A performance written and directed by: Rabih Mroué
performers : Rabih Mroué, Hatem Imam
Technical assistants: Feyrouz serhal, Lina Saneh, Ali Cherry.
Vioce coach: Lisa Ball-Lechgar
Décor: Samar Maakaron, Talal Chatila
Video - interview: Mohamed Soueid - Pamela Ghoneimeh
Assistant director: Maya Zbib
Translation: Ziad Nawfal
Photos: Houssam Mchaiemch
Produced by: Christine Tohmé - Ashkal Alwan – Home works II - 2003 - Beirut
Duration: around 1 hour 45 min.
The premiere was in Theater Al-Madina – Beirut – on the 5th of November, 2003
LOOKING FOR A MISSING EMPLOYEE:
Monday, September 30, 1996 - The first news: It appears in both al-Nahar and al-Safir newspapers: "Call from the wife of a missing employee" / "Wife appeals to the 3 presidents to reveal the fate of her husband".
What are the three presidents? In Lebanon, we mean by the three presidents the president of the republic who is Maronite; the head of the Parliament who is Shi'ite; and the Prime Minister who is Sunnite.
What is W.S., the wife of the missing employee, saying?
W.S.: "O you saviors of Lebanon from all the catastrophes that have plagued it, o you messengers of freedom, o you founders of a rightful state in the face of the law of the jungle, rescue me from this suffering that I'm enduring second after painful second. Last Wednesday, on September 26, 1996, my husband R.S. disappeared, leaving his family behind. If the authorities have him, it is my right to know. If some other faction disposes of him, it is also my right to know. His disappearance is the hardest of sufferings, the most extreme case of human and civic carelessness. All I ask is for my right to know, I beg you to grant me that right."
The following day, on the 1st of October, 1996, a small piece of news appears, related to the case of the missing employee from the Ministry of Finance, R.S.. The article says there has been an embezzlement of funds, estimated to be 3.5 billion Lebanese pounds plus 25,000 American dollars.
October 2nd , an article appears claiming there has also been an embezzlement in the Customs and Excise Department, as well as the Ministry of Finance. What's important in this article, is that it determines the exact amount stolen from the Ministry of Finance to be 4.5 billion Lebanese pounds. The same day, in al-Nahar, R.S. is accused directly of having stolen the money. The authorities were able to locate his car near Beirut, containing notes from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, as well as a cheque book.
October 3rd , R.S's wife publishes a reply against al-Nahar saying that her husband is not a thief.
October 4th , the first two big articles on R.S. are published in Al-Safir newspaper. Two pictures are featured in the article, one of himself, and the other of his wife. The first article is written by Ms. F.K., and the second by Mr. F.Kh.. In the first article, Ms. F. states that the official sources have determined the amount of embezzled money from the Ministry of Finance to be 35 billion Lebanese pounds, not 4.5 Billion.
In the second article, Mr. F. writes that R.S. has escaped to "Jazzin", and the missing money is there with him. In those days, "Jazzin" was still under Israeli occupation. He further states that the money found in S's car, amounts to approximately 3 billion pounds.
October 5th , in Al-Diyar, there is a new appeal from R's wife, under the title: "A story to reflect upon: are we allowed to think? If we are, then why not? Why not think of the crisis that I'm going through? R.S. is an artist, a Fine Arts graduate, he teaches sports, he was champion of Lebanon in several Arab championships, a dedicated employee at the Ministry of Finance, an ideal husband, and a giving father. He disappeared from his office on the morning of Wednesday the 25th , September 1996."
So, it wasn't on the 26th, as she told us at first.
