its mandated territories and French unease with Arab negotiations. Thus, this part examines deeply “the nationalism; Syria’s political and territorial claims in French policy toward Syria and Lebanon in the light of Lebanon and their effect on the Lebanese domestic scene; regional and international developments, including Iraqi the formation of the new political institutions and their independence, Italy’s challenge to the French position in adaptation to the Lebanese sectarian reality; inter- and the Levant and the growing threat of war in Europe. On intra-sectarian rivalry; the power struggle of the elite and the internal level, it examines the presidency struggle the emergence of political clientelism within the state between Emile Edde and Beshara al-Khuri and how it system; Beirut’s political and economic development affected the Maronite-Sunni relations. and its impact on Mount Lebanon and the peripheral @ " ) ; P" [ ! regions; and the political involvement of Beirut’s rapidly changes which occurred in the French policy with regards [ } ! to the mandated territories mainly after the collapse of # " ( the international order and the looming prospect of war Particularism, the writer tackles the period from 1925 in Europe. It provides an explanation of the general till 1926 and contributes to the nationalist aim of the environment which made France revive its negotiations Syrians for independence and re-uniting the country with the Syrians, reaching a treaty in September 1936 which after the French had divided it into 6 separate entities: Damascus and Aleppo, Jabal Druze, the Alawite region it as an important step toward unity and independence. It and Alexandretta, and Greater Lebanon. Furthermore, illustrates the phase of Lebanese state under the rule of Edde this chapter stands on the position of Syrian Nationalists and in the period of his struggle with Khuri which ended in regarding the existence of Lebanon as a separate entity September 1939 with the start of the World War II.
issue 117 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. MUST-READ CHILDREN’S BOOK CULTURE, RELIGION & ART | 35
THE HUMAN BODY
How and Why ; W # ) $ & $ N #$ A!
Arabic translation by Halil Ghali. First Arabic edition published by El Chourouk Printing House, 2009.
This book lays down the topics in a manner that facilitates the child’s understanding of the subjects covered. With plenty ! " the book, which through explanations and colorful illustrations carrying children into a realm of knowledge and exploration.
The book, which is part of the How and Why series, introduces children to the human body by raising questions and providing the answers to them. The questions include: What Can Your Body Do? Why Do We Look Different? What is the Importance of the Skeleton? How Do We Move? Why Should We Breathe? Why Does Your Heart Beat? Why Do You Feel Hungry? Why Do You Sneeze? How Do You Hear and See?
What Are Your Other Senses? Why Does Your Skin Wrinkle Up in the Bath? What Happens During Sleep?
The book also includes riddles and windows and entertaining games such as “Scratch Your Brain” in addition to heaps of facts and information under the title “Did You Know?”.
The Human Body helps children understand their bodies and learn how to deal with them and with the environment around them.
issue 117 | April 2012 36 | CULTURE, RELIGION & ART LEBANON FAMILIES
SHIKHANI FAMILIES A CHISTIAN MAJORITY IN THE NORTH AND A SUNNI MINORITY IN BEQA’A
The Shikhani families are among the small Lebanese families in terms of population and distribution. They are mostly Christian with only a few belonging to the Tripoli Zgharta Sunni sect. The Shikhani families hail from the village of Balamand Roads A‘arjes Shikhan in Byblos. According to folklore a Muslim man Ehden from Byblos wanted to marry a Shikhani daughter against Becharre The Cedars Batroun Hadet Hasroun Ras Baalbeck ! ! ~ Deir el Ahmar Maqne and Bekfaya from where they moved to Zahle. There they Qasr el-Banat
Hadath were given the name “Shikhani”. Some claim that the Jbail Iaat Shikhanis come originally from the Qorqoumaz families Baalbeck Jounieh Ghazir in Aqoura or Yanouh (Byblos) and that they moved to Niha " !! ! BEIRUT Zahle they were given the name Shikhani. Baabda Shtaura Aley Dahr el-Baidar Bhamdoun Anjar The Shikhani families consist of 730 members distributed Deir el-Qamar Meshref Beiteddine over many Lebanese regions. Moukhtara Qaraoun Lake Yanta
N < 7 there are 267 Greek Orthodox Saida Jezzine Libbaya Shikhani members living in: Aiha Batroumine (Koura): 62 Nabatiye Hasbaya Shikhan (Byblos): 52 Marjayoun Dada (Koura): 49 Beaufort Castle Bedba (Koura): 48 Sour Bshamzin (Koura): 43 Qalhat (Koura): 13
( 7 there are 213 Maronite Shikhani members living in: Batroun: 57 Abrin (Batroun): 56 Shikhan (Byblos): 46 Beksmaya (Batroun): 46 >~ `
N 7 there are 202 Greek Catholic Shikhani Sunni: there are 46 Sunni Shikhani members living in: members living in: Majdal Anjar (Zahle): 21 Bekfaya (North Matn): 83 Saadnayel (Zahle): 15 Burj Hammoud (North Matn): 33 Qala’a (Baalbeck): 7 Amarat Shalhoub (North Matn): 25 Mazra’a (Beirut 3): 3 Rasiya al-Fawqa (Zahle): 18 Rasiya al-Tahta (Zahle): 15 Amchit (Byblos): 13 Rmeil (Beirut 1): 8 Naqash (North Matn): 7
issue 117 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. DISCOVER LEBANON CULTURE, RELIGION & ART | 37
OWNED BY ONE FAMILY Tripoli CHOUKIN: Zgharta Balamand Roads A‘arjes Ehden
Becharre The Cedars 0 # # Batroun Hadet Hasroun Ras Baalbeck Deir el Ahmar Maqne There are many suppositions surrounding the Qasr el-Banat Hadath Jbail Iaat etymology of the word Choukin. In his book Names of Baalbeck Jounieh Ghazir Lebanese Towns and Villages, Aniss Fraiha traces the Niha BEIRUT Zahle Baabda Shtaura word back to the Aramaic root “sawka”, which means Aley Dahr el-Baidar Bhamdoun Anjar Deir el-Qamar a thorn or a fence. Other assumptions suggest that the Beiteddine Meshref Moukhtara word originated from the Syrian word “shakkîna”, Qaraoun Lake Yanta Saida Jezzine which means a settler and a colonist, or from the word Libbaya Aiha
Hasbaya “shâknîn” meaning the residents or the dwellers of a Nabatiye Choukin Marjayoun Beaufort Castle @ ! ! Sour feasible since Choukin looks like a fenced area. At the beginning of the century the town was owned by the Bezri family in Saida, but its ownership was transferred and headed by the president Hussein Hassan Ali Ahmad later to Salim Abou el-Khoudoud, Kamel al-Sabah and and the vice president Ali Yassine. Its share in the Sheikh Abdallah Nehme. The largest part of the town Independent Municipal Fund was LBP 45,082 million belongs today to MP Ali Osseiran. in 2005. It rose to LBP 52,637 million in 2006 and then decreased to LBP 51,385 million in 2007 to rise once again to LBP 55,232 million in 2008, LBP 71,863 Choukin rests on a hill located in the Qada’a of million in 2009 and LBP 85,809 million in 2010. Nabatieh in the Mohafaza of Nabatieh at an altitude of The town has also a Mokhtar, Mr. Ali Amin, and a 540 m above the sea level. The town lies 80 km from 3-member Ikhtiyariah body. Beirut and 4 km from the Qada’a center. It spreads across 250 hectares and may be reached through the 0 Nabatieh roadway. Choukin Intermediate School is the only public school in the town. It was established in 1983 and had 287 % students and 36 teachers and staff in the scholarly year The number of registered inhabitants in the town’s 2009-2010. Personal Status Register is estimated at 1,230 people belonging to the Shia’a religious sect. There are around &N< 220 houses and 48 commercial and artisan shops in The town has an agricultural co-op established in 2003, Choukin. known as Choukin Co-op for Agricultural Development and Animal Resources ) In 2000, the number of voters was 671 of whom 290 0 * cast their ballots. This number increased to 745 in 2005 Choukin’s residents depend on agriculture, namely of whom 392 cast their ballots. In 2009, the number tobacco farming. Some of the residents work as civil reached 820 with 210 casting their ballots. servants while a large number of people count on expat Voters are distributed amongst the following families: remittances as their main source of income.
