February 25, 2007	Sunday	Safar 7, 1428

BEIRUT: Fear of renewed civil war in Lebanon has led to the creation of dozens of civil movements which are venting their anger at the country’s politicians on the streets, billboards and the Internet.

Reform-minded groups have taken to the streets in the past few weeks, staging demonstrations, sit-ins and media campaigns, and writing Internet blogs to blast politicians they blame for the crisis pitting pro-government and opposition activists.

“Solve it or quit” is the name chosen for a new association of activists as a direct message to the nation’s politicians — all of them.

The group was formed after street clashes took a dangerous confessional turn when Shia opposition followers battled Sunni government supporters last month. Seven people were killed and 300 injured.

“Politicians from all sides hold speeches which seem like calls for civil war,” spokeswoman Sahar Assaf said in a reference to the 15 years of anarchy and killing that devastated the country until 1990.

“We will not wait until there are tens of thousands of people dead like in Iraq. We are planning to bring together all non-violent movements in order to show the greedy politicians that we are stronger than them,” she said.

Lebanon has been in turmoil since the 2005 murder of popular former premier Rafiq Hariri which has been widely blamed on Syria that was subsequently forced to end 29 years of military domination in its small neighbour.

Since then, Lebanon has been shaken by further attacks which many also blame on Syria, a war between Israel and the Shia guerrilla group Hezbollah in which 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, died, and a Hezbollah-led opposition campaign to oust the Western-backed government.

Tensions heightened as the opposition and the pro-government camps engaged in a fierce political and media war. Each side has its own media outlets, websites and billboard campaigns.

But now, independent civil movements have taken over the streets, media waves and billboards.

Along the country’s main highways, a campaign of billboards shows the disturbing image of two men pointing guns at each other’s heads.

“Who’s losing?” reads the billboard by a new group called “Loubnani w bass” which means in Arabic: “Just Lebanese”.

The group’s website said, “The events of recent months have revived painful memories. Once again our country is being torn by a bloody clash for power; once again our country is being manipulated by foreign agendas.—AFP