Effects of Gulf War create ripples in Lebanese politics

Scan page 13

The following is an interview I conducted in mid-February with a leader of the Lebanese section of the Fourth International, the world revolutionary organization founded Question: Could you describe for me the impact of the Gulf war on politics in Lebanon?

Answer: This has varied according to the regions. Some are under Syrian dominance, while there are no Syrians in the South. In Saida for example, the Palestinian camps are dominated by Arafat and the PLO. Toward the East, there is the Christian area dominated by the Falangists.

There have been big demonstrations in Saida, the largest ones in solidarity with Iraq and against the imperialist aggression. The walls of the city are covered with slogans expressing support for Iraq and denouncing the imperialists.

As regards the part of the country under Syrian domination, there was a demonstration in the southern suburbs of Beirut. It brought out about 30,000 people. This happened only once, a few weeks ago, at the beginning of the war.

Since then, there has been hardly anything. It is said that the Syrians have jailed dozens of people who have talked about solidarity with Iraq. They were seized by the Syrian striking forces there. The Syrians have also tried to prevent the mass media from talking about this question.

We ourselves have tried to get articles in the Beirut daily press, in the two most famous dailies, Sefir and Al Nahar. They told us that this was impossible. Our own publication cannot reach many people. Its print run varies from a few hundred to about a thousand.

While it has been impossible to break into the media, it was possible to discuss the question in cultural institutions. There was a rally bringing together a great number of these institutions at the Lebanese Writers' 12 SOCIALIST АСТІОЛ Union, where everyone talked about the aggression and in solidarity with Iraq, except for one person who is a hired hand of the Syrian regime.

There was discussion about a program for mobilizing. A rally was called where several people were to speak, but it was cancelled as a result of Syrian pressure.

It is possible that the Syrians will take action against us, if we manage to get our position [out] to many people. They are aware of it. It was expressed in the meeting of the cultural institutions.

Question: What is the attitude of the general population?

Answer: About 90 percent is with Iraq. But now it is nearly impossible to express this opinion. For the Christians, of course, this question is tricky. In the last few years, the Iraqi regime has supported the Christian reactionaries. It supported the Falangists, and then it backed Michel Aoun against the Syrians.

Only on the TV station of the Lebanese forces, a member of the Iraqi leadership in Lebanon was interviewed. The Hezbollah, the pro-Iranian [faction], organized the big demonstration I talked about in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

The Lebanese Communist party also called on its supporters to take part in that action. We talked with the Communist Party about holding a demonstration in Beirut. They are afraid, they are afraid of Syrian repression. They said that maybe, if Israel entered the war, that would mobilize people. And maybe then there would be demonstrations in Beirut.

But as of now they don't want to do anything. As regards their position on the Gulf war, it is not different from that of the Syrians. They call for the withdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait, at the same time calling for the withdrawal of the imperialist forces from the Gulf.

On the other hand, the party leadership faces a challenge from within to its whole policy, to Gorbachevism. There is talk about MARCH 1991 Pro-Saddam a left current. But nothing definite is about it.

Question: Is Syria's support of the imperialists undermining its position in Lebanon?

Answer: We have to wait [and see]. If the war drags on, we can expect changes not only in Lebanon but also in Syria. Because the Syrian people itself are totally against the policy of their government. They are with Iraq.

Slogans have been written on the walls of Damascus and Aleppo, and other Syrian cities. There was even a meeting of writers and artists, who made a statement that was published in' the papers in Lebanon. In that statement, they affirm their total solidarity with Iraq.

The regime feels threatened. But so far it has a firm hand on the situation. The future is uncertain. There is a threat in particular from the fundamentalists, the Muslim Brothers. The Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan has made a statement against the Syrian regime, calling on the Syrian people to topple the government.

But so far there has been nothing in terms of acts. In Lebanon, there has been vocal opposition to the aggression among the Druses, one of the major religious communities.

Their present leader has made several statements, in which you can see a position against the aggression, support for the Iraqi people. Even Saut el-Jebel, the Voice of the Mountain, their radio station, supported Iraq for several days, but the Syrians intervened and forced it to confine itself to rebroadcasting the reports from CNN. The Lebanese TV channels are all relying on CNN.

Question: Isn't there any organized mass opposition to the aggression?

Answer: Yes, the students, even in the American University. There was a demonstration on the campus of the American University, but the Syrians repressed this.

In the Lebanese University, there was a call for a meeting of all the students in the Law School. The Syrian forces came and prevented the students from going in. But the students have tried to demonstrate. In Saida, the unions participated in the demonstration I mentioned.

Question: In what sectors are the Lebanese Fourth Internationalists working mainly?

Answer: Among the youth, in the universities. But in the Druse mountair s we are in contact with various layers, working youth and also farmers. We have a lot of contacts with factory workers. Andy Hernandez for NEWSWEEK