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17 October Revolution

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2019 Lebanese Protests
Part of 2018–19 Arab protests
Date17 October 2019 (2019-10-17)–present
Location
Lebanon
Caused byCountry's failure to pay debts because of political corruption
MethodsPeaceful Protests throughout the country
StatusOngoing
Casualties
ArrestedAround 70-80 (All were released the next day due to lack of reason for arrest)

The 2019 Lebanese protests, nicknamed the Tax Intifada,[1] are a series of country-wide, non-sectarian[2] protests in response to the government's failure to find solutions to an economic crisis that has been looming for the past year.[3] It is suspected that the direct trigger to the protests were due to the planned imposed taxes on gasoline, tobacco and online phone calls such as through WhatsApp,[4][5][6] as country-wide protests broke out right after Cabinet talks of the taxes, due to be ratified by October 22.[7][8][9]

Background

See also: Cedar Revolution, 2006–08 Lebanese protests, and 2015–16 Lebanese protests

The outbreak of the protests was attributed to the accumulated crises within the preceding weeks in Lebanon, from a dollar crisis,[10] to gas stations striking,[11] more than 100 locations in Lebanon under preventable wildfires due to mismanagement of wildlife,[12] being unable to maintain the wildfires due to the lack of fire-fighting helicopter maintenance,[13] to an imposed tax on gasoline,[14] wheat[15] and online phone calls.[16][17]

File:2019 Lebanese protests - Beirut 11.jpg
Protests in Central Beirut, October 18, 2019.

Protests started taking place in small numbers around Beirut towards the end of September.[18][19] On October 1, the Central Bank of Lebanon announced an economic strategy that promised to provide dollars to all those companies in the business of importing wheat, gasoline and pharmaceuticals, so that they could continue their imports. This was considered a short-term solution by economic analysts.[20]

In a cabinet session held on October 17, the government proposed strategies to increase state budget for 2020. There were 36 items to be discussed, including the increase of Value Added Tax (VAT) by 2% by 2021 and an additional 2% by 2022, making it reach a total of 15%. Additionally, the media reported there were plans of a $0.20 charge on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls, such as ones made on FaceTime, Facebook and WhatsApp.[21] The final session of the budget draft was to be held on the October 19, but was cancelled upon the agreement of Prime Minister Saad Hariri and President Michel Aoun.[22][23]

Protests

Protests in Antelias, late night of October 17

October 17

On the night of October 17, approximately one hundred civil activists were protesting the new proposed taxes in and around downtown Beirut, blocking very important streets that link the West and East sides of the city.

As the Minister of Higher Education Akram Chehayeb and his convoy passed by the area, protesters assembled on his car. One of his bodyguards shot stray bullets into the air, which further enraged the protestors; no injuries were reported.[24] The leader of Chehayeb's party, Walid Joumblatt, stated that he had spoken to the minister and requested the bodyguards be handed over to police, as all people are "under the law".[25][26]

A large number of protesters began showing up in Martyrs Square, Nejmeh Square, and Hamra Street, as well as many other regions around Lebanon. As the protests grew bigger, Prime Minister Saad Hariri called a snap cabinet meeting at the request of President Michel Aoun for midday on October 18.[27] An announcement was also made by Minister of Higher Education Akram Chehayeb that all schools and universities, public or private, would remain closed the next day.[28] The Minister of Telecommunications Mohamad Choucair announced that "WhatsApp tax" idea had been scrapped at around 11pm.[29]

October 18

Protests in Antelias, late night of October 17

On the morning of October 18, protestors in Nabatiyeh and Tripoli attacked the offices of several political parties: Hezbollah, Amal Movement, and Free Patriotic Movement.[30][31][32] Other protesters aimed to enter the Serail, which includes the Lebanese Parliament building, but were stopped by the use of tear gas from the Internal Security Forces.[33] Protestors created roadblocks on the major roads of the country, using burning tires and trash cans to stop access.[34][35]

