Lebanon in Crisis

Hermine Schellen
June 24, 2013

Lebanon has currently around 1.5 Million Syrian Refugees. That means allot more than the Country with about 5 Mill. Population count can really handle. Not just that, there is no real Control of who is really coming into the country.

No doubt the War in Syria has in many ways, effected Lebanon. More and more we witness conflicts and fighting erupt in different parts of the Country. Starting in the Northern capital city Tripoli, to Bekaa Region near the border to Syria, the Eastern frontier and recently in the South in one of the major cites there, in Saida. As well as parts of Beirut, Lebanon's Capital City. We have several extremist's groups that are causing strife. Basically they are supporting the FSA (in Syria). Hence we see more and more tanks appear even in Beirut and all over the Country. The presence of the Lebanese Army is becoming more visible as they try to defend the Country against all this attacks.

Unfortunately yesterday, the main Electricity lines were damaged during the Fight between the Army and the Salafist's, as a result we have severe shortage on electricity, resulting up to 12 to 14 hours per Day, of no Electricity. On top of that Lebanon has only a Caretaker Government, since a few months ago the Prime minister resigned. Elections that were originally supposed to happen on June 9th, were postponed again and again because no agreement could be reached on Election Law. And just recently it was announced that due the fragile security situation the parliament's mandate will be extended.

Overall the whole situation right now is very fragile and unpredictable. We are not able to just freely move around in the country. And at tonight's special Awards Ceremony for Graduating students, one of the student also a recipient of the Award, lamented that he is sad because both of his parents could not join this event, as they live in the South and it's not safe for them to travel to Beirut. Naturally I felt sorry for that young man, as my Family could be present, and witness our Son receiving the University's special Award for outstanding achievement.

Despite all the great challenges we are facing today in our Country and region, we continue our activities in support of the people of Lebanon, thou in a more limited way. Today more than ever we depend on God to guide us and watch over us and right now we can only hope for a miracle that things will calm down again in Lebanon a country we truly came to love.