The Washington Post has recently added a section to their sidebars on Lebanon and the changes that have occurred within the country since Syria’s departure in March 2005. The materials on that page paint a picture of a slow, gradual movement towards Lebanese freedom and economic development. However, Lebanon remains threatened by its own internal politics. Post columnist Anthony Shadid wrote, on December 21, 2005:
…the bigger worry among Lebanese is the growing sectarian tension in the country. Lebanon remains a country of the two protests in March — one organized by Hezbollah that was, for lack of a better phrase, pro-Syrian; the other, larger one demanding Syria’s withdrawal. Those divisions remain, and if anything, they are more pronounced today. To a degree, Lebanon has yet to reconcile with the war’s legacy. Many of the divisions remain, as do the leaders that fought that war. At times, they prove adept at negotiation and bargaining, but that same flexibility is not always reflected within their communities. The killings we’ve seen here after Hariri are of Orthodox Christian figures with no mass following. There’s a worry that if one of the more traditional communal leaders was killed, the aftermath might be far more dangerous.
Lebanon’s internal economic struggle continues as well. On the 2006 Index of Economic Freedom (Heritage Foundation), Lebanon dropped to ‘mostly unfree’ in economic practices. CIPE is working with local partners in Lebanon in order to improve the economic situation. Projects on corporate governance, anti-corruption, and policy advocacy are aiding in the fight to strengthen market structures. It will be interesting to see Lebanon’s progress in 2006, both economically and democratically.
Published Date: January 05, 2006