5 Million M2: When Will the State Recover Them?

issue number 158 |September 2015 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN LEBANON HEFTY COST AND UNSOLVED CRISIS

POSTPONING THE RELEASE OF LEBANON’S ARMY COMMANDER THE MONTHLY INTERVIEWS NABIL ZANTOUT

www.monthlymagazine.com Published by Information International sal GENERAL MANAGER AT IBC

USURPATION OF COASTAL PUBLIC PROPERTY 5 MILLION M2: WHEN WILL THE STATE RECOVER THEM?

4 USURPATION OF COASTAL PUBLIC PROPERTY 5 MILLION M2: WHEN WILL THE STATE RECOVER THEM?

16 2013 CENTRAL INSPECTION REPORT 19 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN LEBANON HEFTY COST AND UNSOLVED CRISIS 22 POSTPONING THE RELEASE OF LEBANON’S ARMY COMMANDER 24 JAL EL-DIB: BETWEEN THE TUNNEL AND THE BRIDGE 25 PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN: QONUNCHILIK PALATASI P: 28 P: 16 26 RASHID BAYDOUN (1889-1971)

28 INTERVIEW: NABIL ZANTOUT GENERAL MANAGER AT IBC 31 INJAZ LEBANON 33 POPULAR CULTURE 34 DEBUNKING MYTH#97: SHOULD WE BRUSH OUR TEETH IMMEDIATELY AFTER EATING? 35 MUST-READ BOOKS: DAR SADER- IN BEIRUT... A THOUGHT SPARKED UP

36 MUST-READ CHILDREN’S BOOK: THE BANANA P: 19 37 LEBANON FAMILIES: QARQOUTI FAMILIES 38 DISCOVER LEBANON: SMAR JBEIL 39 DISCOVER THE WORLD: NAURU 40 JULY 2015 HIGHLIGHTS 49 REAL ESTATE PRICES - JULY 2015 44 THIS MONTH IN HISTORY- LEBANON 50 DID YOU KNOW THAT?: 2014 FIFA WORLD CIVIL WAR DIARIES CUP THE ZGHARTA-TRIPOLI FRONT 40 YEARS AGO 50 RAFIC HARIRI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 47 THIS MONTH IN HISTORY- ARAB WORLD - JORDAN TRAFFIC - JULY 2015 BLACK SEPTEMBER EVENTS 51 LEBANON’S STATS 48 TERRORIST GROUPS PRETENDING TO STAND FOR ISLAM (8) ANSAR AL-SHARIA’A: ORIGINATING FROM LIBYA AND ESPOUSING ISLAMIC SHARIA’A |EDITORIAL Iskandar Riachi

Below are excerpts from chapter 40 of Iskandar Riachi’s book Before and After, which was published in Lebanon in the 1950s. Little has changed in the conduct of deputies and politicians over the decades. Political bickering and trade of accusations have since that time been a steady aspect of the Lebanese political landscape as evidenced below. GLASS HOUSES THROWING STONES AT EACH OTHER Dedication “..To the gullible, self-conceited and fooled, to those good people had to turn to the French authorities and said regrettably “I would like who still believe that there are in Lebanon political leaders who deem to grant the Lebanese Treasury all that it asks for from the very bottom exploitation a crime and decency a virtue in a land, which over several of my heart, but I am uncertain if I should grant Lebanese MPs their generations, has hailed the murderer as a hero, the manipulator as a requests,” said Youssed Zein. genius and those who can steal and loot but refrain from it as ‘idiots’! The people of hell continue trading blame and bickering as Sheikh ..This comes as no surprise because the talks about corruption, Farid attacks Khabbaz saying “You transformed Parliament into a state funds’ sharing, suspicious investments and both political and <$&P $>"(&"O term of Bechara El-Khoury1, which is being called today, even by spared no municipality in your region the jizyah and you are the one who sold Mukhtar posts and order of merits for monetary gains!” "" 5 2 O?$@ and allowed him Emir Bashir and the Tannoukhis. to establish his famous Hammam resort, whereas the sea and its shore What the Eddés3 said afterwards about Bechara El-Khoury’s term was no belong to the state and no one else is to take possession of them,” said different than what the constitutionalists used to say about Emile Eddé’s. Sheikh Farid to a well-known deputy from Beirut. No one was spared the accusations of corruption and abuse; those “You are protecting boardinghouses and debauched discos and #$ gambling centers in exchange for a hoard of fees, pretty much like the Serail attempt endlessly to distort the image of the ones outside it. $AG#P $ " However, at that time, it was not possible to stage a rebellion by the Parliament, MPs started to frequent both Parliament and the Serail, sword and force and protests because the French were there. wondering when it wou ld all be over. Had the French not been here, had the country been as independent as From one conversation to the next, they would always reach the point it was after 1943, had the opponents not feared the Senegalese6, they % would have done exactly what yesterday’s opponents did when they would bash the other as bad and corrupt, leading the Commissariat4 to revolted against Bechara Khoury, for under his term, the Senegalese view the council with further contempt and ponder the need for its had withdrawn their daggers and left this land. We no longer feared speedy dissolution, for, amidst the international crisis, and by taking them or feared the darkness of their faces. &$' The reasons that made the 1952 uprising a national necessity were it would be necessary to dispose of an erratic and chaotic parliament pretty similar to those, which, under that era, also called for resentment that would cause the Commissariat and the military big trouble. and revolting against the state. In addition, the political brazenness had ' " not reached at that time the levels it does today; a brazenness which between MPs who were bickering with one another in Parliament’s led many of those who were key players in corruption and bargaining hallways, saying all the hideous things recorded below: to boast shamelessly about their objectivity and brand themselves as "($)"*$+/ “You stood by the Serail ladder and started hoarding cash and few Lebanese politicians who can pride themselves, rightfully, for their bargaining for jobs and appointments in municipalities.” neutrality and decency. $+"/ Yes, we would like to emphasize that corruption, disorder and looting were indeed the features of the previous era but those who slammed O$"7" that era were not all innocent of theft and it is not possible that the took your share of the eight million francs which you ordered the memory of many of them could have betrayed them to such an extent government and some MPs to provide!” that they have forgotten today what they did yesterday. Even if there 7$#"8*(O< was nothing but those stacks of money they are now enjoying along $""&" with their pretention of impartiality and decency, that should be French found out about you!” enough for them to recall at every hour of the day that they, too, were He then moved to Youssef Khazen saying “It was you who accepted thieves and looters.” money from the Syrian bank upon renewal of the contract. Since the (Endnotes) bank fell under French control, it is undoubted that its director handed 1 First post-independence President of Lebanon. He held office from 21 September the Commissariat a list of the names of all MPs who were paid to 1943 to 18 September 1952, except for an 11-day interruption. 2 Lebanese Emir who ruled Lebanon in the first half of the 19th century. remain silent and approve the deal, which makes us in the eyes of the 3 Proponents of the Eddé family and President Emile Eddé, who served as French looters and thieves.” the president of Lebanon for 11 days, from 11 to 22 November, 1943. He had previously served as president from 1936 to 1941. “You were the one who requested money from the petroleum company 4 France’s High Commission in Lebanon. 5 Ajram beach is still in use today. in return for facilitating the approval of its concession. The company 6 Soldiers drafted by the French.

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USURPATION OF COASTAL PUBLIC PROPERTY 5 MILLION M2: WHEN WILL THE STATE RECOVER THEM?

The occupancy of coastal public properties is both a paramount and a thorny matter. Paramount because, whether legal or not, the occupancy fails to provide the state with revenues commensurate with the value of the occupied seaside areas and thorny because since the end of the Civil War, due to political and regional interference, there has not been a solution to recover the usurped rights of the state.

O Occupancy of coastal public properties the status of their occupancy today? V[~X_+{[X` under the presidential term of Charles Helo and the $< UVX[[\V regulations of seaside property occupancy as follows: was issued by the High Commissioner of the Republic 8#]^$ Coastal public property shall remain at the disposal 7V(+X_X`{| of the public and no right, in favor of anyone, shall be four chapters including 26 articles. derived from it authorizing its closure for a personal or private interest. $ X OU ] ^ # $ $ intended, owing to their nature, to be used by everyone use of individuals or groups and limiting this usufruct to or to serve a public interest. They cannot be sold and no them shall be an exception that may only be implemented ownership over them can be acquired with time”. in special cases under the following general grounds:

${OU/ General grounds imposed where exploitation of the The seaside, up to the farthest distance that waves can seaside is approved: reach in winter in addition to sand and gravel beaches... as well as those saline lakes adjoining the sea... The intended project must bear a public aspect and The ports, marine terminals and bays...” @ according to the licenses issued by the relevant $$X[ OAGU that the state or the municipalities may license the occupancy of their properties on a temporary, revocable The requested investment should not prevent the and chargeable basis, particularly when the matter is integrity of the beach in cases where there are areas associated with a certain project. that must remain accessible to the public.

$X} Permanent facilities may not be erected on coastal for these properties may be granted for a period of one public property except for those relating to sporting year only and may be renewed by tacit consent. Said and organizational equipment and the associated "> ancillaries that must be found near the beach, state without compensation. ] % A

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of said equipment is no more than 5% and the The coastal public area intended for occupation should building rises no more than 6 meters in height, with a be, at best, twice as big as the private adjacent property %A__}| and its facade should not be greater than that of the adjacent property. However, pursuant to Decree no. Depending on its intended use, the project should }[['_X``| ( \ was added: hotels or industry, in accordance with the regulations By virtue of a decree issued in the Cabinet upon governing Lebanese beaches. The maps annexed the proposition of the Minister of Public Works V [~_` + {[ X` and Transport, the water surface area intended for V occupation may be increased beyond the permissible rate, provided that the property area is no less than The exploitation of coastal public property for 20,000 square meters and the license is granted for a industrial projects is not permissible except in the @ zones designated for this purpose and which, in their nature, require exploitation of coastal public If there is a public road leading to the sea, the coastal properties. The exploitation shall be limited to the public property stretching along 50 meters from road surface area necessary for the facilities bound to axis may not be occupied and this space must remain for the public. above. Current status of the occupied areas The suggested project should observe technicalities Pursuant to the aforementioned legal texts, the occupied @ areas of the coastal public property may be divided each kind of sports, the proportion of surface area covered by the swimmers’ locker rooms, free spaces [`_X}{2 of which 2,365,938 m2 or on private properties as well as the free spaces for [~ {||}~~2 @ or 52% are illegal and unlicensed as illustrated in tables " 1 and 2. other equipment and proportions, all within the rates 1. '( determined by the administration. 2. ' ( occupants have overstepped their occupancy permits The license seeker should own a property 3. Illegal occupancies by occupants with a private neighboring the coastal public area he wishes to adjacent property conforming to legal requirements occupy. Public roads and railroads shall not be 4. Illegal occupancies by occupants who do own a considered a separator between private properties private adjacent property but non-conforming to and coastal public properties in cases where the legal requirements relevant authority authorizes the crossing of said 5. Illegal occupancies by occupants who do not own roads or railroads through a tunnel or a bridge. any private adjacent property

Licensed and legalized occupancies of coastal public property Table 1 Occupied area (m2) Mohafaza No. of Decrees Reclaimed area Water surface Facilities Total (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2) Mount Lebanon 33 716,512 472,051 43,139 1,188,563 Northern Lebanon 26 572,550 367,342 36,426 939,892 Southern Lebanon 5 146,088 0 10,584 146,088 Beirut 9 80,065 11,330 9,004 91,395 Total 73 1,515,215 850,723 99,153 2,365,938

Source: Ministry of Public Works and Transport

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Illegal occupancies of coastal public property Table 2

Occupied area (m2) Mohafaza No. of decrees Reclaimed area Water surface Facilities Total (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2) Mount Lebanon 390 935,195 124,126 119,244 1,059,321

Northern Lebanon 281 766,550 216,975 52,941 983,525

Southern Lebanon 367 468,933 40 126,158 468,973

Beirut 30 23,569 400 7,772 23,969

Total 1,068 2,194,247 341,541 306,115 2,535,788

Source: Ministry of Public Works and Transport

^}{|`~ m2, including 1,515,215 m2~|_}{2, distributed as illustrated in Table 3:

Decrees licensing coastal public property occupancies Table 3

Occupied area (m2) Mohafaza No. of Decrees Reclaimed area Water surface Facilities Total (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2) Mount Lebanon 33 716,512 472,051 43,139 1,188,563

Northern Lebanon 26 572,550 367,342 36,426 939,892

Southern Lebanon 5 146,088 0 10,584 146,088

Beirut 9 80,065 11,330 9,004 91,395

Total 73 1,515,215 850,723 99,153 2,365,938

Source: Ministry of Public Works and Transport

# OV #$^#{_}___ m2, followed by the Development of Lebanese Shores Company in Kfarabida, Batroun at 199,000 m2 as illustrated in Table 4.

