During the civil war that ended over 30 years ago Abla Barotta survived shelling and clashes, but she now fears a “slow death” from Lebanon’s worst economic crisis in decades.
The 58-year-old mother of three is a survivor among the more than 50 percent of Lebanese today living in poverty.
Echoing a common refrain on television and at public gatherings, Barotta said even the worst days of the war weren’t this tough.
“We used to hide in houses or basements every time we heard shelling during the war, but today, where can we go to hide from hunger, the economic crisis, the coronavirus pandemic and our political leaders?” she told AFP.
“We used to fear death from bombardment or sniper fire, but now we fear everything: illness, poverty and hunger,” she said.
Her voice lowering to a whisper, she added: “To die from shelling is better, at least there is no suffering… while today, we suffer and die slowly every day.”
Lebanon on Tuesday marks 46 years since clashes erupted in Beirut between Lebanese Christians and Palestinians backed by leftist and Muslim factions, marking the start of a 15-year conflict that drew in regional powers Israel and Syria.
At the time, the country was divided into warring sectarian fiefdoms.
But many still managed to preserve a semblance of normal life between bouts of heightened violence and kidnappings.
The wheels of Lebanon’s economy kept turning, bolstered by money and weapons sent to warring parties from abroad.