D (63 voters)- " (56)- I (54)- Jawad " (52)- S (41)- " (31)- & (49)- I The town’s sites include ancient tombs and stone (33)- Jaber (39)- ; (23)- F (23)- G @ (16)- sarcophagi, in addition to a grotto containing pottery "# (4)- 0TT (13)- Krayker (11)- Chahrour and golden ware. (14)- I (4)- Karnib (7)- & (5). % " Choukin suffers from severe water shortage and waste Choukin municipality was established by virtue management problems, not to mention the cluster of decision No. 219 dated February 26, 2004. The bombs, which have claimed lives and caused many municipal council is currently composed of 9 members injuries since 2006.
issue 117 | April 2012 38 | CULTURE, RELIGION & ART
CIVIL STRIFE INTRO (2) THE LEBANESE DIVIDED OVER THE ARMY ; (% ( ; * ! # # ( * # \ ; ! * # $ J ( BZJ$ # # ( * # !
Protests soldiers and conveyed the student’s ultimate support for the Beirut: 25 000 students from Beirut and its suburbs poured Army and its commander. So the Colonel Doctor George like a swelling sea to the Square of the Unknown Soldier Qoumayr, head of the Military Hospital, reassured them that The student protest held in support of the army was calm and the injured soldiers were recovering well and said: “We will crowded yesterday. Over 35 000 students from universities + [ and secondary and primary schools from Beirut and the bodies and the citizens who donated their blood to the soldiers suburbs participated in the march. and offered them presents.” A collection of poems was also Since the early morning, the students were roaming the read in front of the hospital to further advocate the Army. neighborhoods of the eastern region and blocked the main The protest penetrated later the streets of Badaro and Habib " ! " Basha Saad and continued its ascent to Sassine Square before {^ ! it swooped down to Tabaris where the protesters dispersed. " " = The citizens greeted the protesters with cheers and applaud. All Secondary School, and the roundabout in Sin el-Fil where the shops and banks were shut in the streets where the protest ! ! " was staged. There were also banners demanding the resignation USJ Law Faculty in compliance with the demands of the of the government and for respecting the Army’s dignity. youth departments of the Phalanges, the Lebanese National Bloc, the National Liberal Party as well as the student unions Beqa’a: Scores of protesters in Zahle block the roads and at the Sagesse School and the USJ. disrupt the work of the courts The shops in Zahle closed yesterday in compliance with the At 10:30 am, the large demonstration started to move, headed strike, which was commanded by a statement released in the by security guards and cars and motorcycles, with people name of the residents and youths of Zahle and Beqa’a. @ The students of Zahle and the vicinity had started gathering heads of the youth departments Louis Hounaini (Phalanges), since the early hours at the Menshiyeh Square in preparation Khalil Nader (Lebanese National Bloc) and Maroun Helo for the protest, which started to pick up at 9 am. The protesters (National Liberal Party) were at the frontline of the protest were estimated at 10,000 students, headed by a car waving followed by the heads of the students’ unions and associations. ( ) The protesters advanced from Huvelin Street to Monot Street ! where Pierre Gemayel joined with them in crossing Al-Sham shameful necks.” Road amidst national statements and patriotic chants while the The Movement of the National Students in Zahle appeared for ( ! @ Another delegation representing the residents of Al-Hadath against the Army targets the entity of Lebanon and its army.” pitched in when the protesters arrived at the Museum Square. A number of speeches delivered by the students in front of the @ Serail Square deplored the attack on the Army and called for grave of the Unknown Soldier, then held a minute’s silence in the prosecution of those behind the incidents in Saida. the memory of the Army’s martyrs. @ ! " ) !" ! the protesters and praised the movement of the students by @ ! ! ; saying: “There is no better sight than to see you protest and the protesters in the front arrived at the Military Hospital. strike for the dignity and sustainability of Lebanon. It is no Accompanied by Mr. Charles Ghosteen, Mr. Elias Sfeir and surprise that you are rebelling and taking this step because you Mr. Khalil Nadra, Sheikh Bashir Gemayel visited the injured are a major cornerstone of this country.”
