When will Lebanon be truly independent?
22nd of November, 1943 – 22nd of November, 2021 Seventy-eight years of independence are still to come. Of course, we can rejoice by seeing a military parade, although a symbolic one, and by watching leaders place rose bouquets on the tombs of the martyrs. We might also follow up with the typical words of the President of the Republic addressed to the Lebanese on Independence Day, “passion” and “nostalgia.”
All of these things are “excellent” and correspond to the reality of the situation. However, all of the independence pillars we have discussed do not constitute independence. Independence requires both faith and activity, yet our authorities have neither faith nor action in the motherland. They reigned and ruled, spreading corruption, thievery, and quotas across the land, and they did not leave a treasure that they did not steal, a benefit that they did not obtain, or a bargain that they did not make! However, in this case, a distinction must be drawn between two eras. Corruption existed before Taif, from 1943 until 1990, although there were exceptions, and transparency was the rule. Following Taif, thievery became the norm, with transparency and ethics becoming the exception.
The Lebanese-Syrian security system, which has ruled by decision since 1990, evaded everything. Following the Syrian tutelage, the Iranian tutelage landed through Hezbollah. Corruption was authorized in exchange for political parties remaining silent on the legalization of illicit firearms. Thus, the state fell into the trap of the statelet, and independence was destabilized in the hands of geniuses of improvisation and exploitation!
The country crumbled, and it was a big collapse, and the Lebanese’s greatest dream became to obtain a visa to get out of a system whose troubles never end… Is all of this causing frustration and depression? Obviously, not. Nothing remains unchanged, and no situation is irreversible.
Today, widespread participation in legislative elections knocking on doors makes change conceivable and achievable. It is something that began to represent the spread’s extensive registration. Will we, as residents, pursue our goals and ambitions, challenge the difficult 78 years, develop a modern state, and fight for a nation that does not live in the past but looks forward to building a great future?
