MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN THE NORTH Government expenditures on health - 2010 April 2011 | 105 Non-Lebanese property ownership The Monthly interviews Architect Nadim Karam issue number www.iimonthly.com • Published by Information International sal DEPOSITS IN LEBANESE BANKS 1993-2010 $98 BILLION INCREASE HALF IN THE LAST 3 YEARS Lebanon 5,000LL | Saudi Arabia 15SR | UAE 15DHR | Jordan 2JD| Syria 75SYP | Iraq 3,500IQD | Kuwait 1.5KD | Qatar 15QR | Bahrain 2BD | Oman 2OR | Yemen 15YRI | Egypt 10EP | Europe 5Euros INDEX 5 LEADER: DEPOSITS IN LEBANESE BANKS 7 GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES ON HEALTH 10 BEIRUT GOLF CLUB 12 NON-LEBANESE PROPERTY OWNERSHIP 14 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN THE NORTH 17 LEBANESE STAMPS 20 THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM 23 THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS Page 29 Page 17 25 THE HUSBAND’S FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY 26 MUNICIPAL IMMUNITY 27 SYNDICATE OF LEBANESE CONTRACTORS 29 LEBANESE PREPARATORY SCHOOL 31 ADULT HERPES ZOSTER (SHINGLES) BY DR. HANNA SAADAH Page 10 32 SUPERSUASION BY DR. SAMAR ZEBIAN 42 SAAD HARIRI - SYRIA 33 THE LIVE NATURE OF INFORMATION BY ANTOINE BOUTROS 43 FEBRUARY 2011 TIMELINE IN LEBANON 34 THE MONTHLY INTERVIEWS ARCHITECT NADIM KARAM 46 QATAR 36 POPULAR CULTURE 47 REAL ESTATE INDEX IN LEBANON- FEBRUARY 2011 37 MYTH #44: BEIRUT, WORLD BOOK CAPITAL FOR 2009 48 FOOD PRICE INDEX - FEBRUARY 2011 38 MUST-READ BOOKS: THE VICTIM AND THE EXECUTIONER 50 INTERNET USE 39 MUST-READ CHILDREN’S BOOK:THE TRUTH 50 BEIRUT RAFIC HARIRI INTERNATIONAL ABOUT LITTLE KITTENS & PUPPIES AIRPORT - FEBRUARY 2011 40 LEBANON FAMILIES: AL-JISR FAMILY 51 LEBANON STATS 41 DISCOVER LEBANON: KSARNABA 3 | EDITORIAL “BALTAJIAH” It would be interesting to study how and why certain words and expressions become widely used at a certain time and suddenly they disappear to perhaps appear again. In the case of Obama, “change” is the word. During the Syrian presence in Lebanon, no politician would make a statement or speech without mentioning “the unity of the two tracks” or “destiny and the path” or “the Syrian alternative”. When the American troops arrived in Baghdad, the then Iraqi Minister of Information used the word “uluj”. This word became popular for a while and now we hear it no more. Recently, in most political articles and interviews, the word “harak”, meaning movement, is “a la mode”. And following the Tahrir Square demonstrations in Cairo, the word “baltaji” has entered the political lexicon in the Arab World. Following are some observations about the word “baltaji”. First: the Baltaji family It would perhaps be beneficial for the March 14 supporters who are popularizing this word in Lebanon to remember that the Baltaji family is Sunni and did not participate in the attack on the demonstrators in Tahrir Square nor in the famous 7th of May 2008 in Beirut. Perhaps they might be offended by the derogatory use of this word, but who cares, their number doesn’t exceed 130 voters. Second: the word “baltaji” in Egypt In the Turkish language, the word refers to an axeman, or a butcher or a logger. There used to be a battalion in the Ottoman army that would use the axe as a weapon. In the Sultan Diwan, there used to be a “baltaj” who would “discipline” people if they upset the Sultan. After the occupation of Egypt by the Ottomans in 1517 and when law and order broke down, a criminal would be referred to as a “baltaji”. Third: the etymology of the word “baltaji” according to Ibn Manzour “Balatnahom” means we fought them and “ablata” means bankrupt or broke, which confirms that a “baltaji” is a poor man. “Balat” is the axe in Arabic, which also confirms that he is the axeman. Fourth: who are the real “baltajiah”? The real “baltajiah” who attacked the demonstrators in Tahrir Square are those who ruled Egypt for more than thirty years. The real “baltajiah” in Lebanon are those warlords who committed atrocities and then procured an amnesty law for their crimes, and those who robbed and embezzled the Public Treasury and seized public property while watching Israel bombard their people. The real “baltajiah” are Western leaders who sold arms to dictators knowing well they will only be used to crush and oppress the people of this region. Fifth: “Al Mubaya’ah” It would be interesting for the researchers to study this word and its origin, according to Ibn Manzour again. In Islamic history, this word is a proof of a democratic tradition where people “youbayi’oun” i.e. support a ruler or a Khalif. Ibn Manzour tells us that although this word means a contract that one can romantically fantasize is a “social contract”, it could also be a sales contract where “one would sell what he has or himself” and obey … And that is “the deal”. The roots of two words “baltajiah” and “mubaya’ah” might explain the way