2015–2016 Lebanese protests
| 2015 Lebanese protests | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 22 August – present (9 years, 4 months and 1 week) | ||
| Location | |||
| Caused by | Garbage problem Sectarianism Corruption Unemployment Political dysfunction Power cuts | ||
| Goals | Solve garbage crisis Elect a new parliament Overthrow the governement Investigation into actions of police brutality | ||
| Methods | Demonstrations Sit-ins Self-immolation[1] | ||
| Parties | |||
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| Lead figures | |||
| Number | |||
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| Casualties and losses | |||
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2015 Lebanese protests are series of protests in response to the government's failure to dispose accumulated waste after the capital's main landfill was closed a month ago.[3] The protesters were reported shouting "Ash-shab yurid isqat an-nizam" (meaning "The people want to topple the regime").[3] The same slogan has been widely used by protesters during Arab Spring uprisings across the region.
Issues
The overcrowding, the sanitary conditions and the domestic garbage in the street are believed to be a leading source to the Epidemics of infectious disease such as Pestis and Cholerae. Thus, protesters fear these pestilences, and blame Lebanese leaders, who according to them, did not have a long-term vision to solve the ecological issues affecting Lebanon. See Marine environmental issues in Lebanon.
Other issues include daily electricity blackouts, water scarcity during summer, internet speeds which are among the slowest and costliest in the world and political bickering that has kept Lebanon without a president since May 2014.[4]
23 August 2015 demonstration
Lebanese army units were deployed in central Beirut after the demonstration degenerated in street fighting between protesters and law enforcement.[5] The Lebanese Red Cross said it treated 402 people in Sunday's protest. About 40 people were taken to hospital.[6] Ambulances ferried out casualties after security forces fired tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon at demonstrators protesting against what they call Lebanon's "political dysfunction".[7] About 200 youths, some wearing scarves or masks to cover their faces, threw stones and bottles filled with sand at police and tried to pull down security barricades.[8] Some demonstrators lit fires. A tree next to a church was set ablaze, road signs were pulled from the ground and shop fronts smashed.[9]
The protest, organized by an online group named "You Stink!" along with other civil society groups,[10] attracted some 4,000 people on the streets of Riad El Solh Square in central Beirut.
Reactions
International
Bahrain: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs renewed its call to Bahraini citizens not to travel to the Lebanese Republic to ensure their security and safety, in view of the unstable security situation in the country, calling at the same time on citizens in Lebanon to leave immediately.[11]
Kuwait: On 23 August, the Kuwaiti Embassy called on its nationals to remain vigilant for their safety at all times. "Under the current critical circumstances, the Kuwaiti nationals in Lebanon are advised to cancel any unnecessary plans and leave," it said in a statement.[12]
Organisations
- Sigrid Kaag, The U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon, in a statement called for cabinet to resolve the crisis as quickly as possible.[13]
See also
References
- ^ "بالصور.... شاب يحرق نفسه امام سراي صيدا الحكومي". saidaonline.com (in Arabic). 23 August 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
- ^ "Protester dies during demonstrations in Beirut". Al Jazeera English. 23 August 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
- ^ a b "Lebanon trash crisis: Over a dozen injured as police violently disperse protests in Beirut (VIDEO)". RT. 22 August 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
- ^ "Protests in Lebanon: Talking trash". The Economist. 29 August 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
- ^ Conlon, Kevin; Razek, Raja; Qiblawi, Tamara (24 August 2015). "Army deployed to Beirut after anti-government anger boils over". CNN.
- ^ Chulov, Martin; Shaheen, Kareem (24 August 2015). "Beirut rubbish protesters clash with police amid anger at political paralysis". The Guardian.
- ^ "Beirut rubbish protesters clash with police". BBC News. 22 August 2015.
- ^ "Many injured in Beirut 'You Stink' protest over rubbish". Aljazeera. 23 August 2015.
- ^ Bassam, Laila; Perry, Tom (23 August 2015). "Beirut protests turn violent for second day as PM threatens to quit". Reuters.
- ^ Saad, Hwaida (23 August 2015). "Clashes Break Out During Protests Over Trash Crisis in Lebanon". The New York Times.
- ^ "Ministry of Foreign Affairs renews its call to citizens not to travel to the Lebanese Republic". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
- ^ "Kuwait, Bahrain issue Lebanon travel warnings". Al Bawaba. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
- ^ "U.N. urges restraint in Lebanon protests". alarabiya.net. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2015.