Ronny Karam

If you were watching step by step, the birth of the new Lebanese Government, you would’ve noticed the partitioning made by/between the Lebanese parties and politicians as if the country was a chocolate cake.

It was really tough trying to have the biggest bite and really tough trying to please everyone, mostly themselves.
What hurts the most is that on every election, government assignment, etc., you see the Lebanese people, who were complaining all the time of the politicians, cheer and party for the new depute/government/president who’s probably the same politician but with a different tie.

And while watching “Nahar el Shabab”, held at Jeita, I couldn’t hold my frustration every time a new guy/girl was up to ask a question or to deliver a message; they all started with “Congratulating the Lebanese People” of the new Government.
This happens every time! When Pr. Emile Lahoud was elected, the Lebanese People was so happy they made him songs, named streets, not one, STREETS after him, boulevards, highways, etc.
What did they get in return? A Dam-n (or damns)

Why can’t the Lebanese people wait till the politician actually starts producing and starts finding solutions before they start partying?  Why can’t we, the Lebanese people, wait till the end of the era before judging and evaluating?
We always have a prejudgment that most of the time is not accurate or true, and a couple of months later, we’re disappointed and have to live the rest of the time complaining. POWER changes people. It’s evil and contagious.

Anyway, it’s Lebanon. We’ll never understand anything or anyone, not even ourselves.

Let’s get back to the “Tribal Government”.
Tribal because the tribes are all represented. Yes the Tribes. Some gained from the last attack on Beirut; others gained through the foreign embassies and the support of the West and the KSA. Both victorious in their own way, they were trying to divide the wealth and power.
But after 45 days, they agreed to share since there’s enough for everyone.

To me, this Government is like the IFL.
IFL stands for “International Fight League” where teams battle in 5 fights (different weights), for the IFL championship title.

This is the Lebanese Government now: a battlefield. It’s a Government of no decision. Both 8 & the 14 of March will do anything to make each other look “UGLY”; it’s not a pageant, I know, but both will do their best to disable the other’s work, projects, decisions, etc.
They’ll lie, they’ll cheat, they’ll go against anything the other proposes whether it’s good or bad, whether the community, the people, the country benefit from it or not.

Don’t worry, all this hard work they’ll be doing will just be a preparation for the 2009 elections. They’re not worried about the social and the economical situations or the stability of the country. They’re worried about their “own” future; who’s going to be the next depute of Matn or Baalbak or Tripoli or Jezzine or etc.? Who’s going to have the majority in the parliament? Who’s going to prove he has the majority of the Christians, Muslims, etc.?

After that, they’ll all go and share again the wealth and power in the next Lebanese Government.

Yet, we still have a small hope that this competition held will eventually force the battling parties to try to work to improve each the ministry they “own” and eventually we’ll see, in the next 9 months, the real birth of a good thing (I don’t want to be too optimistic, so I’m not going to say the birth of a new Lebanon; this is too much to ask and hope for).

I have faith in the new Minister of Interior, Mr. Baroud. And I really hope that Power won’t change him. I hope he stays the man he is and try his best to spread his good will and intention among other Ministers. And maybe his experience in the Government will encourage other respectable and God fearing men/women to walk his walk. Maybe the next Government will be full of those hard working people whose only goal is “Lebanon”.

Ok, kick me so I wake up