Social Issues – Lebanon

Lebanon is one of the oldest countries in the Middle East and has beautiful views. Lebanon was called “the land of milk and honey” in the bible. Paris of the East is the nickname for Beirut. Shakira is the famous singer from Lebanon. There are five countries which are surrounding Lebanon - Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Cyprus and Turkey.

In 1943 the Christians got more power than Muslims in running the country after independence from France. In addition to that after Arab-Israeli war the Muslims refugees’ flooded to Lebanon and these circumstances contributed to increased tensions between Muslims and Christians. In 1975, the tensions reached their peak when a radical Christian group attacked and killed a bus full of Palestinians in downtown Beirut. As a result the revenge killings followed, and violence began to spiral out of control and Syria sent 20000 troops to root out and quash radical Muslims as a result. In 1982, the Israeli army invaded the city with the aim of removing the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).However in 1989, the peace deal occurred between them and an international force entered the country and this contributed to create a new situation which made a better equalized situation between Christians and Muslims with a new Lebanese parliament. There were human and economic costs of that conflict. Between 150000-200000 people died, 300 were wounded and economy was paralyses.

Nowadays, us-style shopping malls have sprouted up across the city, building cranes are every where. Newly built highways carry high-speed traffic and teenage girls on roller blades share the wide walkway with women dressed in black dresses, robe, and scarves and these are good signs of social and economic recovery in Beirut. But currently there are a lot of problems in the country. 300000 young people have left the country and the life is too expensive especially the electricity. Unfortunately the foreigners are investing in Lebanon without care of the poor people.




Bibliography:
"Eye on Lebanon." Global Eye. Spring 2006. Royal Geographic Society. 8 Apr. 2008 .