Syrian Social Nationalist Party going strong in Hamra
Right after Hezbollah's take over of West-Beirut, flags and graffiti of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party appeared everywhere, especially in Hamra. Despite the name, it was founded in Beirut by the Lebanese journalist/philosopher and Greek-Orthodox Antoun Saadeh.
Every year, the party organizes a memorial celebration for one of its main achievements: the killing of two Israeli soldiers in Hamra. Interesting enough, they don't celebrate one of their more remarkable achievements: the killing of Bashir Gemayel by an SSNP member 1982. Anyway...
Below are some pictures I took today that shows the SSNP is still going strong in Hamra, despite the fact that many Lebanese don't hold warm feelings towards their black flag.
Photo 1: Our new president anxiously looking at the SSNP flag in front of AUB's Main Gate
Photo 2: A brand new banner in Hamra: "the SSNP congratulates Michel Suleiman for holding the army together and is sure he will also hold Lebanon together in unity"...hrm...so much for the SSNP's ideals of joining Lebanon with Syria?
Photo 3: Even an SSNP flag right in front of the 'Hariri building' which was just finished before the fighting and subsequently demolished. Apparantly, the building was a donation of the Hariri foundation to some syndicate and thus no longer belongs to Hariri. Still, the glass front was completely smashed anyway. It seems that the SSNP have set up offices in the abandoned gas station a few meters before this building. Be careful when trying to take pictures, though: the men hanging around there sure didn't appreciate me taking a photograph, so I didn't.
Photo 4: A common sight these days: freshly washed flags of the SSNP everywhere you go in Hamra.
Photo 5: If the SSNP flags get to you, just walk 50 meters further to enjoy a nice view on the Mediterean Sea. You'd have to ignore the billboard though, showing a model in a cute SSNP-black bikini. One more color that has been politicized...sigh
9 comments:
Dear Riemer, there is nothing worth writing about, SSNP!!! Who are these Axx Hoxs, they've never been strong and will never be.
The only case left to talk about is the flags issue. Well to tell you the truth they post these flags under the cover of the night, about 3 to 4 am, and in places that no one cares about them.
For example take picture number one, a flag near AUB main gate, who will remove it? Don’t tell me AUB president??
Picture Number two, the banner, this is located in Hamra, Jean De'arc street, and to tell you why its there because of the Brand New Harriri Engineering Company "Leseco" previously was the Jean De'arc Cinema and was occupied during the civil war by the SSNP. Now they've moved "kicked out" from there and moved to the building to the right of the picture. A banner that is normal to be near the office.
I wished that you've continued your walk next to the Ministry of Economics to see the building that was previously occupied by the SSNP and now cleaned up by the Lebanese Army, nice to see the Lebanese flag on the 8th floor instead of the pirate’s flag.
Picture number three, same as two.
Just wait a few days and I promise that you’ll never see these rats again.
one of the SSNP more remarkable achievements: the killing of Bashir Gemayel in 1982. Achievement? are you kidding me? or are you kidding yourself?if it were not for someone like him, or for people who believed in him or had his vision, you would not be living where you are right now.hell no, you would be living under a regime which would ban internet, fax machines and listen to phone calls.outrageous.
@Paul,
I was speaking from their perspective: why would the SSNP celebrate the killing of two Israeli soldiers when it can also claim the responsibility of killing Bashir Gemayel?
Please accept that I used the word 'achievements' in the strictest neutral sense of the word.
sorry for my outburst. Some things really piss me off, and this would probably rank highest.
1st to anonymous ====> before u talk make sure that ur informations are true..the building that ur talking about wasnt for the ssnp ... its was for the akkaar people that came after that hariri order them and many times problems happened with them because they were impolite with the peoples that pass by this building and specially on the girls .... ( this is true because it came from people in high rank.. or if u don't believe go ask the army)
than for the aub flag they remove it because many problems happened.
and for Mr.Paul..
if they celebrate for the 2 israelien tht died because if i can let u remember tht lebanon is in war with israel..
and for gemayel i wonder if u accept that ur president work with israel
last thing
for the creator of this blog.. u can go anytime u want around 8pm in hamra and ask a interview and u will see and hear wht u wan to hear.
Dear Sir(s),
To tell you the truth, the SSNP can be regarded as weak because the sectarian, tribal, isolationist dogmas that are widespread in greater Syria need a lot of work and years of achievement accumulation. I would like to challenge any one who posted on this blog, and the respectable blogger himself, to debate with an SSNP member the ideological concerns of the party, the field work done on site in villages throughout the nation and on another level, the academic and military campaigns/operations against Israel stem from the belief that this entity is colonial, it is based on a systematic ideology and not pure economic interets and last but not least, the killing of the 2 officers by Khaled Alwan is a heroic act against what was defined by the UN as Beirut occupation (Resolution 425).
As for Bashir Gemayel, i would appreciate the brainwashing and ridiculous post that suggested that if it werent for Shaykh bashir's dream, we would live in a fax-less, internet-less state! thats preposterous! I cant believe this speech can fool so many. Shaykh Bashir wanted the good of christians and not the lebanese. LF's sign is a cross!! as a secular, i trully resent all sectarian figures, yes even the Shiaa ones. `but i will onky challenge and fight those who preach separatist, federalist, isolationist, pro freindship wih israel policies. Why?? because SSNP is with the Palestinian Rights to return its with UN resolutions that are repeatedly ignored and/or vetoed by the US. It is with the one state solution for the time being.
SSNP's flags holds a lot of meaning if you care to know what it means. The bikini in the picture? what are you trying to be funny? You have the right to say what you wish and i have the right to respond.
SSNP protected the Christians in West Beirut and protected Muslims in East Beirut. SSNP is the party where the real dream is, however paradoxically this phrase might seem.
SSNP is with Unity. The banner it hung for the President is for the Unity of lebanon, an integral part of Syria. I never imagined that your comment will be that naive or space-filling. Your posts are long, graphic. Please fill them with intellectual notes and interesting analysis that we can discuss together. Uniting lebanese factions is a step that cannot be overlooked by SSNP. Unity with Syria is not the priority. We are a sociological ideology and not an amateur design of a man who has money, or a family that has connections, or a feudalist who inherited the post. we are people who believe in institutions, equality, civil society. tell me, who shares this too?
Dear all,
One can never say that SSNP appeared after what happened in May, because if you know little Lebanon and the Lebanese society you woud know that SSNP was found in Hamra and Beirut and has always been there. The SSNP did not get strong after May or when the syrian army was here or whenever because SSNP has always been strong by the ideaology it carries and the faith of its members in this party and ideaology.
I really dont know what to say more because you are not a person who is worth the time for a debate, or even a quick chat. You are not worthy the time of any SSNP member because anyone who wants to write or make a comment about SSNP should be a well acknowledged, intelligent, and behaved person,and from what you have posted, you are none of these...
We are proud of khaled A'Ilwan and we are proud of anyone who fights Israel whether by a gun or by a word....
aaa.
shame on you mr anonymous . i advise you to see a dr . i am an ssnp member ,moslem as well ,i never want to uncover my religon but i had to.ssnp made me a human who belives we are all one nation.regardless of colour or religon.thats why i would defend you as lebanse christion from my country with my own blood. thats what how we are . but may not worth it shame upon you.
The goal of the SSNP is noble.
Who was it that divided, occupied, and oppressed Lebanon and Syria?
The West, the French, the colonialists and profiteers.
Lebanon and Syria have a connected history and are critically important in the struggle of the Mediterranean people.
I'm Lebanese and I support the SSNP.
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