Lebanon Today From Lebanese Bloggers...Including a LIVE Blogger

The Word Unheard out of Beirut is that Tuesday could prove to be an important day as Hizballah takes to the streets in counter-protests today and is worthy of our close attention. In an effort to help make this Word a little less Unheard, what follows below is a montage of Lebanese bloggers reporting on events taking place with everything from situational analysis, cell phone photos posted from Martyrs' Square, on the scene reporting and LIVE Blogging from one source.

A Montage of Lebanese blogs:

On Monday, we saw a Ya Libnan Exclusive: Live demonstration report from Lebanon. Could Tuesday bring us the same? The Word Unheard will be checking frequently.

Monday brought us Cell Phone Photos from Beirut's Cedar March Monday.

This independent report of an Independence Demonstration Lebanese civilian shot from a passing car.

A second independent report of another shooting between Pro-Syrian and Pro-Independence demonstrators from Matthew in Beirut: Shots fired. Matthew is an American in Beirut.

An outstanding Lebanese perspective on the speeches from Assad and Nasrallah from Caveman in Beirut: Two Speeches, Two Dances.

So it should come as little surprise that, while Nasrallah rejected the political program of the opposition, he still wants to demonstrate that Hizbullah has something besides violence within its political agenda. This is why he called for a large organized demonstration within close proximity of the opposition protests occurring at Martyrs' Square in Beirut...

...But why the risk? Undoubtedly, a pro-Syria mob chanting anti-Israel and anti-America slogans (which is usually what Hizbullah members do when they are gathered in large numbers), regardless of how disciplined, by its very nature takes on the appearance of a mob intent on doing violence to something...The temptation to provoke, if Hizbullah's Ashoura demonstrations are any indication, increases exponentially upon the presence of those who may easily be provoked - members of the Lebanese Forces party, for example...

A Lebanese Abroad takes exception to Lebanese press assertions: Hizbullah Not a Problem?

I take offense to the Daily Star’s editorial Hizbullah is not a problem- it is part of Lebanon’s solution.

Their analysis is flawed and short-sighted...Comparing Syria’s interference in Lebanon (with all of its apparatus) to occasional comments made by Israel or the United States about Lebanon is a mockery and an insult to the intelligence of most Lebanese or non-Lebanese people. The Daily Star is misleading its readers. Syria’s role in Lebanon is deep, very deep...

Also from A Lebanese Abroad:

...Although today's Independence demonstrations were the largest yet, they did not get as much coverage in the Western press...

More Independence Demonstration photos from Kadmous, including some of Military Police restraint.

And yet more Independence Demonstration photos in a montage from Monday's Live Blogger Ya Libnan!. Personal Favorite: "Syrial Killers" sign.


Pay special attention to Ya Libnan! today as The Word Unheard hopes for more LIVE (or on closer inspection, likely nearly Live) blogging from Beirut again today.

From Monday's Live demonstration report from Lebanon:

You can't resist the goose bumps from crawling up when singing the national anthem in Martyr's Square right at the foot of the statue of the martyrs that was appearing and disappearing among the waving of the thousands of Lebanese flag. I wanted to share such an exhilarating experience with all of you who are abroad and unfortunately couldn't take part of the current events that deal with the very essence of our nation.

In an attempt to bring you closer to the echo of the streets of Beirut, I will list below the chants of the people as they protest:
* Assad assad bi libnan, arnab arnab bil Joulan !
* Ya soory ya 3akr@@t, shou yalleh jabak 3a Beirut !
* 7orriyeh, siyadeh, istiklal !
* Zoom Out ! Zoom Out ! (in reference to Bashar El-Assad's statement that if media camera's zoom out, the crowds are not as many as they seem)

...

Trust me, it is not the same as you see on TV.

The least I can begin to tell you is that there are more than 20 live white doves on the grave amidst tons of flowers and lit candles, and surrounded by joint prayer of Muslims and Christians.
This, my friends is history in the making.

Wish you were here to be part of it.