Lebanese Hashish Farmers Demonstrate

The following are excerpts from a story about a demonstration of Lebanese hashish farmers, which aired on New TV on June 30, 2005.

Reporter: One day after the second phase of the destroying of the hashish crops in the Beqa' Plain had begun, farmers in Baalbek and Al-Hirmil held a strike in front of the government building in Baalbek, after security forces forbade them from demonstrating in front of the Justice Ministry. The demonstrators demanded that the state stop destroying hashish crops until a new government is formed and alternative agricultural crops are provided, particularly since the farmers had heeded the government decision to stop sowing hashish ten years ago, on condition that they be compensated with alternative crops, but they were given nothing.

Farmer: We have to plant crops, we cannot feed our children, our children are dying from hunger. We are not able to educate our children. Let the state come and see our condition. It is enough that everybody sits on his chair and does not feel the hungry. The satiated does not feel the hungry.

Female Farmer: A farmer has no insurance. If he's sick, he can't go to the doctor. He can't bring things home. They destroy the hashish, but hashish is not harmful. It is no more harmful than the products they give us, like alcohol or soft drinks. Hashish is no more harmful than them.

Old Farmer: This people will come and stand in front of the mowers. We blame those who own the mowers. They are destroying these farmers' livelihood.

Man in Background: And kill them! Kill them!

Old Farmer: Any of these mowers who comes to destroy the people's livelihood - his blood is on his own head.