Lebanon Protesters Found Strength in Unity, Ditched Sectarianism

Brief Analysis | REPORT SYNDICATION

Public outrage has become the norm in the Middle East, as citizens across the region has grown dissatisfied with their governments’ failures and misdoings.

After Algeria and Sudan, now Lebanese and Iraqi streets are filled with protesters. For past several days, Lebanese and Iraqi protesters have been voicing their discontent against stagnant economies, rampant corruption and unemployment.

A fresh spirit of collective national unity is awaken, ushering a beacon of hope against all the traditional sectarian mindset that has been used by the sectarian forces in both Lebanon and Iraq to divide the people on sectarian lines.

After being trapped for decades within this sectarian mindset, Lebanese people across sectarian lines are now rejecting the poisonous narrative of sectarianism that only helped divide the entire nation and kept the nation away from exploring its full potential. Coming out from this sectarian illusion is seen as a positive step towards the nation’s positive transformation.

Lebanon Protests 2019 | Report Syndication

Together as a single nation, the Lebanese people are now protesting against all the evils, reflecting their common aspirations of dignity, financial security, government’s accountability, and guarding Lebanon’s sovereignty.

At the same time, the sectarian elements in the country are trying to undermine and halt the aspirations of the protesters who want to achieve what is best for their country. These sectarian elements want to spread sectarian lies so that the Lebanese people once again become divided on sectarian lines and, hence, become powerless and subjugated to the will of the sectarian leaders and forces.

It wouldn’t, however, be easy to fool the Lebanese people this time. Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah already failed to spread the narrative that foreign elements were sponsoring the protests. After Nasrallah’s suggestion of foreign conspiracy behind the protests, many Lebanese citizens made and circulated videos of themselves declaring “I am sponsoring this revolution.”

People no more buy Nasrallah’s ‘foreign sponsor’ narrative as they view Nasrallah as foreign-sponsored element in Lebanon, in particular Iranian puppet in Lebanese politics.

However, the likes of Hezbollah will continue to try to revive sectarian mindset among the Lebanese, as Hezbollah’s (and Iranian Regime’s) survivability depends on the sustainability of sectarianism in Lebanon and other parts of the Muslim world.

In this circumstances, it is only the Lebanese people who can make way for prosperous future for themselves. If they commit their full efforts to remain united, Lebanon may well become the ‘Switzerland of the Middle East’.

On the contrary, if the sectarian forces, such as Hezbollah, become successful in dividing the Lebanese people once again on sectarian lines, Lebanon will remain an impoverished country, and the economic and social conditions of the country will only deteriorate.