Ever thought that GCA would be dangerous? These are a couple of messages by Ronald Fream working on a new site in Lebanon. Ron is now safe home in Santa Rosa, California.
“It's Tuesday, warm, sunny, breezy here on the mountain northeast of Beirut. Smoke occasionally hangs or plumes skyward from the direction of Beirut. Those that can, still hang out in the cafes, homes and hotels of the Kfardebian-Mzaar mountain area. Many homes look like Swiss chateau up near the ski resort. Other houses are monuments to the use of local stone.
Several times yesterday jets passed enroute to targets. So are we are not a target. South Beirut is becoming an urban renewal zone. How to afford to renew is major trauma for Lebanese government. Hezbollah did hold up in South Beirut. Not much upright now. A few people risk road to Syria. Vehicles sometimes targeted. Local TV provides vivid images. Much damage, no resolution, no benefits. Local food - Mediterranean cuisine and local wines - doing well. U.S. Embassy told me over the weekend "no plan yet" to get citizens out. There are worse places to wait.”
“Greetings from Terrebrune Hotel! High on a barren rocky hill. On clear days lights of Beirut visible at night. Cedars of used many for roof beams and ships. The Phoenicians from Byblos area shipped cedar timber to Egyptians 3,000 years ago. Lack of replanting helped produce arid terrain. Roman temple just downhill from here.
No jets today. Maybe bombing is only farther south. TV shows vast distruction in South Beirut. Ten-story buildings leveld. Area could not all be full of Hezbullah. Newspapers show damage vividly. A lot of innocent victims.
I tried to get out this morning. Collection point is at beach area below hillside American Embassy in northern suburb. Confusion, traffic, nervous people, many families. No beforehand information or direction. Marine guards join Lebanese troops to direct mass people. I was told only those called night before and give arrival times were to show up. Those called had registered previously. I thought I had registered last Friday and thereafter via email as instructed. Many people with no name on the list were turned away. Hot, tired, unhappy people. Some Government people from state department security only arrived two days ago. They try to help.
Up the hill, we go to the US Embassy, past Lebanese guards, US Marine guards. Big crowd. Register again on handout form. Told calls will advise when to show up. Calls from US State Department phone bank in Washington DC. Could come tonight or in three days. Cyprus having problems now as high tourist season on. Difficult finding accommodations there awaiting planes out. I have not heard if charters are serving Cyprus on only scheduled, going there now can’t be as comfortable as at this hotel.
Driving in North Beirut indicated lack of traffic as usual. Many people have gone to the hills or elsewhere. North of Beirut is Christian, Catholic, Mennonite, Orthodox Eastern and others. Bombing not much there, yet. Ports have been hit.
I visited a large Catholic Cathedral, several hundred years old. Beautiful stone construction. Wonderful mosaic “paintings” inside. Writing in Greek and Arabic. At one time or for a period of time, “West” and Islam or at least Arab coexisted here.
Just heard a CNN news report about the cruise ship with Americans en route to Cyprus. Correspondent stated an American war ship was escorting the cruise ship. Why? Proactive US Government would have told Israeli Government any interference, assault on that passenger ship and US would blacktop Israel in 24 hours. However, lapdog Bush would not even think of such things so the refugees get a US warship escort, way to go!
Many Lebanese, those who are educated, enlightened, not fundamentalist, who have good jobs have no use for Hezbollah-fundamentalist beliefs spring from ignorance, lack of education, an absence of modern progressive role models and poverty. I see very few Islamic fundamentalists in Mercedes or BMWs here. Ignorant, uneducated people soak up promises and false dreams like a sponge.
Maybe out in a day or two. Better here than in Jakarta on Java where the tsunami caused new problems. Not as destructive as Aceh, but not helpful to Java, one of the most densely populated islands or places on earth. I was in that area in March.”
Jari