Hundreds of thousands of people come to streets across Lebanon
Hundreds of thousands of people have come to the streets across cities of Lebanon on Sunday, i.e., October 20, 2019, demanding a solution to the increasing economic crisis and corruption in the country.
The protests which started on Thursday, October 17, 2019, witnessed maximum public participation on Sunday. The outcry reached its peak after Government imposed tax on WhatsApp calls and other messaging services.
Beirut, Tripoli and Southern Port of Tyre witnessed huge turnout with protesters waving the national flag and shouting slogans, “revolution” and “the people demand the fall of the regime.” The protests were also observed in cities of Sidon and Baalbak. Muslim (Sunni and Shia), Christian and Druze leaders stood in front of the Parliament to the ensure protests remained peaceful.
The protests were also observed in resembling the 2011 Arab Spring. The Arab Spring refers to a series of anti-government protests, uprisings, and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Islamic world in the early 2010s. It began in response to oppressive regimes and a low standard of living, starting with protests in Tunisia. The effects of the Tunisian Revolution spread strongly to Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria and Bahrain, where either the regime was toppled or major uprisings and social violence occurred, including riots, civil wars or insurgencies. Sustained street demonstrations took place in Morocco, Iraq, Algeria, Iranian Khuzestan, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman and Sudan. Minor protests occurred in Djibouti, Mauritania, the Palestinian National Authority, Saudi Arabia and the Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara.
Cherine Shawa, one of the protestor and interior architect said, “I am here because I am disgusted by our politicians. Nothing works.”
Another protestor – Hamza said, “They (politicians) are not giving us anything, they took everything, and we don’t have anything here.”
A nationwide general strike has also been called today, i.e., Monday, October 21, 2019, to demand an overhaul of the Government. banks, schools and shops have been closed owing to protest.
The protests refuse to de-escalate despite the Prime Minister – Saad al-Hariri’s assurance of reforms and resignation of 4 key Ministers of Cabinet. The people in Lebanon are not looking for temporary reforms. They want taxes to be imposed on those who have been benefitting from the economic system for the last 30 years.
Hariri has given a 72-hour deadline to his coalition partners to agree on a solution to the country’s economic woes without imposing new taxes.
The Secretary General of political party Hezbollah – Hassan Nasrallah, whose movement is part of the coalition government, warned that a change in Government would only worsen the situation.
According to Ministry of Finance, Lebanon, country’s public debt stands at around U.S. $ 86 billion, more than 150% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The total population of the country is 4.5 million, of which 1.5 million are Syrians who fled their country to lead a peaceful life. A lot of politicians blame the refugees for country’s increasing economic crisis.
