UN Special N° 654 Septembre · September 2006 

I have been extremely devastated on the current events of Lebanon, as I have been on mission for security with the UN in Lebanon for 7 months and just returned on 28 June, 2006 and had travelled in the southern and northern areas such as Saida, Tyr, Qana, Huzbullah/Israeli border, Baalbek, Beekaa and Cedars area, with photos of these areas including the UN observatory in the south which no longer exists, just two weeks before the attacks on Lebanon.
This is an extremely critical time for these people and I have for the last 2 weeks been trying to alert by emails and phone OCHA, OCHA NGOs, UNICEF etc. How we can get funds to these people. There has been extensive media on the south and limited coverage in the north. I have sent my own monies and collection from friends to people I know in the north via money transfer in order that they distribute to their famillies and friends in various villages spread out in the north, as supplies from the various UN foundations, UNICEF, Red Cross extra cannot be delivered, due to the continual attacks on civilians, Red Cross and UN personnel as roads and bridges are being destroyed each day. A friend from Baalbek, presently seeking refuge in a northern village, suggested that we could send funds to the mayors of various villages to distribute funds to people in order to survive. They are not in a position to work due to constant airstrikes day and night. One Lebanese Military Commando from Baalbek originally studied literature at university, but because of the economic situation in Lebanon was forced to join the military. He had poetically written on July 1, 2006 not knowing the outcome of what was to happen in Lebanon.
‘Love is like war, easy to start, hard to end and impossible to forget’.
He himself has experienced the wrath of war as his family in the north. Houses were destroyed and they fled to Syria for safety, but he himself defending his country according to his line of duty being in the military. He experienced the Military Base being blown up and although injured himself, carried a colleague to safety. His photo of this heroic incident was shown on the front page of ‘El Shark’ Arabic newspaper with the first week of the attacks, mainly at military bases, he witnessed many of his colleagues killed. Two weeks ago, he again was targeted as he drove a friend’s car. The car was hit by a bomb, destroying the car. His colleague was killed but he managed to jump to safety. Recovering from his injuries in the military hospital for a week; His comment was; ‘He would rather die’, as how can he find US$10,000 to reimburse the loss of his friend’s car. After 10 years service in the military the salary is $500 per month, which he relies on to support his family, already he has lost a sister and brother in the previous Lebanon war who had been shot as they took refuge in their home, the mother then died 5 years after of a broken heart from the loss of her children.