The largest license in terms of occupied surface area Table 4 Area of the Real estate Reclaimed area Water surface Facilities Total Qada’a Occupier adjacent private zone (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2) property Sté Huiles et Dérivés #$^and Middle East Fodder Selaata Batroun 206,614 106,500 100,500 7,985 207,000 Co.

Development of Lebanese Kfarabida Batroun 51,843 179,933 19,093 1,567 199,026 Shores Company

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The largest license in terms of occupied surface area Table 4 Area of the Real estate Reclaimed area Water surface Facilities Total Qada’a Occupier adjacent private zone (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2) property Jiyyeh Chouf Ciment de Sibleen SAL - 100,000 50,000 153 150,000

Sarba Kessrouan ATCL - 60,530 39,330 7,090 99,860

Emirati-Lebanese Investment Choueifat Aley 40,864 79,413 2,315 6130 81,728 Company

Bourj Matn Shell Company 79,889 49,086 22,914 3,600 72,000 Hammoud

Real Estate Development Halat Jbeil 30,000 38,000 22,000 1,760 60,000 Company

Ras Masqa Koura Palma Touristic Company 24,431 41,100 18,040 4,435 59,140

Dbayyeh Matn Leisure Hill SAL 29,413 58,825 - - 58,825

Bouchrieh Matn MEDCO - 13,000 39,600 2,592 52,600

Choueifat Aley Abdul Latif Ibrahim Mdawwar 49,910 37,050 13,000 3,118 50,050

General Company for Tourist Chiyyah Baabda 21,421 30,950 11,860 2,350 42,810 Projects

Real Estate Company for Tourist Wata Slam Kessrouan 37,085 28,800 13,900 3,180 42,700 Facilities

Maryland Tourism Projects Co. Beirut Beirut 22,048 32,320 10,080 3,180 42,400 (Movenpick)

Heri Batroun Florida Touristic Co. 19,458 17,090 21,826 967 38,916

Nahr al-Kalb Tourist Center Zouq Mosbeh Kessrouan 21,736 16,075 14,530 841 30,605 Company

Source: Ministry of Public Works and Transport

2. Occupants overstepping their occupancy permits '}{_ the area established in their occupancy permits (2.3 million m2{{___2 as illustrated in Table 5.

Encroachments on coastal public properties by licensed occupants Table 5

Mohafaza No. of encroachments Reclaimed area Water surface Facilities Total (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2) Mount Lebanon 12 114,177 15,791 30,361 129,968

Northern Lebanon 5 89,705 6,510 4,000 96,215

Beirut 3 6,499 0 3,216 6,499

Total 20 210,381 22,301 37,577 232,682

Source: Ministry of Public Works and Transport

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# OV #$^#[X___ m2^#${}___2 as illustrated in Table 6.

Violations by occupants who have overstepped their occupancy permits Table 6 Area of the Reclaimed Water surface Facilities Total Region Qada’a Occupant adjacent private area (m2) (m2) (m2) property (m2) (m2) Sté Huiles et Selaata Batroun 55,664 40,800 - - 40,800 V #$^.

Anfeh Koura Las Salinas 9,424 23,000 4,370 4,000 27,370

Nahr al-Kalb Tourist Zouk Mosbeh Kessrouan 15,293 14,174 5,017 - 19,191 Center Company

Naameh Shouf Family Beach Resort 3,940 15,472 3,614 2,200 19,086

Selaata Batroun Lebanon Chemicals Co 79,773 19,000 - - 19,000

Wata Amaret Matn Gas Orient SAL 7,167 16,759 - 1,704 16,759 Chalhoub

Sarba Kessrouan The Yacht Club - 6,951 7,160 4,508 14,111

Wata Slam Kessrouan Tabarja Beach 66,469 12,948 - 19,844 12,948

Source: Ministry of Public Works and Transport

3. Encroachments by occupants with a private adjacent property conforming to legal requirements These kinds of violations are reconcilable because they are committed by occupants who own neighboring plots of >V[~X_{ XX`{}{2}

Encroachments by occupants who own private adjacent properties conforming Table 7 to legal requirements Reclaimed area Water surface Facilities Total Mohafaza No. of encroachments (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2)

Northern Lebanon 11 50,080 7,560 1,758 57,640

Mount Lebanon 8 44,20 11,280 1,232 55,400

Southern Lebanon 7 6,232 0 500 6,232

Beirut 0 0 0 0 0

Total 26 100,432 18,840 3,490 119,272

Source: Ministry of Public Works and Transport

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Foremost among these encroachments are the intrusions made by Solemar beach resort in Zouk Mikhael and by Marina Del Sol resort in Koura as illustrated in Table 8.

Most notable violations on coastal public properties by occupants who own private adjacent properties conforming to legal requirements Table 8 Area of the adjacent Reclaimed Real estate Water surface Facilities Total Qada’a Occupier private property area zone (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2)

Zouk Mikhael Kessrouan Solemar 21,365 23,180 2,800 315 25,980

Hraysheh Koura Marina Del Sol 14,606 16,700 6,400 100 23,100

Commercial real Ras Masqa Koura 10,600 14,340 1,160 - 15,500 estate company

Mohammad and Qalamoun Tripoli Abdul Ghani 9,960 14,000 - - 14,000 Qunaiter

Ramez Abdul Halim Choueifat Aley 12,395 3,744 8,480 - 12,224 Qassem Saab

Amarat Jean Yared’s Matn 11,377 8,910 - - 8,910 Chalhoub Company

Source: Ministry of Public Works and Transport

4. Encroachments by occupants with a private adjacent property non-conforming to legal requirements These encroachments were committed by occupants who possess neighboring plots of land, but these plots do not meet the legal requirements stipulated in Decree 4810. The number of this kind of intrusions is 431 covering an area of roughly 1.5 million m2 as illustrated in Table 9.

Encroachments by occupants who own private adjacent properties non-conforming to legal requirements Table 9 Reclaimed area Water surface Facilities Total Mohafaza No. of encroachments (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2)

Mount Lebanon 217 627,354 96,635 66,082 723,989

Northern Lebanon 116 422,627 191,105 23,469 613,732

Southern Lebanon 84 212,762 0 3,535 212,762

Beirut 14 13,780 400 3,416 14,180

Total 431 1,276,523 288,140 96,502 1,564,663

Source: Ministry of Public Works and Transport

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In terms of surface area, the greatest intrusion was made by North Marina Company in Ras Masqa, which occupies 123,000 m2 as illustrated in Table 10.

Encroachments by occupants who own private adjacent properties non-conforming Table 10 to legal requirements Area of the adjacent Reclaimed Real estate Water surface Facilities Total Qada’a Occupier private property area zone (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2)

Ras Masqa Koura North Marina 4,714 75,400 47,600 1,700 123,000

Qalamoun Tripoli Nasr Miramar Touristic Co. 20,424 53,400 42,600 2,500 96,000

Saida Saida Ali Al-Jammal 100,763 68,400 - - 68,400

Ras Masqa Koura The Najis 6,900 26,620 30,880 275 57,500

Qalamoun Tripoli North Tourist Enterprise 9,584 31,260 15,440 470 46,700

Zouk Mosbeh Kessrouan Al-Remal Resort 13,227 27,905 15,384 2,430 43,289

Choueifat Aley Costa Brava 9,580 23,960 15,950 4,570 39,910

Zouk Mikhael Kessrouan Samaya Beach Resort 13,645 35,320 2,135 506 37,455

Sarba Kessrouan Portemilio 28,374 27,419 5,280 2,370 32,699

Qalamoun Tripoli North Heaven Club 3,856 18,764 10,236 216 29,000

Qalamoun Tripoli Neptune Tourist Enterprise 853 27,000 - - 27,000

Damour Shouf Al-Jisr Beach 83,839 26,144 - - 26,144

Ras Masqa Koura The Ghandours 5,870 21,100 - 860 21,100

Saida Saida Political leader 41,112 20,100 - - 20,100

Ras Masqa Koura Mona Maasarani 3,640 14,860 4,400 875 19,260

Choueifat Aley Villamar 6,772 11,156 8,000 1,450 19,156

Nadim, Chafik and Antoine Antelias Matn 5,625 18,437 - 9,652 18,437 Qassis

Choueifat Aley Said Fakhri and Salim Kanj 22,165 13,837 3,331 50 17,168

Qalamoun Tripoli Kamil Mrad 1,134 12,800 3,600 - 16,400

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Ras Masqa Koura The Haddads 3,831 4,730 10,720 1,000 15,450

Bourj Matn Homsi and Partners 9,798 15,168 - - 15,168

Waqf of Mar Doumit Ouqaybeh Kessrouan 24,942 14,310 - 1,874 14,310 Monastery

Anfeh Koura General Company for Fuels 4,324 14,240 - 1,900 14,240

Safra Kessrouan Rabieh Hotek Company 20,844 14,227 - 3,252 14,227

Jadra Shouf Orass 415 14,180 - 1,206 14,180

Chiyyah Baabda Summerland 19,961 11,824 2,350 1,950 14,174

Khalil Frangieh and Sayed Batroun Batroun 3,104 7,951 5,320 2,019 13,271 Aziza

Jadra Shouf Sands Rock 555 11,183 1,942 83 13,125

Ghadeer Kessrouan Michel Nicolas Zreiq 2,915 4,091 7,750 440 11,841

Choueifat Aley Mohammad Khalil Mezher 1,242 11,725 - 325 11,725

Damour Shouf Summer Beach 3,661 11,544 - - 11,544

Mastita Jbeil Four Season Beach 4,320 10,820 - 414 10,820

Abbasieh Tyre The Dahers 116,720 10,800 - - 10,800

Haret Sakhr Kessrouan Anefco 2,745 10,065 473 - 10,558

Batroun Batroun Aqua Land 7,236 9,640 709 168 10,349

Chiyyah Baabda Coral Beach 7,700 7,559 2,350 1,795 9,909

Shekka Batroun Assad Boulos 118 8,150 1,450 1,150 9,600

Haret Sakhr Kessrouan Sheikh Khalil Khoury 1,498 6,525 2,943 370 9,468

Haret Sakhr Kessrouan Rashid Khazen 4,681 5,748 4,000 500 9,748

Haret Sakhr Kessrouan Toufik Bitar 1,804 7,298 1,997 - 9,295

Jadra Shouf Family Beach 45,336 8,700 - - 8,700

Mdawwar Beirut Al-Jerji Saad 5,836 8,632 - - 8,632

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In terms of surface area Table 10

Area of the adjacent Reclaimed Real estate Water surface Facilities Total Qada’a Occupier private property area zone (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2)

Jiyyeh Shouf Ali and Ahmad Kejouk 20,37 3,596 4,715 - 8,311

Saida Saida The Zaataris 124,969 8,300 - - 8,300

Albert Helo and Charbel Mastita Jbeil 46,478 8,270 - 2,100 8,270 Zoughaib

Adloun Saida Mostafa Nahouli Sons 107,709 8,185 - - 8,185

Safra Kessrouan Safra Marine 9,804 7,935 - 2,439 7,935

Jadra Shouf Mina Beach 448 5,386 2,096 136 7,482

Mastita Jbeil Sea Flow Beach 46,478 6,450 - 1,083 6,450

Zouq Mosbeh Kessrouan Masaken El-Bahr 11,778 5,576 - - 5,576

Jiyyeh Shouf Bellevue Beach 1,148 4,069 - - 4,069

Choueifat Aley Lebanon Beach 5,230 3,040 1,000 340 4,040

Source: Ministry of Public Works and Transport

5. Encroachments on both public and private property These encroachments were made by people who do not own any private properties close to the coastal public areas they are occupying, which is considered a serious transgression against both public and private properties. These encroachments totaled 530 covering a total area of roughly 615,000 m2 as illustrated in Table 11.

Encroachments made by occupants who do not own an adjacent property Table 11

Reclaimed area Water surface Facilities Total Mohafaza No. of encroachments (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2)

Southern Lebanon 221 245,801 40 111,078 245,841

Northern Lebanon 145 204,138 11,800 23,714 215,938

Mount Lebanon 151 149,258 420 21,479 149,678

Beirut 13 3,290 0 1,140 3,290

Total 530 602,487 12,260 157,411 614,747

Source: Ministry of Public Works and Transport

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Largest among these encroachments is the intrusion made by a company in Dbayeh into roughly 54,000 m2 for a @$|~___2 are encroached upon by an agriculture project in Tyre as illustrated in Table 12.

