I 17, V 43

The American University of Beirut

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Vol. XLIII, No. 17

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

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The Independent Student Publication Since 1949

Jafet Library celebrates

Comparison between NGOs

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Echoes from Egypt reach AUB

Dalia Hosn Staff Writer

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week after the resignation of Hosni Mubarak, echoes of the celebration in Tahrir Square reach AUB. On Friday, February 18, two large canvases were laid out in front of College Hall and AUB students were given the opportunity to send a message to the Egyptian people, who have so compellingly sent out a message to the entire world. With capital letters and exclamation points, smiley faces and cartoons, members of the AUB community scrawled proud

messages of love, solidarity and congratulations. The messages were similar in their content, calling it an inspiration and a “wake up call,” the feeling of an ongoing revolution calling out, “Let Egypt be one of many.”

The event was organized by FHS’s Health and Society group, in the hopes of sending the “two canvases to Egypt, hopefully before the 25th for the one month anniversary… as a sign of solidarity,” says (Photo by Mohammad Azzam)

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First annual AUB basic biomedical research day

Mira-lana Atoui Special to Outlook

Outlook Staff and contributing writers

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UB’s very first annual basic biomedical research day launched successfully last Saturday February 19 at the Charles Hostler Student Center (CHSC) Auditorium aimed at uniting members of different AUB faculty under one roof and, as per the annual basic biomedical research day pamphlet, “showcase the basic biomedical research [...] performed at AUB.” The event started off with short welcome notes delivered by three key figures, namely Assistant Dean for Interdisciplinary Programs at AUB’s Faculty of Medicine Dr. Ayyad Jaffa, followed by Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Vice President for Medical (Photo by Mohammad Azzam)

INSIDE

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AUB, a microcosm of the country?

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Campus News Green building course soon at AUB

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he minute Nada S., a junior student, set foot in the West Hall common room at the American University of Beirut (AUB) to cast her vote, her body froze, her mouth dropped, and her ears could not believe what she had just heard.

Nada said that she was approached by two of her friends who announced the name of her hometown, her religious sect, and her political affiliation for everyone in the crowded room to hear.

“It’s very disappointing.

What does any of that have to do with electing a student body?” she said.

Over the last decade, many AUB students have been gripped by a similar rush of

Campus News Biology juniors among first to register for the MCAT in Lebanon

Bliss Street, West Hall 208 Tel: 01 350 000 or 01 374 444 Ext.3193

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disappointment as Student Representative Committees (SRC) elections have been marked by political influence from various parties.

In an informal poll conducted on campus on November 22, with a sample of 70 students, all agreed that candidates are influenced by political parties, and approximately 78 percent said they would like to see a decrease in politics’ interference in SRC elections.

The Office of Student Affairs supervises the SRC elections in which the five faculties and the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business elect their own committees which then join forces and appoint their continued on page 5

Entertainment Black Swan movie review

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Campus news

February 22, 2011

Green building course to be offered at AUB

Outlook

Rayane Zahreddine Staff Writer

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he American University of Beirut has recently signed a memorandum of understanding that will allow it to provide engineering students a specialized course on green building concepts and specifications. AUB Provost Ahmad Dallal and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (FEA) Fadl Moukalled were among the signatories.

A one-year green building training program will be given by the Education for Employment Foundation (EFE) and financed by the Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC). During March 2011, up to 12 AUB faculty members will attend a workshop on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification theories for environmentally friendly construction. They will be certified by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). As of April 2011, the two credit technical elective will be regularly offered to Engineering students at AUB. During the first year,

the EFE will be responsible for training up to 50 students.

Green buildings are environmentally friendly buildings that responsibly incorporate resources in their design, construction, operation and maintenance. LEED certification criteria include site sustainability, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process. The Charles Hostler Student Center (CHSC) and the Olayan School of Business (OSB) at AUB are both examples of green buildings abiding by LEED’s sustainable building specifications.

Most students are enthusiastic about the course due to the positive impact green buildings have on the environment. Second-year Civil Engineering student Jad Eid said in this regard that “the course is essential with regards to the pollution levels in Lebanon.” Third-year Civil Engineering student Issa Saab added that “it is very important nowadays for

(Cartoon by Deedee Jilani)

a construction to be environmentally friendly. In our region, we are not very aware of that and we still don’t have many green buildings. This makes the course very important and interesting.”

Other students are eager to take the course because of the job opportunities it offers.

Second-year Civil Engineering student Rouba Onaissi

for example said, “The course is important not only because it will help improve the environment, but also because it will offer me better chances in my career.” Third year Mechanical Engineering student Samer Bou Jawde commented, “I would take this course because the future of engineering is tending towards greener construction

and engineers familiar with green buildings are on demand.” In closing, third-year Mechanical Engineering student Sleiman Hilal said, “Such a course is very important; it will be very useful for our career. There is an energy crisis and we need to save energy, we need more people to be aware of that.”

Enjoy the soft feeling of saving a child’s life Jackie Daoud Staff Writer

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workshop was held on Tuesday February 15 at St Jude’s Cancer Center with aimed at debriefing attending volunteers on how to cooperate with child patients and what rules and regulations must be adhered to in such a position of responsibility. The Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL) was founded as a non-profit children’s research hospital during April 12, 2002 by Danny Thomas also known as Muzayad Yahkoob, who is also the founder of the original St Jude Children’s research hospital in Memphis, Tennessee that was created in 1962. He attributed the name St. Jude to the research hospital because he believed in his cause, as St

Jude was the one who said, “If you show me the way in life, I’d build you a shrine.”

CCCL is unique in that their vision is to provide treatment and care to all children without discrimination and that their mission is to support children and their respective families in providing psychosocial services and securing funds for enrolment in up-todate treatments despite the families’ inability to pay. It has been found that the recovery rate of children undergoing chemotherapy is much faster and more effective if children are given special attention and are provided with opportunities for emotional interactions with a significant other. One example of this is in the case of chil-

dren inflicted with Leukemia. In retrospect, its treatment efficacy used to be 20% whereas today, with the newfound recognition of child care as the most essential ingredient alongside the proper and timely administration of medication, has increased treatment efficacy to an astounding 90%!

In addition CCCL’s involvement in various blood disorders, the cancer center is currently recognized as the first highly specialized center for treatment of pediatric cancer in Lebanon. Since it was first established in 2002, CCCL has treated more than 700 children, among which 57% have successfully finished their treatment while 24% are still undergoing active

treatment and with a yearly admission of 80 newcomers.

In addition to the run-off patients still undergoing treatment from previous years, this averages out to 250 patients a year, leaving the cancer center’s hands full.

Medical costs on average per patient per year is around $40,000, this is apart from the $70,000 fee that would be required in cases where the child needs limb salvage and $100,000 if a bone marrow transplant is recommended.

That said, the cancer center relies heavily on generous donations in order to meet these expenses which explains their many fundraising programs such as the ‘’rainbow of hope’’ where each donation of $40,000 is rewarded

with the person’s name being placed on this rainbow.

The other fund raising program they have is called the ‘’Tree of life,’’ which is solely for donations summing up to $50,000or more.

The center’s most recent fundraising initiative involved a total of 42 restaurants and certain companies such as Mimosa (a private company specialized in the manufacture of tissue paper products) and carried slogans such as ‘’Enjoy the soft feeling of saving a child’s life’’ in which 10% of restaurant proceeds are targeted towards the cancer center. “No child should die in the dawn of life,” said Thomas.

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Campus news

February 22, 2011

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Ibsar holds open poster forum

Mohamad Al Medawar Webmaster and Staff Writer

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n Thursday, February 17, College Hall Auditorium B1 was booked for a long day of poster presentations and project discussions as Ibsar, in collaboration with the University of Ottawa, organized a retreat and an Open Poster Forum for one of Ibsar’s major programs entitled “Food and Health in Rural Lebanon.”

This program, sponsored by the International Development Research Centre, aims at “Improv[ing] Dietary Diversity, Food Security, Livelihoods, and Ecosystem Management,” as mentioned on Ibsar’s official website (www.

Ibsar.org), in local communities, more precisely in the villages of Aarsal, Kwakh and Batloun. The website also mentions that this research project is multidisciplinary in the sense that it focuses on “12 different aspects affecting ecohealth and has en-

gaged a total of 15 faculty, 10 research assistants and 11 graduate and undergraduate students from various academic units.”

The event started at 3 p.m. with a poster forum open to the AUB community reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of the research project, plans and preliminary findings of the various research teams involved. A fine selection of professors from various departments, along with their research assistants and students went over their respective posters. A brief, yet notable presence of President Dorman and Provost Dallal pointed to the importance and impact of the event on academics and on the subjects of the research, namely rural villages of Lebanon.

The event was followed by a three-hour retreat whereby research teams from AUB and University of Ottawa

(Photo by Mohamad Al Medawar)

went over a series of topics covering the progress of this three-year research pursuit to be terminated next year, in February 2012. Topics emphasized by the University of Ottawa included method of

engaging local communities in the research project and on pragmatic ways of relaying findings back to the communities. According to project coordinator Ms. Dima Ousta, the event was of utmost

importance in regard to multidisciplinary research as it encouraged discussions between the various disciplinary teams and facilitated their integration for a more solid and holistic outcome.

Biology juniors among first to register for the MCAT in Lebanon Fouad Badaoui Senior Staff Writer

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espite the technical difficulties that had occurred with the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) website, junior premed members of the Biology Student Society (BSS) were able to register on time for their Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), thanks to the quick actions of a few cabinet members.

The MCAT is a standardized exam that all premed students must take prior to applying to medical colleges, preferably during their junior year. It is given worldwide by the AAMC and the registration and test dates are published online. This year, like the last one, the BSS gave an orientation lecture to junior members. On January 17, the lecturers explained the concept of the MCAT and gave tips on how to study and register. They

Snapshots from the official aamc website (Aamc.org)

also announced that they would be emailing junior members clear instructions on how to register and would notify them approximately one week ahead of the start of registration. This year, however, on February 14, the table with the registration dates kept saying “TBD” (to be determined), even as a new, small note on the side said registration would be opening the very next day.

“We had less than 24 hours to react,” said BSS Vice President Amjad Kanj, explaining that they had to reach almost 150 students during vacation. Unable to determine if most students had even prepared the proper credit card accounts, President Ali Haidar and Junior Representative Mohamad Raad, called fellow students and gave them online assistance via Facebook. Kanj used the BSS

Facebook group as a medium through which to walk students through the steps and provide real time assistance and several hotlines. Haidar said he was surprised by the date of registration this year, saying he was “never expecting it to be that early.” His cabinet had called the AAMC office in the US and had received a response along the lines of “table cannot be updated, there has

been an error,” thus confirming the inconspicuous note’s announcement. “I registered the minute it opened,” said Raad, who was mostly satisfied with the registration; “I got my place, it was perfect.”

Premed students from other Lebanese universities were not prepared and most were not even aware registration had opened. In consequence, AUB students could register smoothly without having to endure the characteristic long wait due to traffic congestion, which is usually associated with MCAT registration. Raad added that, thanks to the BSS lecture, most junior members had already prepared their credit cards, and the vast majority of them could, with the online and phone assistance, register uneventfully. “We’re very proud of the fact that we managed to tell more than 100 students,” said Kanj, adding “the BSS took advantage and turned a problem into a solution.”

