The inhabitants of northern Lebanon fallen into oblivion and deprivation
Audio 02:32
A man watches the site where fuel tanks exploded in the village of Talil, in northern Lebanon, which killed more than 30 people and burned nearly 80 others in Talil, Lebanon on August 16, 2021 (Image illustration) dpa / picture alliance via Getty I - picture alliance
By: Laure Stephan
7 mins
In Lebanon, the shortages have worsened for three months.
In peripheral regions, such as the north, bordering Syria, the deprivations are particularly acute: due to incidents, tankers restrict their entry there.
The North has always been neglected by the state and the feeling of marginalization is growing.
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From our correspondent in Beirut,
Arida is a small town on the border with Syria with its farmers' houses and fishing boats.
Here, the inhabitants have always felt neglected by the Lebanese state.
In these times of crisis, their isolation is reinforced.
"
Everything is at a standstill,"
said Ammar, a young man from the village.
I have a small grocery store, which has been closed for about a month. There is no work, no electricity. This morning, I was at the border: I help travelers coming from Syria. Lots of young people and children from Arida are there. They are looking for who wants help, a bottle of water in exchange for a ticket. Many young people were working in Beirut, including me, but with the crisis, there is nothing for us there.
"
At the border post, it is indeed the excitement. It contrasts with the total stopping, during our visit, at another border crossing, that of Aboudiyeh. Syrian truckers are stranded there. It is the effect of the paralysis that sets in. "We
've been here for five days, the border is closed,"
says Maamoun, from Hama.
It is not clear what the problem is, officers say the computer system is not working. The Arida border post is open, but I must exit at the same point through which I entered Lebanon. The situation in Lebanon is very difficult, we are not at peace.
"
According to residents, in Arida, days go by without electricity or telephone. To recharge his, Ammar drops it off at the border post office. Internet is accessible intermittently. Due to the lack of gasoline, trips are reduced. “
A while ago, until another month ago, people would bring in some gas,”
Ammar says.
But it stopped, when the crisis got worse, prices went up, and there was all the anarchy around black market gasoline. Now, frankly, if anyone brings a little fuel, it is to operate the fishing boats and for agriculture.
"
The black market in question is however clearly visible in other localities. At the entrance to the town of Halba, for example, plastic stripes filled with gasoline or fuel oil are placed by the side of the road, in full view of everyone. “
The customers are either people who cannot leave the region because their car is not in order, or farmers for tractors or agriculture,
explains Georges, a salesman.
The state does not properly subsidize gasoline. If he did, there would be fuel at the stations. It is the state that is the problem. Why does he not send security forces to supervise the distribution of gasoline to stations?
"
This man prefers to blame the state, rather than admit that the black market exacerbates the shortages.
Roadside sales are only part of this market: more powerful players are stockpiling fuels, out of speculation.
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Lebanon
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