Today I had the chance to attend an event at AUB featuring Lebanon's very own prime minister, Najib Mikati. I do feel very lucky that I have had so many opportunities to be in the presence of prominent politicians since my arrival in Lebanon. However, said exposure to politicians up close has led to many nasty —dare I even call them this?—surprises. Let's just say the tepidity of political speeches never ceases to simultaneously amaze and depress me.
[Before I go on, I must note that my impressions discussed further down apply to the experience I have had today listening to Mikati himself speak, and that I am well aware that politicians, on every side of the political spectrum, in Lebanon, or in any other nation, are guilty of the same rhetorical emptiness. Fortunately for you all, I don't have enough time to detail my impressions of every shitty politician in France, the US or elsewhere. All that is to say that: please don't interpret this as me being pro-Occidental, pro-March 14 or what have you. These are systemic problems in politics, which I am addressing through one given personal experience. Make of it what you will.]
For a short biography, Najib Mikati became Prime Minister in June 2011, a post he also held for several months in 2005 after the assassination of Rafic Hariri. Mikati's particularity as a prime minister the second time around is that he was chosen by a Hezbollah-led government for the role. The prime minister is by tradition always Sunni, but many Sunnis saw Mikati's investiture in a Shi'a government as treason. Mikati also happens to be one of the richest businessmen in Lebanon, with an estimated $2.5 billion net worth in 2010 according to Forbes.
During today's event, Mikati discussed, as Lebanese politicians are wont to do, the usual national problems: sectarianism, the economy, government administration... But due to his position, none of what he said went beyond the consensus conclusion of general state ineffectiveness.
In any case, you have to admire the cojones/blissful unawareness of a billionaire politician condemning the amalgam between politics and big money in Lebanon, and yet, this was one of Mikati's criticisms of the status quo. Or the eyeroll-worthy affirmation that, since 40 percent of diplomacy jobs and the majority of public administration positions are held by women, there isn't really such a thing as gender inequality in Lebanon. Mabrouk, ladies!
But the most troubling moment was when Mikati was asked by a student in the crowd what could be done to combat the Damocles sword of communitarian tensions in Lebanon. He answered: "Sectarianism is the most dangerous thing in Lebanon. I can admit that we failed in [addressing this issue]. But you [the younger generation] can change this."
When one of the most powerful statesmen in your country tells you he and other powerful figures are powerless to change the status quo, and contentedly suggests to kick the can further down the road until someone, hopefully, at some point, has the courage to address the elephant in the room... Well, there's valid reason to feel discouraged.
To be fair, I don't expect Mikati to be able to change an ossified, divisive system all on his lonesome overnight . But there are plenty of initial steps that can be taken, if one bothered to listen to the activists who have been advocating for institutional change for decades. The fact of the matter is, the current system is convenient for the people in power, most of whom come from the very families involved in politics during the civil war. And to pretend otherwise is pure hypocrisy.
[Before I go on, I must note that my impressions discussed further down apply to the experience I have had today listening to Mikati himself speak, and that I am well aware that politicians, on every side of the political spectrum, in Lebanon, or in any other nation, are guilty of the same rhetorical emptiness. Fortunately for you all, I don't have enough time to detail my impressions of every shitty politician in France, the US or elsewhere. All that is to say that: please don't interpret this as me being pro-Occidental, pro-March 14 or what have you. These are systemic problems in politics, which I am addressing through one given personal experience. Make of it what you will.]
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| Najib Mikati. Photo from najib-mikati.net |
During today's event, Mikati discussed, as Lebanese politicians are wont to do, the usual national problems: sectarianism, the economy, government administration... But due to his position, none of what he said went beyond the consensus conclusion of general state ineffectiveness.
In any case, you have to admire the cojones/blissful unawareness of a billionaire politician condemning the amalgam between politics and big money in Lebanon, and yet, this was one of Mikati's criticisms of the status quo. Or the eyeroll-worthy affirmation that, since 40 percent of diplomacy jobs and the majority of public administration positions are held by women, there isn't really such a thing as gender inequality in Lebanon. Mabrouk, ladies!
But the most troubling moment was when Mikati was asked by a student in the crowd what could be done to combat the Damocles sword of communitarian tensions in Lebanon. He answered: "Sectarianism is the most dangerous thing in Lebanon. I can admit that we failed in [addressing this issue]. But you [the younger generation] can change this."
When one of the most powerful statesmen in your country tells you he and other powerful figures are powerless to change the status quo, and contentedly suggests to kick the can further down the road until someone, hopefully, at some point, has the courage to address the elephant in the room... Well, there's valid reason to feel discouraged.
To be fair, I don't expect Mikati to be able to change an ossified, divisive system all on his lonesome overnight . But there are plenty of initial steps that can be taken, if one bothered to listen to the activists who have been advocating for institutional change for decades. The fact of the matter is, the current system is convenient for the people in power, most of whom come from the very families involved in politics during the civil war. And to pretend otherwise is pure hypocrisy.
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