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Campus news

February 22, 2011

Tahrir Square at AUB

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Kareem Elzein, a graduate member in the group. More importantly, however, the event was meant as “a nonthreatening way of introducing politics, good politics, into the discourse on campus,” says Elzein. More Egypt-related events are planned for next week and Elzein explains that “a revolution isn’t just one moment—it’s a process.” On the possibility of change in Lebanon, he adds, “the truth is that the only answers are going to come from us, from ourselves and only by our involvement in politics and action and working

through the problems that we have as a society, when we start to move our own people.”

Farah Kobaissy, a student at St. Joseph, who had actually participated in the first week of protests in Tahrir Square itself, describes the feeling as one of high hopes, “the hope that all people can get rid of dictatorship in all its forms.” She too seemed to believe that Lebanon was awaiting change as well, saying, “Lebanon’s next, whether they [the leaders] like it or not.”

A participant in the event, Ali Al-Jaberi, graced the spectators with his voice, singing famous revolution-

ary songs with oud accompaniment, and creating a pleasant atmosphere of communal solidarity. He is a political science major, and regrets the way most campus politics is sectarian since, “students and people in general share extra-sectarian interests…there’s certainly no difference in our interest in a better environment or social justice or better labor conditions.” He asserts that “the organization of this event hoped, as well as I do, that by organizing this perhaps there could be a politicization of campus beyond sectarian borders, as happened in Egypt in Tahrir Square, where there were people of

Outlook

President Dorman displays solidarity for Egypt (Photo by Mohammad Azzam)

all walks of life, Copts and Muslims… In Lebanon it’s possible too.” As expected by many, this event aimed at solidarity was marked by sectarian comments, as students took the experience as an opportunity to declare political sides and slogans on a canvas that was on its way

to Egypt when the people of Egypt who stood side by side as equals seem least to care about what sect students belonged too. Following Egypt’s example, however, Elzein says, perhaps “people will start thinking about their ability to affect change in the world differently.”

First annual AUB basic biomedical research day continued from page 1

affairs Dr. Mohamed Sayegh who touched base on the importance of interdisciplinary research, which, according to him, was the reason he had selected Jaffa for the post he currently holds.

University Provost Dr. Ahmad Dallal welcomed the audience of students, academicians, and researchers to what he hoped would become a custom of AUB’s quest for scientific recognition and dedication to research.

AUB President Peter Dorman was also present during

the opening speech. The basic biomedical research day organizing committee was chaired by Jaffa and consisted of seven AUB researchers spanning several departments. Among those present were Biology Professor Hala Muhtasib, Chemistry Professor Kamal Bouhadir, Human Morphology Professor Marwan Sabban, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences Dean Nahla Hwalla, Electrical Engineering Professors Fadi Karameh and Zaher Dawy and Dr. Ghassan Dbaibo of the Pediatrics Department.

The event included a series of oral presentations that were divided into two sessions, one presided over

by Muhtasib and Zyadeh, the other by Drs. Ali Bazerbashi and Samira Khoury.

The presentations included the research work of presenters from different fields: PhD, MD and students from the Biology, Mechanical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering departments. These were followed by world renowned researcher, keynote speaker and AUB Trustee Huda Zoghbi, who gave a 45 min-

utes talk entitled “A multidisciplanary approach to study pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders: insight from Rett Syndrome.”

Rett Syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder of the brain affecting females for the most part and Zoghbi shared her personal experience of years of research in this field. Spectators remarked that Zoghbi was rather eloquent, as she explained her research in colloquial terms and talked about the influences of chance and motivation, ensuring that the pursuit of dreams is a no-

ble task, regardless of how they may be.

Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry Fouad Zyadeh was recently named “third Lebanese-based member of the Lebanese Academy of Sciences” in reward for his research on diabetic kidney disease. Along with Muhtasib, he chaired the oral presentation sessions that spanned seven presentations total, each running at an estimated duration of 15 minutes. A poster presentation followed, during which students and laboratory workers presented the results of their work in different biomedical issues.

Insight club hosts an Islamic concert Mona Ayoub Special to Outlook

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nsight Club launched “Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday” celebration campaign by hosting an Islamic concert by the Almadihin group on Wednesday February 16th in Bathish, West hall. The event was held in collaboration with The Saudi Cultural Club, The Syrian Cultural Club and The Youth Club. Throughout an hour and a half, the ten mem-

bers of the band entertained the audience by presenting a medley of “Nasheeds” praising Prophet Muhammad and enumerating his distinguished qualities. Before starting the first segment, Louna Fakkas, a member of the Syrian Cultural Club, read a poem in which she expressed her infinite love to Prophet Muhammad. Mohammad Bazzi, a member of the Insight Club, shed light in his short speech on Prophet Muhammad’s leadership

role in accordance with the current revolutions in the Arab world against the corrupt leaders and regimes.

Later in the celebration, Mirna Badr, another member of Insight club, stressed in her speech that the real celebration of Prophet Muhammad should be through following his teachings every day. At the end, the host announced the rest of the celebration campaign’s upcoming events while members distributed sweets to the audience.

(Photo Courtesy of the Insight Club)

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Campus news

February 22, 2011

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AUB, a microcosm of the country? continued from page 1

officers who are the vice president (VP), the secretary, and the treasurer of the University Student Faculty Committee (USFC) whose official purpose is to safeguard the interests of the student body and ensure the betterment of the university as a whole.

Dean of Student Affairs Talal Nizameddin finds that as a result of Lebanon’s active political environment, it is healthy for political parties to play a role in AUB elections, thus inspiring students to adopt democratic principles and practices. “There are a lot of political parties that have specific political agendas and if a student really believes in that cause, there is no sin in that. The key is not to force your opinion on anyone else,” said Dean Nizameddin.

But many AUB students see things differently. According to them, external political interference should be banned from campus, particularly since politicians are falling short of the public’s expectations.

“SRC elections haven’t been serving their true purpose. Candidates are blindly following politicians and [mimicking] what’s going on outside instead of working together to change the political situation we’ve been suffering from,” said Rana El Jarrah, an AUB junior.

Hilal Khashan, a political science professor at AUB, believes that “political parties are taking advantage of AUB’s good intentions of inculcating democratic values among students. If it were up to me, I would certainly suspend the elections.”

After the assassination of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri five years ago, a sectarian political environment emerged on the national scene. SRC elections were sure to follow suit. Two big camps were in control, now under the name of Students at Work, who believe in the so-called March 14 agenda, and the opposing group, who represent the socalled March 8 coalition (this year’s “We Will” campaign at AUB).

This year, motivated substantial number of independent SRC candidates, such as members of the Alternative Front, emerged in response to electoral politicization. Their main goal was to respond to student demands and represent the students instead of political parties.

“What is going on at AUB is not the practice of politics and democracy . . . [but] political sectarianism,” said Fouad Badaoui, an Arts and Sciences senior and an independent candidate, adding that politically-affiliated candidates “filter their votes based on a student’s religion first, [then] their political affiliation.”

About 50 percent of those polled considered that SRC candidates merely run to enhance their CVs while the other half thought that candidates run to support and claim victory for a certain political party.

Mario Abou Zeid, president of the AUB Secular Club, said that “many of the candidates are concerned about the following day’s headlines in the national newspapers or on blogs rather than the actual work they are supposed to do in the SRC.” Abou Zeid was referring to how national newspapers report on the winners of student elections as though they are actual representatives of a certain political group and thus, their victory represents some kind of increase in popularity for the political group they are ostensibly affiliated with.

Representatives of the two opposing political groups on campus both admit that their main concern is to win the elections to show that their political views are more popular.

A senior student representative of Amal movement in charge of the elections summed it best.

“Each political party has one goal when it comes to university elections: to claim victory by showing the number of its supporters,” he said.

Inevitably, internal prob-

(Photos by Wael Salem)

lems in the USFC have breached out during last year’s tuition strike due to the division of the members from different political parties and their inability to compromise, which frustrated many students who felt that their demands were not being well-represented.

As fingers are pointed back and forth among candidates, many students fail to see any benefits for the student body from this politicization.

While critics hold the AUB administration responsible for failing to curb external political interference in student elections, Dean Nizameddin defends the administration, saying it is not possible to control the funding of campaigns through political parties or any external meetings held outside campus with student representa-

tives and official political representatives, or the chanting from opposing groups during the announcement of results which turn extremely political, disrespectful, and sectarian.

As SRC fever arrives every November, AUB students are confused which candidate to believe. Are the independent candidates truly independent? Can the SRC elections be carried transparently and fairly through healthy political participation, or will the USFC imitate the role of the Lebanese national cabinet by postponing and pointing fingers? More students are realizing the importance of not acting as a political tool to serve political parties, that change must come from inside the university, and that the only thing to be learned from the external political

environment and troubled political parties are their mistakes. Until then, accountability post-SRC elections plays a prominent part as it reveals the masks of all candidates who stand facing each other and two separate screens on election day, manifesting a microcosm of Lebanon’s divided political world.

If the SRC elections remain strongly influenced by political parties, many students are to agree with Khalil Gibran who had once said, “Pity the nation divided into fragments, each fragment itself a nation.”

This article was written for the course SOAN 205 titled “Basic news writing.”

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Arts & Culture (S NGO Aie Serve

IDRAAC

LADE Skoun

upplement)

NGO Comparison

IDRAAC

NGO Aie Serve

Outlook

Previous Activities

Community Development: Several projects go under community development, such as: leadership training workshops, communication skills training workshops, conflict transformation and peace building training workshops, clubs and small NGOs management coaching, students committee training, AieMag. Community Service: Aie Serve works on bonding and cooperating with other NGOs to strengthen the general civil society. Aie Serve works on and assists with environmental and social community service activities such as: Reforestation, Beach Cleaning, Recycling, Entertaining Orphans and Elderly, Books and Clothes Donations, Helping People in Need.

Awareness Campaigns: One of Aie Serve’s main goals is to spread awareness about issues such as the environment, health, social responsibility and volunteerism.

Research: The Lebanese Evaluation of the Burden of Ailments and Needs Of the Nation L.E.B.A.N.O.N. Study. Results from this study on prevalence and effect of war exposure on mental disorders have already been published in international and scientific journals.

More research is being currently conducted related to temperament, suicide, childhood adversities, burden and treatment of mental disorders and the elderly.

Substance Use and Misuse in Lebanon: The Lebanon Rapid Situation Assessment and Response Study (RSA), 2001. RSA Study assessed the prevalence and pattern use of a variety of substances, both licit and illicit.

Community interventions: Assessment Study of Psychosocial Status of Children and Adolescents in the South of Lebanon and Southern Suburbs of Beirut after the July 06 War, 2007. Needs of all children and adolescents residing in war affected regions was evaluated and a comprehensive mapping of all psychosocial resources in these regions was conducted. IDRAAC was also active in the emergency relief effort during this war and in the post-war phase.

