Letter from Beirut

[Dystopian]

I just received this email with permission to post.
I omitted the names:

edit: I did not personally receive this email, it was forwarded to me.


****************
Dad,

This is a terrifying time. A wonderful professor, S, who teaches in the
xxxx department (who I've talked about last semester with you) is Lebanese
and is in Beirut now. He says he's experienced many times of war in his
life. This is particularly scary. Please read. He's such a sweet guy and he
cares so much about Earlhamites. -

(S's letter was written in haste and I have made the slightest obvious
typographical corrections.)



Dear friends We are still safe... Beirut is under blockade from air, sea and
land... Lebanon is cut apart into 5-6 parts... all roads and bridges and
airports and seaports are destroyed... we cannot reach the embassy for my
visa and the I20 form cannot reach us here for my son R... we don't know
how we will be able to reach the USA because I think this situation will
last for weeks and not days... I am fearing the worst because Israel will
not stop unless hizbullah is disarmed... and hizbullah backed by Syria and
Iran will not stop especially that the USA doesn't want to negotiate with
Syria and Iran... Lebanon is the victim of this international and regional
situation... we cannot do anything except resist and survive... my family is
torn between the south and Baalbak and Beirut... communications are
difficult and sometimes impossible...water and electricity and
infrastructure are bombed around the hour day and night...

imagine the fear of our children having to live a war in a big city... I
think of Behar and Kocovo... of Bagdad and Kaboul... of Beirut in 1982 and
1993 and 1996...I have lived and survived the civil war 1975-1990 and the
Israeli invasions 1978 and 1982..as well as Israelis major attacks on Beirut
in 1993 and 1996..

but this time it is worse...maybe because I am old and I have family and I
believe more in Peace and non-violence... but in all case I am staying with
my family trying to help them and others to survive and be safe... because I
am used to wars I can help a lot in building networks to arrange shelter and
food and medicine to thousands of displaced families who are now coming from
all parts of Lebanon that seek refuge in west and east Beirut... We are
using our Muslim-Christian Dialogue network which is doing excellent work...
the Christians in East Beirut and its mountains opened their houses to
refugees from the South...

It is a great hour of Unity and solidarity between the Lebanese
communities... this is the Good News for us....the International community
cannot and will not do anything to stop this war..I will keep you informed
when electricity allows me to use internet...now at this moment Beirut is
bombed again for the tenth time today..goodbye ....S


peace~

[chimpymustgo]

1. Thank you for posting this. It sounds and looks like a nightmare there.

Lebanon and its people are the victims here.

[Joanne98]

2. Their taking out the WATER! That's really fucked up.