The recent return of political assassinations does not bode well for Lebanon. The latest painful episode of the killing of Lokman Slim, researcher and political activist, seemingly indicates a strong return to the blood and tears saga. This return was made possible by a collapse in the authorities’ security apparatus that charted the trend of the political, health, economic, and financial collapse. However, the collapse did not only forsake Lebanon, it also handed the country to its de facto ruler, Hezbollah.
Perhaps the decision to eliminate Lokman Slim through assassination was not by coincidence or chance, it was a necessary condition towards achieving a tight Iron grip upon the country which requires silencing influential figures spearheading the battle against this control. Silencing these individuals thus becomes an end that justifies murderous means!
The assassination of Lokman Slim is not detached from the crisis afflicting Lebanon as a nation and as state. It is a crime that will lead to more deterioration and disintegration within our democratic system and our national identity in favor of chaos first of all. Second of all, this crime is an introduction into a new phase of downward spiraling security within a state whose administration resembles a dictatorship that seeks to crush what little freedom and diversity of opinion remain in Lebanon that could threaten the status quo. Thirdly, the crime reveals the inability of the killer to perform positive actions to thrive and flourish. Instead, he turns towards terrorism and assassination in an air of desperation and confusion due to his dilemmas. Murder is used by him as a tool to assert his power to himself on one hand, and to dispel any rumors of his weakness on the other hand.
As a result of those three reasons, and others, Lebanese are witnessing their own country slide into a path of authoritarianism that targets what is left of the solid ground they stand upon. The current ruling authority was fully exposed at the turn of the October 17th revolution. Its corruption was exposed, and its inability to salvage itself as well. The corrupt systems it relied upon were also exposed, and it is now down to its last resorts of subjugating and terrorizing the people. After it had become bankrupt, the state lost the most important tool to unlawfully recruit supporters and maintain control over society. However, throughout that, it never lost political and military control. Not only do the authorities still maintain this control to impose violence over the citizens, but they also uphold Hezbollah’s military and security influence as well!
Hezbollah had announced through their secretary general that the current administration will not fall by any means. Therefore, they placed themselves squarely against anyone who voices opposition towards it. Violence and murder are now the two main responses against those who raise their opposition. What awaits Lebanon in the coming days is more intimidation and terrorism against free expression and the opposition of those responsible for our current crises. In this sense, the media, a large part of which has been subdued during the past years, will be subject to more silencing. Perhaps what went on with MTV and our colleague Dima Sadek, is the beginning of a new phase of repression; marking an end to the small margins of freedom that have remained and maintained a positive feature and a point of strength for Lebanon.
The assassination of Lokman Slim marks a new tragic era for Lebanon. This era is an antithesis of the Lebanese identity which held strong even during the 1975 civil war. Even external invasions failed to destroy or cancel the freedom of speech the people and the media enjoyed. These freedoms were always able to undermine and stifle attempts against them.
It has become very clear that the institutions and their defender “Hezbollah” does not bode the Lebanese people well at all. Rather, they continue to smother society and attempt to kill any attempt to exit the system and its crises. This confirms a truth that has permeated into the consciousness of all Lebanese, especially those who took part in protests and demonstrations, and that is that the path towards crisis, death, and destruction is clear and no longer hidden. The purveyors of this path boast their destruction of the state, economy, law, and constitution! This state and its protector are in trouble and their tools know nothing but murder. Life, on the other hand, is much stronger than any and all of these tools combined!
