The leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah has urged his supporters to stay off the streets in the wake of the assassination of anti-Syrian politician Pierre Gemayel. Hezbollah is supported by Syria, and the Hezbollah leadership is clearly worried about being attacked over its ties with Damascus at such a sensitive time. But Hezbollah has been making a play for more political power and its largely Shi'ite Muslim support base is impatient for an improvement in its position, as our Middle East Correspondent Matt Brown discovered when he visited Hezbollah's stronghold in Beirut.MATT BROWN: This is Hezbollah territory. In Dahiyah in southern Beirut, the yellow and green flag of Hezbollah dominates the scene. The locals are overwhelmingly Shi'ite Muslims.
(Sound of car stereo)
Young men drive around with the words of Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, blaring form their car stereos.
(Sound of motor scooter engine)
And Hezbollah security men patrol the streets on motor scooters, a two-way radio on their belts, a handgun sometimes stuffed into their waistband.
Hezbollah is sponsored by Iran and Syria and all three are popular on these streets.
VOX POP 1: All the people here love Hezbollah, and Syria is not a terrorist and Hezbollah is not a terrorist, and Iran.
MATT BROWN: Dahiyeh is a suburb devastated by Israeli bombing during the war with Hezbollah in July. A massive clean up and construction job is underway and Hezbollah has funded much of the reconstruction with the generous support of Iran. Syria's been accused of doing its bit by resupplying the Hezbollah guerrillas in south Lebanon with advanced weapons, ready for the next round with Israel. Meanwhile Hezbollah's been making a bid for greater political power in Beirut.
(Sound of vox pop speaking)
"We just hear insults everywhere we go," this man says. "Why not go to the streets to demand our rights?"
(Sound of local Sheikh speaking)
This local Sheikh agrees. "Of course we must be peaceful," he says, "but the Government's corrupt and it has thrown itself into the lap of the West."
The locals here are worried their bid for more power may be derailed by the wave of anti-Syrian sentiment unleashed by the assassination of anti-Syrian politician Pierre Gemayel.
(Sound of vox pop speaking)
"The death of Pierre Gemayel is a great loss for all of us," this Hezbollah supporter says. "Why are his people blaming the Shi'ites for this? It's not fair."
The Shi'ite militia group cum welfare organisation and political party treads a delicate line. Hezbollah claims to defend Lebanon against Israel, but draws on foreign support to do so, and not everyone in Dahiya is happy with Hezbollah or its links with Iran and Syria.
Two local Sheikhs who wouldn't be recorded due to the pervasive presence of Hezbollah informers say they're sick of the group's hold on their community. "We forced Israel out of Lebanon in 2000," one told me. "Why did we have to fight them again? Look at all this destruction! What will we get from this? NothingÂ…"
The Lebanese Government's working with the United Nations to set up an international court. It would prosecute the pro-Syrian Lebanese officials who have been accused of being involved in a string of assassinations, including now that of Pierre Gemayel.
Responding to that will be the next big test of Hezbollah's loyalties and its strength beyond this stronghold. |