Encroachments made by occupants who do not own an adjacent property Table 12 Reclaimed area Water surface Facilities Total Real estate zone Qada’a Occupant (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2)

Mhalbeb Tyre Hassan Ezzedine 58,488 - - 58,488

Dbayeh Matn - 54,295 - 1,200 54,295

Abbasieh Tyre Jal El-Bahr Camp 53,040 - 53,040 53,040

Tripoli Tripoli Ahmad Tlais 38,975 - - 38,975

United Group for Jiyyeh Shouf 37,500 - 1,250 37,500 Industry and Trade

Mennieh Tripoli Ahmad Kheir 18,700 - - 18,700

Qalamoun Tripoli Samir Hakim 12,100 2,200 1,200 14,300

Bissarieh Saida Fouad Khalifeh 13,220 - 224 13,220

Tripoli Tripoli Abdullah Ghandour 12,812 - - 12,812

Sarafand Saida Hussein Faqeeh 12,570 - 2,695 12,570

Antar Saliba and Philip Heri Batroun 10,850 - 1,810 10,850 Yammine

Hamat Batroun Romeo Frangieh 10,800 - 1,540 10,800

Mennieh Mennieh The Tabous 10,800 - - 10,800

Mennieh Mennieh Khaled Kheir 10,500 - - 10,500

Bourj Hammoud Matn Estfan Institution 9,605 - - 9,605

Jerji and Atiyya Hamat Batroun 9,300 - 300 9,300 Merheb

Hamat Batroun Samir Frangieh 8,700 - 1,160 8,700

Boutros Morqus Hamat Batroun 4,640 4,000 670 8,640 Frangieh

Choueifat Aley Ali Mawla 8,034 420 64 8,454

Hamat Batroun Nassim Daher 4,200 4,000 1,300 8,200

Tripoli Tripoli Riad Massoud 7,754 - 482 7,754

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Encroachments made by occupants who do not own an adjacent property Table 12

Reclaimed area Water surface Facilities Total Real estate zone Qada’a Occupant (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2) Binyamin Kheir and Heri Batroun 5,320 1,600 1,900 6,920 Tony Frangieh

Zouq Bhannine Mennieh Hassan Deeb 6,850 - - 6,850

Dekerman Saida Mostafa Hariri 6,460 - 4,660 6,460

Mahmoud Dekerman Saida 5,430 - 1,800 5,430 Chamseddine

Mostafa Saad and Bissarieh Saida 5,210 - 250 5,210 Ansari

Violation against plot Wastani Saida 4,600 - 940 4,600 375

Michel Najm and Hamat Batroun 4,200 - 500 4,200 Simon Frangieh

Chiyyah Baabda The Hrajlis 3,730 - 1,450 3,730

Choueifat Aley - 2,880 - 80 2,880

Sarafand Saida Hussein Khalifeh 2,650 - - 2,650

Violation against plot Wata Slam Kessrouan 2,610 - 85 2,610 59

Ain Mreisseh Beirut Palace Cafe 2,500 - 700 2,500

Adloun Saida Abbas Tahhan 2,400 - 900 2,400

Sarafand Saida Mohammad Kalifeh 2,210 - 156 2,210

Brigadier General Chiyyah Baabda 2,090 - 110 2,090 Abdullah

Tohwita Ghadeer Baabda Ismail Hassan 1,980 - 780 1,980

Chiyyah Baabda The Khafajas 1,750 - 1,750 1,750

Tohwita Ghadeer Baabda Ali Shaaban 1,550 - 300 1,550

Consumer Cooperative Chiyyah Baabda 1,915 - 1,415 1,415 Association

Chiyyah Baabda Youssef Haraki 1,270 - 790 1,270

Sarafand Saida Khalil Chahrour 1,070 - 130 1,070

Amshit Jbeil Mikhael Romanos 992 - 90 992

Source: Ministry of Public Works and Transport

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. LEADER | 15

NB: The names mentioned in the tables above are by no means intended to offend the occupants and are faithfully cited as reported by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.

Revenues The occupancy of these large beachfront properties, whether licensed or not, fails to bring in the revenues commensurate with the value of the occupied areas, either because of the failure to collect fees from illegal occupants or because the occupancy fees imposed on legal ones are too low. The latter seems rational for many await a new law that would regularize and resolve their status. Some estimates put the revenues expected from the G#V|__G#V|G#V~ G#VXG#V{{| A" power or people backed by men of power.

The 2015 draft budget law made no mention of any revenues from the occupancy of coastal properties. However, ^&U{_ billion, while actual revenues did not exceed LBP 1 billion to LBP 2 billion annually.

While the state goes out of its way to impose new taxes or increase existing ones to cover the growing expenses, roughly 5 million m2 (?X~\X{\{_X[#8 the Interior Ministry and the Naoura Real Estate Company, the Shura Council emphasized “that the administrative and judicial sanctions shall be made without prejudice to the right of the administration to claim compensation for damage and bring down the works set up on illegal properties or easement areas automatically and without the need for a transaction.

Ramlet El-Bayda - Google map

issue 158 | September 2015 16 | PUBLIC SECTOR

2013 CENTRAL INSPECTION REPORT

The report of the Central Inspection Commission (CIC) on the activity of the Central Inspection Board for 2013 was riddled with revealing facts attesting to the failure of the Lebanese administration to perform the services under its mandate. Nonetheless, the penalties approved were imperceptible compared to the alarming rates of corruption.

Below are the major highlights of the report:

In the Ministry of Education and Higher Education The inspection conducted at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and public schools yielded the following observations: Kindergarten teachers account for 13% of the total V posts at the Ministry of Education and Higher committed by the majority of public employees, the Education. 51% of those teachers are indeed Central Inspection Board’s oversight was imperceptible. providing classes in pre-school while the remaining ' 49% perform other tasks. The irony is that around half General Inspectorate of Finance, most of which were *[ ( far from stringent as illustrated in Table 1. in early childhood education. It was reported that there were kindergarten teachers in schools that did not even include this stage, while those schools offering pre-school classes lacked a (

There turned out to be a high student to teacher ratio of 12 to 1, noting that the average ratio should be 8 or 9 to 1 in each school.

There were 62 impersonation cases (an exam malpractice whereby the candidate who is supposed {_X & {{ ^ ##&} cases in the General Sciences Baccalaureate.

Regarding teaching on a contractual basis, the investigation revealed that the number of teaching hours in secondary school reached 600,000 in 2012- {_X^&UX$[| million hours were delivered on a contractual basis in basic education at roughly LBP 60 billion, which ^&U} might even rise to LBP 100 billion were the hourly pay to be increased.

Central Inspection - Photo by Mohammed Mashlab

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. PUBLIC SECTOR | 17

Penalties approved by the General Inspectorate of Finance Table 1

Civil servants Contract employees Salaried employess Total

Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 3 Grade 4

Reprimands 2 2 4 - - - 8

Salary deductions - 4 5 3 4 - 16 Postponement of the normal 24- - 129 incremental pay rise Total 4 10 9 3 5 2 33

Source: 2013 Central Inspection Report- Official Gazette

Tenders Authority Procurements $ ?" and all related documents are without whatever might skew the tender or tilt the balance in favor of a certain " ?" estimation of amounts and prices.

This vital function for the preservation of public funds and the prevention of laxity and squandering has been obscured after the establishment of independent councils and administrations and the resorting of some ministers to partitioning deals so as to spare them both the tendering process and the oversight. This has resulted in a decline in (${_XG#V~[ G#VX[{_X{{_X }[ were focused in only one ministry: the Ministry of Energy and Water as illustrated in Table 2.

Value and number of deals awarded by the Tenders Authority in 2013 Table 2 Value of deals Ministry No. of deals (LBP billion) % of total deals Ministry of Energy and Water 41 928 73

Ministry of Public Works and Transport 74 295.8 23.7

Ministry of Agriculture 26 17.5 1.4

Ministry of Finance 6 7.6 0.6

Ministry of Education and Higher Education 4 6.8 0.5

Ministry of Labor 1 5.9 0.46

Ministry of Justice 8 2.5 0.2

Ministry of Interior and Municipalities 3 1.2 0.09

Ministry of Information 2 LBP million 363 0.02

Total 165 1,265.6 Source: 2013 Central Inspection Report- Official Gazette

issue 158 | September 2015 18 | PUBLIC SECTOR

A ? Remove the violations committed by the {~ X \ offending citizen workers. However, vacancy rates are as high as 51% XX\ $7 hourly workers in addition to 23 hired on a contractual Information was charged with circulating imitation basis, six auxiliaries and one clearance worker. currencies and was sentenced to hard labor that was commuted to a one year and three months in In the general health, social and agricultural inspectorate, ^&X_____ there are currently 11 vacant posts out of 25. This is serve normally in his post as a result of the failure to inform the ministry about the sentence. in proportion to the vast functions required of this inspectorate and the scope of the sectors falling under $(> its scrutiny. of his plot of land to the SurveyDepartment but the responsible employee kept on procrastinating Cases before the Central Inspection "( Looking into the cases submitted to the Central request for the same purpose. The Central Inspection Inspection and the recommendations drafted by the decided, as a disciplinary measure, to postpone the board regarding these cases, the following is worth promotion of the surveyor for 12 months and to mentioning: deduct one day’s pay from the salary of the Head of the Survey Department. $ ( > {__ 2 house, which was reportedly demolished during the The Ministry of the Interior and Municipalities + {__ O 7 assigned to the Head of Department at the approved the request and the Commission members Qaimaqamiya of Matn several functions including agreed to inspect the buildings destroyed as a result the examination and organizing of all the tasks of of the hostility. the administrative and registrar departments, staff affairs, complaints, follow-ups and suggestions G citizen in question did have a house on a public plot signatures of heads of municipalities and mukhtars. of land but a different one than the plot indicated However the Qaimaqam did not pass all these in the request. It also turned out that his house + instead distributed them to a number of employees rebuilding it he sold the house. He was intending in the Qaimaqamiya. In turn, the contract employee to construct another house on another plot of land refused to hand the Qaimaqam the register of the where the ruins of a demolished house had been signatures of the mukhtars in the concerned Qada’a, found. arguing that the transactions relating to the register fall within her own mandate. This has resulted in disputes between the two employees, affecting the drew up the permits and the maps without bothering proper handling of work. " $ A ? Despite the paramount role of Lebanon’s Central decided to: Inspection in overseeing the performance of civil Deduct, as a disciplinary measure, three days servants and securing the consistency of work within \" public administrations, this entity remains incapable of tasked with surveying Deduct, as a disciplinary measure, three days of but not restricted to, political interference, high vacancy pay from the salary of the Head of Department rates and delays in issuing rulings. Deduct, as a disciplinary measure, two days of pay from the salary of the Head of Department at the Qaimaqamiyah

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. PUBLIC SECTOR | 19

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN LEBANON HEFTY COST AND UNSOLVED CRISIS

The Lebanese may have brought themselves to fathom the failure of the presidential terms, !!" #$ issues include, but are not restricted to the public debt, which has been growing incessantly until it has reached alarming rates (USD 68 billion), rampant unemployment and a stark decline in basic public services such as water, electricity, health and education. What is unfathomable though is the absolute shame manifested in the piles of garbage that have recently been accumulating in the city of Beirut and roughly in 225 other towns in Mount Lebanon, attesting to alarming governmental dysfunction. The crisis has been dragging on for weeks and shows no signs of resolution soon, adding yet another problem to the many current problems of the Lebanese.

Photo taken by Mohammed Mashlab in Beirut

Amount of waste and its distribution Composition $ Despite a few differences among regions, waste Lebanon produces roughly 0.9 kilograms to one composition is generally as follows: kilogram of waste every day, amounting to roughly 4500 ' tons to 5000 tons of garbage throughout Lebanon daily converted to compost and can be sold or distributed to farmers as a soil conditioner: 60% million including Lebanese, Syrians, Palestinians and Paper and cardboard: 20% Plastics: 2% regions: Glass: 5% 2300 tons to 2500 tons, i.e. roughly half the total Metal: 4% amount of waste in Lebanon, are generated in Beirut and in 225 towns and villages in Mount Lebanon The last four types are recyclable materials that may be #" reprocessed and used in local industries. 300 tons in Saida and the neighboring villages 400 tons in Nabatieh and the rest of South Lebanon The remaining waste is non-treatable and non-recyclable ~__$"" material that should be transferred to environmentally __&>&"\O

issue 158 | September 2015 20 | PUBLIC SECTOR

^_[__ tons per day.

Problem Despite the large amounts of garbage and the risks they pose to the environment, the Lebanese state has failed to draw up a holistic national plan for waste disposal. Instead, it has adopted several options in certain areas and left the matter up to municipalities in most regions as illustrated in Table 1. This meant that waste has been mostly left >

Municipalitie’s waste disposal methods Table 1 Problems reported by Qada’a Region Waste disposal method municipalities 1 Beirut Beirut Sukleen -

2 Baabda Baabda Sukleen -

3 Aley Sawfar Sukleen -

The site does not accept 4 Jbeil Vidar Garbage is transferred to Ghafreen’s site for sorting cardboard.

