“Beirut dusts off 1975 lexicon” is how Friday Lunch Club summarized the media reporting of yesterday’s demonstrations and clashes. The demonstrations resulted in nine civilian casualties and more than 30 injuries. During the Lebanese civil war which began 1975 and ended 1990, certain terms and phrases were used to describe the security situation on the ground. Suddenly, the same phrases, like “cautious calm”, “snipers”, “axis” and “demarcation line,” which have long been forgotten, popped up in the news again, bringing with them a specter of the Lebanese worst nightmare: a civil war. Here is a random selection of bloggers’ reflections on yesterday’s incidents which started as demonstrations against electricity shortages and against hikes in prices but ended in riots, shootings and deaths. EDB at Anecdotes from a Banana Republic described yesterday’s incidents in a post that started with: At around 4pm this afternoon, dozens of men–mostly followers of Nabih Berri's Amal Movement– gathered near the Mar Mikhael Church in Chiyah (in Beirut's southern suburbs) to protest electricity shortages. Riots over living conditions have been an almost daily occurrence in recent weeks; some neighborhoods outside central Beirut receive only 2 hours of electricity per day. When the impromptu rioting broke out, the army routinely moved in to clear the burning tires from the road and disperse the angry crowd. They were met with a barrage of rocks. A scuffle between soldiers and protesters ensued; and then– sniper gunfire from an unknown location. A local Amal leader shot dead. On TV later, continuous rounds of gunfire could be heard; panicked soldiers ducked and elbowed their way along the ground as protesters tried to flee the scene. EDB concludes her narration of the incidents by writing: Prime Minister Saniora just declared tomorrow–Monday– a “national day of mourning”. All schools and universities will remain closed. Yesterday was also a national day of mourning, in honor of the 10 victims who perished in a car bombing the previous day. Lebanon Reporter compares the situation today with the situation right before the ensuing of the civil war in 1975, and sees some similarities: It made me think about the unrest before the civil war in 1975. (I happened to be studying for an exam about the history of politics in Lebanon at the time I heard.) The circumstances back then were a bit the same: dispute over powersharing arrangements, protests about work environment, cost of living, etc. (in short: unfair treatment towards the lower classes, Shia in particular). I am not saying we're about to get pulled in a civil war (who can predict that? + there were more reasons for the civil war to start… though I'd like to know who te killers were). It just made me think.. Why is it that after 30 yrs these problems still exist to a degree that people feel forced to show ‘civil disobedience’ (and then this happens)? Marxist From Lebanon draws many lessons from yesterday's bloody incidents, among these are: Yesterday’s Scenario: Main Lessons There are different scenarios to be learnt from yesterday’s events: 1) A civil war can break out any moment from now on 2) The leaders are losing their grip on their followers, they have been too much involved in mobilizing their followers against the “traitors” to the extent they are losing their grips on them 3) Government/Opposition leaders haven’t realized that their “escalation” tactics are not paying off on the negotiation tables (well through the mediators) rather it is reflecting on the people 4) The media needs to be controlled, the political party affiliates should impose on all media (including Al-Mannar) to report information as it happened, and not to build up a situation towards a potential civil war. The Inner Circle groups sees a professional murderer behind all the disturbances, bombing and killing going on in Lebanon during the past few years: An unknown murderer, who’s been sweeping Lebanon since Feb 14, 2004; has struck again. I’d like to bundle all the killings and public murdering of a professional hit man (or group – no idea) will get in the way of Lebanese dividing and confronting the other. Reality is, the rascals are the minority people, and the citizens of Lebanon, are the far majority. This time a 21 year boy, making a political statement. Not by economic strain, but mostly to collapse the government in which he views the Prime Minister Seniora heads. I stay neutral on the situtation, as my standards of drawing the line, has completely different game-rules. Beirut Spring sees a third party, other than the demonstrators and the army, acting as “agents porvocateurs” to stir unrest and strife: The nature of the first victim says it all.