A Bleeding Homeland

A Bleeding Homeland
By Dr. Joe Hitti

There is no doubt, and it is widely acknowledged, that one of the most horrific outcomes during the hateful Syrian occupation and its ruthless, conscience-free security apparatus — alongside the arrest of Lebanese Forces leader Dr. Samir Geagea, the imprisonment of hundreds of young men, the assassination of dozens, and the displacement of thousands to foreign lands — was the granting of Lebanese citizenship during President Elias Hrawi’s term to more than 300,000 non-Lebanese individuals. This occurred while thousands of Lebanese, most of them young people, emigrated in search of safety from the brutality of the occupation and its henchmen, and to secure their livelihood and future.

This wave of emigration was driven by the injustice in the implementation of the Taif Agreement, deteriorating conditions in the country, and not by a rejection of their homeland. Rather, it was a flight from despair, chaos, and the suppression of freedoms — a situation that sparked fear and anxiety about their existence, future, and destiny. This resulted in the bleeding of the nation’s human capital, especially its youth, university graduates, intellectuals, and even entire families uprooting themselves to foreign lands.

A quick glance at Lebanese emigration history since the 19th century reveals five key phases of mass departure:

The First Wave (1860–1920): This was caused by oppression, wars, poverty, and famine, particularly the catastrophic Druze-Christian war. The 1916 famine that struck Lebanon, especially Mount Lebanon, resulted in the death of one-third of the population.

The Second Wave (1920–1940): This occurred due to deteriorating economic conditions after World War I and the search for work and income abroad.

The Third Wave (1940–1975): This wave was motivated by aspirations for wealth following the success of earlier emigrants, with hopes of returning to Lebanon with enough financial stability.

The Fourth Wave (1975–1990): This was a desperate escape from the brutal war that broke out, marked by imminent danger, fear, and hopelessness. The escalating aggression from Palestinian and Syrian forces, Israeli invasions, displacement, and blocked opportunities drove many to flee.

The Fifth Wave (1991–present): This phase followed Michel Aoun’s failed “liberation” and “elimination” campaigns, along with the distorted implementation of the Taif Agreement. It was marked by youth losing hope due to worsening political conditions, Syrian occupation pressure on freedom, lost sovereignty, compromised independence, paralyzed dignity, rigged elections, a series of assassinations targeting elite politicians and intellectuals, the presence of armed militias, illegal armed groups, assaults, Hezbollah's dominance over institutions, the hijacking of national decision-making, widespread corruption in public administration, rising unemployment, competition from foreign labor, the influx of hundreds of thousands of Syrians, and uncontrolled borders — among numerous other factors too lengthy to list.