Advocacy: The Burden of Mental Disorders: Towards a Mental Health Act in Lebanon. The objectives of the project were to assess the burden of mental disorders in Lebanon and to develop a proposal for a law (Mental Health Act) to be adopted by concerned officials at the national level to guarantee the rights of individuals with mental disorders to seek and receive appropriate treatment and care.

Training IDRAAC is also the official regional training center for the Arabic CIDI (Composite International Diagnostic Interview), the instrument used in the World Mental Health Surveys.

Monitoring parliamentary, municipal syndicates and university elections including AUB elections Issuing reports Organizing workshops on electoral reforms and monitoring techniques 2006 : Drug education in public schools targeting youth, their parents and teachers all over Lebanon (Oxfam Quebec) 2005 - 2007 : Teachers training and implementation of life skills curriculum in Lebanese private schools and community centers (Lions Clubs International Foundation) 2007 - 2009 : Protect human rights of drug users and promoting a better implementation of the drug-related law (European union - Afkar II program) 2010-2011: “Filling the Gap”- Meeting the Needs for Treatment and Treatment Centers in Lebanon (MedNet, Group Pompidou)

Long-term Goals

NGO Aie Serve

February 22, 2011

-Promote and implement hands-on community service -Spread awareness about issues that match our mission and values -Coach young clubs and organizations in their work to benefit from our experience -Empower youth to do action through training them on leadership and communication, environmental and health awareness -Conduct and promote research in mental health on national, regional and international levels -Increase public awareness and implement community intervention programs addressing various aspects of mental health in Lebanon -Train professionals in the practice and research of mental health and reach out to policy makers to address mental health on the national level.

LADE

-Ensure free fair transparent elections in Lebanon.

-Improve the Lebanese electoral laws in compliance with international standards -Increase voter awareness and commitment to their electoral rights and duties

Skoun

-Treatment: Helping people with addiction problems claim their lives by providing a nonjudgmental, caring environment of client-centered treatment and counseling.

-Prevention: Skoun supports and prepares Lebanese schools and community centers to adopt and implement life skills education and substance abuse prevention program targeting youth.

-Lobbying: Advocacy for the rights of people who abuse drugs by lobbying to improve the application of the 1998 law that decriminalized addiction but is not properly implemented in Lebanon.

Contact: All are willing to accept AUB volunteers.

NGO

Contact: All are willing to accept AUB volunteers.

Facebook: Aie Serve Page Facebook: IDRAAC Group Website: www.aieserve.org IDRAAC Website: www.idraac.org Email: info@aieserve.org Email: idraac@idraac.org Mobile: 009613802438

NGO

Contact: All are willing to accept AUB volunteers.

NGO

LADE

Facebook:LADE Group Twitter: @LADELEB Email: info@lade.org.lb Telephone: 01 745623 or 01 745623

Skoun

Contact: All are willing to accept AUB volunteers.

Website: www.skoun.org Email: info@skoun. org

Outlook

February 22, 2011

(Supplement)

Arts & Culture

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Social media and health: An intersection

Lynn Itani Staff Writer

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o you know anyone without a Facebook account? I doubt it.

Our generation is THE generation of social media tools and simplified communication as revealed by Facebook, Twitter, BlackBerry Messenger, YouTube and others. Social media is usually a vehicle to exchange opinions and to discuss social, political and even philosophical issues. In this age of blogging, an interesting question concerns the application of social media specifically to the sensitive field of health. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC) based in the United States, “the use of social media tools is a powerful channel to reach target audiences with strategic, effective and user-centric health interventions.” One success

story of CDC with social media goes back to 2009, whereby their H1N1 flu-related videos were viewed over 2 million times, and also gathered over 700,000 Twitter followers. The CDC has even produced its own set of guidelines for the use of each type of social media when raising awareness in public health.

The term “e-patient” is becoming more well-known, as empowered patients are seeking answers to medical questions online, discussing the course of their treatment, and also providing support to each other, and advocating for certain health causes.

An example of that is the network: www.dailystrength. org, whereby patients blog with real doctors to ask questions, share details of their experience with illness or

treatment, chat with others with the same conditions, and even send people “virtual hugs” as a form of support!

Some hospitals are even using social media. For example, a few hospitals in the US are tweeting their waiting time in emergency rooms.

One hospital has created an interactive fitness program that integrates user stories, Facebook and Twitter. The 50-day program includes blog entries and videos that are generated and posted by the users themselves. Another innovative idea used by hospitals—having livetweeted surgeries—was first implemented in February 2009. The rationale behind this is that live-tweeting “advertises doctors’ expertise in performing the particular operation.” For future patients

preparing for the same surgery, the tweets “demystify the process” and ultimately decrease anxiety about their forthcoming operation.

These examples raise questions about the intersection between social media and the marketing/business development strategies of health care organizations.

Even physicians themselves are using social media in different ways. Websites like Sermo and SocialMD offer physicians a chance to communicate with others in their field in a guarded environment. Moreover, lots of pharmaceutical companies have their own websites providing complete information to physicians and also supplementing them with patient education packages, not to mention the fact that many medical

journals are going “exclusively” online.

The results of a certain clinical trial study will make a good conclusion for this article, providing some evidence. The study proved that people receiving daily sunscreen awareness messages along with a weather forecast SMS on their cell phones were more likely to apply such protection. Interestingly, it is important to keep in mind that despite the great potential, online campaigns and websites are better complemented with offline campaigns. Finally, social media contains less empathy than face-to-face communication, in a field where empathy is an essential feeling.

2011 Communication and Leadership Convention Toastmasters invites you to immerse yourself in viewing a variety of exciting public speaking competitions and enrich yourselves from the leadership lectures that will be given in this year’s Toastmasters National Convention hosted by the three Toastmasters clubs in Lebanon

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Alumni news

February 22, 2011

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Young alumni and career prospects: Building a better path to a brighter future

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n March 11, the Worldwide Alumni Association of the American University of Beirut (WAAAUB) and AUB is organizing a session focused specifically on “Young alumni and career prospects: Building a better path to a brighter future.” Our goal is to bring AUB alumni and students together with business leaders and entrepreneurs in Lebanon and the MENA region to explore innovative ways to create employment opportunities for young AUB alumni today and in the future.

We have invited several speakers working in business and entrepreneurship in the region to participate in this event along with AUB faculty members and administrators.

More information on the event https://e-surveys.aub.edu.lb/menaregional/

Alumni profile

Ibrahim Gedeon, BE, ’86 Chief Technology Officer, TELUS Communications Inc.

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s the Chief Technology Officer of one of Canada‘s foremost telecommunications companies, AUB alumnus Ibrahim Gedeon frequently makes headlines at home in Canada and around the world. The past two years he appeared on the cover of the Global Telecommunications magazine and on Billing and OSS World – a remarkable recognition not only for him, his family and company, but also for AUB, its students and graduates.

If you‘ve had the chance to meet Ibrahim, you‘ll know it‘s not the title or the seniority of the position that attracts the media to him. Rather, it‘s the unique skills he has mastered: back office technical wizardly, front office sales and marketing savvy, and the ability to rise above the intricate technical details to focus on strategy and vision.

An amazing sense of humour tops it all, making him the ideal speaker at industry and networking events!

At a WAAAUB Toronto Chapter dinner last October, Ibrahim was one of our keynote speakers and he offered career tips and advice

to the young alumni in the city, sharing highlights of his career journey, including a brief stint as a restaurateur.

Ever so proud of where he comes from, ―”hummos” is frequently served at TELUS‘ executive meetings.

Along with Hassan Eltaher, Ibrahim started the Ottawa/ Montreal AUB alumni chapter back in the 90s. He currently sponsors many AUB activities in Canada making it possible for chapters to host speakers and organize events that promote AUB and its alumni in this region. As a strategist with strong loyalty to AUB, Ibrahim thinks longterm when he contributes to his Alma Mater. For the past few years, he annually sponsors about 3-5 AUB engineering students for summer internships with TELUS in Canada. In addition, he is working with the School of Engineering and Architecture to provide TELUS sponsored courseware to the Faculty of Engineering at AUB at no cost. TELUS‘ researchers continually contribute to the curriculum at top Canadian universities to provide students with leading edge technology and practices.

AUB will have access to such advanced curriculum by virtue of having Ibrahim Gedeon as an alumnus.

Still, Ibrahim feels there‘s significant room for improvement. ―We as alumni need to do more. Giving is not merely about financial support; it should extend to sharing knowledge and innovation to ensure AUB benefits from the expertise of its alumni and their access to the latest and greatest in their respective fields. For example, Doctors can share information about new medical procedures and policy makers can present the latest thought leadership in public administration and policy making.

During his time at Canada‘s telecommunication giant Nortel Networks, Gedeon sponsored a conference at AUB where leading Nortel experts gave keynote speeches.

Mr. Gedeon began his career in telecommunications engineering and research in 1990 when he joined Bell Northern Research designing signal-processing software in the cryptographic systems division. He moved to Nortel Networks in 1994 as a network design engineer, where he provided technical network design expertise to Nortel Networks customer

base globally. He was named vice president and director of Data Network Engineering at Nortel in 1996, and vice president of Internet Brand Management in 1999. Ibrahim was appointed senior vice president of Wireless Engineering in 2000 and led the global engineering team responsible for operations, sales support, and systems engineering.

As CTO of TELUS, Ibrahim is responsible for technology strategy, network and services architecture and network support systems. He‘s also responsible for the WirelessWireline service and network

convergence, enterprise applications and network infrastructure strategies and evolution.

Ibrahim has received numerous professional awards, including IEEE Canada‘s Outstanding Canadian Engineer Award. He graduated from AUB in 1986 with bachelors in electrical engineering and later obtained a Masters in Electronic Engineering from Carleton University.

This profile was originally published in Al Jamea (WAAAUB E news letter) in July 2009

WAAAUB second MENA regional meeting

Outlook

Movie Review

B

Entertainment

February 22, 2011

lack Swan depicts the story of Nina Sayers (Nathalie Portman), a young and ambitious ballerina in a New York City ballet company and her horrifying quest for glory and fame.

The opportunity of a lifetime emerges when the role of the “Swan Queen” in the high profile retelling of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake is announced vacant and open for auditions.

The eccentric director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel), however, requires the ballerina to perform both the roles of the White Swan, with the innocence and fragility which Nina naturally fits in, and the Black Swan, with the seduction and guile Nina lacks.

Before watching Black Swan, one should know what to expect: it is an R-rated movie with obscene and brutal language and imagery, and the end result is ultimately, and purposefully, disturbing. But beautifully

so! On one hand, it slowly and subtly digs in between your ribs and relentlessly clutches your heart making you feel so closely with the main character’s struggles. On the other, it stuns you with its captivating picture, mind-blowing acting, and mesmerizing music. It is, for a change, a true piece of art; you may love it or absolutely hate it, but you cannot but appreciate the high dose of artistic value it incarnates.

