By Dana Khraiche and Marie Dhumières

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

BEIRUT: As masses took to the streets of Egypt’s main cities Tuesday, Lebanese were closely following the latest developments, discussing possible outcomes and comparing Egypt’s uprising to the 2005 “Cedar Revolution,” which led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.

“The Egyptian revolution is a replica of the Cedar Revolution; both of them aimed at overthrowing a specific system of government,” said Fadi, who owns a flower shop in Hamra.

But for Fadi, the “Egyptian revolution” could be more successful. “They don’t face our problem which is sectarianism. The Cedar Revolution was not able to bring all of us together. “Look,” he said pointing at the TV broadcasting footage from the Egyptian protests, “the people are together united for one cause.”
Others like Tarek, an American University of Beirut graduate student, agreed with Fadi. “The Egyptian people are unanimously in agreement, but in Lebanon the Cedar Revolution’s components immediately fell apart.”

However, Tarek felt pessimistic about the outcome of the Egyptian unrest. “It’s easy to take something out, but putting another thing in its place is the difficult task.”
Wissam, a lawyer, believed that the two so-called revolutions are in fact different: “We had a cause and an alternative, they don’t.”

Some voiced their support of Egyptian protesters, saying that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak should step down. “The people over there had enough of him and of the situation in the country,” said Jacqueline Saydeh, a 28-year-old teacher. “They don’t have any work, they don’t have anything. He [Mubarak] has been in power for 30 years, it’s enough.”

Bilal al-Baba, 21, also seemed convinced it was time for Mubarak to leave. “They have to get rid of Mubarak and bring in a new president.” But Baba’s coworker, Mohammad, who preferred not to give his last name, believed that removing Mubarak wouldn’t be easy. “He’s going to hold on to power.”

Some expressed their support to Mubarak’s government. “I’m with the current system,” said Mohammad Nsouli, a sandwich shop owner. Farid, one of Nasouli’s customers, stepped in the conversation to say Egypt needs Mubarak. “If Mubarak doesn’t stay in power, the Egyptians will starve.”
Farid then gave the conversation a wider angle. “Arabs are stupid; they need a dictator like Mubarak.”

But some disagree. “All dictatorships have to go,” said a 65-year-old woman who refused to be identified, “We are fed up, fed up with everything; we need change in the Arab world.” “Enough, enough, enough,” she repeated.
“A wind of change” is blowing through the region, said Georges Kanaan, a Gemmayzeh bakery owner. “This is changing everything, maybe Yemen would be next, maybe Jordan, or Saudi Arabia,” added Kanaan, who confessed he personally hoped that Syria would be next after Tunisia and Egypt’s uprising.

Although Fouad Kessler, a 39-year-old French-Lebanese owner of a grocery shop, is skeptical about the odds of Egypt-inspired unrest in Syria, he believed that “everything is possible, even in Syria.”

For several days, Lebanese and Egyptians have been gathering outside the Egyptian Embassy in Lebanon, located near Cola in Beirut, in support of the current uprising against Mubarak.

Egyptian Abboud Qassi, 28, said he protested in front of the embassy. “Mubarak doesn’t listen to the people in the streets,” Qassi said. “They are beating people, throwing tear gas at them, they don’t listen to us. It’s been seven days, and they’re not listening,” he said.

But Egyptians living and working in Lebanon have mixed views on the issue. “They wanted to take down the government and they did, but what is still going on right now is unnecessary,” said Mohammad who declined to give his last name. “Mubarak is a good guy; people around him were the ones stealing from the people.”