5 Matn Roumieh Sukleen -

6 Chouf Damour Sukleen -

7 Kessrouan Ajaltoun Sukleen -

8 Tyre Shhour Garbage is transferred to a public site for sorting and burning -

New Trading and Contracting Company (NTCC). The company is in the process of launching a USD 1-million project in 9 Jezzine Jezzine cooperation with the European Union to establish a waste- - sorting factory in Jezzine. 25% of the plan has already commenced.

10 Saida Majdelyoun NTCC -

A public dumpsite that every person uses for a certain amount they pay for. Waste is thrown in a dumpsite outside Akkar. Veoclean will The funds necessary to transfer 11 Akkar Akkar El-Atiqa provide new machines for solid-waste treatment and will garbage are unavailable. invest in this project for ten years before it delivers it to the municipality.

12 Batroun Batroun Sukleen -

Waste is not sorted. It is discarded and burned at a local 13 Koura Bechmezzine - dumpsite.

14 Tripoli Mina Waste is recycled. -

Waste (around four tons) Fears that Hamat site will be 15 Bsharri Hadshit is transferred to a site to be burned there. closed.

Waste is dumped in the nearby mountain sites. The European Union will fund a USD 1 million project to sort and recycle 16 Mennieh-Dennieh Mennieh - waste. Project implementation will commence when the plot of land where the plant will be built is ready.

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. PUBLIC SECTOR | 21

Municipalitie’s waste disposal methods Table 1 Problems reported by Qada’a Region Waste disposal method municipalities No sorting of waste or recycling. Waste is transferred in small Problems in waste collections 17 Bint Jbeil Maroun Ras trucks to a local site where it is set ablaze. as citizens misuse plastic bags.

18 Zahle Chtoura Waste is moved to Zahle where it is sorted and recycled. -

19 Baalbeck Nabi Sheet Waste is sorted, recycled and burned. -

Waste is burned far from the center of the area. There are 20 Western Beqa’a Saghbine projects to start sorting and recycling waste but the necessary - means are lacking for the time being.

The multiple management options adopted across Lebanon transform solid waste into an unsolvable problem ultimately transform Lebanon into one large dumpsite, at a time when effective management begins with sorting- $ less than 10% or roughly 450 tons. Even this small amount may be disposed of and the burial option may be ruled out entirely.

G#VX{_ ton. This cost prevents municipalities from living up to their responsibilities and leaves them to face wider budget >

?) contracts are to be awarded to new companies will only mean that the garbage will pile up once again in the streets @ narrow political and regional quotas.

Photo taken by Mohammed Mashlab in Beirut

issue 158 | September 2015 22 | PUBLIC SECTOR

POSTPONING THE RELEASE OF LEBANON’S ARMY COMMANDER

Since mid-2013, the political stage has been abuzz with talks about either appointing a new Commander and Chief of Staff for the Lebanese Army or postponing the release of #

Decisions postponing release '+X{_X7)V8(]V~|{ ]+*@#{{_X #{{{_X|$A#7@] #$~{_X$}{_X|

?${_X|V7#7>V )X_`X#_{_XV)X_`} which postponed the discharge of the chief of staff until the same date.

$||)VA quoted below.

% $$|)VA^V)X_{#XX`~ > as illustrated in Table 1.

Requisite legal age and completed years of service for officer retirement Table 1

Rank Legal Age Actual years of service

Lieutenant 50 34

First Lieutenant 51 35

Captain 52 36

Major 53 37

Lieutenant Colonel 54 38

Colonel 56 40

Brigadier General 58 42

Major General 59 43

44 The text was amended pursuant to Decision No. 329/1994, General 60 after the legal age and the actual years of service were the same for the rank of ‘General’.

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. PUBLIC SECTOR | 23

General Jean Kahwaji General Walid Salman

Article 55 $$||)VA for the Chief of Staff, Major General Walid Salman, he $~X`|[ $~{_X#@'X has reached the relevant legal age, may be postponed in X`} the following cases: service in 2016.

If he had been suffering from an illness about which & > / $ A a ruling had not yet been given. In such a case, he propose to the Defense Minister the extension of remains in his previous capacity until the release of his own mandate or is he only allowed to request the the medical committee’s decisions. under his command? By virtue of a decision issued by the Defense Minister $A Looking into previous analogous precedents, a law of war, emergency or when the army is required to numbered 463 was approved on December 8, 1995 maintain order. amending the National Defense Code and raising the $] Pursuant to the Cabinet Decision No.1 dated November from 60 to 63. The amendment was to apply to those 28, 1991 the army is mandated to maintain security " and therefore the minister has the right to put off the of issuance of the law and was customized in favor retirement when the legal age has been passed, as in the of the then army Commander General Emile Lahoud. ]+*@A# %^+X{X` General Kahwaji was born on September 23, 1953 and +X{X`` reached his legal retirement age on September 23, 2013. post so that he could succeed President Elias Hrawi to O'XX`} the presidency of the republic after the latter’s mandate {_X}$ had been extended by three years.

issue 158 | September 2015 24 | PUBLIC SECTOR

JAL EL-DIB BETWEEN THE TUNNEL AND THE BRIDGE

&'*%+ %$/ metal bridge in the town was removed. The bridge had become a major threat to both \9## the options under deliberation are either a new metal or concrete bridge or a tunnel. Each option has its advocates either for technical or political reasons.

Tunnel The initial cost of the tunnel project is estimated at G#V| G#V|~ acquisition is taken into account, standing at around G#V{ infrastructure (rainwater drains, potable water pipes, wastewater pipes, electrical and telephone installation situated only two meters below the current street level. The expected duration of this project is no less than three and a half years.

The high cost and long duration of the project were the two pretexts used to challenge this option and those objecting to it demanded other solutions, one of which is the Tunnel construction of a bridge according to modern standards.

Bridge Two designs were suggested for the bridge in question. ^ G#V|" G $+%V ? G#V ~ as there is no need to close the shops and businesses running along the sides of the road.

$ Cabinet opted eventually for the tunnel, despite its 8 @ not provided until after two years in May 2014. It is noteworthy that the old bridge was taken down in 2012, and today, nearly four years after its removal, residents are still denied entry into and exit from the town through Old Bridge the direct highway.

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. ELECTORAL LAWS | 25

PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN QONUNCHILIK PALATASI

Uzbekistan is a modern Islamic republic that surfaced upon the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. It started its path towards democracy by electing councils and committees to power, foremost of which is Oliy Majlis (Supreme Assembly), or Uzbekistan’s bicameral Parliament. The assembly consists of the upper house which has 100 members, 84 elected by local committees and 16 appointed by the President <#=>= palatasi. Until 2002, Uzbekistan Parliament was a unicameral legislature.

Voting Age G("X~

Number of MPs The lower house consists of 150 MPs, 135 elected in electoral constituencies and 15 representing the ecological movement.

$ U

Voting system G(" plurality in 15 electoral constituencies. Every voter has one vote and a minimum 33% of the electorate in each constituency must turn up at the polls for the Parliament of the Republic of Uzbekistan elections to be valid. The candidate with absolute @ ' elections. It is noteworthy that the President of the top candidates is conducted and the candidate with the G(" highest votes wins. 5-year term. Karimov has been in his post since 1990.

Election results The results broke down as follows: G(" G("^VU/|{ took place on December 21, 2014. Registered voters G(")VU/ totaled 20.8 million of which 18.5 million exercised seats their voting right, bringing voter turnout up to 89%. UVUG("/{} 535 candidates from four parties, all supporting +#VU/{_ G(" U? * Ecological Movement: 15 seats

issue 157 | August 2015 26| PROMINENT FORGOTTEN FIGURES

RASHID BAYDOUN (1889-1971) “ENLIGHTENED DESPITE HIS LACK OF EDUCATION”

It is not uncommon for the Lebanese, particularly the old among them who lived or worked in Beirut, to bring up the name of Rashid Baydoun in their conversation. Baydoun was a popular personality that carried out several educational projects and left a memorable mark through his political engagement within both Parliament and the government. On the 44th anniversary of his death, we recall his personal and professional biography.

Birth Son of Youssef Baydoun, Rashid Baydoun was born in Damascus in 1889 before he moved with his family to Beirut. Some sources claim that Baydoun was born in Beirut.

Education Rashid Baydoun enrolled at the elementary schools & $ # circumstances that prevailed at the time did not allow him to pursue higher education.

Work Early in his life, Rashid Baydoun worked with his &?X`} in the footsteps of the people of his generation, he $ He later returned to Lebanon and engaged in social and educational work as well as politics.

In 1923, he joined with a number of people from &#$ ?A+$ care for the southerners, particularly the poor among Rashid Baydoun them, who had moved to Beirut. In 1928, he founded $ # Deputyship O$ &>7U Islamic Charity is to spread culture across Lebanon following the vast popularity he gained in the South &$ ^ new generation that understands the meaning of X`}X`[&# $# &X`[}X`|X branches are nothing but our tool to serve this end X[}}`|{ and contribute to building a decent society working 'X`|}X`[O $^P lost the parliamentary race to his rival Mohsen Slim said Rashid Baydoun in 1956. during the 1960 elections, with 6189 votes against

issue 157 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. PROMINENT FORGOTTEN FIGURES |27

}~>"X`~$ Partisan activity ~~|_}|{& Rashid Baydoun founded the Talaeh Party in order to 7 + 7 $$ Post, Telegraph and Telephone. $)U&$ efforts to promote their popularity within the Shia’a Ministry community. Supporters of each party were imbued Rashid Baydoun assumed several ministerial posts with great ardor and their hostilities often resulted and served as: @ 7 ) V $ parties, which was to the detriment of Baydoun, for < + } X`|X $& resignation of the government on February 11, 1952. Family life Minister of Post, Telegraph and Telephone and Rashid Baydoun married Nathmieh Shama’a; they Minister of Health and Public Rescue under Saeb had no children. # $ _ X`| $X Death 1953. & # X} X`}X Minister of National Defense under Sami Solh’s battling dementia that had forced him into political government between March 14, 1958 and May seclusion. Baydoun’s interest in educational and 22, 1958 when he resigned in protest of the 1958 development sectors led many to describe him as “an events. enlightened man despite his lack of education.” 7+7U $< 8~X`~$XXX`~ he resigned from the Ministry of Telephone and instead assumed the Ministry of Tourism until ' X{ X`~ ' + | 7 + Ministry of National Defense where he served ' 12, 1968.

Political rivalry Rashid Baydoun developed three major rivalries, foremost of which his contest against his political opponents within the Shia’a community: $ # Beirut who feared a potential attempt by Baydoun to foster and promote the Shia’a presence in the capital $ ^ $$#O against Baydound $# $$$( political representation of the Shia’a by presiding Amelieh - Photo by Mohammed Mashlab over Parliament

issue 157 | August 2015 28| INTERVIEW

THE MONTHLY INTERVIEWS NABIL ZANTOUT GENERAL MANAGER AT IBC

“WE CAN ACCOMMODATE 300 TONS OF BEIRUT’S GARBAGE ”

$)+X} ceased to receive the refuse generated in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, stinking mountains of uncollected garbage began to pile up in the streets. The search for adequate solutions commenced and varied suggestions were presented including the reopening ) $ V$""# waste incinerators as is the case in many countries Nabil Zantout around the world or exporting refuse for treatment in developed countries.

Each suggestion has its pros and cons and comes with When was the waste-treatment plant established ?% that must be taken into serious consideration before The idea of the plant was conceived in 2002 following $ the formation of Saida’s notorious “trash mountain”. proposals, there were also quiet inaudible voices IBC was thus established in 2004 with a view to set calling for following in the footsteps of the city of up a plant to sort and treat refuse in the towns of Saida, which has had a successful waste management Saida and the Zahrani. Working on the plant began in 2005 on a plot of land offered by the municipality and stretching across 38,000 m2$ 'The Monthly interviewed Nabil began, ownership over the land was transferred to the ] 7 ?&A company. This land has never been and will never be and operating the waste treatment plant in Saida and used except for this purpose and it may not be put Zahrani. $ {__} % {_X{ IBC is a Lebanese company including a number of completing the contract with the Saida municipality private Lebanese and Saudi investors. It has no other and the Zahrani municipal union. The value of works branches neither inside Lebanon nor abroad. G#V[|

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. INTERVIEW |29

What was the reason that delayed the signing of 9% % Collection is the responsibility of NTCC, a private The contract was signed with Saida’s municipality company tasked with transferring garbage to the plant. and Zahrani’s municipal union in 2012 stipulating $ the sorting and treatment of refuse in Saida and 15 union receives the trucks at the entrance to the plant $ _____ and measures the weight of each truck and its source 350,000 people live across this area and produce 200 in order to specify the cost incurred of each of the tons to 250 tons of waste every day. concerned municipalities.