Most interesting in Black Swan is the deep and tense dissonance lurking behind almost every detail of the film. Nina is compelled to receive personal, and arguably genuine, care from her envious colleague, abusive director and over-protective mother; compelled to live through delusional visions in order to reach a visionary and glorious reality; and ultimately compelled to tread the path of self-destruction in order

Black Swan

9

Amir Bitar

to reach perfection. The lines separating these dissonances are blurred at best, and toward the end become absolutely and movingly shattered. The more Nina strives to perfect her performance, the more one confuses her friends and enemies, her delusion and reality, her madness and sanity, her stage persona and personality, and, perhaps, her predicament and one’s own individuality!

This is not your average entertainment film. It is easily one of the most emotionally impactful movies of the year and it promises a unique experience, one that could endure well after the credits start rolling. Just make sure you are interested and go watch it in the theatres while it’s still there, you don’t want to bring such an experience to your own residence!

(Photo from Facebook.com)

10

Out Loud

February 22, 2011

1

Outlook

2 3

What were your reflections on Jafet’s first time 24/7 opening hours during last semester’s reading period?

1) Mohammad Nasser (Medicine): It was great for us Med students because we had exams every Saturday. I preferred studying there than rather than at DTS. One recommendation is to open Main gate 24 hours during that time as well to facilitate movement of the students in and out of the library.

2) Ahmad Basma (Medicine): Jafet was quite crowded, we couldn’t find places! I am definitely for the Jafet opening 24 hours a day again, though I ask for better student seating, monitoring and management.

3) Roula Saksouk (Biology): It was stuffy, hard to breath, crowded and roudy. I’m for it happening again with better student management.

4) Laura Al Jabri (Freshman): It was nice and quite, even upstairs. The only drawback was they wouldn’t allow us to bring food with us upstairs. Students are bound to get hungry after all that studying.

5

4

5) Ibrahim Farah (Access Services Librarian): It will definitely be repeated next semester. The 24/7 opening hours received a lot of student satisfaction. The only problem is that Jafet is a small library holding something like 500 students. We may be able to slightly amend the situation by creating more free seats in the stacks study area.

6) Batoul Abdallah (Business) and Zeinab Abdallah (Biology Student): It was a good start for Jafet and we hope for it to continue next semester.

7) Samir Ballouz (Nursing): I was not informed! As a nursing stu dent, I use SML. I’m definitely for the idea and next time, I’ll be sure to take advantage of it.

8) Ahmad Alrazim (Biology): I visited it once at night during the reading period for a group study.

6

Yves Helou (Biology): Some students prefer studying at home and I am one of those students. The library is great, but you can’t stay there all day and night.

8

7

Outlook

11

Historic match-up shines spotlight on rugby

Heather Jaber News Executive

O

Sports

February 22, 2011

n Friday evening, February 18, a new kind of rugby game was played on the American University of Beirut’s Greenfield. AUB’s official rugby league team played against the Palestinian rugby league team in an event presented by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), entitled “Dignity for All.” The event received ample coverage and hosted notable guests such as PLO Representative Abdullah Abdullah, Head of the European Union Delegation Angelina Eichhorst, UNRWA Commissioner-General Filipo Grande, Palestinian Rugby League founder Rabie Al Masri, and the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon Salvatore Lombardo.

As well as hosting these spe-

cial guests, the seats of the field were filled with excited spectators, more than the usual rugby game witnesses. President Dorman welcomed the esteemed guests in his opening speech highlighting the importance of the event. “This occasion also presents us the opportunity to strengthen the bonds between AUB students and the Palestinian community in Lebanon, which is evidenced throughout our campus, from students groups and activities, to academic research and community engagement,” said Dorman.

The event was not only important to the AUB community, but to all members of the Palestinian culture as a whole. In Al Masri’s compelling opening speech, his words struck a chord in much of the audience, moving some to tears. “We are the new generation…the past was

very hard for our parents and grandparents; the present is our chance to learn from their courage and their mistakes. The future is an open space, a brave heart, people you can trust and count on, a big jump with all that we believe in toward our targets.

This is rugby.”

The match started out with the Palestinian team leading with a score of 4-0 however reached 6-4 for AUB’s official rugby league as AUB players brought up the score. By the end of the first half, the score was 12-10 for AUB, though the Palestinian team battled with their forwards (forward position players). AUB then brought the score up to a victorious 22-10, ending the game in their favor.

Hooker (front row player) of AUB’s team, Ramzy Ammar Ventura Al Taher, spoke of the Palestinian’s resilience, as well as mentioning

some of their weaknesses on the field. “The Palestinians played with a lot of heart, which was why we struggled to dominate the game during the first half. They have a massive forward pack which was their strength and they utilized it very well during the game, breaking through our lines. However, they have weaker backs (back position players), which was no surprise because of the shortage of players to choose from, leading them to recruit players from the under-16s. We took advantage of this and managed to score.” Al Taher spoke as both a member of AUB’s team and a potential member of the Palestinian league team, “I want to thank Rabie Al Masri for making all of this possible and, on behalf of the AUB team, we are very honored that you picked us to help you bring the Palestinian name into the rugby

league. This game was more than just about the rugby league...I am looking forward to start training with the Palestinians.” The intensity of the match can be attributed to the sheer determination and teamwork present in both teams. Azikiwe Cooper-White, captain and lock of AUB’s team, spoke of the adversary’s willpower, saying “both teams played with a lot of heart, but enough can’t be said about the tenacity and vigor exhibited by the boys of Palestine. Their performance was remarkable to say the least, especially when we consider that many of their number are new to the game. They are warriors and their performance last night was an adequate reflection of the resilience of the Palestinian people as a whole.”

See picture below

AUB departments (staff and faculty members) play for health: Basketball, football and volleyball Basketball scoreboard

Mini-Football scoreboard:

Volleyball scoreboard:

First place: Facilities Team → 10 points

First place: Material Team → 13

First place: Secret Police → 119

Second place: Surgery Team → 8 points

points

points in 3 sets.

Third place: FHS Team → 6 points

Second place: Facilities Team → 10

Second place: Facilities Team → 116

Fourth place: Comptroller Team → 4 points

points

points in 2 sets.

Fifth place:Protection Team → 2 points

Third place: Radiology Team → 9

Third place: Radiology Team → 91

Sixth place: OSB Faculty Team → 0 points

points (+7 goals)

points in 2 sets.

Fourth place: Development Team → 9 points (+5 goals)

(All photos by Hasan Nisr and Neshan Simonian - Office of Communications)

AUB’s official rugby league team vs.Palestinian rugby league team (Photo by Mohammad Azzam)

12

Viewpoint

February 22, 2011

Editor’s Corner

Opinion

Entrepreneurship at AUB

The vow of every semester

“Activism reflects a sense of maturity and appeal to matters defining our existence.”

Rami Diab Editor-in-Chief

Y

ou know what this university could use more of is some student leadership, no doubt.

That’s not to say that we don’t have any, but what university can refuse a more influential student body? Activism reflects a sense of maturity and appeal to matters defining our existence. By volunteering to clean up beaches we display an open recognition for the worth and virtue of a clean environment.

Similarly, by participating in and organizing events as well as innovating and upholding new student organizations, we are paying back our community in full as we raise high the torch of social reform in the process.

Why student leadership?

Well, simply because it defines our very lives and is thus bound to have a great influence on our current and future days. Take a moment to consider that the way we carry ourselves will very much influence the way others will go about carrying us.

By making leaders of ourselves for instance, by becoming kings of the action, we not only ensure our long-soughtafter glory but also secure pristine personality traits for us as well that are likely to carry on into our adult life.

Keep in mind, activism need not be that strenuous. Anyone can be active it’s just about the easiest thing that can be done and simply involves an increased con-

scious efforts engagement in day to day activities. Let’s put it this way, almost anyone will tell you that being an active student is a lot simpler than living up to the reputation of a straight A student. But here’s the thing, once we begin to live actively academically speaking as well as physically, the actions we take suddenly take on more value, life and vigor as we struggle to add drama, color, spark and meaning to our lives.

The most important component of student leadership would have to be priming other students to follow in our footsteps in assuming leadership positions themselves both in and beyond university walls. Let’s not forget, leadership is creating ample opportunities for other students to exhibit certain talents, skills and long-held interests. As such, our student body suddenly grows to earn more ownership over its fate and its destiny will be of its own making.

In closing, student leadership deepens our commitment to excellence and increases the likelihood that we will continue to strive for and learn by leadership. AUB has set the environment and created countless opportunities for us students to become leaders and now it’s up to us to follow through and fulfill our end of the bargain.

What more could one ask for than to graduate amongst the elite students of both worlds, academic and extracurricular? Sure, the stakes are high and the price to pay is magnanimous, but take it from me, the stakes will be higher and the price only more costly if we fail to make active living a matter of habit and second nature.

Emile Zankoul Staff Writer

W

hether it’s the start of the Fall Semester, the start of the Spring Semester, or even that of the Summer Semester, many AUBites take a common vow. “This semester I’ll start studying daily and seriously! This time, I’ll be raising my cumulative GPA!” Sound familiar?

Well, that resolution sounds great. We start by printing our new schedules, attend-

ing classes regularly, taking notes and buying our new books. You will never see anything as positive as these attitudes. You could hear all sorts of resolutions, such as “I’ll be spending my breaks in the library,” “I’ll be reviewing the class material every night” and “I’ll be taking notes in every session.” But it is not too long before those resolutions become missed targets. The breaks become spent in the cafeteria, the lounge or just the outdoors.

Attendance rates slightly decrease. Studying daily turns out to be studying weekly, monthly and sometimes even less frequently. Suddenly, taking notes becomes equivalent to photocopying notes from a friend. Then, the material of every course starts accumulating progressively and weighing increasingly on our shoulders, a pound at a time. This goes on till the pressure becomes way too heavy one week before the finals, to a point where your shoulders will get tired

Outlook

and even hurt. So much for the vow! This is when overnights become a necessity, long series of studying start to be a habit and eventually, the final semester GPA turns out to be not as high as expected—or at least hoped.

At this point, the circle closes and the cycle returns to its starting point and here we are, at the starting line again with nothing in hand but the same vow: “This semester I’ll start studying daily and seriously! This time, I’ll REALLY be raising my cumulative GPA!” Now be careful, you’ve got to remember that at some point, there won’t be “a next semester,” so I hope this article will help you avoid falling again and again in this unfortunate cycle and prevent you from leaving this university with a transcript full of regrets! I can only wish you all, and myself, all the luck for this new semester. Let us all take that vow, but this time for real.

Opinion How to start the new semester: The mirror and the sun

Wissam Nuwayhid I speak to myself: The individual is a mirror and Truth is the sun. There are two conditions for the bright light of the sun to shine off the mirror, namely purity and correct orientation. The more polished the mirror is, the more purely it is able to reflect the light of the sun. However, when the mirror is dirty, the light of the sun cannot penetrate the thick layer of dust, which has collected on it, even on the sunniest of summer days. On the other hand, if the mirror is sparklingly polished, yet is oriented towards the floor all that will be reflected is the muddy ground. The mirror needs to be both clean and directed towards the sun.

How do we clean the mirror of the individual and how do we orient it towards the sun of Truth?

Only the waters of good deeds and righteous actions, can clean the dust of vice off the mirror of the individual. While, only concentration on Truth and love of the Real, turn the mirror of the individual towards the sun of Truth. When the individual is both polished and correctly oriented, only then will her/his heart reflect the Light of God. Is the beginning of this term a good time to clean our dirty hearts with good deeds and orient our confused selves towards Truth, so that we may reflect Light? I leave that for you to ponder.

