Lebanon: Protesters breaking the sectarian divide in the country

Lebanon: Protesters breaking the sectarian divide in the country

Mon 21 October 2019:

Hundreds of thousands of people hit the streets of Lebanon on Sunday in the biggest protests in the last four days, The capital Beirut, the second-biggest city Tripoli in the north and the southern port of Tyre came to a standstill, with streets filled with protesters waving the national flag, chanting “revolution” or “the people demand the fall of the regime” resembling the 2011 Arab Spring. Big gatherings were also reported from Sidon and Baalbak cities.

A nationwide general strike has been called for Monday to demand an overhaul of the government despite pledges of reforms by Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri and despite the resignation of government ministers on Sunday.

On Friday, Hariri gave a 72-hour deadline to his coalition partners to agree on a solution to the country’s economic woes without imposing new taxes.

Demonstrations in key strongholds of Hezbollah

On Saturday, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, whose movement is part of the coalition government, warned that a change in government would only worsen the situation.

Lebanese citizens have been suffering from tax hikes and dire economic conditions in the heavily indebted country.

Demonstrations in key strongholds of Hezbollah in Lebanon prove that Hassan Nasrallah is “misreading the street,” Samir Geagea, the head of the Lebanese Forces Party, said in an interview with the NNA news agency on Monday.

Geagea also called for the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s government and the creation of a new “shock government,” adding that “an independent government seems to be the only solution to the current crisis.”

He stated that an independent government is key, “even if it is headed by Hariri.”  Geagea also added that Hariri needs to revise his relationship with Gebran Bassil.

Hariri, who is leading a coalition government mired by sectarian and political rivalries, gave his feuding government partners a 72-hour deadline on Friday to agree reforms that could ward off crisis, hinting he may otherwise resign amid nationwide protests.

Hariri accused his rivals of obstructing his reform measures that could unlock $11 billion in Western donor pledges and help avert economic collapse.

Geagea had said in a televised speech late on Saturday that the challenges facing the country are unprecedented.

“We have not seen any serious intention by the Lebanese officials to address the crises,” Geagea said.

Geagea announced the resignation of the Lebanese Forces Party’s four ministers from Saad Hariri’s government.

The announcement came in a televised speech from the LF party’s headquarters in Maarab following a bloc meeting.

Lebanon’s political system was set up to balance power between the country’s religious sects, including Christians, Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims and Druze.

But critics say it entrenches political patronage and pits citizens against each other along sectarian lines.

The country of around 4.5 million people hosts some 1.5 million Syrians who fled the conflict and many politicians blame the refugees for the country’s woes.

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