Beirut 'neighborhood watch' echoes troubled past

STORY: On an unlit street in Beirut, men wielding batons and torches take security into their own hands.

Neighborhood watch, they call this. But critics see worrying echoes of Lebanon's civil war.

The country's economy collapsed in 2019. The crisis has paralyzed the state and fuelled poverty and crime.

Beirut suffers blackouts and can no longer afford to light many of its streets.

The patrol was launched earlier this month in Ashrafieh, a well-heeled, predominantly Christian district, by Christian lawmaker Nadim Gemayel.

Residents are afraid of crime, and Lebanese authorities are to blame, he says.

“If they have done their duty and lit the streets, we would not have been forced to light the streets, and if they were present and hadn't allowed the country to collapse, we wouldn't have to stand in the streets today to reassure our people."

Critics recall the 1975-1990 civil war, when the state collapsed, militias controlled the streets and Beirut split into cantons.

Beirut's mayor Jamal Itani says he only heard about Gemayel's initiative on the news.

He's afraid other neighborhoods could follow suit in a country awash with guns.

“I fear that this initiative evolves and turns into clashes between parties, let's say they catch a thief from one party or people intervene with guns, then things could get out of hand in Beirut. My second fear is that other areas will also ask for this and then each area will have a group for itself managing security in their area.”

Such criticisms are rejected by Gemayel, whose father, Bashir, led the main Christian militia in the civil war before he was assassinated in 1982.

"We are not a militia, we are not armed, we don’t have rockets or drones, we do not have (military) equipment, we know exactly our duties and our people’s needs. We are doing this to secure their most basic needs.”

'Rockets and drones' are a reference to Iran-backed Hezbollah, which maintains an arsenal to fight Israel.

Lebanon's other sectarian parties disarmed after the war but their influence is pervasive.

Tensions are common - supporters of different groups fought deadly clashes in Beirut as recently as last year.

George Samaha owns a bakery in Ashrafieh and welcomed the patrol.

“When we heard about it, we were reassured because nothing is guaranteed in this bad situation we’re living in. I support this initiative, hopefully nothing will happen.”

The patrol currently has 98 recruits. Gemayel says he coordinates with the security services, who are short of manpower.

Like other state services, Lebanese security forces have been hit hard by a 95% currency collapse that has demolished the value of wages.

The United States is buttressing them with aid, including salary support.