Seldom though do we find in-depth journalism from Tripoli that focuses not on the supposed “big picture”(whatever editors perceive it to be) but rather on the individuals actually doing the fighting.
This documentary from the BBC’s Darius Bazargan, “My Neighbor, My Enemy,” does just that. It goes beyond the type of coverage that focuses on the competing dogmas and allows us a peak into the human beings on both sides of the battlefield.
I do think the piece focuses a bit strongly on religion, which I would argue is only part of the picture behind the tensions, and paints Tripoli as a bit monolithic, when the fighting is largely happening only in two neighborhoods. It also leaves out critical questions about how these militia leaders are funded, which goes a long way toward understanding the issues at stake. Nonetheless it is a good start into looking at the nuance in this story. I only hope more of this type of reporting is done across Lebanon, especially by local television.