Wissam Nuwayhid is an AUB History Undergraduate

Outlook

February 22, 2011

The Outlook team

Chairperson

Talal Nizameddin

Faculty Advisor

Cleo Cacoulidis

Responsible Director

Antonios Francis

Editor-in-Chief

Rami Diab

Associate Editor

Timmy Malkoun

Editor at Large

Yahia Hamade

Arabic Editor

Mariam El Ali

Photography Editor

Salim Batlouni

Layout Director

John Hajjar

Members at Large

Samer Bu Jawdeh Giovanny Reaidi

News Executives

Heather Jaber Maya Sfeir Mostafa Fadlallah

Web Master

Mohamad Al Medawar

Business Managers

Sally Khalifeh Lara Traboulsi

Staff Writers Khodor Abu Daya Nader Al Ahmadieh Fouad Badaoui Caterina Belardi Amir Bitar Jackie Daoud Sarah Al Dirani Edrees Elrachidi Mark Francis Dalia Hosn Elie El Khoury Aziza Khalil Yasmin Fansa Yumna Ghandour Maryam Hoballah

Lynn Itani Anis Kadado Tala Kardas Wajiha Jurdhi Kheir Sherif Maktabi Marie Nakhoul Rita Obeid Rami Panayoti Yasmine Saab Joseph Saba Amer Sare Mohammad Yaghi Emile Fares Zankoul Rayane Zahreddine Lama Zakharia

Photographers Mohamad Alameh Tariq Buhilaigah Dima Hajj Nadi Nassar

Lotfi Al Salah Wael Salem Antoine Salloum

Cartoonist

Deedee El Jilani

Outlook is a weekly publication of the American University of Beirut (AUB) and represents the voice of the student body. It is an independent, non-affiliated publication that favors no ethnic, religious, or political group. All columns, articles, and reports are the property of Outlook and do not necessarily represent the views of Outlook or the AUB community. Outlook welcomes all contributions. Authors please include full name, major, ranking, and contact information for verification. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any way, shape or form without the written consent of Outlook and/or higher authorities. Outlook reserves the right to edit all material. © Outlook 1949

Out of the Box

Psyched Out

13

Rita Obeid

Food and sex Everywhere you go, and wherever you look, Lebanon is full of red roses and all sorts of Valentine’s day gifts, so I thought it was inevitable to write an article somehow related to love and relationships.

There seems to be a close relationship between love, food, and sex. One way to look at this relationship is that when you eat and when you are having sex, you are using the same senses: taste, smell, sight, and touch; however, this topic addresses foods that increase one’s wellbeing and in turn increases one’s sexual drive. Researchers have listed some foods that people have to smell or see to think about sex such as: Chocolate has long been thought of as an aphrodisiac, which means a substance that increases one’s sexual drive. Interestingly, religious leaders used to ban chocolate from monks and nuns in the 1600s because they believed that it was such a powerful aphrodisiac.

Briefly, chocolate contains a chemical called PEA which causes the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with many “high” feelings including, orgasms and drug use. Dark chocolate seems to have the most PEA chemicals. Other foods that include the PEA include: apples, avocado, and tomatoes.

Bananas are also considered to be important because they contain high levels of B vitamins and potassium and hence are important for the sex hormone Moving on, some foods might be considered sexy because they make people think erotic thoughts.

Spices were also discussed; ginger and ginseng also increase circulation and excite the nervous system.

Finally, for a romantic evening, wine seems to be a good idea because, in moderation, wine induces a relaxed state; however, excessive wine is troublesome and problematic.

Reference: Psychology Today (2011). The relationship between sex and food. Retrieved from: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/loves-evolver/201102/the-relationship-between-sexand-food

‫اوتلوك‬

‫شباط ‪2011 ,22‬‬

‫سارة أحمد الديراني‬ ‫كاتبة صحفية‬

‫ثورة ثورة حتى النصر‬ ‫العربي اليوم في ج ٍّو‬ ‫يعيش العالم‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫من النّضاالت الشعب ّية املستم ّرة‪،‬‬ ‫التي لم يشهد مثلها من قبل‪ ،‬ولم‬ ‫يكن حتّى أكثر املتفائلني يتو ّقعون‬ ‫يوم من األيام‪ .‬وهذا‬ ‫حصولها في ّ ٍ‬ ‫الشعوب العرب ّية نست‬ ‫ك ّله أل ّن‬ ‫األصح تناست أنّها مصدر‬ ‫أو رمبا‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫شرع ّية هذه األنظمة البائسة‪ ،‬وأن‬ ‫حقها أن تقول «ال» في وجه ّ‬ ‫من ّ‬ ‫كل‬ ‫تتوضح‬ ‫من يريد إستغاللها‪ .‬ولكي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫بد لنا أن نبحث أوال ً عن‬ ‫ال ّرؤية أكثر ال ّ‬ ‫األسباب التي أجبرت هذه ّ‬ ‫الشعوب‬ ‫الصمت‪ ،‬ثم ينبغي علينا‬ ‫على إلتزام ّ‬ ‫شجعتهم‬ ‫البحث عن الدوافع التي ّ‬ ‫ودفعتهم للثورة وطلب النصر‪.‬‬ ‫أما بالنّسبة ملا دفعهم إللتزام‬

‫الصمت ّ‬ ‫كل هذه الفترة هو أنهم‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫لم يكونوا يجرؤون على قول ما‬ ‫يختلج في داخلهم‪ .‬وهذا ليس من‬ ‫ضعفهم وإستسالمهم‪ ،‬بل من‬ ‫خوفهم من ر ّدة فعل ّ‬ ‫حكامهم وما قد‬ ‫يكون مصيرهم إذا ما إعترضوا على‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫فاحلكام العرب الظلاّ م ال‬ ‫ما يجري‪.‬‬ ‫يرحمون أبداً‪ ،‬فقرارات القتل والظلم‬ ‫السلطة‬ ‫ال تؤ ّثر فيهم وهذا أل ّن ّ‬ ‫واملال قد أعمت قلوبهم وأبصارهم‪،‬‬ ‫وأمات كل ذرة إنسان ّي ٍة في داخلهم‪.‬‬ ‫يحسب املوضوع‬ ‫العادي‬ ‫فاملواطن‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫على هذا النحو» ماذا لو إعترضت ولم‬ ‫أجد من يساندني في موقفي هذا؟ وما‬ ‫قد يكون مصيري؟» فاجلواب الواضح‬ ‫والبسيط هو «املوت أو السجن في‬

‫أفضل األحوال»‪ .‬فمن هذا املنطلق‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫يفكر املواطن أنه من األفضل له أن‬ ‫يلتزم صمته وبيته ليحيا حيا ًة ال قرار‬ ‫له فيها‪ .‬ولكن بعد أن جترأ محمد‬ ‫البو عزيزي وقام بإحراق نفسه أمام‬ ‫أنظار الرأي العام‪ ،‬وأثبت أن الوضع‬ ‫لم يعد يُسكت عليه وأ ّن على اجلميع‬ ‫أن يصرخ بأعلى صوته ويستنكر‬ ‫كل ما يجري‪ .‬فعندها كانت عندها‬ ‫«ثورة الياسمني» التي أعادت لتونس‬ ‫إستقاللها وسيادتها احلقيقية‪ .‬ومن‬ ‫ثم مصر كانت الدولة العربية التّالية‬ ‫التي إستطاع شبابها « شباب الـ‬ ‫‪ « Facebook‬أن يحققوا نصرا ً‬ ‫حقيقياًعندما صمدوا في ميدان‬ ‫التحرير ملدة ‪ 18‬يوما ً إستطاعوا من‬

‫وجهة نظر‬

‫‪14‬‬

‫خاللها أن يخلعوا نظام حسني‬ ‫مبارك اجلائر والفاسد الذي وقف مع‬ ‫الصهاينة في حربهم ضد غزة‪.‬‬ ‫وبعد هذا كله ال يسعنا سو أن‬ ‫نتمنّى لكل ّ‬ ‫الشعوب العرب ّية‪ :‬األردن‪،‬‬ ‫البحرين‪ ،‬ليبيا‪ ،‬اليمن‪ ،‬اجلزائر‪ ،‬وغيرها‬ ‫أن ينجحوا في ثوراتهم ونضاالتهم‬ ‫ضد أنظمتهم الفاسدة والتي باتت‬ ‫تشكل عارا ً على الشعوب العربية‪.‬‬ ‫ولكن يبقى السؤال أي من هذه‬ ‫الدول ستكون الس ّباقة في نضالها‬ ‫ونصرها؟ هذا ما ستكشفه لنا األيام‬ ‫املقبلة‪.‬‬

‫ثورة لبنانية افتراضية‬

‫خضر أبو دية‬ ‫كاتب صحفي‬

‫املعيشي سو ًءا‬ ‫بعد إزدياد الوضع‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫بإزدياد الفقراء فقرًا واألغنياء غنًى‪،‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الطبقة الوسطى مع‬ ‫اختفت‬ ‫أي بصيص أمل للتغيير العادل‬ ‫والشامل‪ .‬نزل كل شاب غاضب إلى‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الشارع ليصرخ أمام أهله وجيرانه‪.‬‬ ‫الساعات التي امضاها‬ ‫يصرخ في ّ‬ ‫يقرأ الكتب وينجز اإلمتحانات‪ .‬يبكي‬ ‫ألم أهله الذين عملوا ليالً نهارا ً‬ ‫لتأمني أفضل التّعليم له وإلخوته‪.‬‬ ‫يندب ق ّلة حيلته وضعف عزميته التي‬ ‫أحبطها نظام الزعامات الطائفية‬ ‫في بلده‪.‬‬ ‫مطلق هذه الثورة في لبنان ليس‬ ‫جل ٌد محروق أو جس ٌد مدهوس وممزّق‬ ‫الوطني‬ ‫من شدة الضرب‪ .‬إنه الوعي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫توسع‬ ‫والتّربية املدن ّية ّ‬ ‫الصاحلة التي ّ‬

‫اللبناني من حلاق مصالح‬ ‫الشاب‬ ‫آفاق‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫طائفته إلى مصالح بلده‪ .‬واملضحك‬ ‫املبكي أ ّن مصلحة البلد هي مصلحة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫كل طائفة‪.‬‬ ‫جتمع ّ‬ ‫الشباب في مجموعة من لون‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫طائفي واحد أمام منزل زعيم الطائفة‬ ‫ليطالبوا بدولة مدنية يتساوى فيها‬ ‫اجلميع‪ .‬لكن سرعان ما حضرت قوى‬ ‫األمن و ظهرت امليليشيات املس ّلحة‬ ‫لتفض املتظاهرين‪ .‬حتدث عمليات ك ّر‬ ‫وف ّر متتالية إلى أن صعد ّ‬ ‫كل زعيم إلى‬ ‫احملتجني ووعد وعوده‪.‬‬ ‫املنبر وخاطب‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫صدق العديد وانتظروا‪ ،‬لكن األغلب‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫أدرك أن ما حصل ذاك اليوم ال يحتاج‬ ‫الصبر‪ .‬هم‬ ‫إلى وعود بل إلى‬ ‫بعض من ّ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫يعلمون أ ّن الزّعامة الطائفية تسقط‬ ‫في اللحظة التي ترفضها ّ‬ ‫الطائفة‬

