At President Aoun’s speech on November 12, people were provoked, infuriated and fueled with anger. Protesters were once again blocking roads, burning tires and determined even more to topple the regime. The unfortunate events of the evenings of November 12 and 13, when people in Khaldeh and Jal el Dib were exposed to gunshots by anti-protest party members, and the loss of one protester’s life, didn’t make it any easier neither.
Protesters in Jounieh, Nahr el Kalb, blocked the tunnel’s road from both sides with stones, soil and barbed wires. In the heat of all the previous incidents, some people protested inside the tunnel, where they started building a cement wall. At the moment, blocking the highway with this hard material felt like a statement, cement is not as easy to remove as garbage bins, tires or even cars.
This situation went on for a while, people stood their ground, refused to leave or remove the roadblocks. Even when the power was cut off from the tunnel and its surroundings, the protesters lit candles and placed light bulbs above its entrance.
After things calmed down a little, other revolutionaries came to remind the protesters at Nahr el Kalb of the revolution’s principles. They reminded them that the purpose of this revolution is to break down walls, not building them. This revolution has managed during the past 28 days to remove all political, regional, and religious=sectarian barriers between the Lebanese people.
One of the greatest and most important outcomes of the protests is that people from all regions are now united more than ever. Protesters from all over Lebanon are acting as one. They are supporting, celebrating, and consoling each other when needed.
With these words of wisdom and motivation, and with the unraveled fact that people’s unity is stronger than walls, protesters tore down the wall inside the Nhar el Kalb tunnel. Though the Jounieh highway is still blocked with people’s determination.
While words spread about the “Lebanese Forces” political party being the agitators behind the building of the wall, the party denied that they have anything to do with this incident. They also claimed that this accusation is an attempt to politicize the movement and mislead the people.
That heated reaction in Nahr el Kalb was a wake-up call for all protesters. People should stay aware and cautious of falling once again in the traps of separation and division.
After all these days, efforts and sacrifices, if there’s one thing the Lebanese people have learned is that they are stronger together, with no dividers whatsoever in between. Let us never fall into re-actions and stick instead to actions, which have been benefiting the revolution.
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