Muhannad Hajj Ali
Lokman Salim, a prominent Shiite opposition thinker and critic of Hezbollah, was found murdered in southern Lebanon, after his disappearance on the night of February 3. Salim was educated in Europe, and lived and worked in his family’s home in Haret Hreik in the southern suburbs of Beirut, and he had received threats from Hezbollah and its supporters that reached the point of sticking banners and slogans on the door of his house describing him as a traitor and an agent.
Selim’s political activity and his bold media participation was unique and showed unspeakable courage, as he lived with his family in Hezbollah’s home, virtually surrounded by his political opponents. And he recently raised a loud voice, criticizing the failed investigation into the causes of the Beirut Port explosion on August 4, 2020, especially after information circulated about the involvement of businessmen close to the Syrian regime in purchasing shipments of ammonium nitrate that exploded and destroyed large parts of the capital, Beirut.
Why is this event important?
Salim was the embodiment of the Lebanese Shiite opposition, as he was a different voice in a sect tightly dominated by Hezbollah. His political activity from within the party’s stronghold, whether against its policies, its hard-line social tendency, or its support for the Syrian regime, was an indication that Hezbollah was receptive to some different opinions, albeit in a limited way. However, the margin of disagreement and opposition is gradually narrowing, especially since Selim had received threats and was repeatedly subjected to intimidation and intimidation. Regardless of the identity of the perpetrators of this crime, his killing will be seen as the culmination of the growing rejection by Hezbollah of any form of opposition.
Slim also has a proven track record of accomplishing a host of other issues. He was preoccupied by the fate of the missing during the Lebanese civil war, the Lebanese prisoners in Syrian prisons, and he worked tirelessly to document war crimes committed during the two conflicts in Lebanon and Syria. There is no doubt, then, that his death shocked many prominent activists in the two countries.
What are the future complications?
The killing of Selim carries two-dimensional repercussions: First, it will certainly undermine freedom of expression, as he has never hesitated to express his views, not only those against Hezbollah, but also his criticism of the party’s allies and the Lebanese ruling class. Therefore, his assassination is likely to discourage others from expressing publicly their views against the forces of power in Lebanon, especially in light of their recent failure to investigate major crimes, chief among them the port explosion.
Second, the assassination of Salim comes after two assassinations, the first targeting a photographer and the second a customs colonel linked to the investigation of the port explosion. The perpetrators of these two crimes have not yet been revealed, and the assassination of Salim is now added to them, indicating the current state of insecurity in Lebanon, where most of the crimes remain without accountability. So, the assassination of Selim tragically illustrates the scourge plaguing Lebanon as it accelerates toward the abyss.
Courtesy: (carnegie-mec.org)
