The people of Lebanon will not sleep tonight.
The Americans have put it as straight as American accent would allow; '...any ceasefire is unrealistic' they say. If there were a Tsunami warning system installed on the political globe, the needle would have jumped out of the apparatus and would have leapt to the closest wall and scratched- HELL.
HELL.
But I write to make a different point. At the moment the TV screens are showing images of 'Evacuations'( So far the word was reserved for natural calamities ) from the Lebanese sea and Airports. Countries have sent out their best and the biggest warships to bring their citiznes home; SAFE.
At their homes wait anxious mothers who will not stop crying, the wives and children queuing up at the Indian embassy to see if their men are on the list of evacuees.
But, I ask, what of those who have (at least for now) their homes in Lebanon. And I have a little grouse. These thousands of people who are now dying to get out were in Lebanon for reasons-tourist, trade or whatever- why have they not decided to stay back with their hosts? For once they leave the Lebanese will be at the mercy of the Daisy-cutters and Hellfire missiles from the Israeli Black-hawks.
There departure entails the arrival of the Israeli wrath in Beirut. The city that is known as the Paris of the Middle East shall burn the moment all the evacuations are complete.
Had these people and there are hundreds and thousands of them- from the VIP American tourists to the Asian housemaids- have they and their home countries not acted with , what do I say, lack of guts then the Israeli plan would have been foiled. Had the Warships not been sent to bring back people back but to keep those people safe where they were, then it would have been different story?
For now, as the evacuees will start pouring in their grief stricken teary-eyed relatives(posing generously for the TV)wil have their tale written all over.Children will wave from the arms of their loved ones who have finally come home safely.
Leaving behind those who so far were their hosts and friends and employers and employees and students and teachers and bakers and cab-drivers and phone-operators...For many of them tonight will be their last nights...and that's why they will not sleep.
first published:July 21, 2006, 17:26 ISTlast updated:July 21, 2006, 17:26 IST
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The people of Lebanon will not sleep tonight.
The Americans have put it as straight as American accent would allow; '...any ceasefire is unrealistic' they say. If there were a Tsunami warning system installed on the political globe, the needle would have jumped out of the apparatus and would have leapt to the closest wall and scratched- HELL.
HELL.
But I write to make a different point. At the moment the TV screens are showing images of 'Evacuations'( So far the word was reserved for natural calamities ) from the Lebanese sea and Airports. Countries have sent out their best and the biggest warships to bring their citiznes home; SAFE.
At their homes wait anxious mothers who will not stop crying, the wives and children queuing up at the Indian embassy to see if their men are on the list of evacuees.
But, I ask, what of those who have (at least for now) their homes in Lebanon. And I have a little grouse. These thousands of people who are now dying to get out were in Lebanon for reasons-tourist, trade or whatever- why have they not decided to stay back with their hosts? For once they leave the Lebanese will be at the mercy of the Daisy-cutters and Hellfire missiles from the Israeli Black-hawks.
There departure entails the arrival of the Israeli wrath in Beirut. The city that is known as the Paris of the Middle East shall burn the moment all the evacuations are complete.
Had these people and there are hundreds and thousands of them- from the VIP American tourists to the Asian housemaids- have they and their home countries not acted with , what do I say, lack of guts then the Israeli plan would have been foiled. Had the Warships not been sent to bring back people back but to keep those people safe where they were, then it would have been different story?
For now, as the evacuees will start pouring in their grief stricken teary-eyed relatives(posing generously for the TV)wil have their tale written all over.Children will wave from the arms of their loved ones who have finally come home safely.
Leaving behind those who so far were their hosts and friends and employers and employees and students and teachers and bakers and cab-drivers and phone-operators...For many of them tonight will be their last nights...and that's why they will not sleep.
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