we are: “thugs” and “deals” do not build nations. issue 105 - April 2011 4 | EDITORIAL onsidering the latest Wikilieaks revelations about discussions between Lebanese politicians and the former US Ambassadors to Lebanon, Jeffrey Feltman and Michele Sison and the accusations levied by those politicians, Cmost of whom were supposedly friends of those ambassadors, The Monthly finds it appropriate to republish this editorial, which was published in Issue # 66, January 2008. WHEN “THEY” CORRECT “OUR” HISTORY “Why do you keep talking about the 16th and 19th centuries? The Descendant of Damien de Martel (1878-1940) What about today?”, My colleague asked. I do not think we are “My great-grandfather was not as bad as you think. He had a ready yet. But let us see… good sense of humor and loved women. The letter of Bani Shu’aib(1) raised nostalgic feelings among He fell in love with a woman who was revered by all your the descendants of foreign envoys who played an important zu’ama.It is true that he used the game of money in the 1934 role in the history of the region, including Lebanon. parliamentary elections, but he said: “I am doing a humanitarian Their statements reflect true stories they heard from their job as there are no other means for Abboud Abdel-Razak, parents or found in family documents. They all had mixed Emile Tabet and other candidates to help the poor voters and feelings towards Lebanon. They remember sweet stories penniless journalists…” about the “beautiful country” and its “hospitable people” who It is also true that he meddled with the 1936 presidential elections received their ancestors warmly when the latter were powerful but your Zu’ama were more than willing, since he wrote to his and victorious. On the other hand, they hold bitter memories of girlfriend: “You have always told me that our relationship should these “welcoming” zu’ama turning on their guests like ravenous make of you a millionairess… I will not allow the candidates wolves when defeated. (Emile Eddeh and Beshara al-Khoury) to win the elections These descendants are surprised at the ability of Lebanon’s unless they lose their minds or money or both together…” “ruling families” to appear highly “cultured” and “modern” and The descendant concludes the letter: “Yes, they waited in queue to simultaneously act like voracious beasts. It seems that History at his door and when the French government decided to transfer to them does not matter, because stories, fictive or real, will him, they abandoned him.”(3) depict them as great Zu’ama, heroes definitely, and “martyrs” if needs be.The descendants of these envoys, however, have The Descendant of General Edward Spears another version of Lebanon’s history. (1886-1974) Let us see what they say. The great-granddaughter of General Spears begins the letter saying that Britney is not a relative, stating that she was very The descendant of Jamal Pasha (1872-1922) angry that the singer had a wider popularity than Edward. “Old documents, which belonged to my great-grandfather, prove She says that her grandfather was the main contributor to that those who were called ‘revolutionists’ and ‘reformists’ and Lebanon’s independence. “He was the one who threatened stood against the Turks, were in fact Jamal’s followers turning French High Commissioner Jean Helleu and expelled him against him when Turkey was defeated by the Allies. They then from Lebanon after the latter detained your “heroes” of replaced him by France and Britain. As for those who displayed Independence. He deployed many efforts for the election of your patriotic fever they most probably did that to spite a neighbor or first President(4). In the mid-1960s, I met one of your zu’ama a cousin,” he said. who told me that my “late” grandfather was a hero. I told him “My grandfather told me once: “The Arabs have a weakness in that he was still alive and that he would be very happy to receive their character that is jealousy of their countrymen who become him again or any of the Lebanese zu’ama. He declined, saying important,” and he literally told me that “if those zu’ama forge he was overwhelmed with work.” alliances with France and Britain against Turkey in World War I She continues: “You left my grandfather to die alone and I will (1914), the Arab nation will be defeated forever... and those who never forget that.” pretend to know nothing about foreign schemes are either short- Skimming through old documents and dispatches, we stopped sighted or have decided to sell their conscience and dignity.” at the beginning of the civil war in 1975. Jamal Pasha’s descendant concluded his letter, saying: “Those “Please let us go back to the time of Fakhreddine I (fictive or who called my great-grandfather the ‘Butcher’ used to kiss his… real), as I am still confident that Fakhreddine II is the founder ”(2) of modern Lebanon… and please do not try to change my convictions,” my colleague said.