Liberians who fled civil war trapped in Beirut

Victoria Dedran fled civil war in Liberia ten years ago and sought refuge in Beirut with her Lebanese husband. Now she’s trapped in the embattled city with her family. “We want to leave but we don’t know the situation outside if we go,” said Dedran, 56. “We are surrounded all over. There is nowhere for us to go.” The 10 family members are sheltered in a one-bedroom apartment in downtown Lebanon. “I’m having enough to eat now,” said Dedran, “but after some time I don’t know if I will have enough to eat.” Dedran met her husband in Liberia, which has a large Lebanese community, as do many West African countries. Lebanese businessmen control much of Liberia’s commerce. Dedran said she and her family had not yet contacted anyone to help evacuate them because they were too afraid to venture beyond their neighbourhood. She said they could not hear the Israeli bombardments from where they were staying. “Not yet,” she added. Dedran said she knows of about 50 other Liberians who are also trapped in Beirut. The Liberian government said on Thursday that it had contacted the Nigerian Embassy in Lebanon and the Liberian consulate in Greece to help evacuate stranded Liberians, according to Star Radio in Monrovia. Foreigners and Liberian nationals were evacuated from Liberia several times during the country’s 14-year civil war. The United States usually led the evacuation effort. Liberia was settled by freed American slaves in the 19th century. The United States is now evacuating thousands of its nationals from Lebanon. Israeli attacks on Lebanon started on 12 July in response to the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hizbullah, who are demanding the release of Lebanese prisoners in Israel. At least 300 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Lebanon so far, while hundreds of thousands have fled from south Beirut, south Lebanon and, to a lesser extent, the Bekaa Valley. Members of the Lebanese community in West Africa have strongly criticised the Israeli bombardments. In the Senegalese capital, Dakar, more than 2,000 Lebanese and Senegalese demonstrated in front of the offices of state-run television on Thursday. “Lebanon dies, diplomacy sleeps,” chanted the demonstrators. An estimated 25,000 Lebanese, mostly Shi’ite, live in Senegal, according to Samir Janarche, vice president of the Chamber of Commerce in Dakar. “I came back from Lebanon yesterday, but my heart is there,” said young girl who identified herself as Rania. “I know that it’s war. I think about the children who don’t have the same chance as me” to leave. cs/vj