issue 117 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. CULTURE, RELIGION & ART | 39
“You showed your feelings and expressed your loyalty and discrimination. Members of the Army are our children and if there allegiance, in your heart and mind, and it is time for you to " ! return to your studies with peace and quiet,” he concluded. commit irresponsible offences that are far from the noble mission And so the students dispersed and returned to their houses. ! [ ! Later, the mayor received a delegation of students, which and we refuse all the attempts aimed at transforming it into subject handed him a letter to be addressed to the President of the of division. We urge everyone to safeguard the sanctity of the Republic. The letter included the reasons for the strike and the ! ! P representatives of the youth movements in Zahle had signed it after agreeing on the following: Raymond Edde- The Army is not for one party: “…I - Supporting the Army by all means possible and arming consented to the participation of the Lebanese National Bloc them according to the outlined plan. students in a national calm protest organized following the - Limiting the possession of heavy weapons by those who aim ! ! to destabilize Lebanon and undermine its independence. and reserve members in Saida. But I, similarly to many - Exposing all those who turn out to be implicated in the most other citizens, was very surprised by the burning of tires at recent incidents and putting an end to the irresponsible " " statements. air, but also aimed at the pedestrians. I do not believe that the students were behind those violations.” [ "' Around 10 000 people rallied yesterday in Jounieh in Sheikh Pierre Gemayel- The essence of the matter: Sheikh Pierre support of the Army and condemning the attempts aiming Gemayel reported that he spent the day making calming phone at offending it. The Jounieh’s municipal members, former ! MP Fouad Ghanem Al-Bon, and the heads of the institutes into spontaneous protests that spread over the country to defend and monasteries headed the protesters who represented the its dignity and the dignity of its army. Gemayel commended the popular and student sectors in Ftouh and Kessrouan. protesters who rallied in Beirut peacefully without using any The protest headed from Jounieh’s Square to Sarba’s barracks weapons or any verbal abuse or condemnation. where many speeches were delivered in support of the Army. “The essence of the matter is Lebanon’s recovery of its From Sarba, the protesters advanced to Kaslik, then to the sovereignty and responsibility over its own territories. This Naval Base before reaching the Serail where the governor of does not serve the interest of Lebanon only but falls in favor of Kessrouan, Mr. Khalil Osta, saluted the stand of the crowds the Palestinian cause and all the other Arab causes in order to and called for self-restraint. Father Boulos Najm also praised help Lebanon preserve its existence and protect the Lebanese the movement of the protesters and gave a speech at Al-Rosol formula, which made our small country an exemplary model Institute urging the students to continue to shield Lebanon. for the rest of the world and a link between the Arab countries.” The roads were also blocked in Halat, Nahr Ibrahim and Tabarja and did not open until 3 pm when President Kamil MP Kamal Jumblat- Ailing partisanship: …“ It is unfortunate Chamoun happened to be passing by, on his way back from a that some sections of the isolated party, namely the Phalanges, hunting trip, and ordered the reopening of the road. do not understand the sensitivity of the situation nor do they show any consideration to the feelings of the members of the "' % nation, particularly the Muslims, who are still worried about @ & = < & the health of the national survivor Maarouf Saad. They are still Vocational School hit the streets before noon yesterday to ! ! " advocate the Army and protest the campaign targeting the on them by the Lebanese Army, have not yet healed especially Army Commander General Ghanem. that the victims were buried only a couple of days ago. Our The protesters strolled through the streets of Ajaltoun and fellow soldiers and a number of Saida’s citizens are still bed- its neighborhoods and made a stop at the Municipal Square ridden in hospitals and the Lebanese Red Cross, ever faithful where speeches denouncing the anti-Army stand were made. to the call of duty, is collecting blood to save their lives. A little bit of sensitivity, national tact and consideration % to the feelings of others force us to sympathize with such PM Saeb Salam- The Army is for all: “…It is a national crime to profound human emotions and necessitate that we contribute turn the Army into a subject of disagreement splitting the Lebanese to consoling and supporting our fellows in the brotherly between supporters and opponents. The Army is an army for manner dictated by the authentic Christianity and by every Lebanon and it should serve all the Lebanese equally without true believer, whether Christian or Muslim.
issue 117 | April 2012 40| MEDIA
A 20-YEAR WAIT FOR POWER- GENERATING SHIPS * * $ * $ # ! = ' * 9 * ! " $ ' $ * $ @ $ # ' !
This applies today to an important issue from which The same dilemma was brought to the forefront again the Lebanese have been suffering for long: the lack of in the past few years due to many factors including the ( increase in consumption resulting from urban population dreadful and constant power cuts whose frequency growth, the failure to collect payment from electricity differs from one region to another. The misery is at its users and the rise in fuel prices against stable tariff rates, lowest in the capital Beirut, which has a special power ( supply system with a three-hour blackout during the day [ % and none at night. In the rest of Lebanon, some regions There were many propositions and solutions set out to are supplied for hardly three hours a day. The problem work out the complexity including the construction of ! ] ! new power plants. Being a time-consuming process, ; < the suggestion was ruled out in favor of a more rapid releases suggesting that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia @ " had volunteered to undertake the cost of renting power- to where we started twenty years ago but with different generating ships, which would moor by the shores of people and mechanisms. In 1992, the idea emerged and Beirut and help in illuminating the capital and the gained the support and promotion of all Hariri’s allies country. Other sources rumored that the late Premier " ! " ! Hariri donated some of his own money for the same thus exposing himself to the criticism of his rivals. " ! Nowadays, the Minister of Energy and Water, Gebran time partly because of the substantial costs of renting Bassil endorses the project and promotes it as being the such ships which were beyond Lebanon’s modest easiest and fastest solution providing a partial treatment " that may help cover the shortage while the old plants are the assistance of the KSA after the large amounts of being restored. On the other hand, Bassil’s rivals, who money it had donated to Lebanon during the stage of ; < " development and construction. And so it was that the to voice their opposition to this step because of the high dream of the promised electricity ships evaporated into thin air and the crisis continued to drag on with a that it offers to the Minister. The ships did not come in narrow improvement witnessed after the establishment 1992 and may never do so in 2012, and the Lebanese will of the Zahrani and Deir Ammar plants. meantime be kept waiting in the dark and the misery.