The main contract clause established that the What is the mechanism used in the sorting and company should sort and treat 200 tons of waste on % a daily basis, for 20 consecutive years, at no charge. It is common knowledge that there are four basic For every ton exceeding this amount, the plant would methods to refuse disposal: G#V[[ Sanitary burial of refuse in properly equipped > The feasibility study conducted to gauge the prospects materials are extracted and processed. The problem @ ^ the plant can be operated by selling the generated small surface area does not allow an expansion in compost and recyclables. While construction was underway and after nearly 65% of the total works were Incinerators, which are used worldwide to dispose completed, it turned out that the study was far from of leftovers, rather than to burn all trash, organic adequate, for it was unfeasible to cover operational substances in particular, which contain high levels costs and secure revenues through income generated of water, especially that water incineration can be from the sale of compost and recyclable materials. expensive. $ > ?{__} of land to be able to spread out and treat refuse, a Saida and the deputies in the city, exposing the defects process that takes more than 120 days. of the study and requesting a freeze. We had already Biological treatment or anaerobic digestion is the G#V {| process we use at our plant. It provides electrical would be at the disposal of the municipality until energy and fertilizers and is both eco-friendly and @$ affordable. possibility of amending the contract in the best interest of both parties and this is exactly what happened. $" Contract amendment took some time because of their arrival in the plant, trucks enter to the mechanical the change that resulted from the 2013 municipal sorting facility where advanced technology is used to elections. Works on the plant ended in 2009. The segregate waste. Since waste compaction complicates amended contract reduced the expected value from the process of sorting, we have introduced basic recyclable materials, noting that people would take out those kinds of materials from garbage bins to sell ~ X| them before the arrival of trucks to transfer them to particularly the sorting of organic substances and the plant. It was therefore agreed in the new contract plastic bags, which have helped us stand out from G#V~| ' {_X{_X[ fed into anaerobic digesters free of oxygen after G#V`| would sustain another revision in 2016. processes of the same nature. This water is rich in

issue 158 | September 2015 30| INTERVIEW bacteria to help decompose the organic molecules, thus expediting the fermentation process.

The decomposition of organic substances inside digesters results in the emission of methane, which is extracted and used to generate power to operate the plant and light up the neighboring streets. This gas is also used to operate the plastics plant, which we operate in partnership with Roxy Plast in Blat in Byblos. Fifteen days later, these substances are moved to stabilization chambers where they are exposed to aerobic processing. The sludge is dewatered afterwards, leaving ultimately a wet fertilizer called ‘cake’. The wet cake is dried for about four to eight weeks until it becomes a usable organic fertilizer. Each 100 tons of organic substances result in eight tons of fertilizers because the basic ingredients of these substances are water and gas. We have started distributing fertilizers to farmers for free. Household Solid Waste Treatment Center Nylon bags are recycled into plastic granules, then reused. Carton and cardboards are transferred to Solicar What is the composition of the refuse Sal in Wadi Shahrour for re-manufacturing. Glass is % handed to Soliver in Choueifat, and as for metals, we The refuse we receive breaks down as follows: sell them to a number of traders. However, the revenues 60%: organic materials, i.e. food leftovers and generated from recyclable materials are relatively low slaughterhouse waste due to the small amounts of these materials. 10%: nylon bags 2%: plastics, water and shampoo bottles Bulky refuse is washed and used in the manufacture of 1.5%: metals ""$ 3.5%: cartons @U$ 10%: heavy refuse such as sand, pebbles and glass V8 13%: light refuse such as fabrics waste into tiny particles and dehydrating them. The moisture content of the mix should be no more than 9% 15%. Two tons of RDF produce one ton of electricity The plant hires currently approximately 200 but the problem is that the Ministry of Environment has employees, 60% Palestinians and 40% Lebanese. not yet licensed cement factories to use this kind of fuel. We are currently trying to use this fuel in a factory in Can the plant accommodate waste from other Beqa’a until we are allowed to use it in cement factories. % We have improved our work raising our capacity to Plan B is based on the use of bulky refuse in the 500 tons every day. We currently receive 235 tons construction industry, so we can get rid by the end of {}_ this year of heavy trash and refuse burial processes. tons from other regions. We are able to receive some We are currently burying 15% of the refuse we of the refuse generated in Beirut or other regions but the matter requires a political decision and thus goes it with sand. far beyond mere technicalities.

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. CULTURE, RELIGION & ART | 31

INJAZ LEBANON

Overview Having sensed among Lebanese youth a lack of both volunteers trained to communicate their experience exposure to the business world and entrepreneurial and success stories to students. know-how, a group of business leaders stepped in to help disseminate business and entrepreneurial Through partnerships with the business and the }X~ ?)+$ ^ on those aged 15 and above, through hands-on programs that are adapted to the Lebanese context programs tailored to empower young people and and target more than 45 public and private schools increase their chances of success in a local and nationwide. The programs are delivered by trained global economy. volunteers, investing their time to help students better understand the market economy and develop ?)+$ ^ {__X the skills and techniques necessary to apply for ( jobs and apply entrepreneurial thinking to the to educating youth about career readiness, workplace. ? ?)+$$$$& #{__X?)+$ X[7%+ to over 60,000 students throughout Lebanon, with $ the support of over 25,000 professionals from local educational organizations worldwide and a pioneer and global companies. in the delivery of experiential learning to help ?)+$@ Its programs revolve around three major themes: to bridge the gap between the educational sector and the market place and ensure that every young 1. Entrepreneurship ?)+$ 8?)+$ extra-curricular programs and activities. is the Company Program, a comprehensive program 7^$ ?)+$ " Grade 11 and 12 and help them set up and run their agreement with the Ministry of Education and own business. Students organize themselves into Higher Education. It also reaches out to a number management teams. They select a business idea, of selected private schools and universities and raise capital, prepare a business plan and promote cooperates with local and multinational companies and sell their product or service. The program ?)+$ culminates with an annual national competition and

issue 158 | September 2015 32 | CULTURE, RELIGION & ART

notion of entrepreneurship and help them identify their entrepreneurial skills through a business simulation game.

2. Work readiness ?)+$ participants for the market place. First among them is the Leadership Program which facilitates the secondary students’ exploration and acquisition of leadership skills and values while planning and running a community service project. The second is the Career Success program where students ] XX]X{ skills necessary for landing and maintaining a job in the fast-growing professional industries such as effective communication, building rapport, @ towards building work readiness is the Steer your Career program, which develop skills needed to operate effectively in a challenging and competitive environment.

3. Financial Literacy Money management skills are at the root of the two ?)+$ plan. The More than Money course promotes sound spending and saving skills and teaches students 7%)$ about earning and sharing through business $U ?)+$ A A Economics course, it provides students with the the “Through the Ripples of Happiness” program opportunity to become responsible consumers and where students aged 18 to 24 are encouraged to develop and run a business with emphasis on social credits, debts etc. responsibility. They then enter into competition 7%)$ INJAZ Lebanon Statistics ?)+$^{{_X{_X[ ??)+$O&%P 8| curriculum reaching out to eleven and twelfth males 35%. Public school’s participation rate stood graders to teach them entrepreneurial thinking and [{ X` } the basic components of a start-up and a successful for vocational institutes and 2% for universities. business plan. $"/ $%7A 11 to 14: 38% an exciting one-day initiation workshop tailored to X|X~/ [} middle school youngsters to introduce them to the 19 to 24: 15%

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. POPULAR CULTURE CULTURE, RELIGION & ART | 33

ANGUISH AND WORRY

I hurried to my room and wrote a letter to Mr. Staub, the treas- urer at the university’s Board of Trustees in New York, telling him what had happened with Mr. Dodge in Chicago. I begged him to send the dirhams quickly because my pouch of dirhams was run- G"

Two weeks later, I received a letter from Mr. Staub reading as follows: “Your letter was a bit of a surprise to me. I do not recall your name and my documents have no mention of any scholarship due to you. I do not have scholarships for anyone. There must be a misunderstanding. Call Mr. Stewart in Beirut. He might be able to help you out. Please accept my best regards. Staub.”

I felt great apprehension and desperation. God! What to do? I had no dirhams left in my pockets for food! What to do? Promptly, I wrote Mr. Stewart in Beirut a lengthy letter.

I did not know Mr. Stewart very well. Those who did, described him as kind-hearted, a man of good will who did not smile or talk much. His facial muscles never knew the contraction of a smile.

'? $??"? he hardly ever smiled or talked.

I penned an exhaustive letter. I told him about Mr. Dodge’s visit to Chicago, the half scholarship he offered me to go to Germany and how he said I could obtain the other half from the Board of )<"?#$ the end I said ‘Sir, I am a poor man, estranged in a foreign land. I am penniless and have no hope of obtaining any penny from anyone in this crisis-stricken country. I kindly ask you to hasten the delivery of my scholarship, which is a moral right I claim.’ I concluded the letter and marked the G

$?7#O< surprised me. What do you do in Germany? My notebooks have no mention of your name or of any scholarship earmarked for you. Best regards.”

issue 158 | September 2015 34 | CULTURE, RELIGION & ART DEBUNKING MYTH #97

SHOULD WE BRUSH OUR TEETH IMMEDIATELY AFTER EATING?

Myth: &$V$ is the minimum you should brush your teeth per day. People assumed that we should brush our teeth after breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is true but not immediately after having a meal. Brushing straight after food can cause harm to the teeth. Fact: Many debates have been led concerning the effect of brushing your teeth directly after eating. Most of the best dentists agreed that brushing directly after a meal is harmful.

V+7A$]V#+ that cariogenic substances- those that cause cavities- contain not only sugar but also high levels of acid. $ substances can facilitate, rather than prevent the process. Cole believes that one should avoid brushing teeth directly after drinking a sports drink, a soda or even wine and instead suggests waiting at least thirty minutes.

$? leaving your teeth weak. Rubbing acidic substances in is what immediate brushing does, thus causing more # degrade food and bring the acid down to a more neutral pH. VO]$]V $ teeth after drinking soda and noted an increase in dentin loss 20 minutes after. But when the brushing took place 30 or 60 minutes after drinking the soda, the damage was less. Dr. Gamble suggested using water or acid neutralizers to get rid of acid residue in your organism immediately after drinking soda.

In fact, consuming acidic meals can bring pH levels in the mouth down to 2.5. In order to counterbalance this acidity, it is suggested to chew a sugar free gum or cheese. They both have a “curing effect” because chewing activates saliva that could eradicate the acid present in our mouth. Rinsing with water after sipping sugary drinks is always a good idea.

Dentists recommend brushing twice a day, for two minutes each time. However, if you can only brush once a day, it is best to brush your teeth at night, because this is when the mouth salivates less and cavity-causing substances can take hold.

References: “top 6 tooth myth busted.” Lambert+ co. Dr. Nicole Lambert, April 17, 2014, July 10, 2015. Refer to: http://www.tribecapediatricdental. com/blog/dental-myths/ “could brushing right after a meal be bad for your teeth?”. Huffpost Healthy living. The huffington post, 11/05/2013, July 10, 2015. Refer to; http://www.tribecapediatricdental.com/blog/dental-myths/ O’Connor, Anahad.” Really? Never brush your teeth immediately after a meal.” Well. The New York Times, May 21 2012, July 10, 2015. Refer to: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/21/really-never-brush-your-teeth-immediately-after-a-meal/?_r=0

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. MUST-READ BOOKS CULTURE, RELIGION & ART | 35

IN BEIRUT... A THOUGHT SPARKED UP

$@ of Ibrahim Sader and later his son and grandson Salim and $ % " the forefathers had begun, the family of Sader Publishers documented the journey in a book entitled In Beirut... A Thought Sparked Up, published by Sader Publishers (Dar #{_X[

Two different accounts are provided on the beginnings # in his life, Ibrahim Sader used to repair umbrellas. Every time his clients, mostly clergymen, lacked cash to pay him "$ his stack of books piled up, he opened a bookstore behind house specializing in school textbooks, dictionaries, history the Maronite Saint George Cathedral in the heart of the $ city. The second story claims that Sader had a small shop $ where he sold handmade rosaries. With the help of clients 7")%$ from the Maronite monasteries, he started using a small Shabaki, and lawyer Camille Chamoun who later became ""$ president of the republic. 7$% &" $7 $% V#7# displayed at the bookstore, for both facilities belonged to V&X`|$ #' and resulted in the republishing of Ibn Manzur’s Lisan al- Arab$"`_X| $" $7 Egypt in 1890 by the Bulaq Printing and became the primary $% $ >" and paper used at the time as well as the market prices, the $$X`~# currencies, the points of sale and the nature of publishing. Ibrahim and Nabil stepped in to manage the cultural legacy The section also includes photos of stamps printed by Dar of their father and forefathers under the name Dar Sader. Dar Sader from Chawki Hamadi’s collection and photos from #X``}# $$+ it has been growing and covering the works of the Nahda tested experience of Dar Sader. pioneers and the writers on the diaspora including Michel *+$$]* In 1893, Ibrahim Sader passed down his bookstore to his Gebran, Mikhael Naimeh, Karam Melhem Karam, Elias #<#$ $#"<$&& 7"$'7"#^ *&$)" 1921, Youssef published the famous Law Journal, which $ ? $# V#/O$ <$#" $"PO"&P "@$ O$P Nahda into the literature landscape from 1935 accelerated $# " “the monk in the monastery of the book.”

issue 158 | September 2015 36 | CULTURE, RELIGION & ART MUST-READ CHILDREN’S BOOK

THE BANANA

'V to strengthen his bones, his parents failed to encourage him to eat the fruit. His doctor also tried to and iron but to no avail.

