The hour of explosion has struck; it is only a matter of time. As the country enters the game of the index, people's lives are now linked to a morning and evening index for fuel, medicine, and bread. The struggle over the poor’s livelihood and their medicine has become intense, and it will not be a trivial conflict, leaving harsh ramifications on the destitute class. Crisis merchants did not wait long to raise prices; they closed their stores out of fear of loss, manipulating prices even further. Some have switched to pricing "in dollars," with Abdul Hassan stating that the shop owner demanded payment either in dollars or at black market rates.
Abu Mohammed, a shop owner in Nabatieh, considers that "the dollar price is a guarantee for them,” admitting that “the currency has lost its value.” He insists that the country is entering a dangerous struggle over food, noting, “People have noticeably refrained from buying; everyone is waiting for the dollar’s fluctuation. Their lives are now tied to it, linked to the indexes of fuel, gas, bread, goods, and medicine.” He confirms that "the struggle between the dollar and the lira will only result in increased prices, as today's pricing is either at 70 thousand or in dollars."
We have entered a phase of danger; everyone is watching developments in the internal situation. However, we are edging closer to an era of lawlessness. Consequently, every citizen will become a guard and a policeman; it is no surprise if villages today turn into “theater of thefts,” as thieves abound, leaving no trick untried. The number of thefts has surpassed reason, and the latest trend includes stealing at funerals. Citizens, beware of putting money in your pocket. Mustafa could not believe what happened to him while attending the funeral of one of his villagers; he never imagined that a thief would steal from his pocket discreetly. Mustafa lost around 4,000 euros from his pocket while participating in the burial, asserting that he "visited many money changers to see who exchanged such an amount, but to no avail.” He claims, “I was subjected to a well-executed robbery; they took advantage of my proximity to the coffin and stole from me amidst the crowd.”
Many have fallen victim to the “funeral thieves,” who attend mourning events and rob people. Numerous villages in Nabatieh have witnessed similar incidents where thefts targeted money, phones, and anything they could grab. Therefore, it can be said that we have officially entered a time of security breakdown, and things will worsen as the country plunges into unprecedented economic chaos and street hysteria.
The current state of silence is no longer surprising; the street movements witnessed in some villages the night before last are merely a fleeting burst of anger, quickly extinguished with the kindling of the dollar's fire, despite the flames of lawlessness still burning. So why have people not protested yet? The answer is clear; political forces have not yet made a decision, as the fate of protests is determined by these parties, not the people. When the people decide to rise up, they will turn the tables, but until then...