issue 117 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. EVENTS OF FEBRUARY 2012 MEDIA |41
HARIRI: “HEZBOLLAH BETRAYED ME, AND WHAT IS HAPPENING IS A LONG IRANIAN MOVIE.” LEBANON NOTIFIED OF THE THREE-YEAR RENEWAL OF THE STL PROTOCOL; STL DECIDES TO PROCEED WITH AN IN ABSENTIA TRIAL; NAHHAS RESIGNS HIS POST; IRANIAN SUPPORT FOR HEZBOLLAH SINCE 1982; CLASHES IN TRIPOLI; MIKATI IN FRANCE
G # G # R Fouad Toual, announces that Pope The Special Tribunal for Lebanon The former French Socialist Prime Benedict XVI will visit Lebanon in (STL) Trial Chamber decides Minister Laurent Fabius arrives in September. to try in absentia the four men Lebanon on a visit associated with the “Security measures are at the core indicted in the assassination of the French elections. of the army’s responsibility,” the ! ' ! ) ; < Maronite Patriarch Bechara Lebanese Army Command says in without specifying a date for the Boutros al-Rai makes a pastoral tour response to concerned voices. commencement of the trial. to the Maronite Parish of Beirut. “The collusion between President Prime Minister Najib Mikati “Mikati does not have the right to Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib suspends Cabinet sessions after suspend Cabinet sessions,” former Mikati paralyzes the power,” MP a dispute with the Free Patriotic Prime Minister Salim Hoss says. Michel Aoun says. Movement (FPM) ministers over “This is not an appropriate time for administrative appointments. G # U overthrowing the Cabinet in Lebanon Syrian President Bashar Assad Pro- and anti-Syrian government and we must surpass this critical phase,” holds a three-hour meeting with the protesters take to the streets in Beirut, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah says in a former minister Wiam Wahhab. Tripoli and Beqa’a. speech during the commemoration of “The positive neutrality policy helps President Michel Suleiman visits the Prophet’s Muhammad’s birthday. He Lebanon avoid negative repercussions Beirut’s Greek Catholic Archdiocese on adds that Hezbollah has been receiving amid the regional developments,” the the occasion of the “Archdiocese Day”. all forms of Iranian support since 1982. Council of Maronite Bishops says in The Lebanese Army deploys and A Christian-Muslim spiritual summit a statement, warning that the delay in carries out airdrops in Wadi Khaled is held in the Maronite Archdiocese of settling vital matters and appointments village in an attempt to control the Beirut on the occasion of Maronite will lead to negative hazards. borders with Syria. The Future Patriarch Bechara al-Rai’s pastoral tour. Former MP Nasseeb Lahhoud passes Movement MPs denounce the step, away after a long battle with illness. warning that it is aimed at terrifying G # B Protesters burn tires in front of two the residents and the refugees. STL spokesman Martin Youssef liquor stores in Nabatieh, thus generating Speaker Nabih Berri meets announces that the court’s rules a warning message to the storeowners. with Prime Minister Najib Mikati authorize the Prosecutor to refer a without reaching any solution for the new indictment to the pre-trial judge G # O government crisis. without revealing its content. Prime Minister Najib Mikati Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Maronite Patriarch Bechara al- reiterates during the inauguration Feltman, USA, visits Lebanon to Rai stresses during his pastoral tour of Tripoli port extension works’ extend condolences over the death of to the Archdiocese of Beirut that he conclusion that he shall not resign nor former MP Nassib Lahoud. supports the elimination of political refrain from serving the country. sectarianism on condition that he will The Head of the Lebanese Forces G # A be provided with an alternative in Executive Committee, Samir Geagea, The Future Movement parliamentary order to preserve the National Pact. calls for the resignation of the government bloc expresses concerns over the actions The Prime Minister issues a and the formation of a technocrat cabinet of the Lebanese Army in the North. memorandum declaring Tuesday, or the sacking of FPM ministers. A Tashnag delegation visits the * STL spokesman Martin Youssef reveals leader of the Lebanese Forces, Samir and ordering schools to close on the from Beirut that the pre-trial judge will set Geagea, in Meerab. anniversary of Hariri’s assassination. the date of in absentia trials in April. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem,
issue 117 | April 2012 42| MEDIA EVENTS OF FEBRUARY 2012
G # G # R speech at Biel and calls for a new Taif Prime Minister Najib Mikati meets Former PM Saad Hariri tells the Future Accord between the Sunni and the Shia’a. with the French President, Nicolas TV that his return to Lebanon is not tied The lawyers tasked with + " * to the fall of the Syrian regime and that defending the four accused in Hariri’s Patriarch al-Rai heads for Cyprus he will be back in the country soon. assassination are sworn in by the STL. on a pastoral visit. “Hezbollah betrayed me and any dialogue Residents of Tripoli, Saida, Saadnayel with the party must tackle the future of the G # Z and Wadi Khaled stage protests weapons,” Hariri says, adding that what “It is not acceptable to have some limit condemning the Syrian regime and the is happening is a long Iranian movie and other partners in the country,” Mikati Russian veto in the UN Security Council. the presence of Hezbollah threatens the says during a ceremony at the Port of Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman, stability of Lebanon. Beirut, stressing that what happened was Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Jasem @ not aimed at evading responsibility but Ben Hamad and a number of MPs visit former PM Fouad Seniora and General rather protecting the institutions. former PM Saad Hariri in France. ) " The Military Tribunal sentences Clashes erupt in the rival saying “If the fool speaks, remaining the anti-Hezbollah preacher Sayyed neighborhoods of Jabal Mohsen and silent is better than answering him.” ) !! < Bab el-Tabbani wounding 24 people. Iran and Hezbollah deny involvement in prison for collaborating with Israel. An explosion at a weapons’ store in in the explosions that targeted Israeli US Special Coordinator for the Abou Samra district of Tripoli kills diplomats in Georgia and India. Regional Affairs Frederic Hof visits one person. “The minister must sign any decree Lebanon and holds meetings with President Michel Suleiman tells approved by the Cabinet despite his ( the New TV that strict measures will objection to it,” MP Hussein Husseini Hezbollah’s Secretary General be taken against the Labor Minister says, adding that suspending cabinet Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah accuses should he abstain from signing the sessions violates the constitution. ) * transportation allowance decree. Patriarch al-Rai meets with Etienne in Syria in his speech on Martyrdom Patriarch al-Rai, President Michel Sakr, head of the radical Guardians of the of Resistance Leaders Anniversary. Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri and Cedars group, during his visit to Cyprus. He assured that Hezbollah’s armament PM Najib Mikati attend a Mass at the It is noteworthy that Sakr was sentenced is used to protect Lebanon and called Saint George Cathedral, Downtown on to death for alleged contacts with Israel. for an unconditional dialogue. the occasion of Saint Maroun’s Day. Patriarch al-Rai receives Tracey General Michel Aoun and former PM G # J Dany Chamoun who informs him of Fouad Seniora were also in attendance. March 14 Forces gather at Biel to her willingness to return to Lebanon !! ! ; < and get involved in politics. G # O The ceremony witnesses speeches from Druze sheikhs from the district of former President Amine Gemayel, the G # A Hasbaya hold a reconciliation meeting with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea General Michel Aoun visits the residents of Kfar Kila in the presence and the member of March 14 General Speaker Nabih Berri. of Minister Marwan Kheireddine and Secretariat Fares Soueid who read the A heavy snowstorm hits Lebanon ! ! ! < + letter addressed by the Syrian National with snow falling as low as 700 meters “PM Najib Mikati has overstepped Council. Former PM Saad Hariri asserts in above the sea level. his authority and the entire government a televised speech that the Shia’a were not Upon his return from Turkey, MP will be brought down if Minister ; < Walid Jumblat welcomes Nasrallah’s Charbel Nahhas is touched,” General call for dialogue. Aoun tells the New TV. G # U “The current regional developments Tripoli becomes calm again @ ' are reminiscent of the Sykes-Picot following the clashes that killed 3 Republic states that the Minister of Justice and Agreement,” MP Suleiman Frangieh people and injured 23. the Minister of Foreign Affairs were briefed said, warning that the crisis will erupt in Protesters rally in Saida and Taalbaya about the letter received by the President Lebanon once it comes to an end in Syria. in support of the Syrian revolution. Michel Suleiman from the UN Secretary Sayyed Ali Fadlallah phones PM Najib Mikati checks on the General who expressed his willingness to former PM Saad Hariri to discuss the health of his predecessor Saad Hariri renew the STL mandate for three years. measures necessary to avoid the strife * MP Walid Jumblat criticizes Geagea’s on the Lebanese and Islamic platform.