'OX___^ >O"' immediately, but would it last?

The Banana, by Samah Idris, emphasizes the importance of positive reinforcement in promoting good behavior and healthy habits among children yet warns from the possible drawbacks of this strategy and how it can be transformed into a habit- forming technique which equates to rote learning without understanding.

Targeting children aged seven to ten years old, the story is part of the series From Beirut and was issued in {__~V$ $ ? " conceptualized by Yassmine Nashaba Ta’an. Hatem Iman is credited with art directing and Christine Shayed for coordination.

“I used to bite at it and swallow while feasting my eyes on the ice cream.” ? ' He waited until nobody was watching, threw the banana in the garbage bin, and still enjoyed undeserved ice cream afterwards. When his parents found out what he had done, their punishment came in the form of a small letter placed near a banana and reading “Good morning, Sousou. Today, you will eat me without ice cream.”

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. LEBANON FAMILIES CULTURE, RELIGION & ART | 37

QARQOUTI FAMILIES SUNNI IN BEIRUT

Tripoli

Zgharta $ >/ ? Balamand Roads A‘arjes in Beirut. The family’s small size is attributed to Ehden Becharre The Cedars recruitment within the Ottoman Army, emigration Batroun Hadet Hasroun Ras Baalbeck and increase in female births. Deir el Ahmar Maqne Jbail Qasr el-Banat

Hadath Iaat Ghazir Baalbeck Etymology Jounieh

The Qarqoutis are a Beiruti family originating from Niha $ > BEIRUT Zahle of the Levant. The name ‘qarqouti’ was given to Baabda Shtaura Aley Dahr el-Baidar these tribes because of the strength and stamina they Bhamdoun Anjar exhibited in battles. Deir el-Qamar Meshref Beiteddine Moukhtara Number Qaraoun Lake Yanta

The Qarqoutis total roughly 60 members. Saida Jezzine Libbaya Aiha Regional and sectarian distribution $> Nabatiye Hasbaya Marjayoun in Beirut, mainly in Bashoura: Beaufort Castle Bashoura: 48 members Sour Mazra’a: 5 members Msaytbeh: 3 members

issue 158 | September 2015 38 | CULTURE, RELIGION & ART DISCOVER LEBANON

Tripoli

SMAR JBEIL Zgharta Roads Balamand A‘arjes Ehden Becharre The Cedars Ras Baalbeck Hadet Hasroun ﺳﻤﺎﺭ ﺟﺒﻴﻞ Batroun Smar Jbeil ONE OF THE OLDEST TOWNS Deir el Ahmar Maqne Jbail Qasr el-Banat

Hadath Iaat IN LEBANON Ghazir Baalbeck Jounieh

Niha

BEIRUT Zahle $/{~ Shtaura Smar Jbeil might be one of Lebanon’s oldest Baabda Aley Dahr el-Baidar Bhamdoun +/{_ Anjar recorded towns, for it is home to striking Deir el-Qamar Meshref Beiteddine Moukhtara landmarks dating back to ancient times. Nassif: 18 Qaraoun Lake Yanta Jezzine Saida Shassi: 15 Libbaya Aiha

Fares: 15 Nabatiye Hasbaya Marjayoun Saad: 15 Beaufort Castle Etymology Sour In his book Names of Lebanese Towns and Villages, au- Nohra: 8 $8 Phoenician origin meaning ‘guardian’ or ‘watchman’. Local authority #++& #+" Some think that it could be a compound word made up restricted to a mukhtar and an ikhtiyariyah body. of three Phoenician utterances meaning ‘graves of the "+ Educational institutions #+ Location $+ Economic life Qada’a of Batroun at an altitude of 450 meters above the The commercial and tourist shops scattered on the side |_"&#+ of the highway running through the town provide job +$7# #+ +7# *$ Archaeological landmarks +7 The town boasts three main sites and ruins: The Scout CityX`}[ Houses and population "^$ There are roughly 200 houses in the town and over 100 commercial shops, most of them situated by the The Smar Jbeil citadel, a historic landmark marked by highway passing through the town. The town is home the footprints of several civilizations. The citadel was to 3500 people, the majority of whom are not natives. built by the Phoenicians to be both a summer resort and #+7 "+& part of the citadel has Greek inscriptions and was used Voters as a stronghold by the king of Babylon. Excavations }[ {___ X~X have also revealed several ruins dating back to the Ro- used their vote. The number of voters rose to 430 in man period. The citadel is famous for its military fea- 2009 with 283 exercising their right to vote. That year, tures and is thought to have been entered by the Crusad- 53% of voters voted for the Bassil-Youness list against $7"" 42% for the Harb-Zahra list. The Mar Nuhra Well/)#+ By families, voters were distributed as follows: where Saint Nohra, the patron saint of the town, was re- Bassil: 210 #) Deek: 36 on the mouth of the well and people from all around the Eshaq: 30 "

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. DISCOVER THE WORLD CULTURE, RELIGION & ART | 39

NAURU TINIEST ISLAND WITH FATTEST NATION

Famous for its rich phosphate reserves, which have been exhausted by a century of excessive mining, the potato-shaped island of Nauru has gained another reputation over the past few years as being the tiniest country with the fattest population in the world. A glimpse into this curious island is provided below.

Location and surface Situated just 53 km of the Equator in Micronesia, Nauru #U' and the second least populated country in the world after the Vatican. It has a surface are of 21 km2 and its coast stretches only 30 kilometers. The potato-shaped island could be the only country in the world with no ?<

Population $&"{_X) population totals roughly 10,000. Despite this small to neighboring islands. It is noteworthy that this tiny island has the highest rates of diabetes and over 90% of its population is obese.

Religion 60.4% of Nauruans professes the Protestant faith. Greek Catholics make up 33% of the population and Christian } X~ XX Political system % ) X}`~ Language when they came after its phosphate wealth. The island The primary language in Nauru is Nauruan. English is ] $ widely spoken for trade and administrative purposes. I, it was annexed to the British Crown in 1920 while $ Economy ? X`[} G) $ ) ( < $) Phosphate reserves are the primary source of income $ for the economy. Phosphate mining began more than in 1968. Nauru joined the Commonwealth of Nations as G*$) a special member after independence and was admitted |} + G)X``` ?#*$ Yet, this valuable commodity, which once gave Nauru a The island is a democratic republic with an 18-member wealthy status, is nearing exhaustion. Banking services 7U and cocoa are used as alternative industries. The island are responsible of electing a president for the republic relies heavily on imports which vary widely from food from amongst them. The president proceeds to form to petroleum, and machinery and construction material. )$ president and prime minister.

issue 158 | September 2015 40| MEDIA JULY 2015 HIGHLIGHTS

Garbage accumulation in Beirut and Mount Lebanon following the closure of the Nahmeh &@K" murders for trivial reasons, such as the murder of George Reef and Colonel Rabih Kheil, and the persistence of presidential vacuum. The daily digest of events broke down as follows:

July 1 MPs quote Speaker Nabih Berri In a statement following the lay their grip on it,” says Minister as saying during Wednesday’s A 7U 7$ 8 $ % parliamentary gathering he will describes the government as Gebran Bassil in his speech at call for legislative sessions after rebellious and says it is trying to a gathering for development in the issuance of a decree approving take over presidential duties. Batroun. the holding an exceptional Families of the kidnapped soldiers Maan Karami and his son Walid session decree. Berri urges the and policemen block the roads of +7$ implementation of the Constitution #V a move indicating their defection in all sectors. Hezbollah and the Future from the political line of Maan’s 7 % & # Movement hold another dialogue nephew Faisal Karami. a request to the Prime Minister session. $ seeking the amendment of the LF leader Samir Geagea visits murdered in Bshamoun in the agenda of Thursday’s Cabinet Phalanges leader Sami Gemayel hands of his 15 year-old friend and session. # A O molester. The perpetrator killed the ^$ congratulate him on his election. victim after he threatened to expose his sexual advances. % July 3 Lebanon’s 2020 Telecoms Plan In his speech at the dinner July 5 launched at the Grand Serail at organized by the Free Patriotic The Phalanges Party holds a G#V __ Movement Metn Committee, MP # million. 7$A of the party’s elections. Phalanges The Permanent Military Court take to the streets to preserve their leader Sami Gemayel delivers a ' 8> rights and hints at the possibility > of separation in case of failure to the Phalanges to the political stage. $ %$ respect national partnership. “It is not acceptable to disrupt the imprisonment. In his speech at the Iftar held by P The Department of State Special Beiruti families in BIEL, Minister says. Envoy and Coordinator for of the Interior and Municipalities “We are not imposing our views ?%$$ Nouhad Machnouq bashes former on the government; we are simply + O ^ PM Najib Mikati and accuses him claiming our rights,” says General discuss issues of oil. of supplying the Syrian regime with 7 $ 7" delegations from the south. July 2 calling on Mashnouq not to throw The Cabinet session concludes his own crises at others. July 6 with the issuance of a single decision PM Tammam Salam calls for a The Phalanges Party continues subsiding agricultural exports by Cabinet session next Thursday. to accept congratulations after the G#V{X@ election of its new leader. Well- of the Free Patriotic Movement July 4 wishers include a delegation from ministers. The decree to open an O Hezbollah. exceptional session fails to gain the to protect the presidency of the 7?+ requested majority in the Cabinet. republic and we will not let anyone $]

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. JULY 2015 HIGHLIGHTS MEDIA |41 into the Roumieh prison torture The Special Tribunal for Lebanon July 11 case and views that the behavior of listens to the testimony of journalist ] 7 $ the security members was not an ]&+ MTV from covering his activities organized action but happened by and press conferences in Rabieh. individual initiative. July 9 ^$ $ " crash of an Israeli reconnaissance July 7 between PM Tammam Salam and aircraft off the port of Tripoli. The Future Movement 78$ parliamentary bloc criticizes the Emigrants Gebran Bassil sparking July 12 ] 7 $ uproar in the Cabinet session. The In a televised speech from his arguing that the rights of the session concludes by passing the # $ Christians can be preserved by item relating to supplying funds to occasion of the Future Movement electing a President of the Republic Lebanese public hospitals. Iftar, former PM Saad Hariri rather than by resorting to the Clashes between the army and the responds to Nasrallah saying “the streets. Free Patriotic Movement protesters + 7U7$ in front of the Grand Serail result in through Zabadani or Damascus.” minister is acting like a president injuries among the latter. Hariri urges moderation and of the republic and asserts that he is The Loyalty to Resistance Bloc assures that there is no veto on any the son of the state, not the son of accuses the Future Movement of presidential candidate. this regime. marginalizing its partners in the PM Tammam Salam assures in $ A country. the presence of a delegation from Reform Bloc urges people not Makassed that he will not allow the to venture outside their houses July 10 deadlock. on Thursday until the end of the 7 Pakistani activist and Nobel Peace Cabinet session, in solidarity with including former President of the laureate Malala Yousafzai arrives in real partnership. Republic Michel Suleiman, visit Lebanon to open a new school for PM Tammam Salam at the Grand female Syrian refugees in Beqa’a. July 8 Serail to voice their support for him #$^$ Ministers from the Free Patriotic following the criticism launched by $ $ Movement, Hezbollah, the Tashnag ] 7$ 7 $$ Party and the Marada Movement $ Mosque over the death of previous convene at the Ministry of Foreign V?#?#" ambassador Saud Faisal and PM $ % ^ Tammam Salam stands in the the Cabinet session and Foreign condolences over the death of forefront of mourners. Minister Gebran Bassil announces # $ Hezbollah and the Future “there exists no government and no Lebanon, Emir Saud Faisal. Movement hold their 15th dialogue decisions without us.” MP Suleiman Frangieh rejects session at Speaker Nabih Berri’s Phalanges leader Sami Gemayel $ $ visits PM Tammam Salam reiterating a federalist system and rules it out PM Tammam Salam and former the continuity of government as a slip of tongue. Frangieh voices President of the Republic Michel activity and true partnership. his readiness to take action in order # # $ 7U + U7 to protect the prerogatives of the #$ Tammam Salam, then makes a President of the Republic. to Lebanon to extend condolences phone call to General Michel In his speech on International over the death of former Saudi $ Quds Day, Hezbollah’s Secretary Foreign Minister Saud Faisal and that the claims attributed to him in General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah meet former PM Saad Hariri there. one of the Lebanese newspapers reiterates his support to General # $7 + 7 $ ( Bank kidnapped at gunpoint by that paralyzing Cabinet sessions is there is no intention to oust the unknown assailants. @ government or hamper its work. The Free Patriotic Movement supporters rally and ride in convoys in several regions across Lebanon.