A strike of public sector workers was announced with immediate affect by the League of Public Sector Employees, arguing that the proposed reforms would "undermine the rights of employees and pensioners in particular".[36]

A cabinet meeting was due to be held in the afternoon, but ministers of the Lebanese Forces announced that they would not attend.[37] The leader of the Forces, Samir Geagea, called for the resignation of the Prime Minister, due to the "resounding failure to halt the deterioration of the [country's] economic situation".[38] After this announcement, the cabinet meeting was cancelled by the Prime Minister.[39]

Leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, called for a "calm and peaceful" move against President Michel Aoun's mandate, and organized rallies in Aley, Bhamdoun, and Baakline to voice their opinions.[40] Pierre Issa of the National Bloc voiced a similar opinion, calling for a "government of specialists, a government reduced from public safety". However, he criticised the involvement of political parties within the protests and argued it should remain something for the citizens to do.[41] The U.S. Embassy in Beirut urged citizens to cease any action that would threaten public safety.[42]

In the evening, Prime Minister Saad Hariri addressed the nation, giving his "partners in government" 72 hours to support the reforms. If they did not come to an agreement, he suggested he would take a "different approach".[43][44] He tweeted "72 hours..." right after the delivered speech.[45]

The protests continued after the Hariri's address. In one incident, the bodyguards of former MP Mishbah el Ahdab fired on protestors, killing two people and injuring another four.[46]

October 19

On October 19, the protests and political disruption continued.

The General Secretary of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, addressed the nation in the morning, speaking against the imposed taxes. However, he did not want the government to resign and instead asked citizens to divert blame from Hariri to the previous government, who were also to blame for the state of the economy.[47][48]

As the protests carried on throughout the day, there were alleged reports of Amal Movement militant groups harassing and opening fire on protestors in Tyre.[49] Protests were held around Europe and North America, showing solidarity with the protestors in Lebanon.[50]

Due to the mounting pressure from protestors, the Lebanese Forces announced their resignation from the cabinet. Samir Geagea, their leader, had previously blamed his opponents for "obstructing the necessary reforms", but since declared his "lack of confidence in the current cabinet." His party held four seats within the government: Minister of Labor Kamil Abu Sulaiman, Minister of Administrative Development May Chidiac, Deputy Prime Minister Ghassan Hasbani, and Minister of Social Affairs Richard Kouyumjian.[51]

October 20

On October 20, hundreds of thousands of protestors gathered in locations throughout the country, making it the largest demonstrations since 2005.[52]

October 21

On October 21, a general strike was called across the country demanding an end to the country's economic problems. Protests continued throughout the country, but some protestors began clearing away demonstration debris in Beirut after a social media call to keep the streets tidy and clear.[53]

In the afternoon, an emergency cabinet meeting was held, passing economic measures that aimed to cut the deficit, slash politicians' wages in half, and give financial help to those in poverty.[52] Prime Minister Hariri had suggested that he might resign if the measures were not passed.[52] However, protestors rejected the reforms after a speech by Hariri, calling his government "thieves" and arguing that the reforms confirmed that the government had been mistreating them for decades.[54]

Sociopolitical profile

Lina Khatib in Al Jazeera English argued that in contrast to the 2005 Cedar Revolution, in which support for the main sides of the political conflict were aligned with political parties and the Sunni–Shia Muslim sociological and religious divide in Lebanon, the 2015–16 Lebanese protests started to include criticism of leaders within the anti-Hezbollah community. She said that the 2019 protests bypassed this sociological divide further, stating that they were "part of a genuine grassroots movement that has not been directed by any political party... cross-sectarian in a broader sense than those of 2015... [and] taking place across Lebanon, rather than only in Beirut." Khatib viewed the protests as an "existential threat" to the "Lebanese government and political elite" and a "revolution". She interpreted the 2019 society-wide nature of the protests as having their "seed" in the 2015–2016 protests.[2]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2019 Lebanese protests.

