Lebanon’s hypocrisy

This week was quite astonishing in terms of hypocrisy, even for those used to the Lebanese way of stir frying facts and fiction. Two events stood out: Siniora’s calling for a thorough investigation of the Israeli incursion in the south of Lebanon and the Halat mass grave.

As for the first event, no one seemed to remember that only a few weeks earlier, reports came in about a Syrian incursion in the Bekaa valley. No outcry, no objections, but the moment Israel crosses the border, all hell breaks loose. Just to be clear, I think any self-respecting country should object to such incursions, but why the strange silence on Syrian actions?

Things only got worse the last few days. Some pro Aoun MPs were saying that there might be a mass grave near Halat. Since this territory was controlled by the Lebanese Forces, there was a clear underlying accusation from Aoun to Samir Geagea, the leader of the Lebanese Forces.

Two hypocrisies were striking: one, the prosecution of journalists who dutifully reported these severe statements made by MPs. Why wouldn’t a reporter write about MPs claiming there is an undiscovered mass grave in Lebanon? Sure, these journalists might not have been fully neutral in their coverage and might even have shown some...(sensitive people please look away)...bias! Imagine that!

The second one is the fact that Lebanese Forces supporters immediately started asking for Aoun to fess up locations of mass murders committed by his people. Remember the speeches Geagea gave when he was released from prison in 2005? All full of closure with the past, let bygones be bygones…except for one thing: giving the families of victims peace of mind by telling them what happened to their sons. Instead of accusing Aoun of hiding the truth, why doesn’t Geagea come clean on all the crimes of the Lebanese Forces?

Let me throw in a bonus hypocrisy: the poor search that was executed by the Lebanese government. It even triggered a response that they should have searched three meters to the left and right. Imagine this true, that they’d fail finding this mass grave because their search area should have been 3 meters wider? Could it be that the Lebanese government doesn’t want the mass grave to be found?