issue 158 | September 2015 42| MEDIA JULY 2015 HIGHLIGHTS

July 14 Tarek Yatim stabs George Rif to Following its weekly meeting, “The premier will continue his Change and Reform Bloc refuses communication efforts to achieve debating any item in the Cabinet peaceful sessions,” says LF leader July 17 before agreement over the Samir Geagea after meeting PM Five Czech nationals kidnapped ] 7 $ Tammam Salam at the Grand Serail. in Kefrayya, Beqa’a. states that ousting the government is ?78$ ] 7 #" $ not among the current goals of the ^ Latif Deryan holds prayers at the Free Patriotic Movement. visit to Lebanon, and stresses Italy’s 7 $$ 7> ? + & ^ Eid El-Fitr in the presence of PM George Rizk interrogates Tarek terrorism. Tammam Salam. Deryan reiterates Yatim, the culprit accused of Former PM Saad Hariri receives rejection of extremism and support murdering George Rif, and issues an 7U++ of PM Tammam Salam and his arrest warrant against him. Sources Speaker Nabih Berri applauds the government. report that Yatim does not regret his ? + Garbage piles up in the streets action. Geagea are pessimistic and Salam and neighborhoods of Beirut and hopes for the best. Mount Lebanon after closure of the July 22 ) ^$A+ July 15 Kahwaji inspects army units in Speaker Nabih Berri adjourns the July 18 Zahrani and asserts that the army is 26th session scheduled to elect a Families of the kidnapped soldiers far from politics and is resolved to $X{ visit their sons in the outskirts of confront any attempt to destabilize to lack of quorum. Qalamoun on Eid El-Fitr and the the country. 7 8 $ $) 8 The Special Tribunal for Lebanon Emigrants Gebran Bassil informs the conditions of release of the listens to telecoms experts and G)OA ^ detainees, including the withdrawal analysts. to register the births among Syrian of Hezbollah from Qalamoun. The garbage crisis drags on refugees. PM Tammam Salam stresses that and trash accumulates further in ^ $ he is open to any discussion aimed the streets of Beirut and Mount attempt to smuggle a reconnaissance at improving the performance of the ^$ artifact to Syrian militants. Cabinet rather than disrupting its work. a solution, residents burn garbage in the streets, causing toxic emissions July 16 July 19 and pollution. Former president Michel LF leader Samir Geagea arrives in Suleiman views that holding the #$ July 23 parliamentary elections prior to *#&$$(( The Cabinet convenes to discuss presidential ones violates the The deputy head of the its work mechanism and the trash preamble of the Constitution. Higher Shia’a Islamic Council, 7 # $ #"$ $ adjourning the session until Tuesday. discards the instructions of the assures in his sermon that Lebanon PM Tammam Salam apologizes to 7 8 $ belongs to all its citizens, regardless the Lebanese for failure to solve banning the registration of births of class or religious denomination. the trash crisis and brandishes the among Syrian refugees in Lebanon. possibility of resigning. Former Minister Michel Samaha July 20 Minister of the Interior and retracts the admissions he had made LF leader Samir Geagea meets Municipalities Nouhad Machnouq before the Intelligence Branch former PM Saad Hariri in the latter’s concludes his visit to France by during the hearing of an appeal + meeting the French Foreign Minister before the Military Court, arguing Minister of the Interior and Laurent Fabius. France promises to that he did not have a clear mind at Municipalities Nouhad Machnouq follow up on the status of Lebanon the time. meets his French counterpart in Paris #$? ^ $ and announces that Hezbollah is a In an interview with Kalam El- kidnapped branch manager of political rival but at the same time a Nas political talk -show, MP Michel #$7&" political partner in the country. $

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. JULY 2015 HIGHLIGHTS MEDIA |43 presidential battle against anyone PM Tammam Salam receives for pressing charges against the despite his being a candidate. total support at the Beirut National murderers who reportedly belong to The Loyalty to Resistance Bloc reports Gathering to persist in assuming his the Daou family in Houmal. that the current government is working governmental duties. Speaker Nabih Berri urges wise amidst a corrupt climate brought Former PM Fouad Seniora slams behavior in order to surmount this forward by previous governments. Nasrallah’s statements saying he critical stage. $ July 24 resignation from PM Tammam Salam. of the Free Patriotic Movement on The Middle East Christians’ September 20. A )VG July 27 U $ $ ] July 30 every political part to nominate a Serail concludes with agreement to $ A presidential candidate accepted by transfer garbage to three sites. agree over a mechanism for Cabinet all others. Defense Minister Samir Moqbel visits to work or a solution for the garbage 7U + ]7$ crisis. “My options are open if the ^ $ security appointments. Moqbel pays government work meets a dead leadership is unhelpful and does not visits for the same reason to MP Walid end,” says PM Tammam Salam. serve the goals the military hopes to +]+*@ Protesters against the killing of achieve. 7 8 $ army Colonel Rabih Kheil block + ? + Emigrants Gebran Bassil views that Ring Bridge in both ways calling Sabbouh Suleiman issues an arrest G)OA# for the arrest of the murderer. $ births is a violation of Lebanon’s $ A ] + $ national sovereignty. Qahwaji visits Maronite Patriarch suicide bombing that targeted a Minister of Public Health Wael $ ^"+ Bou Faour calls for adjourning the Diman. %$8{_X[ scheduled Cabinet session until O $ Tuesday. Geagea are tactical and had it not July 25 +& been for Hezbollah’s support, “The resignation of the current reopens after promises not to $ government will only plunge transfer trash to Iqlim El-Kharroub. the election of a president,” says Lebanon into the unknown,” says U$] Hezbollah’s Secretary General July 28 $$ Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah at the Cabinet session adjourned until the Faculty of Information. graduation ceremony of the children Thursday and ministers quote #U$ of the party’s martyrs, urging the PM Tammam Salam as saying he presses charges against Tarek Future Movement to engage in will not be a ‘false witness’ to the Mallah and refers him to trial on dialogue with the Free Patriotic collapse of the country. $ [ U Movement and assuring that the $ demanding Mallah’s release. party’s involvement in wars is 7 # $ defensive from Sana’a to Qalamoun. V July 31 8 against one of the protesters named ' '" Tarek Mallah, leading to his arrest $ $ A $OA by the judiciary. ] + *@ Hezbollah’s Secretary General ' V July 26 Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah vows urging them to stay on alert to "+& never to forsake Palestine in a confront terrorist organizations. He highway, protesting the transfer of speech delivered at a conference later pays a visit to Speaker Nabih trash from Beirut to dump it in the ? G Berri. >+$$ Resistance Scholars. Decrees promoting the Military + $ Minister of environment attends a July 29 The judiciary releases Tarek meeting at the Interior Ministry to $ A * Mallah and another activist after the discuss the possibility of moving trash dead after a personal incident bodyguard of Minister Rashid Derbas from Beirut to Iqlim el-Kharroub. in Bdadoun and protesters call drops the charges against them.

issue 158 | September 2015 44| MEDIA

THIS MONTH IN HISTORY- LEBANON CIVIL WAR DIARIES THE ZGHARTA-TRIPOLI FRONT 40 YEARS AGO

Several fronts were set up in belligerent areas during the Lebanese Civil War. At times, these fronts would witness periods of quiet and tranquility and at others, they would \Y##[# #

' $ which divided the people of an area known for its they were ramifying and targeting contiguous areas. sectarian and political diversity. The Maronite town of Zgharta was embroiled in confrontation with Confrontation Lines the Sunni city of Tripoli. Hostilities culminated Battles erupted on Monday along two lines: “Tripoli’s }\~ # X`}| & confrontation line” which runs from the Mallouleh the highlights of that night as reported by the $#V7 newspapers of the time. Qebbeh Square all the way to the Qebbeh road and the western slope of Terbel’s mountain and from Battles there to Meryata along the Zgharta-Sir Donieh road Those who were able to enter the capital of the and the street leading to Ibn Sina’s high school; north for a few hours yesterday and left it under and “Zgharta’s confrontation line” which stretches from Zgharta’s street in Qebbeh to Mejdlaya then impression: Tripoli is a deserted city in which to the Zgharta- Sir Donieh crossroad and from the militants wander freely. Its streets have grown Mjedlaya- Sir Donieh crossroad towards Rmeileh desolate and devoid of everything except cars. Its along the Tripoli-Sir Donieh road. houses are now closed and those inhabitants who remain in the city dare not venture outside. Most of The reciprocal shelling between Qebbeh and its shops and stores are either leveled to the ground Zgharta’s road was happening along three lines. '#" ascends incessantly from the city and there is no Mortar rounds, cannons and heavy weapons other sound than that of gunshots. were used in the clashes, which were branded as ‘heinous’ and deteriorated even more when a The fronts of the city which witnessed yesterday a number of Tripoli’s gunmen were able to reach the 7@? extended to several neighboring regions. where Zghartawi militants had been positioned. The clashes resulted in a high toll of injuries. The bus incident in Daraya escalated the situation $ @ ' to Qebbeh while clashes continued to rage until economic enterprises were the target of explosions. Monday morning. Fighting ceased for a while at The destruction, burning, looting and raiding that }/__ targeted these businesses in Tripoli on the night between Sunday and Monday hit record highs $ > the next day expanding to include most shops in & Zghartawi shops. 7 %$ @ $

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. MEDIA |45

$[_ militants in the Bqar neighborhood, leaving some )$$O $$ body was moved to the government hospital which el-Khatib sustained gunshots and were rushed to 7 + A hospital. who had died in the clashes.

Occupation of Rmeileh’s police station Massive destruction Yesterday, close to thirty gunmen from Meryata Break of dawn on Monday unveiled the damage $ caused to stores and shops. While clashes were " a violent clash between the two parties. Corporal and vandalizers was busy breaking, bombing and Mohammad Mahmoud was shot in the thigh and burning down the businesses of Zghartawis. Houses the armored vehicle parked outside the station of a large number of military personnel in the sustained great damage. The militants were able Qebbeh neighborhood near the military barracks to take over the station, detain policemen and were razed to the ground and burned down in front of their owners. released them after seizing their radio-equipped XX_}{ Bus survivors Regarding the incident of Chekka’s bus which ? $@ 7 transported kidnapped detainees to the town of *7'#) Daraya, the death toll increased to 12 and the destiny Samerji and Nassib Qoubeis were injured by the of the remaining passengers remains unknown. The rocket-propelled grenades aimed at the judicial body of Mostafa Hussein Ismail who was killed police department but their condition was stable. Sunday was transferred from Daraya yesterday

issue 158 | September 2015 46| MEDIA

/ $ $(( $ {} 8> $ $(( Meryata, Mennieh and Dennieh on the other. Some Minawi, 21, Mohammad Medhat Deqmaq, 58, estimated the number of gunmen to be 3000 and @$((?{[7?7 various heavy weapons and mortars were used in V + O O 7 *("$] $ Those who were able to escape detention in Daraya Mohammad Harmoush was found dead on the Sir were: Ibrahim Masri Dabbagh who was with his V ' younger brother Mahmoud - Mahmoud was killed that the victim is believed to have been killed and laid to rest yesterday evening in Tripoli at a $ " crowded funeral attended by both Lebanese and tensions, MP Mershed Samad and former MPs U $ # $ $878 Hadi el-Khatib, Ghazi Ghalayini and others. with the dignitaries of the region and agreed to Investigation of the case was entrusted to Hashem forego grudges, abort strife and intensify efforts to O $] normalize the situation between Dennieh, Zgharta @7$$?" and Tripoli. at night that the burial of the victims would take place today. However, an abrupt incident occurred last night "7+@ Blocking the Mennieh road Khoury from Baasoun in Dennieh clashed with $|_ $$((> among the residents of Mennieh blocked the road 7? at the Bhannine crossroads in protest of Daraya’s 7 +@ & * $ " ?> bleeding son in the car and headed to the hospital Petroleum Company planning to seize the tanks accompanied by his wife Sanyoura, his daughter and kidnap employees. The explosives thrown into $8)$ the company buildings did not cause any damage V$ to the tanks and an army contingent was able to #$8 Nader were injured. $