‫املعنية‪.‬‬ ‫حني يتخ ّلى ّ‬ ‫كل منزل عن إتّباع‬ ‫الزّعيم تنتهي سلطته‪ .‬ال حاجة‬ ‫للشعارات والقنابل املسيلة للدموع‪،‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الشعب اللبناني ليس‬ ‫فعطش‬ ‫للدموع بل لراحة البال واإلستقرار‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وميدان التحرير اللبناني هو في‬ ‫انتخابات يقوم ّ‬ ‫الشعب فيها بانتخاب‬ ‫من يستحق أن ينتخب‪ .‬إنتخابات‬ ‫يتج ّرأ فيها الشريف اللبناني أن‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫أمريكي‪،‬‬ ‫يرشح نفسه ال بدعم‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫سيرالنكي بل بدعم معنوي‬ ‫أو‬ ‫‪،‬‬ ‫سوري‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الشعب كل ّ‬ ‫من ّ‬ ‫الشعب‪ .‬يخلص‬ ‫األمر النتخاب حكومة ترتقي إلى‬ ‫مستوى مجلس خبراء تعيد للوطن‬ ‫اللبناني مكانته‪.‬‬ ‫السيناريو اآلخر هو أن ال يتجرأ أحد‬

‫صالح أن يرشح نفسه للمقاعد‬ ‫القيادية والتمثيلية‪ .‬في هذه‬ ‫احلالة‪ ،‬يرفض ّ‬ ‫الشعب املشاركة في‬ ‫اإلنتخابات ليبرهن رفضه الكامل‬ ‫للنظام الطائفي‪ .‬ورفض النظام‬ ‫رفضا للطوائف بل‬ ‫الطائفي ليس‬ ‫ً‬ ‫رفضا للفساد الذي يحميه نظامنا‬ ‫ً‬ ‫شخص‬ ‫اللبناني احلالي‪ .‬فحني يصل‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫إلى موقع املسؤول ّية في نظامنا‪،‬‬ ‫مهما كانت تربية وصلب هذا‬ ‫الشخص‪ ،‬يصعب عليه اإلمتناع عن‬ ‫إستثمار غرائز من ينتمي إلى طائفته‪.‬‬ ‫فيصبح إنتقاد ومواجهة أفعال‬ ‫الفساد مسبب للفنت الطائفية‬ ‫وإنقسام البلد‪ .‬وبصراحة‪ ،‬أن تصبح‬ ‫مغر جدا ً‪.‬‬ ‫عصيا ً عن اإلنتقاد ٍ‬

‫فلسطني تنادينا فهل نلبي؟‬ ‫الدبس‬ ‫مدى ّ‬ ‫“باقة الغربية”‪”,‬أبو سنان”‪“ ,‬أم‬ ‫الفحم”‪...‬المست أسماء هذه‬ ‫القرى الفلسطينية وترًا مؤملًا في‬ ‫نفسي بعد ساعات طويلة على‬ ‫شبكة “الفيسبوك” حتت تأثير‬ ‫صفحة سميت “زوايا من فلسطني‬ ‫قبل أن تفقد الذاكرة”‪ .‬املص ّورة‬ ‫سهر روحانا تنقل بعدستها ابداعات‬ ‫األرض الفلسطينية في ألبومات‬ ‫صور هي أقرب ما آلت اليه عيوننا‬ ‫املظلومة من أرض األقصى والقيامة‪.‬‬ ‫من قناطر “البقيعة” الى كنائس‬ ‫“جفنا” ومساجد “عيلون” وبرتقال‬ ‫“معليا” وبيوت “كفرسيف” وينابيع‬ ‫“شفاعمرو” الى سواحل “حيفا”‬ ‫و “عكا” وشواطئ “الطنطورة” و‬ ‫“قرية الزيب” وغيرها الكثير من املدن‬ ‫والقرى حيث نعيش في زمن نسمح‬ ‫له أن يحصر زياراتنا ألرضنا املقدسة‬ ‫في حدود الصفحة االكترونية‪.‬‬ ‫ثاروا ملصر ولتونس و األردن ونسوا‬

‫القدس وأطفال احلجارة وأمهات رام‬ ‫اهلل وصامدات يافا ‪.‬فهل يكون النصر‬ ‫في سقوط رموز الظلم والفساد‬ ‫والعمالة عن مناصبهم في النظام‬ ‫العربي فقط؟ وكيف تزول‬ ‫الرسمي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وصمة العار بغير جهود فعل ّية تهدف‬ ‫الى حترير األرض ومقاومة الغاصب‬ ‫وتوحيد االنتفاضة وصناعة املصير‬ ‫املنير املنتصر بطبيعة احلال أل ّن‬ ‫فلسطني قض ّية حق ال قضية باطل‪.‬‬ ‫ملاذا لم يتحرك “الث ّوار” بعد مجزرة‬ ‫القدس عام ‪ 1937‬حتى اليوم مرورًا‬ ‫مبجازر حيفا وبلدة الشيخ والعباسية‬ ‫وسميراميس؟ملاذا لم يثوروا بعد‬ ‫مجزرة ال ّرملة ودير ياسني واللجون‬ ‫وعني الزيتون واجملدل وخان يونس‬ ‫والقليقلة ؟ لقد حوصرأهل غزة ومنع‬ ‫ايصال األكل واألدوية اليهم ولم نثراال‬ ‫في بعض بيانات االستنكار! نحن في‬ ‫‪ 2011‬واجملازر مستم ّرة واإلستيطان‬ ‫السرطاني ينتشر ونحن نرى زوايا‬ ‫ّ‬

‫)‪(Photo from Topnews.in‬‬

‫فلسطني على “الفيسبوك”‪.‬‬ ‫متى نستفيق وننبذ البكاء واحلزن‬ ‫واالستجداء؟ فلسطني تنادي الثوار‬ ‫يصعد من نبضات‬ ‫ونشيد املقاومة‬ ‫ّ‬

‫الفؤاد الذي ال يخفق مطلقًا كما‬ ‫يخفق مناديًا أهل األرض الى العودة‬ ‫املظفرة‪.‬‬

‫الدبس هي طالبة العلوم‬ ‫مدى ّ‬ ‫السياسية واإلدارة العامة في‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫اجلامعة األميركية في بيروت‬

‫‪15‬‬

‫منوعات‬

‫شباط ‪2011 ,22‬‬

‫اوتلوك‬

‫كاتب من هذا الزمان‬ ‫علي بدر جغرافي الرواية‬

‫نهاد غازي عواد‬ ‫كاتبة صحفية‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫وصف دقيقٌ لألماكن واملدن‪ ،‬تفاصيل‬ ‫الصغر عن البيوت‬ ‫كبيرة ومتناهية ّ‬ ‫واملقاهي واحلانات واملالهي‪ .‬ميزة‬ ‫تتم ّيز بها روايات علي بدر حتّى ا ّن‬ ‫عمله «خرائط منتصف الليل»‬ ‫نال ألجله جائزة ابن بطوطة لألدب‬ ‫اجلغرافي‪ ،‬في عام ‪ .2005‬حصل‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫عدة جوائز أخرى منها‪ :‬جائزة‬ ‫على ّ‬ ‫الشابي للرواية العرب ّية‬ ‫القاسم‬ ‫ابو‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الدولة لآلداب‬ ‫في تونس ‪،2001‬جائزة ّ‬ ‫في عام ‪ ،2002‬جائزة اإلبداع األدبي‬ ‫في اإلمارات العربية‪ . 2002‬من‬ ‫أهم اعماله‪ :‬بابا سارتر ‪،2001‬شتاء‬ ‫العائلة ‪،2002‬مصابيح اورشليم‬ ‫‪،2003‬الوليمة العارية (كولونيا ‪-‬‬ ‫بيروت ‪ -‬بغداد ) ‪، 2004‬صخب ونساء‬ ‫وكاتب مغمور ‪،2005‬الركض وراء‬ ‫الذئاب ‪ ،2007‬اجلرمية‪ ،‬الفن‪ ،‬وقاموس‬ ‫بغداد ‪ .2010‬روائي عراقي نذر نفسه‬ ‫لل ّرواية فهو يقول ‪( :‬انا اعمل مثل‬ ‫العبيد‪ ..‬استيقظ فجرا ً مع العمال‬ ‫والصنايعية واحلمالني والعتّالني‬ ‫وعمال البناء‪ ،‬ومصادري التقع في‬ ‫ال ّروايات وكتب االدب وحدها وامنا‬ ‫والصحف القدمية‬ ‫ابحث عن الوثائق‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وتدوين احلكايات من االشخاص قبل‬ ‫والسفر من مكان الى مكان‬ ‫موتهم‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫من اجل معلومة او مقابلة شخص او‬

‫ّ‬ ‫التحقق من موضوع او قضية‪ ،‬واتابع‬ ‫بشكل حلظي مايدور بني السياسيني‬ ‫واملثقفني)‪.‬تناول تاريخ بالده احلديث‬ ‫ضمن أطر روائية تفنّد الفترات‬ ‫الثقافية التي طغت على أرض بابل‬ ‫واملتغ ّيرات السياس ّية التي رافقتها‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الفلسفي‬ ‫التهكم‬ ‫في قالب من‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫فعلي يتمتّع‬ ‫ة‪.‬‬ ‫ي‬ ‫السريال‬ ‫الدعابة‬ ‫وروح ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مبوهبة الكتابة ال ّروائ ّية بأساليب فن ّية‬ ‫الثقافي‬ ‫متعددة تظهر بعد الفكر‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫لديه وقدرته على التحليل العميق‬ ‫الى جانب شالل املعلومات واالفكار‬ ‫النابضة الذي يغرقنا به‪ .‬فالنقد‬ ‫التقويضي لديه يساعد على فهم‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫العراقي ّ‬ ‫الشائك‪.‬‬ ‫تعقيدات اجملتمع‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫فهو يعرض شخصياته من نسيج‬ ‫اجملتمع العراقي بطريقة غير مباشرة‪.‬‬ ‫شخص ّيات تقامر على االنسان‬ ‫وتلمس مرونة القاع اإلنسانية‪.‬تتم ّيز‬ ‫رواياته باحلضور الطاغي للوثيقة‬ ‫ولألفكار البحث ّية أي أ ّن الرواية ترتكز‬ ‫علي أطروحة بحث معينة فتشكل‬ ‫األطروحة واألفكار الهيكل العظمي‬ ‫وتُكسى بجلد احلياة والواقع‪ .‬لكن‬ ‫يبقى هناك مشكلة غياب البناء‬ ‫القصصي واعتماد الكتابة احلرة‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫السردي الذي يعتمده يتوازى‬ ‫فاخلط‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫عدة خطوط أخرى متآلفة‬ ‫مع‬ ‫ّ‬

