Lebanon / Syria: Border Lock Down....

A photo essay from Indymedia Beirut, which examines the current “crisis of the borders” between Syria and Lebanon. The Syrian government has for over 2 weeks maintained strict border controls at Lebanese entry points, which has placed a stranglehold over the Lebanese economy. This border lockdown is being justified in the name of “security” in the region, as Syria has come under intense political pressure from the U.S. to introduce tighter border controls, due to speculations that resistance fighters to the occupation of Iraq are slipping through the Syrian border. The Lebanese government and unions representing those economic sectors hit by the border lockdown, have painted the border crisis as an attempt of Syria to hit Lebanon economically after the forced withdrawal of upwards of 15 000 Syrian soldiers from Lebanon in April 2005. The photos in this album were taken by Sawsan Kalache, Mohammed Shublaq & Stefan Christoff of the Indepdent Media Center of Beirut (http://www.beirut.indymedia.org)