Rahbani's Letter to Abdou

So Abdou Challita, a friend, Abdou Challita, who's in the Hezb il-Kataeb (Phalangists), and my friend, a friend, who I'm sure, if the situation calms down one of these days, and if we were still alive, and then met each other again, would run towards me and I'd run towards him, and hug each other and laugh. When we first see each other we would laugh because we are friends, even with all that's happened, we are still friends, friends from before this war.

Ya Abdou, today you are an active Kataeb member, and we always used to talk, and I'd try to understand what, why are you part of the Kataeb?

What had confused me, and mostly completely astounded me, was that you were poor, and could not afford anything but the necessities. And Hezb il-Kataeb, well, what I understand, is rightist. And when you are a member of the Kataeb ya Abdou, you have become rightist.

How are you rightist? Why are you rightist?

From what I know, the Kataeb are with the status quo, and when you are a member of the Kataeb, then you are with the status quo. How could you be a supporter of the current society? Why were you with it? I don't understand, and couldn't understand, and will never understand, because it is something wierd, something that has no explanation.

You are poor, and the structure we have has no place for you.

And you are defending it.

You are poor, and rightist. Why rightist? If they say that Edmond Rizk is rightist, people could understand that its possible and normal. But you rightist? You and Edmond Rizk in the same party ya Abdou. You and Edmond Rizk in the same party ya Abdou - what do you have in common? Shoo jab la jab?

You Abdou Challita are struggling and poverty stricken, and Edmond Risk isn't struggling or poverty stricken, completely on the contrary. He is one of the reasons of your poverty and struggles. Comon (Wallaw) ya Abdou. Have you forgotten that you used to like this girl that you couldn't marry her because of your salary? Because your salary doesn't let you live and marry at the same time? Wallaw Abdou, you've forgotten that your salary will not let you get married? And some other guy is going to take the girl you like ... and you're rightist as well?

Abdou, I'm now talking to you, but I know there are alot of others like you in the Kataeb, I don't know their names, and I wish I knew their names because there are alot of them are unfortunate.

But I know you, and I'm talking to only you. Have you forgotten that sometimes, when everything would push you up against a wall, you'd just stand and insult this life and this world? Why blame the world ya Abdou? What does life have to do with it? Shoo the world and this life just exist alone? And the society that you are protecting has nothing to do with anything at all? So all the blame is on the world and this life?

No ya Abdou, believe me. You have never believed me, I know, but try to believe me. Try, one of these days, when you are depressed and all doors are closed in your face, try to believe me.

And anyways Abdou, you know more than I do, who the actual martyrs are in Hezb il Kataeb. You know that the poor are the ones who become martyrs. The people who have nothing to lose. The sons of our mountains, whose cheeks are red. Abdou, no one dies other than the poor. And no one fights without using the poor. And you know well ... you know from the villages around your own villages how many young men have died. And you know, that Toto and Noto and Koko and Cici, in the party, live on the martyrdom of others. They live on the martyrdom of the poor. The poor, yes the poor. Toto and Noto and Koko and Cici, ya Abdou, speak about heroism, and puff their chests and begin to strut, and open their shirts and begin to look down at people, even though it was the others who were caught in the fire. The others were the wood. You want to remain wood ya Abdou? They'll drop you in the fire.

Abdou, all of us are for this nation (Kuluna lil Watan), but if the country was all ours, you always tell me oh Lebanon (Khay ya Libnan). Libnan.

What is Lebanon (Shoo houwé Libnan)? We are Lebanon. You are Lebanon. And the country is yours. Of course you are the nation's, but let it be yours, not for others. Take it. Demand it. This is for you. You know you make me laugh? You believe you are rightist?

Listen, you owe me some money. If you're rightist, send them to me. Unbelievable. And if you don't have money to return them and send them to me, then you aren't rightist. Understand.

Abdou, no one has ever become hungry and eaten the cedar tree. Abdou, no one has ever become hungry, and eaten beautiful scenery. And if someone is hungry, and if all the world around him is green and beautiful, and heaven is within view, it becomes even worse. Abdou, you scraped everything to the bare metal, and you're still sitting down on it. And time after time, this metal begins to hurt. Its hard. And the time will come when you feel the pain, and you will begin to scream. And I am waiting for this day. The day you will believe me.

May God be with you. Or rather, may God bless you.

posted by Lazarus, 3:41 PM