‫فيبتعد البطل لعدة صفحات ل ُي ّ‬ ‫حل‬ ‫محله شخصية أخرى مع حياة أخرى‬ ‫ميعن الكاتب في تفاصيلها مع انّها‬ ‫القصة األم‪.‬‬ ‫تصب في في مسيرة‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫شفاهي الف‬ ‫حكائي‬ ‫اسلوب‬ ‫انها‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ليالئي جميل ال يعجب البعض الذي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫تقمص احدى الشخص ّيات‬ ‫يريد‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫والعيش معها حتى النّهاية‪ .‬وبعض‬ ‫آخر يعجبه اندماج بدر بتفاصيل‬ ‫احلياة الصغيرة الواقعية لألشخاص‬ ‫املهمشني من الروائيني عبر تالعب‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫فني يعيد كتابة التاريخ ويناقش‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مفهوم الثورة واجلنس بصورة‬ ‫نقدية للسياقات السوسيولوج ّية‬ ‫والثقاف ّية في اجملتمع‪ .‬فالتداخل‬ ‫بني زمن احلكاية وزمن احلكي وزمن‬ ‫التلقي يساهم في الغاء اله ّوة بني‬ ‫النص والقارئ‪ .‬فعلي يعتمد حامالن‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫العراقي‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫التط‬ ‫تاريخ‬ ‫هما‬ ‫سرديان‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫واستبطان الهو ّية العراق ّية‪ .‬فقد‬ ‫قدم عبر أطر روائية معنى الهوية‬ ‫بوصفها مستوى معرف ًيا وقناعة‬ ‫عقلية يبني اإلنسان على أساسها‬ ‫عالقته بنفسه واجملتمع‪ .‬يؤمن علي‬ ‫بدر بأنه سيأتي يوم تتحول فيه‬ ‫العلوم االنسان ّية الى علوم سردية‬ ‫األمة في الرواية‬ ‫ويعتبر ان «مفهوم ّ‬ ‫العربية مازال مفهوما فقيرًا بالرغم‬

‫)‪(Photo from poetryworldwide.net‬‬

‫من األهم ّية التي يتمتع بها منذ‬ ‫انطالقه في النصف األخير من القرن‬

‫التاسع عشر»‪ .‬على أمل ان يتبلور‬ ‫مفهوم األمة روائ ًيا وعقائديًا‪.‬‬

‫لن أنتحر عن ظهر جسر !‬ ‫علي بدران‬ ‫خاص بأوتلوك‬

‫رمبا حقا ً كما تقول يا أبي‪ ،‬أنا‬ ‫ر َ ُج ٌل في طور ِ النشوء‪...‬ال زالت‬ ‫الشهامة تداعب ضميري‪،‬‬ ‫و األفكار الوطنية تعاتبني‪.‬‬ ‫رمبا حقا ً ما زلت رجالً في طور‬ ‫النشوء‪ ،‬ألنّني ما زلت أكتب على‬ ‫جدران طريق املطار حلم العروبة‬ ‫فيقرأه ز ّوار املدينة فيخافون ولو‬ ‫العربي الذي ما يزال‬ ‫قليالً من‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ينبض‬ ‫في اجلذور‪.‬‬ ‫رمبا حقا ً يا أبي ال زلت رجالً‬ ‫في طور النّشوء ألنّني أغضب‬ ‫حني أرى األطفال تبكي دما ً‬ ‫في غزة وقد لبسوا أكفانهم‬ ‫كحلناه‬ ‫التي إتّشحت سوادا ً ّ‬ ‫بصمتنا املتواطئ مع الرصاص‪.‬‬ ‫فال ّرصاص‬ ‫صوته أبشع حني يكون املتك ّلم‬ ‫الوحيد‪ ،‬و نحن ال نسكت إلاّ حتت‬ ‫وطء الرصاص‪ .‬وحني‬

‫نتك ّلم يا سادة أنفسكم فقط‪،‬‬ ‫ما أجمل صوت الرصاص‪.‬‬ ‫طبعا ً أنت دائما ً على حقّ‬ ‫يا أبي‪ ،‬فأنا ال زلت رجالً ألن‬ ‫مصاصي الرجولة في هذا البلد‬ ‫لم يتف ّرغوا بعد كي يغتصبوا‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫يحط‬ ‫رجولتي‪...‬ألن الليل لم‬ ‫على كياني كي تخلو لهم‬ ‫الساحة ليفعلوا فعلتهم‬ ‫السوداء‪ .‬فأنا ال زلت شابا ً يا أبي‪،‬‬ ‫ال أملك املال كي يسرقوا منّي و‬ ‫ال أعمل كي يأخذوا نصف‬ ‫مدخولي‪...‬‬ ‫أنا لست مخ ّوال ً كي أنتخب‬ ‫بعد‪ ،‬إطمئن‪ ،‬فهم لن يشتروني‬ ‫االن‪...‬و جسمي لم يتدهور‬ ‫حتّى االن كي يكسروا كرامتي‬ ‫على أبواب مستشفياتهم‬ ‫احلكوم ّية و إستثماراتهم‬ ‫اخلاصة‪ ،‬و خلوفهم من معاجلة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الصعبة يرفضونني ‪...‬و‬ ‫حالتي ّ‬

‫كما الكالب على اجلانب االخر‬ ‫من الطريق‬ ‫يرمونني‪ ...‬وزارةاملال ّية عندهم‬ ‫فارغة‪ ،‬و وزارة الطاقة تنقطع‬ ‫الكهرباء عن مكاتبها كل يوم‬ ‫باملداورة‪...‬و عندما كانت وزارة‬ ‫الداخلية هي الوحيدة التي ال‬ ‫الداخل‬ ‫تعلم ما يجري في ّ‬ ‫و وزارة الدفاع عاجزة عن الدفاع‬ ‫عن أركانها‪ ،‬فهم لم يؤسسوا‬ ‫بعد وزارة للبناء و أنا‬ ‫أدرس يا أبي ثقافة البناء‪...‬‬ ‫فاطمئن لن يرفضوني حني‬ ‫أقصدهم للعمل في وزاراتهم‪،‬‬ ‫فمكتب إستالم الطلبات مغلق‬ ‫عندهم ألجل غير محدد بغرض‬ ‫الصالة‪...‬‬ ‫يا أبي أنا لن أملك سيارة في‬ ‫الغد القريب ألنني فقير‪ ،‬لذا‬ ‫لست مضطرًا أن تتوسط‬ ‫الدركي كي‬ ‫عند إبن اخلال‬ ‫ّ‬

‫الضبط حني أجتاوز حدود‬ ‫يلغي ّ‬ ‫السرعة‪ .‬أنا ال أملك س ّيارة يا‬ ‫أبي‪ ،‬لذا‬ ‫لن أحرق إطاراتي القدمية ملّا‬ ‫أستيقظ جائعا ً ّ‬ ‫كل صباح‪ ،‬و لن‬ ‫يحبسوني الليلة ألنني‬ ‫احلي‪،‬‬ ‫هاجمت الديك األخر في ّ‬ ‫فالشرطي قد إستلم سيارة‬ ‫جديدة‪ ،‬وهو مشغول جدا ً‬ ‫مبعاكسة إبنة اجليران‪.‬‬ ‫يا أبي أنا ال أريد أن أنخرط في‬ ‫املدرسة احلرب ّية فليس مطلوب‬ ‫منك أن حتني رأسك للعميد‬ ‫الذي يسكن اخر ضيعتنا‪.‬‬ ‫في مدينتنا اليوجد جسور‬ ‫للمشاة‪ ،‬فاطمئن لن أنتحر عن‬ ‫ظهر جسر حني أضيق ذرعا ً من‬ ‫هذا الغباء‪ .‬و ال يوجد عندنا‬ ‫غابات كي نخ ّيم فيها لذا ال‬ ‫تنتظر عودتي بقلق حني أذهب‪،‬‬ ‫ألنني لن أذهب‪ ،‬فال يوجد مكان‬

‫أذهب إليه‪ .‬ال تنتظر عودتي‬ ‫بصمت أل ّن أبعد مكان سأذهب‬ ‫احلي االخر‪.‬‬ ‫إليه هو املقهى في ّ‬ ‫اجلدي بعد‪،‬‬ ‫أنا لم أقع في احلب ّ‬ ‫فاطمئن الليلة يا أبي لن أطلب‬ ‫منك أن تخطبني إلبنة اجليران‬ ‫احلسناء التي تنتفض بشعرها‬ ‫اجلميل على نافذة شباكي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫كل مساء‪...‬لن أطلب منك أن‬ ‫اخلليجي لشراء منزل‬ ‫تنافس‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫أخلد فيه للنوم أو لألرق في‬ ‫مدينتنا‪...‬‬ ‫ال يوجد معي عشرة ماليني‬ ‫دوالر ألصبح نائبا ً عن الشعب‬ ‫اللبناني الفقير‪...‬لذا ال تنزعج‬ ‫من‬ ‫كلماتي ‪...‬‬

‫اجلامعة األميركية في بيروت‬

‫أ وتلو ك‬

‫املنشورة الطالبية املستقلة منذ عام ‪ |١٩٤٩‬األربعاء ‪ 22‬شباط ‪|2011‬‬

‫جزء ‪ ٬٤٣‬عدد ‪١٦‬‬

‫‪15‬‬

‫الكاتب علي بدر‬

‫‪14‬‬

‫فلسطني تنادينا فهل نلبي؟‬

‫شعوب احلياة ‪ ..‬أخبار الثورات‬

‫مصطفى فضل اهلل‬ ‫كاتب صحفي‬ ‫البحرين ‪ ..‬ثورة الورود تق ّبل الرصاص‬ ‫برغم اجملزرة التي وقعت عند فجر‬ ‫الـسابع عشر من الشهر اجلاري‬ ‫ضد متظاهرين إختاروا النوم في د ّوار‬ ‫اللؤلؤة‪ ،‬عاد البحرينيون إلى د ّوارهم‬ ‫ليطالبوا بحقوقهم وبتغيير النظام‬ ‫الذي حتكمه وتسيطر عليه عائلة آل‬ ‫خليفة منذ عقود‪ .‬وأظهرت شاشات‬ ‫التلفزة‪ ،‬املقصرة إعالميًّا بحق هذه‬ ‫ال ّثورة‪ ،‬مشاه ًدا ملتظاهرين اقتربوا‬ ‫من قوات اجليش بدو أي أسلحة‬ ‫منادين «سلمية سلمية ال سنية وال‬ ‫شيعية» بإطالق الرصاص عليهم‪.‬‬ ‫وإلى اليوم لم يعرف مصير من كانوا‬ ‫نيا ًما في الد ّوار برغم قول الكثيرين‬ ‫أن البحرين بلد صغير ال تختفي‬ ‫يرجح‬ ‫فيه الناس ملدة طويلة مما ّ‬ ‫إمكانية موتهم بحسب شهود‬ ‫عيان ومسعفني‪ .‬الشعب رفع سقف‬ ‫حلد طلب رأس امللك أما‬ ‫املطالب ّ‬ ‫القيادات فمعتدلة حتاول التوازن في‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ظل واقع صعب فرض على البحرين‬