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G # G # R G # A “The Future Bloc is not sabotaging Future Movement MPs walk out President Michel Suleiman heads dialogue but we refuse to return to the fruitless of parliamentary session following a for Romania and the Czech Republic. dialogue”, Future Movement Secretary- dispute over allotting the cabinet LBP 8.9 The rift between the Grand Mufti and General Ahmad Hariri says to a group of trillion as additional expenses. Former the Future Movement escalates after the Future Movement engineers in Beirut. PM Fouad Siniora calls for the settling of former called for the election of new The Iranian Ambassador visits the controversy over the USD 11 billion Higher Islamic Council on April 22. Tripoli accompanied by a delegation spent by the past governments. Speaker The Cabinet convenes in Baabda of Iranian businessmen and expresses Nabih Berri adjourns the session until Palace following the suspension of Iran’s readiness to carry out any March 5 after the Parliament approved to sessions for 27 days and the meeting project that Tripoli needs. cancel the VAT on red and green diesel. ushers a new era of work for the Cabinet. Syria, Iraq, Iran and Lebanon sign Former President Amine Gemayel Minister of Social Affairs Wael a memorandum of understanding on visits Tripoli and meets with the Mufti Bou Faour reveals that the number of transporting electricity from Iran to of the city, Sheikh Malek Shaar, former displaced Syrians has reached 6919. the three countries. PM Omar Karami and a number of The Phalanges politburo judges that other Tripoli’s dignitaries. the mechanism set forth by the former G # Acting Labor Minister Nicolas Fattoush Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas to In an editorial in his party’s weekly signs the transportation allowance decree. give Palestinians work permits leads Al-Anbaa newspaper, MP Walid MP Michel Murr receives a to their naturalization. Jumblat criticizes President Bashar Tashnag delegation and the two Assad harshly and urges the Druze in ! G # B Syria to take the side of the revolution. stressing that what happened in the A meeting between the Grand Mufti Jumblat described Lebanon’s steering past was a “summer cloud”. and PM Najib Mikati ends with the away policy as “ridiculous”. Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad postponement of the Higher Islamic Mufti Qabbani receives a Rashid Qabbani calls for the election of Council elections for two months. Hezbollah delegation at Dar al-Fatwa. new Higher Islamic Council on April 22 MP Sami Gemayel rejects the new STL Prosecutor Daniel Bellmare after he had extended its term by one year. history syllabus for omitting any addresses the Lebanese people at the end reference to resistance against Syria of his tenure in a farewell letter noting G # J and the armed Palestinian presence. that historic days lie ahead for justice. President Michel Suleiman and PM A Syrian worker kills a currency Najib Mikati sign a decree appointing changer in Saida sparking rage in the city. G # Judge Salim Jreissati as the successor of Wounded French reporter arrives in Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas former Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas. Lebanon from Homs. insists on not signing the transportation The Islamic Group stresses that the MP Walid Jumblat told An-Nahar allowance decree and tenders his decision of the government not to attend that the PSP has nothing to do with the resignation to General Michel Aoun the “Friends of Syria” conference does anti-Syrian regime protest that Sheikh for him to take the appropriate action. not represent the Lebanese people. Ahmad al-Asir has called for. G # O G # Z ( Anti-Syrian regime protesters rally UN chief appoints Canadian Norman Speaker Nabih Berri starts an in Downtown in the presence of MP Farell as a new STL Prosecutor. } Walid Jumblat who reiterates that the “Lebanon can deter the Israeli enemy excavation in the maritime zone revolution will triumph and the regime threats thanks to its army and resistance,” between Lebanon and Cyprus. will fall. Pro-Syrian regime protesters Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn says in Iran. President Michel Suleiman heads also take to the streets in a countermove. )' ! from Romania to the Czech Republic. President Michel Suleiman Sheikh Ahmad al-Asir in Mukhtara. % * ! and PM Najib Mikati accept the President Michel Suleiman attends that the son of the Grand Mufti, Ragheb resignation of Labor Minister the ordination of the new Bishop of Qabbani, was beaten and insulted while Charbel Nahhas when they received Byblos Michel Aoun and Patriarch al- having lunch in a restaurant in Rawche. it from Minister Jobran Bassil. Rai praises his endeavor to maintain The Future Movement denies its Speaker Nabih Berri adjourns the stability in the country. involvement in the incident. parliamentary session till the next day.
issue 117 | April 2012 44|ARAB WORLD FOCUS TUNISIA’S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS PROPORTIONALITY KEEPS ISLAMIC DOMINANCE AT BAY " # F 0 " / " * * $ # # # " ! ; #$ O < $ 9 * $ * # * Z # ! #9 # * # I 0 % #$ ' # " #$ * * ! 0 Tunisia is divided into 23 governorates. For the election, it was divided into 27 electoral districts as the three most populated governorates (Tunis, Sfax and Nabeul) were split in two. Those districts were given 199 seats in the 217-seat Constituent Assembly while 18 seats were awarded to the 6 districts distributed overseas and representing the Tunisians living in the US, the Arab world and Europe. Furthermore, one seat was granted for every 60 000 residents (who were not voters). All Tunisian nationals of 23 years or older were eligible to run for the election while the voting age was set at 18. The new law adopted a gender-parity system thus giving women equal opportunities with the men. 8 @ ! @ |"_"]]" ! "^"{ ballots. 11,618 candidates ran for the election. The Islamist Ennahda Party won the majority of seats (89) in the 217-seat Constituent Assembly while the centrist Congrès pour la République Party, headed by the current president Moncef Marzouki, gained 29 seats. The adoption of a proportional, not a pluralist, voting system and the distribution of districts enabled small parties to participate in the Constituent Assembly and maintained political diversity in the new Tunisia. Informed sources said that had the pluralist voting been adopted, the Ennahda Party would have won a sweeping victory, which could have killed diversity. Furthermore, the application of gender-parity on electoral lists helped women secure 57 seats in the Assembly. The following Table 1 shows the results achieved by each party in each of the electoral districts.
