Mona Alami

Mona Alami writes for Inter Press Service.

Media War Blurs Picture in Syria

BEIRUT — Since pro-democracy protests began over two months ago, Syria has been engaged in a fierce media war — with journalists arrested and international press banned from entering the country. This has severely curtailed the flow of information out of the country. "There is no independent press in Syria," says Human Rights Watch Director … Continue reading “Media War Blurs Picture in Syria”

Syrians Running Out of Refuge in Lebanon

BEIRUT – Syrians from the border town Tell Khalakh have been fleeing a wave of violence over recent weeks to cross into neighboring Lebanon. But those seeking refuge now face an uncertain fate. Syrian territory lies only a few hundred meters from the Wadi Khaled area in Lebanon, home to 17 villages scattered close to … Continue reading “Syrians Running Out of Refuge in Lebanon”

Iraqi Christians Cling to Their Faith in Jordanian Exile

AMMAN – As the 2003 United States-led invasion of Iraq began, the country’s Christians started streaming across the border into neighboring Jordan. Today most of them continue to live here in abject poverty with no hope of ever returning to the land of their ancestors. "We have lost our home country, we are not willing … Continue reading “Iraqi Christians Cling to Their Faith in Jordanian Exile”

Hezbollah Fortifies Frontier Against Israel

NABATIYEH, Lebanon – In the mountains towering above this southern city, Hezbollah (Party of God) is building a new line of defense on lands where a fierce war was once fought between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel. An asphalt road rising up from the sea seems to carve up the southern chain of … Continue reading “Hezbollah Fortifies Frontier Against Israel”

Lebanon: Divided We Arm

BEIRUT – Despite the new peace agreement in Doha, Lebanese are becoming increasingly polarized, with confrontation between groups affecting the population at every level. Lebanon’s mounting tensions were triggered by the 2005 killing of Sunni former prime minister Rafik Hariri in a bomb blast in Beirut, allegedly at the hands of the Syrian regime. The … Continue reading “Lebanon: Divided We Arm”

Al-Qaeda on Slippery Base in Lebanon

BEIRUT – Al-Qaeda’s second-in-command, Ayman Zawahiri, announced in an audiotape broadcast April 21 that Islamic groups would play a pivotal role in the war against Jews, and encouraged militants to expel invading ‘Crusaders’ masquerading as peacekeepers, referring to UNIFIL troops deployed in South Lebanon. "There have been three attacks on UN troops in the south … Continue reading “Al-Qaeda on Slippery Base in Lebanon”