‫في ّ‬ ‫ظل موقعها اجلغرافي‪ .‬اخلطوة‬ ‫السياسية الوحيدة حلد األن هي‬ ‫غستقالة نواب كتلة الوفاق الوطني‪.‬‬ ‫املعارضون رفضوا الدخول في‬ ‫مفاوضات مع احلكومة حلني سحب‬ ‫اجليش وإيقاف اجملازر‪ ،‬برغم مطالبات‬ ‫ولي العهد بفرض الهدوء‪ .‬ويذكر‬ ‫أن البحرين تستضيف األسطول‬ ‫األمريكي اخلامس وهو أهم قوة‬ ‫أجنبية في اخلليج والبحر األحمر‪.‬‬ ‫أيضا يذكر أن البحرين مساحتها ‪750‬‬ ‫كلم مربع وأن عدد سكانها مليون و‬ ‫مئتي ألف أكثرهم ( ‪ 60‬باملئة ) من‬ ‫الشيعة والباقي سنة وتسع باملئة‬ ‫من املسيحيني وعشرات اليهود‪.‬‬ ‫وتستمر ثورة الرابع عشر من شباط‬ ‫بال وكيل إال اهلل‬ ‫ليبيا ‪ ..‬ثورة حتاصرها ثورتان‬ ‫بني الثورة التونسية والثورة املصرية‬ ‫بدأ الزلزال بالتس ّلل إلى ليبيا لتهتز‬ ‫األرض حتت الزعيم معمر القذافي‬ ‫الذي تربع على عرش ليبيا بال دستور‬ ‫ألكثر من ‪ 40‬عاما ً ‪ .‬وتذ ّدرت مدينة‬ ‫فتحدثت مصادر‬ ‫بنغازي املواجهات‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫لقناة اجلزيرة عن حصول مجزرة هناك‬

‫فجر العشرين من شباط حيث قامت‬ ‫القوات املسلحة بإطالق الرصاص‬ ‫الكثيف على املتظاهرين مما أدى إلى‬ ‫سقوط ما يقارب املئتي قتيل و مئات‬ ‫اجلرحى بحسب شهود عيان‪.‬‬ ‫وذكرت مصادر ليبية أن وحدات‬ ‫األمن املركزي في شرق ليبيا‬ ‫رفضت إطالقالنار على املتظاهرين‬ ‫وساعدتهم على طرد الفرق األمنية‬ ‫اإلفريقية التي قيل أنها استُقدمت‬ ‫مع بلطجية مس ّلحني‪ .‬كما أ ّن‬ ‫السلطات تفرض تعتي ًما إعالم ًيا بعد‬ ‫إعتقال العديد من الصحفيني‪.‬‬ ‫كما وقطعت اإلمدادات الغذائية‬ ‫والصح ّية عن املناطق التي تقع‬ ‫فيها املظاهرات‪ ،‬وحجبت املواقع‬ ‫اإلجتماعية مثل فايسبوك وتويتر‬ ‫عن الشبكة إضافة إلى يوتيوب‬ ‫ومواقع املدونات الرئيسية‪ .‬وإنتشرت‬ ‫عدوى الثورة في باقي املناطق ورفعت‬ ‫معمر القذافي ألول‬ ‫الشعارات ضد‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مرة في تاريخ ليبيا‪ ،‬لعلها تكون‬ ‫إشارة إلى مستقبل جديد لليبيا‪.‬‬ ‫وقالت جماعتان ليبيتان في املنفى أن‬ ‫احملتجني املناهضني حلكومة الزعيم‬

‫(صورة‪)Constitutionclub.org :‬‬ ‫معمر القذافي سيطروا على املدينة‬ ‫البيضاء بعد إنضمام عدد من أفراد‬ ‫الشرطة إليهم‪ .‬وتستمر ثورة الـ ‪17‬‬ ‫من شباط أمالً آخر للحر ّية‪.‬‬ ‫مالحظة ‪ :‬آخر جتديد لألخبار كان‬

‫بتاريخ ‪ 20 – 02 – 2011‬الساعة‬ ‫اخلامسة فجرًا‪.‬‬ ‫(اجلزيرة‪،‬األخبار‪ ،‬رويترز‪ ،‬أ ف ب‪ ،‬يو بي‬ ‫أي)‬

‫نشاط تضامني مع مصر لنادي الصحة واجملتمع‬ ‫مصطفى فضل اهلل‬ ‫كاتب صحفي‬

‫أجرى نادي الصحة واجملتمع في‬ ‫اجلامعة األميركية في بيروت‬ ‫ً‬ ‫نشاطا يوم اجلمعة الواقع في ‪18‬‬ ‫من هذا الشهر إحتفاال ً بانتصار‬ ‫الثورة في جمهورية مصر‬ ‫العربية وتضامنا ً مع شعبها‬ ‫حتى تكتمل أوجه اإلنتصار‪.‬‬ ‫وجرى هذا النّشاط بني الساعة‬ ‫العاشرة صباحا ً والرابعة بعد‬ ‫الظهر‪.‬‬ ‫عند الساعة العاشرة‪ ،‬وضعت‬ ‫الفتة ورقية بيضاء على األرض‬ ‫أمام درج املدخل الرئيسي‬ ‫للجامعة مع أقالم وألوان‬ ‫متنوعة‪ .‬لم يتردد الطالب في‬ ‫الكتابة‪ ،‬حتى امتألت االفتة كل ّيا ً‬ ‫لتضاف الفتة أخرى الحقا ًوتختم‬ ‫كسابقتها‪ .‬كتب الطالب ّ‬ ‫بكل‬ ‫األلوان وكثيرًا ما كتبوا بنكهة‬ ‫السياسة اللبنان ّية‪ .‬ظهر‬ ‫عطش اللبنانيني هنا لثورة‬ ‫كثورة أم الدنيا فكتب أحدهم‬ ‫«عقبالنا!» وآخر «صعبة ‪..‬‬ ‫بس ليش الء‪ ،‬عقبالنا»‪ .‬وترى‬ ‫أبيات أبو القاسم الشابي في‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫كل مكان كأنه شاعر العصر‪.‬‬

‫وظهرت التوجهات السياس ّية‬ ‫والفكرية في ما كتب الطالب‬ ‫مثل «الشيوعية هي احلياة‬ ‫فكيف متوت» و» حفظ اهلل‬ ‫اجلمهورية اللبنان ّية مع حتيات‬ ‫اجلمهورية اإلسالمية في‬ ‫إيران» و»حتية حريرية لثورات‬ ‫الياسمني»‪ .‬ومتنى الكثر أن‬ ‫ينتشر داء الثورة في كل مكان‬ ‫فقالوا «عقبال البقية» و «ال‬ ‫ملعمر» و «مع البحرين حتى‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫لكل‬ ‫النصر»‪ .‬كتبوا «شكرًا‬ ‫املصريني» و»يا قدوتنا شكرًا»‬ ‫و»مبروك مصر العروبة»‪.‬‬ ‫وطالب الكثر بإكمال الثورة‬ ‫وأن تكون ثورة « العبودية‬ ‫بعدها للمنطق األميركي»‪.‬‬ ‫حس الفكاهة عن‬ ‫ولم يغب‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫البعض فقالوا «نريد هيفاء‬ ‫وهبي رئيسة جلمهورية مصر»‬ ‫و « بك ّير لترحل‪ ،‬تالتني سنة يا‬ ‫زملة!»‪ .‬وهناك من كتب خارجا ً‬ ‫عن السرب «اآلن ميكنني أن‬ ‫أحلم بفلسطني»‪.‬‬ ‫وعند إنتصاف الساعة الواحدة‬ ‫من بعد الظهر‪ ،‬حضر أحد‬ ‫منظمي النشاط وهو عمر‬ ‫الديوه جي وأستاذ في كلية‬ ‫الصحة والغذاء ليع ّرف عن‬

‫أحد القادمني من ميدان التحرير‬ ‫لتشارك جتربتها مع الطالب‬ ‫ولينظم احلوار ويوضح األهداف‬ ‫من النشاط‪ .‬فرح قبيسي‬ ‫هي طالبة العلوم السياسية‬ ‫في اجلامعة اليسوعية كانت‬ ‫موجودة في ميدان التحرير‬ ‫وحتدثت عن جتربتها‪ .‬فأوضحت‬ ‫أ ّن الثورة هي نتيجة تراكم‬ ‫للظروف املعيش ّية الصعبة‬ ‫وفساد احلكم واحلركات‬ ‫العمالية والشبابية بني‬ ‫عام ‪ 2000‬حني اإلنتفاضة )صورة‪ :‬محمد عزام(‬ ‫الفلسطينية وحتى اآلن‪.‬‬ ‫وحتدثت عن إختيار يوم ‪ 25‬يناير األهالي للمتظاهرين عبر توزيع‬ ‫ألنه مي ّثل رمزية معركة‬ ‫تصدت عينات غذائية وغيرها من على‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الشرطة املصرية من خاللها الشرفات أحيان ًا‪ .‬وأجابت عن‬ ‫لإلحتالل البريطاني وقدمت سؤال للـ أوتلوك حول قيادات‬ ‫الكثير من الشهداء للدفاع عن الثورة بأن الثورة أنتجت قياداتها‬ ‫الشعب‪ ،‬أما اليوم فهي ضده؟ من خالل الشباب املتواجدين في‬ ‫وقالت فبيسي أن خالد سعيد ميدان التحريرلتكون ثورة ح ّر ًة‬ ‫إختير رمزًا لل ّثورة لكونه تع ّرض شبابية بعيدة عن التعقيدات‬ ‫للتعذيب حتى املوت‪.‬‬ ‫حتدثت السياسية واملذهبية خاصة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫قبيسي عن إيجابية مشاركة مبشاركة النساء واألقباط‪.‬‬ ‫املواطنني في تعاملهم مع واختتم النشاط بعودِ أشرف‬ ‫الثورة‬ ‫وتصديهم حملاوالت وحنجر ِة علي حيث أنشدا‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫التفرقة خاصة حني قاموا العديد من األغنيات املرتبطة‬ ‫بتشكيل اللجان الشعبية في بالثورة ومبصر لسيد درويش و‬ ‫مواجهة البلطجة ومساعدة الشيخ إمام ومارسيل خليفة‬

‫مثل «بني ريتا وعيوني» و»شمس‬ ‫الشموسة» و»البحر» وغيرها‬ ‫مع تفاعل اجلمهور املتواجد في‬ ‫محيط الـ كولدج هول و املدخل‬ ‫الرئيسي‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫منظمي‬ ‫وقال كرمي زين أحد‬ ‫النشاط للـ أوتلوك أن الالفتات‬ ‫سترسل إلى مصر‪ّ ،‬‬ ‫وأكد على‬ ‫أهم ّية هذا النّشاط إلظهار‬ ‫أن النّشاط السياسي داخل‬ ‫اجلامعة ميكن أن يكون إيجابيًّا‬ ‫في سبيل إدخال اجلامعة إلى‬ ‫الصحي‬ ‫جو النشاط السياسي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وجلعل اجلامعة مركزًا متفاعالً‬ ‫مع احلدث العاملي‪.‬‬