Results of Tunisia’s elections Table 1 District # of voters # of seats # of seats won per party Ennahda Party: 4 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 Congrès pour la République Party:1 Tunis 1 208,995 9 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 Progressive Struggle Party: 1 Democratic Modernist Pole: 1 Ennahda Party: 3 Congrès pour la République Party :1 Tunis 2 227,647 8 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 Democratic Modernist Pole: 1 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:2 Ennahda Party: 3 Congrès pour la République Party:1 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 Ariana 201,074 8 Maghrebian Liberal Party:1 Democratic Modernist Pole: 1 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 Ennahda Party: 3 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Manouba 135,874 7 New Constitutional Party : 1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 Ennahda Party: 4 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 Ben Arous 236,490 10 Democratic Social Nation Party: 1 Democratic Modernist Pole: 1 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:2
issue 117 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. ARAB WORLD FOCUS|45
Results of Tunisia’s elections Table 1 District # of voters # of seats # of seats won per party Ennahda Party: 4 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 Bizerte 210,561 9 Tunisian People’s Party: 1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 Ennahda Party: 2 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 Nabeul 1 174,879 7 Tunisia’s Horizons Party: 1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 Ennahda Party: 2 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Nabeul 2 129,232 6 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 Ennahda Party: 2 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Zaghouan 63,640 5 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Ennahda Party: 2 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Béja 104,027 6 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Ennahda Party: 2 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Kef 89,524 6 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Hope (independent list): 1 Ennahda Party: 2 Revolutionary Alternative: 1 Siliana 73,440 6 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 Free National Unity: 1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Ennahda Party: 2 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 Jendouba 112,974 8 Social Struggle: 1 National Democrats Movement: 1 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Ennahda Party: 4 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Kairouan 169,585 9 Revolutionary Alternative: 1 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 2 Ennahda Party: 4 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 Sousse 264,084 10 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 The Initiative Party: 2 Ennahda Party: 3 Cultural Unionist Nation Party: 1 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Monastir 205,945 9 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 The Initiative Party: 2 Ennahda Party: 3 Congrès pour la République Party : 1 Tunisia’s Horizons Party: 1 Mahdia 135,043 8 The Initiative Party: 1 Justice and Equality Party: 1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1
issue 117 | April 2012 46|ARAB WORLD FOCUS
Results of Tunisia’s elections Table 1 District # of voters # of seats # of seats won per party Ennahda Party: 3 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 Movement of Social Democrats: 1 Kasserine 121,021 8 Fidelity (independent list): 1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Ennahda Party: 2 Independent (independent list): 1 Sidi Bouzid 81,839 8 People’s Movement: 1 Movement of Social Democrats: 1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 3 Ennahda Party: 3 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 Gafsa 123,826 7 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Justice Party: 1 Ennahda Party: 2 Tozeur 45,090 4 Congrès pour la République Party:1 Fidelity to Martyrs : 1 Ennahda Party: 3 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Revolutionary Alternative: 1 Sfax 1 142,582 7 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Ennahda Party: 4 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Sfax 2 218,944 9 Independent: 1 Tunisia’s Horizons Party: 1 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 Ennahda Party: 4 Congrès pour la République Party:1 Gabès 141,796 7 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 For a National Tunisian Front: 1 Ennahda Party: 5 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Medenine 156,134 9 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 Tunisia’s Horizons Party: 1 Chams: 1 Ennahda Party: 3 Tataouine 41,801 4 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Ennahda Party: 2 Kebili 71,732 5 Congrès pour la République Party: 2 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Ennahda Party: 2 North France/ Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 Paris 5 Congrès pour la République Party:1 Democratic Modernist Pole: 1 Ennahda Party: 2 South France/ Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:1 Marseille 5 Congrès pour la République Party: 1 Progressive Democratic Party: 1 The Americas 2 Ennahda Party: 1 Congrès pour la République Party : 1 Europe/ Canada/ Ennahda Party: 2 Italy 3 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 1 Germany 1 Ennahda Party: 1 Arab world 2 Ennahda Party: 1 Congrès pour la République Party : 1 Ennahda Party: 89 Congrès pour la République Party : 29 People’s Petition for Liberty, Justice, and Development: 26 Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties:20 Progressive Democratic Party: 16 Democratic Modernist Pole: 5 The Initiative Party: 5 Tunisia’s Horizons Party: 5 Revolutionary Alternative: 3 People’s Movement: 1 Total 217 Social Democrats Movement: 2 Fidelity to Martyrs : 1 National Democrats Movement: 1 New Constitutional Party: 1 Democratic Social Nation Party: 1 For a National Tunisian Front: 1 Maghrebian Liberal Party:1 Justice Party: 1 Independent Voice: 1 Justice and Equality Part: 1 Cultural Unionist Nation Party: 1 Hope: 1 Free National Unity: 1 Social Struggle: 1 Progressive Struggle: 1 Fidelity: 1
issue 117 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. PRICES |47
REAL ESTATE PRICES Towards FEBRUARY 2012
