Blues for Achrafieh

I don't usually write anything political on this blog, but yesterday's events in Lebanon are too serious to ignore.

Yesterday's car bomb in the Achrafieh district of Beirut was devastating. The area is one of the main and historic districts home to a huge population of the city. Innocent lives were lost and dozens wounded. Adding fuel to the fire was that Wissam Al-Hassan, the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Chief, was assassinated, and clearly he was the main target. Al-Hassan uncovered a major conspiracy regarding involvement of the Syrian regime in plotting bombings in Lebanon.

Beirut is my hometown (I'm from the Mseitbeh district), and my grandmothers and uncles houses are across from Achrafieh in Ras El- Nabaa. I have many friends from there or have family living there. I used to spend a lot of my time in Achrafieh. I even performed in it's pubs in Monot Street. 

I am very saddened about this news, as it makes us remember the old times (not only the civil war, but the political assassinations as recent as Rafik Hariri, Walid Eido, Samir Kassir, Pierre El-Gmayel etc).

Many Lebanese started blocking roads and burning tires in several areas, including Tarik El-Jdideh, where our old home was. I'm not for inciting violence, however you must understand that the Lebanese are fed up by the inefficiency of the Mikati government, which is run by Hezbollah in actuality. 

I send out my heartfelt condolences to the lives lost in this horrible explosion, and I wish all those affected by the blast a speedy recovery.