Abu Rakhoosa in ritzy Beirut downtown despite Solidere

Al Diyar daily portrayed in its issue of June 4, 2016, the difference between SOLIDERE luxurious realm and ‘Abu Rakhoosa’ modest bazaar which was reborn in Beirut down town following the civil protests which began last August in the heart of ritzy Beirut commercial district. One of the founders of the 15-member Abu Rakhoosa board, Hassan Hamzeh, recounted the successes and challenges faced by the said impromptu popular market in its move to reclaim the seized rights of the people in the capital’s downtown area. Its aim, he said, is to allow low-scale venders flocking from all over the country to showcase and sell their reasonably priced products to middle and low income categories under the slogan, ‘Beirut is the immortal right of Lebanese people’. Hamzeh disclosed to the newspaper that Abu Rakhoosa will reopen for one day, on Sunday, June 4, 2016, from 3pm to 12 am, and will host all kinds of artisan products, handicrafts and provisions. He maintained that due to the growing number of guests every time, the souk is in need of regulation in order to smoothly accommodate as much sellers as possible. The popular market, Hamzeh told Al Diyar, is organized on a monthly basis and has a permit from Beirut Governor, Ziad Shbeeb. The target, he revealed, is to become a weekly event, but that still is awaiting the approval of the municipality. Al Diyar, on the other hand, reported that the fate of Abu Rakhoosa which has moved to the Martyrs Square from Riad Al Solh Square is threatened by a planned new real estate project, Solidere 2019, to be located in the heart of Martyr’s Square, and which will host numerous restaurants and a huge underground parking. (Al Diyar, June 4, 2016)