* * G # +;. ! $ # J\ Z\ Prices of some apartments sold in February 2012 Table 1 / \ Region Area (m2) Price (USD) USD/m2 * # ! +;. J Beirut $ * Ashrafieh - Rizk 160 416,000 2,600 # ! ; # Ashrafieh - 100 250,000 2,500 Alexandre +;. J +;. ! Adlieh 150 300,000 2,000 Qouraytem 200 700,000 3,500 Tables 1 and 2 show the prices of some apartments and Tallet Khayat 300 1,800,000 6,000 estates sold in February 2012. Ras Beirut 230 1,000,500 4,350 Hamra - 270 1,147,500 4,250 Prices of some estates sold in February 2012 Table 1 al-Maqdisi Region Area (m2) Price (USD) USD/m2 Baabda Beirut Hazmieh - Mar Taqla 350 560,000 1,600 Ashrafieh (Sofil) 920 11,224,000 12,200 Baabda 200 500,000 2,500 Badaro 630 5,040,000 8,000 Yarzi 300 840,000 2,800 Aisha Bakkar 450 2,070,000 4,600 Ras Nabe’e 860 6,536,000 7,600 Hadath 150 195,000 1,300 Baabda Matn Baabda 1,100 2,090,000 1,900 Sin el-Fil - Horsh Tabet 160 336,000 2,100 Baabda 1,380 2,208,000 1,600 Mansourieh 170 277,100 1,630 Kahhaleh 3,600 432,000 120 Roumieh 210 336,000 1,600 Yarzi 1,000 2,000,000 2,000 Matn Antelias 200 310,000 1,550 Jdeideh 2,100 2,625,000 1,250 Awkar 190 353,400 1,860 Beit Mery 900 486,000 540 A’aley Awkar 1,000 600,000 600 Bshamoun 130 169,000 1,300 Ain Saadeh 1,500 780,000 520 Bshamoun 150 262,500 1,750 Broumana 1,050 630,000 600 Doha Hoss 200 440,000 2,200 Zalqa 400 480,000 1,200 Aramoun 170 170,000 1,000 A’aley Doha Aramoun 160 248,000 1,550 Mansourieh 1,500 495,000 330 Khaldeh 220 363,000 1,650 Khaldeh 1,170 702,000 600 Kessrouan Doha Aramoun 1,250 1,625,000 1,300 Zouq Mosbeh 165 189,750 1,150 Kessrouan Sahel Alma 220 220,000 1,000 Sahel Alma 900 1,125,000 1,250 Farayya 2,500 550,000 220 Shayli 190 266,000 1,400 Adma 1,100 891,000 810 Source: Information International
issue 117 | April 2012 48| PRICES
PRICES OF 100 FOOD PRODUCTS Towards IN FEBRUARY 2012
' # >J ? Prices of food products during January 2012 (in LBP) Table 1 # Prices Prices % of G # ! R Item and Brand beginning of beginning of price February 2012 March 2012 change Z ! Taous tomato sauce (70g) 770 700 -9 $ $ Taous tomato sauce (425 g) 3,450 3,450 0 $ ' $ # $ $ Tala tomato sauce $ (675g) 3,250 3,250 0 Dairy Products * # OJ\$ J!A\ OO!O\! Candia full cream milk (1 liter) 2,500 2,500 0 Table 1: Prices of food products during January 2012 Candia full cream 2,500 2,900 +16 (in LBP). yoghurt (2 kg) Bonjus labneh (1 kg) 4,750 4,890 +2.9 Taanayel labneh Prices of food products during January 2012 (in LBP) Table 1 (500 g) 5,500 5,500 0 Prices Prices % of Candia labneh Item and Brand beginning of beginning of price (500 g) 5,600 5,400 -3.5 February 2012 March 2012 change Taanayel yoghurt Oil (1 kg) 3,750 3,900 +4 Afia corn oil 16,750 16,000 -4.4 Smeds cheese (3.5 liters) (400 g) 4,650 4,850 +4.3 Mazola corn oil Picon cheese (360 g) 3,800 3,900 +2.6 (3.5 liters) 17,850 18,560 +3.9 Picon cheese (160 g) 1,950 1,975 +1.2 Mazola corn oil (1.8 liters) 8,950 9,400 +5 Double-crème cheese (1 kg) 9,250 10,000 +8.1 Slim corn oil (2 liters) 8,750 8,750 0 Fresh country cheese Wesson corn oil (1 kg) 9,250 9,250 0 (2 liters) 8,750 8,750 0 Khashkawan cheese Ghandour soya oil (1 kg) 13,000 13,000 0 (2 liters) 12,100 12,100 0 Lurpak butter (200 g) 2,700 2,750 +1.8 Alfa corn oil (4 liters) 16,750 15,550 -7.1 Tatra butter (200 g) 2,450 2,750 +12.2 Al-Wadi olive oil (1/2 liters) 6,500 6,500 0 Al-Maalaqtain margarine (2 kg) 7,450 7,850 +5.3 Ketchup and Sauces Al-Baqara al-Haloub Libby’s Ketchup margarine (2kg) 35,000 35,000 0 (597 g) 1,600 1,600 0 Vegetaline margarine Extra Ketchup (2 kg) 15,250 18,950 +3,8 (340 g) 1,000 1,500 +5 Nido full cream milk Extra Ketchup (bag) (2,250 g) 21,850 21,850 0 (2.2 kg) 5,250 5,250 0 Nido full cream milk Dolly’s Mayonnaise (2,500 g) 26,250 26,250 0 (500 ml) 4,000 4,200 +5 Tatra full cream milk Al-Wadi Mayonnaise (1,800 g) 20,100 20,100 0 (500 ml) 3,650 3,650 0 Cereals Al-Bsat Tahina (900 g) 6,650 6,650 0 Khater white lentils (1 kg) 3,500 3,750 +7.1 Al-Bsat Tahina (450 g) 3,450 3,450 0 Khater chick-peas fahli (1 kg) 4,250 5,000 +17.6
issue 117 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. PRICES |49
Prices of food products during January 2012 (in LBP) Table 1 Prices of food products during January 2012 (in LBP) Table 1 Prices Prices % of Prices Prices % of Item and Brand beginning of beginning of price Item and Brand beginning of beginning of price February 2012 March 2012 change February 2012 March 2012 change Khater beans (1 kg) 1,750 1,900 +8.5 White Diamond tuna 2,800 2,800 0 Peeled wheat (1 kg) 1,750 1,950 +11.4 (200 g) Pineal Lima Bean White Diamond tuna 2,750 2,750 0 (1 kg) 3,450 3,500 +1.5 (200 g) Skipper tuna (185 g) 2,250 2,250 0 Brown Fine Burgul 1,750 1,750 0 (1 kg) Eggs (30 eggs) 7,500 7,600 +1.3 Egyptian rice (1 kg) 2,100 2,100 0 Beef (1 kg) 15,000 17,000 +13.3 American rice (1 kg) 1,750 1,750 0 Sheep (1 kg) 20,000 27,000 +35 Italian rice (1 kg) 2,350 2,350 0 Coffee and Tea Al-Wadi Hommos Najjar coffee (1kg) 14,500 18,250 +25.8 Tahina (380 g) 1,500 1,500 0 Brazil coffee (1 kg) 14,000 16,000 +14.3 Chtaura Hommos Tahina (380 g) 1,450 1,450 0 Al-Hisan tea (180 g) 2,750 2,750 0 Nestle (250g) 2,250 2,500 +11.1 California Gardens 1,250 1,250 0 beans (450 g) Halvah and Jam Al-Wadi beans 1,250 1,250 0 Al-Wadi halvah (450 g) (454 g) 4,150 4,150 0 Chtaura beans 1,500 1,500 0 Al-Bsat halvah (480 g) (450 g) 3,000 3,100 +3.3 Libby’s corn (340 g) 1,500 1,750 +16.7 Chtaura apricot jam 6,000 6,250 +4.1 Pasta (1 kg) Barilla spaghetti Al-Wadi apricot jam 5,590 6,000 +7.3 (500 g) 2,200 2,200 0 (1 kg) Antonio Amato Tissues and Detergents spaghetti (500 g) 2,150 2,150 0 Mimosa tissues 2,100 2,600 +23.8 Monte spaghetti (500 g) (500 g) 2,300 2,300 0 Fine tissues 1,400 1,400 0 Sugar (200 tissues) Sugar (2 kg) 3,200 3,200 0 Primo tissues (200 tissues) 1,400 1,400 0 Al-Ousra Sugar (5 kg) 9,500 9,400 -1 Gipsy tissues (300 tissues) 2,850 2,850 0 Salt (700 g) 400 350 -12.5 Mimosa toilet papers Box of salt (738 g) 1,500 1,650 +10 (4 rolls) 4,250 4,250 0 Meat, Fish and Eggs Yes detergent (750 g) 2,500 2,600 +4 Zwan chicken 2,450 2,500 +2 (200 g) Clorox (1 liter) 1,500 1,500 0 Zwan beef (200 g) 2,450 2,500 +2 Persil (4 kg) 19,000 19,250 +1.3 Luncheon meat beef Ariel (4 kg) 17,500 18,750 +7.1 (198 g) 2,000 2,000 0 Fruits and Vegetables Al-Mona chicken (200 g) 2,150 2,150 0 Orange (1 kg) 1,000 1,250 +25 Tomatoes (1kg) 700 700 0 Al-Taghzia beef 1,950 1,950 0 (200 g) Cucumbers (1kg) 1,500 2,000 +33.3 Al-Taghzia chicken 1,950 1,950 0 Bananas (1kg) 1,000 1,000 0 (200 g) Lemons (1 kg) 700 700 0 Geisha sardine (125 g) 1,250 1,250 0 Apples (1 kg) 2,000 2,500 +25 Deli sardine (125 g) 1,200 1,200 0 Potatoes (1 kg) 950 600 -36.8 Milo sardine (125 g) 1,100 1,200 +9 Source: Information International Geisha tuna (200 g) 2,700 2,700 0
issue 117 | April 2012 50| Did you know that? Teenage Pregnancy in USA
$ 9 Billion teenage pregnancies cost the U.S 2 times more the children of teen mothers are each year. likely to suffer abuse and neglect compared to children of older mothers. 750,000 teenage pregnancies occur in USA each year, accounting for the highest rate in 5 times more the children who live apart from industrialized countries (teenpregnancy.org). their fathers are likely to be poor than children with both parents at home. 8/10 of the total pregnancies are unintended. 3 times more the daughters of young teenage 3/10 teenage girls get pregnant at least once mothers are likely to become teen mothers before age 20. themselves.
