OXFAM tells NGOs: there are many poor people in Lebanon

"The patron-client relationships - the dominant characteristic of which is dependency said Oxfam - that structure Lebanon's political system and determine access to public resources and institutions were cited by the 10-man research team as the source of vulnerability in all six "poverty pockets" surveyed for the report. Bab al-Tebbeneh outside of Tripoli and the Old City of Sidon were identified respectively as northern and southern urban "poverty pockets." Beit Salibi in Baalbek and Akroum in Akkar were selected to represent rural areas which did not sustain direct damage from last summer's war, while the village of Bourgholiyeh near Tyre was "identified by the team as a community whose vulnerability context is to a significant extent determined by the constant danger of military hostilities, and an area where impact of 2006 on living conditions may be observed." Finally the team surveyed residents of the Sabra Refugee camp as a sample of vulnerable Palestinians who do not have access to adequate services provided by UNRWA."

Kudos to OXFAM for rediscovering the wheel. Read the Daily Star article, and notice how much they stress the role of the mukhtar. The mukhtar? An elected officer in charge of birth and death certificates and identity papers. Now if Lebanon was an operetta by the Rahbani brothers, featuring Fairuz, then yes the Mukhtar would have been an authoritarian, powerful figure, usually played by barytone Nasri Shamseddine and featuring his handlebar mustache (the source of his power). Someone please tell OXFAM that the Rahbanis made up Lebanon, and that they should read Fawaz Traboulsi.