(…)
October 9th , how did Mrs. W. find out about her husband's disappearance? She says: "My husband is a home loving man. He was late, so I called him on his mobile phone. It was turned off. I got worried. I called his brother, and told him that R. is late, and his mobile is turned off. Could you please go to the Ministry, find out if he's still in his office? The brother goes there, finds the office closed, but without the security chain. He gets scared. He thinks, what if something's happened to R's health? He asks the guard, to let him jump through the window and see if his brother is there. The guard accepts. He jumps through the window, but finds nobody there. By now, we are extremely worried. We contact all the hospitals, all the police stations, nothing! The next day, I go over to the Ministry, and tell the General Director that R. has disappeared. There is confusion and chaos at the Ministry. The General Director gives the order to break into his office. They break down the door, go in, then they come out, and say: there's 31 million missing. R. is a less-than-ordinary man. His belongings are obvious to the eye. Everyone knows what clothes he wears. The grocer knows what he spends. Suddenly, the world goes mad, and R. turns into a big thief. I said, so be it. To the government, I say, my husband is a thief, so bring him in, and let's put him on trial. Where's my husband? R. is fond of his home, gentle, sociable, he likes to have fun. His philosophy in life is to 'spend what's in your pocket today, and let tomorrow bring what it may'"…
October 10th , the price of Al-Diyar newspaper goes up to 1,250 pounds, its price increases by 250 pounds, while the case of R., on the other hand, lands on the table of the Parliament. Minister of Defense interrupts the speech of Minister of Finance, and accusations start flying. Minister of refugees, in turn, gets involved in these accusations, as well as Minister of Information and Minister of Tourism… Accusations, accusations… They don't agree on anything, but a parliamentary decree has to be issued eventually, so they consent at least on one sentence, which is the following: "The Administration is corrupt, and an end must be put to this decay"
Also on October 10th , R's wife is arrested for two reasons: one, the hiding of information concerning her husband, and two, covering evidence on the embezzlement of funds.
In Al-Nahar, the amount of stolen money, according to the latest sources, is said to be 42 billion pounds. Judicial sources confirm that the whole case will be resolved within 48 hours..
October 11th, in Al-Diyar, R.S. has escaped to Egypt. They state that 48 hours before his disappearance, R.S. had obtained a visa. Interpol is on his trail, because they fear that he might go to Brazil. In the Ministry of Finance, the first inventory concerning the embezzled money is done. The result is, and this time for sure, 10 billion Lebanese pounds.
October 12th , the two presidents, the Head of Parliament and Prime Minister, come on the scene. Head of Parliament states that "this case is a big one, and I want to pursue it 'til the end, and I want to uncover all the details, and make those that are guilty account for their deeds".
Of course, here he is hinting at the Minister of Finance, in order to put pressure on the Prime Minister. Why? Because the Minister of Finance is part of the Prime Minister's 'clique', and this is something from me to you. But the Prime Minister replies to the Head of Parliament, saying: "I'm going to open the case of the Council of the South, and I'm also going to pursue it to the end. There is information concerning the wasting of funds, and going directly into some people's pockets. This money belongs to the State, and the guilty ones are going to account for their deeds." Here, the Prime Minister is also hinting at the 'clique' of the Head of Parliament, to put pressure against him. This information is also from me to you.
Also on the same day, October 12th, R.S's wife is set free after 3 days' arrest.
(…)
October 16th, in Al-Nahar, an article by Emile Khoury, dealing with corruption and the case of the Ministry of Finance, states: "We all know who's stealing from the State… so why bother asking?"
In al-Nahar, there's nothing new concerning the stolen funds, with the exception of a small report, published in both al-Safir and al-Nahar, which claims there are no new developments, except that definitive judicial sources indicate the stolen funds range from 10 to 16 billion pounds.
Al-Diyar headline: "Will the government end its rule with a session of scandals?" Prime Minister addresses his ministers: "Today, our country is in the middle of three major scandals. The Ministry of Finance, Radio Lebanon, and the expansion of the phone network. I demand that each Minister explains what is going on with his Ministry."
As soon as the Prime Minister finished, the session turned into a fist fight, a battlefield, a miniature civil war, and accusations started flying from all fronts.
Eventually, one of them kept insisting to know how much money was missing from the Ministry of Finance.
Not too happy, the Minister of Finance replies: "40 billion pounds".
The Minister of Agriculture blows a long, long, long wolf whistle.
Prime Minister turns to him and says, "What's the matter with you, man? Don't you read the newspapers?"
On page 17, the Minister of Finance says something completely different. He insists that the stolen funds are much less than the reports say. He warns us: "Everything you read in the newspapers, everything you hear in the media about this particular case, is not true at all, there is no proof to sustain it."
What does he mean by that? Should we believe what we hear about other cases? I don't know, maybe we have to ask about this..
October 17th , a short news brief says that the government is ending its rule with a huge scandal in the Ministry of Finance, while at the same time its President is being decorated.
(….)