2/3 of all teen pregnancies occur among 18 – 2 times more sons of teen mothers are likely to 19 years old girls. end up in prison.
2/3 of families who begun by a young 50 % of teens have never considered how unmarried mother are poor. pregnancy would affect their lives.
1/4 of teenage mothers have a second child 50 % of children of teen mothers do worse in within 24 months of the first child. school than those born to older parents.
8/10 fathers do not marry the mother of their child.
Beirut International Airport Rafic Hariri International Airport Traffic- February 2012
Rafic Hariri International Airport traffic in February 2012 compared to January 2012 and February 2011 Table 1 Airport passenger traffic % of change % of change dropped in February 2012 February February by 11.9% compared to last Traffic January 2012 January/ February 2011/ 2012 2011 month but increased by February 2012 February 2012 23.4% compared to February Arriving airplanes 2,576 2,298 1,913 - 10.8 + 20.1 last year. The number of arriving passengers rose Departing airplanes 2,579 2,288 1,911 - 11.3 + 19.7 by 3% (5,669 passengers) Total No. of airplanes 5,155 4,586 3,824 - 11 + 19.9 compared to January 2012 Arriving passengers 182,973 188,642 152,705 + 3 + 23.5 while a remarkable decrease of 23.2% (56,158 passengers) Departing passengers 241,768 185,610 147,621 - 23.2 + 25.7 was noticed in the number Transit passengers 5,731 4,838 6,890 - 15.6 - 29.8 of departing passengers. A Total No. of passengers 430,472 379,090 307,216 - 11.9 + 23.4 total of 809,562 passengers Imported goods used the airport in January 3,120 3,152 2,730 + 1 + 15.4 and February of this year (per ton) compared to 676,951 in Exported goods 2,381 2,249 2,068 - 5.5 + 8.7 the same period last year (per ton) i.e. up by 19.6% or 132,611 Total amount of goods passengers. Table 1 shows 5,501 5,401 4,798 - 1.8 + 12.6 airport traffic in February 2012 (per ton) compared to January 2012 Source: Information International and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. and February 2011. Stats & Numbers |51 Stats& Numbers
LBP 22.5 billion is the amount of the advance payment granted to the Ministry of Energy and Water to subsidize red diesel by LBP 3000 per 20-liter jerry can. It was later learned that many gas stations and oil distribution companies took advantage of those subsidies. LBP 3.7 million has become the salary of a Grade 1 Lebanese University teacher, up from LBP 2 million seventy five thousand. The salary has also climbed up from Photo by Alaa Sakr LBP 5 million fifty seven thousand to LBP 8 million four hundred twenty five thousand for Grade 22 teachers. The increase stands somewhere between 66.2% and 78.3%. LBP 300 million is the amount Publications allocated by the Lebanese Publications by Publications by INMA (in Arabic): Government to the Hajj and Umrah Information International (in Arabic): 1- “I am Responsible, All of Us are Responsible” Committee affiliated with the 1- Salaries and Remunerations in the Public Sector 2- “Our Environment is Our Home” Presidency of the Council of Ministers 2- Public Seaside Properties 3- “My Society is My Responsibility” to cover the 2011 expenses. 3- Lebanon’s Parliamentary History 1920-2000 4- “My Society is My Responsibility” Workbook 4- Taxes and Fees 5- “I am a Student, I am a Citizen: Ways Towards 12,204 is the number of the 5- Lebanon in Figures 1992-2002 State Building” 6- Lebanon in Figures 2003-2004 6- “I am a Student, I am a Citizen: Ways Towards job applications submitted to 7- Lebanon in Figures 2005-2006 State Building” Workbook the Central Employment Office 8- Lebanon in Figures 2007-2008 7- “Lebanon Wars, why?” between 1998 and 2010. Only 9- Lebanon’s MPs and Lebanese Parliamentary 8- Discrimination in Lebanon Elections 1960 - 2009 2051 people were employed 10- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, thus indicating high rates of candidate and confession-North District unemployment. 11- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, candidate and confession-Beirut District LBP 166 billion is the 2012 12- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, candidate and confession-Mount Lebanon District government contribution to cover 13- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, the expenses of private free candidate and confession-Beqa’a District schools. The state support stood 14- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, candidate and confession-South and Nabatiyeh at LBP 83 billion in 2011. District 15- Municipal Elections 2010 USD 1 million is the sum granted by the government to support Publications by Kutub (in Arabic): 1- Trablous Al-Sham To Subscribe: technical education projects in 2- Jeniyat Al-Nabi Al-Borj Building, 4th Floor, Martyrs Square private vocational schools, most 3- Mokhber Al-Konsoliya Beirut Central District of which belong to Hezbollah and 4- Antoun Saadah 1932-1949 Telephone: 961-1-983008/9 961-3-262376 5- Antoun Saadah, A Biography, Volume 1. The Youth Years Amal Movement. This contribution Fax: 961-1-980630 [email protected] has been offered for many years. www.iimonthly.com www.information-international.com © Information International SAL All rights reserved License No. 180/2003 THE MONTHLY ARCHIVE
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