References

  1. ^ "Lebanon's 'tax intifada': Beirut aflame as protesters call for 'downfall of the regime' (VIDEOS)". RT International. Retrieved 2019-10-20.
  2. ^ a b Khatib, Lina (2019-10-20). "Lebanon is experiencing a social revolution". Al Jazeera English. Archived from the original on 2019-10-20. Retrieved 2019-10-20.
  3. ^ Khraiche, Dana. "Nationwide Protests Erupt in Lebanon as Economic Crisis Deepens". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2019-10-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "Lebanese govt to charge $0.20 a day for WhatsApp calls | News , Lebanon News | THE DAILY STAR". www.dailystar.com.lb. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  5. ^ "Protests erupt in Lebanon over plans to impose new taxes". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  6. ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Lebanon: WhatsApp tax sparks mass protests | DW | 18.10.2019". DW.COM. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  7. ^ AP, Fadi Tawil |. "Protests spread across Lebanon over proposed new taxes". Washington Post. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  8. ^ "Protests erupt over taxes as govt races to wrap up budget | News , Lebanon News | THE DAILY STAR". www.dailystar.com.lb. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  9. ^ "Lebanon scraps WhatsApp tax as protests rage". 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  10. ^ "A long-feared currency crisis has begun to bite in Lebanon". The Economist. 2019-10-05. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  11. ^ "Lebanon gas stations to go on strike over dollar 'shortage'". France 24. 2019-09-26. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  12. ^ Azhari, Timour. "Lebanon wildfires: Hellish scenes in mountains south of Beirut". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2019-10-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ Khamis, Reem (2019-10-16). "Lebanon's wildfires call for an appropriate disaster risk management plan". An-Nahar. Retrieved 2019-10-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "Protests spread across Lebanon over proposed new taxes". France 24. 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  15. ^ "Lebanese millers say wheat reserves fall due to ongoing 'dollar problem' | Business , Local | THE DAILY STAR". www.dailystar.com.lb. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  16. ^ "Protests sweep Lebanon for a second day". 7NEWS.com.au. 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  17. ^ Haugbolle, Sune. "Lebanon Is Facing an Economic and Environmental Disaster". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  18. ^ "Lebanon: Protests over worsening economic crisis". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  19. ^ "Watch: Protests in Lebanon's capital over worsening economic crisis". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  20. ^ Kranz, Michal (2019-10-04). "Protesters rise up as Lebanon's leaders grapple with multiple economic crises". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  21. ^ "Cabinet meets as backlash grows over tax proposals | News , Lebanon News | THE DAILY STAR". www.dailystar.com.lb. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  22. ^ "Lebanon cabinet sets 'final session' on Friday for 2020 draft budget: minister". Reuters. 2019-10-17. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  23. ^ "Hariri Contacts Aoun, Both Men Agree to Cancel Today's Cabinet Session – Al-Manar TV Lebanon". www.english.almanar.com.lb. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  24. ^ "WhatsApp tax the final straw as massive protests erupt - Georgi Azar". An-Nahar. 2019-10-17. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  25. ^ Joumblatt, Walid (2019-10-17). "انني طلبت من الرفيق اكرم شهيب تسليم الذين اطلقوا النار في الهواء ونحن تحت القانون لكن نطلب تحقيق شفاف ونرفض الاعتداء على ايا كان .pic.twitter.com/LUo2mCghCI". @walidjoumblatt (in Arabic). Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  26. ^ CNN, Tamara Qiblawi. "WhatsApp tax sparks night of austerity protests across Lebanon". CNN. Retrieved 2019-10-18. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  27. ^ "President Aoun called PM Hariri and agreed to hold a Cabinet meeting tomorrow at Baabda Palace". MTV Lebanon. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  28. ^ "Education Minister Akram Chehayeb issues statement to close public and private schools and universities tomorrow (Friday) because of the current situation in the country". MTV Lebanon. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  29. ^ "Lebanon scraps WhatsApp fee amid violent protests". Reuters. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  30. ^ "Des manifestants s'en prennent aux domiciles et bureaux de responsables Amal et Hezbollah à Nabatiyé". L'Orient-Le Jour (in French). 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  31. ^ "Some protesters riot in central Beirut, hurl stones at riot police, shatter shops' windows | News , Lebanon News | THE DAILY STAR". www.dailystar.com.lb. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  32. ^ "Liban : le bureau du CPL à Tripoli saccagé". L'Orient-Le Jour (in French). 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  33. ^ "Police fire tear gas at rioting protesters near govt seat in central Beirut | News , Lebanon News | THE DAILY STAR". www.dailystar.com.lb. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  34. ^ "Protestations : de nombreuses routes coupées à travers le Liban". L'Orient-Le Jour (in French). 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  35. ^ "Lebanon paralyzed after second day of protests | News , Lebanon News | THE DAILY STAR". www.dailystar.com.lb. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  36. ^ "Liban : "grève générale" vendredi de "toutes les administrations publiques"". L'Orient-Le Jour (in French). 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  37. ^ "Lebanese Forces will not participate in today's Cabinet session: minister | News , Lebanon News | THE DAILY STAR". www.dailystar.com.lb. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  38. ^ "Geagea appelle Hariri à démissionner". L'Orient-Le Jour (in French). 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  39. ^ "Hariri to address the nation at 6 p.m. | News , Lebanon News | THE DAILY STAR". www.dailystar.com.lb. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  40. ^ "Joumblatt appelle à un "mouvement pacifique contre le mandat" Aoun". L'Orient-Le Jour (in French). 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  41. ^ ANTONIOS, Zeina (2019-10-18). "Pierre Issa à L'OLJ : Si le cabinet démissionne, il faudra former un gouvernement réduit de salut public - Zeina ANTONIOS". L'Orient-Le Jour (in French). Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  42. ^ "U.S. Embassy in Beirut urges all sides to refrain from violence and any actions that would threaten public safety | News , Lebanon News | THE DAILY STAR". www.dailystar.com.lb. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  43. ^ "Hariri: We can no longer wait for our 'partners in the government' to start working on the solution, so either they show in the coming 72 hours that they are serious about reforms or I will take a different approach". MTV Lebanon. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  44. ^ "Hariri: 'Partners in the government' have 72 hours to give me their answer". MTV Lebanon. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  45. ^ Hariri, Saad (2019-10-18). "#٧٢ساعة ..." @saadhariri. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
  46. ^ Libnanews, Newsdesk (2019-10-18). "Liban/Flash: 2 morts et 4 blessés à Tripoli suite à une fusillade". Libnanews, Le Média Citoyen du Liban (in French). Retrieved 2019-10-19.
  47. ^ "Nasrallah: Lebanon is facing two major menaces; the first is the financial and economic collapse and the second is the Lebanese people's rage at the political elite". MTV Lebanon. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
  48. ^ "Nasrallah: There are political leaders and forces in Lebanon that act above everyone else and avoid all responsibilities for the past and the present mistakes and blame others". MTV Lebanon. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
  49. ^ Fawaz, Yumna (19 October 2019). ""غنم، خواريف تابعين ورا احزابكن"صرخة من متظاهرة في صور الى نبيه بري بعد الاعتداءات والتنكيل من قبل شباب حركة امل.#لبنان_ينتفض #الزعران_فلتانةpic.twitter.com/FPZoc8DbOS". @yumnafawaz (in Arabic). Retrieved 21 October 2019.
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  51. ^ "Lebanese Forces resign from Cabinet - Georgi Azar". An-Nahar. 2019-10-20. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
  52. ^ a b c "Lebanon's leaders move to quell huge protests". BBC News. 21 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  53. ^ "Lebanon protests: All the latest updates". www.aljazeera.com. 21 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  54. ^ Ensor, Josie; Haboush, Joseph (21 October 2019). "Lebanon's protesters reject government's economic reforms with chants of 'thieves, thieves!'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 October 2019.

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