It’s a tragic contradiction: as Lebanon’s state of emergency worsens, support wanes. That means it’s time for updates on Lebanese-organized music efforts we’ve covered, plus a new call to action. Today, you can tune in and support a 12-hour fundraiser bridging Beirut and the world, with DJ Haram, Hyper Gal, Marylou, Metro Al Madina, Model/Actriz, Moor Mother, Nabihah Iqbal, Snakeskin, Yasmine Hamdan, and Ziad Nawfal.
The broadcast has started as I’m publishing, so put the soundtrack on first. Yaraka Radio is an independent online station. The stream runs 1p – 1am Monday Beirut time, so noon-midnight central Europe, 6am to 6pm Eastern, 3am to 3pm Pacific.
I’m glad to see that minutes before the stream has even started, they’re already at about a quarter of their modest 2K goal, and knowing the needs on the ground and how much every dollar matters, I hope they blow past that.
Here’s where to give, via gofundme:
Fundraiser for Lebanon I Yaraka Radio
Background
Lebanon’s humanitarian catastrophe, inflicted by Israel’s forced displacement and ongoing attacks on civilians across the country, is deepening. But undeterred, the Lebanese music community continues to work with fundraisers and mutual aid that have been developed and tested through multiple crises.
Giving isn’t enough — but giving is necessary. And each time you involve other people in fundraising, it’s a chance to talk about what’s going on. Follow independent Lebanese journalism like Megaphone for the latest.
This is an entirely human-caused crisis. Conservatively, Israel has forced one million people from their homes in a country of only about five million people. Forced displacement is a war crime. As I’ve written before, this especially impacts existing inequalities and discrimination in Lebanon, especially migrant workers. And it adds a new crisis in a country where the currency and banking system have collapsed. Direct aid can bypass corrupt and broken infrastructure when nothing else can — including international NGOs. So we rely on our Lebanese colleagues and the direct work they’re doing on the ground.
In addition to so-called “evacuation” orders becoming permanent, it’s also not safe to return—even to parts of Beirut, as witnessed yesterday. Israeli attacks didn’t cease during the so-called ceasefire, especially for the south. Thousands have been killed since this latest round of attacks; at one point during the “ceasefire,” some eleven children were being killed in each twenty-four span. Attacks have targeted the ecosystem and food supply, fishermen, beekeepers (really), hospitals and medical facilities, water supplies, homes, prominent restaurant destinations (again, really), and have systematically targeted and killed paramedics, including in double- and even triple-tap attacks. (Attacks target rescue workers trying to provide aid on-site.) It’s clear that attacks on Israel-described “Hezbollah” targets have civilian impacts around them, and often are simply collective punishment. Again, both of these are war crimes, and if we ignore them anywhere, whether it’s Israel, the United States, Russia, the RSF in Sudan, or any other actor, we erode the value of human life everywhere.
Of course, this hits the music scene. These are often the childhood homes and families of people we know in the scene. And to the credit of our colleagues, people from across the country, despite the sectarian and post-colonial history of Lebanon, have shared a sense of urgency.
We have a special obligation in the West to do more. Our industries, our tax money, our media, and our governments have helped arm Israel in this war and defended the country’s impunity as they continue to destabilize the region, endangering even their own citizens.
Sharing fundraising efforts is a starting place. And it has a real impact.
Updates from fundraisers: your support counted, and is being counted
Labels for Lebanon launched their fundraiser on the May Bandcamp Friday and held it through the weekend. But their fundraising appeal is still up and still collecting direct donations for Beirut-based arts NGO Beit Aam. It’d be great to see them cross that 10k mark:
Bandcamp Fundraiser for Lebanon #labelsforLebanon
And I can see it’s already ticked up by a decent amount even since they posted their update:
The LAND compilation featured here raised an impressive amount of money, and they’re an example of how to account for the giving transparently after the fact.
And keep in mind, this is in addition to widespread locally-organized fundraisers. If you can raise just a few dollars, that’s roughly that many meals or other supplies — I talked to a couple of NGOs who had gotten their per-meal price down to $1 USD.
Yaraka livestream
Here’s the program for today; big love to some friends on this one:
Funds go to Beit el Baraka. That NGO has been committed to food independence. Here’s their director talking about the situation — just as current even though this is an older video.
Pictured at top: Yes, yes, one of my typical tourist pictures of Sour (Tyre), Roman / Byzantine / Phoenician ruins. I woke up yesterday to video of a massive explosion behind this very site. It’s real.
Listen: https://yarakaradio.com
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