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. ARAB WORLD FOCUS|47

THIS MONTH IN HISTORY AT THE HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN BLACK SEPTEMBER EVENTS

Bloody events unfolded in Jordan in September 1970 during an attempt by the Palestinian resistance to topple the then King of Jordan Hussein Bin Talal. The confrontations between the Palestinian side and the Jordanian Armed Forces were deadly and the physical and human losses great, thus the term ‘Black September’. Although the hostility did culminate in September, its roots and casualties go back ##[#\

Violence and killings became frequent occurrences in U(+ + X`~ & * agreed to the Palestinian conditions and requested to X`}_ * O delay the agreement for a day to discuss the matter with 8 % U +$ + Nasser an eleven-point edict, restricting the activities of Palestinian organizations. In particular, the +" regulations prohibited carrying arms in public, storing at the sites of Palestinian factions and raided their ammunitions in town and holding unlawful meetings camps where the most heinous battles took place. and demonstrations. The Palestinian fedayeen knew #$$ that the regulations posed crucial threats to their armed U ^ $ '( "+ + U'}___U ?X`}_+ fedayeen surrendered and a few other thousands were Brigadier General Mahmoud Daoud. Field Marshal " <$ O $7@ A * V 7 #" # $ $8 ">+ all Palestinian factions, provided that the attacks would +$@ $ > ? and roughly 1300 civilians were killed. O$7@ <$ $%U latter refused to meet with him and sent instead Mahmoud ]$)"A $ U & resulted in the withdrawal of Palestinian factions from + + enough time to allow his forces to position cannons in + V U strategic locations and complete mobilization efforts, factions to Lebanon, they never ceased their attempts + to save face. To this end, the Fatah movement founded to military action. During the negotiations, Mahmoud the Black September organization which was designed $ to retaliate against those who thwarted the political $ U + $ ( + be determined after ousting the military government +U and the formation of a civil one after consultation with 7AX`}X

issue 158 | September 2015 48|ARAB WORLD FOCUS

ISLAMIC ORGANIZATIONS(8) ANSAR AL-SHARIA’A ORIGINATING FROM LIBYA AND ESPOUSING ISLAMIC SHARIA’A

\/]^_`#] plunged into an armed violence, which produced several radical Islamist organizations, including but not restricted to Ansar Al-Sharia’a.

Birth A ] ^ roughly 42 years. Yet, his rigid rule did not prevent the emergence of some radical Islamist movements towards the end of the 1980s, including the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group and the Martyrs’ Brigades. $ ^ Islamic Fighting Group chose to take its operations $ $# ^U"$ ^ $ ?> 7 ^ the West to divide the country into belligerent began to be toppled in 2011, the group returned political parties and movements. to Libya and established what has become known Establishing Islamic Sharia’a and planting it as $ $# U ? the underlying law of all Islamic states ^ Libyan regime and joined with other groups and Ansar Al-Sharia’a in other countries organizations to bring it down. However, it did not Qaeda-linked groups surfaced in Yemen under appear in the media until in 2012. $$# Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco associated themselves Leader of Ansar Al-Sharia’a with the original brigade in Libya, assuming the 7$ same name. under spotlight as both the founder and commander $$#O Terrorist organization $#^ $ $# Tripoli, and is said to have died in an air strike. actions, the most serious of which was the heinous G# A &( Doctrines of Ansar Al-Sharia’a September 11, 2012, which resulted in the death of $ $ $+A# Sharia’a include: $ Claiming safety and security for the Muslims to death whereas the reason for the attack was $ U $ $# 7#"G#" service of Muslims $#(

issue 158 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. PRICES |49

Towards REAL ESTATE PRICES- JULY 2015

Contrary to the forecasts that predicted Prices of some apartments sold in July Table 2 recovery in Lebanon’s real estate market 2 2 during July 2015, the month was marked by a decline Region Surface (m ) Price (USD) USD/m in real estate transactions, possibly attributed to the Beirut present political pressures and the government’s Tallet Khayyat 380 1,292,000 3,400 threat of resignation as well as the persistence of the Msaytbeh 100 190,000 1,900 \?]$ decline was estimated at 5% to 7%. Ashrafiyeh (Sayydeh) 100 150,000 1,500 Ashrafieh (Gemmayzeh) 80 184,000 2,300 Prices maintained the same previous patterns: a de- Malaab Baladi 140 224,000 1,600 cline in the prices of large properties and a stability Noueiry 110 187,000 1,700 or modest increase in those of small and medium- sized ones. Ras Nabe’e 160 416,000 2,600 Baabda Tables 1 and 2 illustrate the prices of some estates Hadath 250 437,500 1,750 and apartments sold in July 2015. Baabda (Brazilia) 220 605,000 2,750 Mar Taqla 200 440,000 2,200 Prices of some estates sold in July Table 1 Baabda 300 840,000 2,800 Region Surface (m2) Price (USD) USD/m2 Chiyyah 160 272,000 1,700 Beirut Haret Hreik 100 100,000 1,000 Zqaq Blat 510 3,417,000 6,700 Loueizi 140 242,200 1,730 Baabda Matn Jomhour 1100 330,000 300 Broummana 210 375,000 1,500 Matn Jal El-Dib 100 210,000 2,000 Monteverde 1,500 1,500,000 1,000 Rabieh 200 430,000 2,150 Antelias 1,000 3,000,000 3,000 Beit Meri 220 330,000 1,500 Hemlaya 750 247,500 330 Awkar 120 240,000 2,000 Bhersaf 2,250 1,912,500 850 Sin El-Fil (Horsh Tabet) 170 340,000 2,000 Zalqa 850 2,550,000 3,000 Aley Choueifat 150 150,000 1,000 Beit Mery 3,000 1,350,000 450 Bshamoun (Madares) 140 154,000 1,100 Aley Doha Aramoun 140 168,000 1,200 Bhamdoun 3,300 495,000 150 Khaldeh 160 136,000 850 Sawfar 1,800 180,000 100 Kessrouan Kessrouan Adonis 175 236,250 1,350 Qouleiat 1,300 325,000 250 Ashqout 120 156,000 1,300 Ballouneh 1,200 960,000 800 Sarba 150 187,500 1,250 Ajaltoun 1,500 645,000 430 Ballouneh 250 355,000 1,420 Kfardebian 880 572,000 650 Tabarja 160 160,000 1,000 Source: Compiled by Information International- July 2015 Source: Compiled by Information International- July 2015

issue 158 | September 2015 50| Did you know that?

2014 FIFA WORLD CUP

USD 10,981 million is the amount of money services. However, Brazilians profited from those spent by the FIFA for the world cup 2014. This big infrastructures built to which they can access and amount of spending caused a lot of controversy on use now. the Brazilian soil. USD 4.8 billion is the profit made by the FIFA 53,592 is the average attendance per match in the world cup 2014 in Brazil. 2014 FIFA world cup in Brazil. The highest atten- 5 million is the number of tourists from abroad dance rate noted in the world cup history following that the FIFA 2014 World Cup has attracted. an average of 68,000 fans in the 1994 USA world cup. USD 35 million is the amount of money the FIFA World Cup winners get. USD 14 billion was spent by politicians on the Brazil 2014 World Cup instead of spending the 14 is the number of FIFA officials arrested on cor- same money on health, education and transport ruption charges in 2015.

 Beirut International Airport

Beirut International Airport  Rafic Hariri International Airport Traffic- July 2015

Traffic at the Rafic Hariri Airport traffic in July 2015 compared to June 2015 and July 2014 Table 1 International Airport increased by 23.2% in July Traffic June 2015 July 2015 July 2014 % of change % of change 2015, compared to the June/July 2015 July 2014/2015 same period in 2014, with Arriving airplanes 2,804 3,451 3,081 +23 +12 an additional 149,237 Departing airplanes 2,799 3,450 3,075 +23 +12.2 passengers using the airport. Compared to June Total no. of airplanes 5,603 6,901 6,156 +23 +12.1 and July this year, the Arriving passengers 318,011 451,648 376,325 +42 +20 airport traffic increased by 196,848 passengers, Departing passengers 274,025 336,485 264,677 +22.8 +27.1 equaling 33.1%. Transit passengers 2,185 2,934 828 +34.3 +25.4 The airport handled 3,902,762 passengers Total no. of passengers 594,221 791,067 641,830 +33.1 +23.2 over the first seven Imported goods (per ton) 4,886 4,394 4,862 -10 -9.6 months of this year compared to 3,563,671 Exported goods (per ton) 5,236 3,641 3,381 -30.4 +7.7 passengers over the Total amount of goods 10,122 8,035 8,243 -20.6 -2.5 same period last year, (per ton) i.e. up by 339,091 pas- Source: Compiled by Information International based on figures provided by the Directorate General of Aviation sengers or 9.5%. Stats & Numbers |51 Stats& Numbers Publications

LBP 9,720 billion (roughly Publications by Publications by Kutub (in Arabic): Information International (in Arabic): USD 6.5 billion) is the worth of 1- May Ziadeh, Evolution of a Free Female Thinker 1- Salaries and Remunerations in the Public Sector net profits reaped by Leba- 2- Mission in Hijaz - Lion Roche 2- Public Seaside Properties nese banks between 2011 3- Aleppo Cuisine and 2014. In 2014, the profits 3- Lebanon’s Parliamentary History 1920-2000 4- From An-Nabk to Florida amounted to LBP 2,356 billion. 4- Taxes and Fees 5- Lebanon in Figures 1992-2002 5- Institution of Aesthetic Discourse -Saad el-Kassab

LBP 21 billion is the ad- 6- Lebanon in Figures 2003-2004 6- Al A’mal Al She’rya Al-Kamila -Kamal Keir beik vance payment received 7- Lebanon in Figures 2005-2006 7- Majhoulat Gibran by IDAL to cover for seven 8- Lebanon in Figures 2007-2008 8- Shweir and Its Hills, A phtographic record months the gap in exporting 9- Lebanon’s MPs and Lebanese Parliamentary Elec- 9- The Wars of Lajat 1837-1838 costs between land and air to tions 1960 - 2009 10- New Funerary Phoenician Stelae, Private Collection the Arab countries. It is note- 10- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, candidate and confession-North District 11- Harakat Al Hadasa fi Al-She’r Al-Arabi Al-Mo’aser worthy that exporting by land -Kamal Keir beik 11- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, candi- 12- Al Tanassot Ala Al Hatef fi Lebnan 1947-1958 accounted for roughly 33% date and confession-Beirut District 13- Beirut Daw’ Ala Warak 1850-1915 of the total exports before the 12- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, candi- 14- Shukri Al-Asali Articles and Documents Syrian conflict. date and confession-Mount Lebanon District 13- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, candi- 60% of voters in the Mount date and confession-Beqa’a District 14- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, candidate Lebanon Mohafaza are Chris- and confession-South and Nabatiyeh District tian and 40% are Muslim. 15- Municipal Elections 2010 Christians accounted for 79% in 1860 (Mutassarifiah) com- Publications by INMA (in Arabic): pared to 21% Muslims, mostly 1- “I am Responsible, All of Us are Responsible”

Druze. 2- “Our Environment is Our Home”

3- “My Society is My Responsibility” LBP 71,519 billion is the 4- “My Society is My Responsibility” Workbook worth of funds collected by 5- “I am a Student, I am a Citizen: Ways Towards State the Lebanese state between Building” To Subscribe: 2010 and 2014. The funds 6- “I am a Student, I am a Citizen: Ways Towards State Al-Borj Building, 4th Floor, Martyrs Square Building” Workbook Beirut Central District spent during the same period Telephone: 961-1-983008/9 961-3-262376 7- “Lebanon Wars, why?” Fax: 961-1-980630 amounted to LBP 92,323 bil- [email protected] 8- Discrimination in Lebanon lion, i.e. a deficit of LBP 24,804 www.monthlymagazine.com 9- Najma men Biladi www.information-international.com billion or 35%. Information International SAL All rights © 10- Aklam men Biladi reserved License No. 180/2003 WITNESS TO WAR EMILY NASRALLAH’S NOVEL A CAT’S DIARY

Because we live in a part of the world that suffered- and still does to this day- from the toll and > "V#$O"A Cat’s Diary- a novel by Emily Nasrallah whose events unfold in a war context- to be the focus of her Diplôme d’études ap- V%$ O""( components, examining the techniques used by the novelist and delving into the novel’s characters $%) was able to address two different generations- children and adults- and to infuse principles and values harmonious with her unyielding anti-war beliefs, without resorting to direct indoctrina- tion and moralizing tones. It is here that the ideological dimension of the novel is manifested -

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