Wounded by the explosion of Beirut, the country is mired in a political and economic crisis for nearly ten months. On Monday, the government presented its resignation.
Lebanon appears to be plunged into a crisis without end. The country, whose Prime minister Hassan Diab announced Monday the resignation of his government, has been shaken from October 2019 by a popular opposition against the ruling class, revived by the explosion, which has sown death and destruction in Beirut. Back on ten months of the crisis.
IMAGES >> IN Beirut, the explosion has also ravaged architectural gems
it All started on October 17, 2019. In order to replenish the coffers of the State, the government announces a tax on calls made via WhatsApp. This tax in a country and the economy exhausted detonated the anger of the Lebanese people. “The people demands the fall of the regime,” chant the protesters who burn tires and block roads. In the Face of contestation, the government declined. It waives the fee, but thousands of people continue to protest. The next day, security forces fire tear gas to disperse the crowd. Dozens of people were arrested.
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Protests against the system
Two days later, the tension is rising a notch. On 19 October, tens of thousands of Lebanese gather at Beirut, Tripoli (north), Tyr (south), Baalbek (is). Several roads are blocked. The engagement culminates the following day with hundreds of thousands of protesters. The protesters demanded the renewal of the whole ruling class, almost unchanged for decades and found to be corrupt and incompetent.
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in the Face of popular anger, Saad Hariri and his government resigned. Protestors resume their sit-in on streets in Beirut. On 3 November, thousands of them invade the streets, after a rally of supporters of president Michel Aoun. On 12 November, it stirs up the anger by advising the disgruntled “to emigrate”.
In parallel, the economy worsens with massive layoffs, banking restrictions drastic and a strong depreciation of the lebanese pound. On November 19, Hassan Diab was appointed Prime minister, but support for his nomination by the Hezbollah and its allies arouses the anger of a part of the street.
Debt of 92 billion dollars
The year 2020 restarts on the same basis as 2019. On 11 January, the protests resume after a period of shortness of breath. 18 and 19, at least 546 people were injured in the clashes. Human Rights Watch accuses the police of having “fired rubber bullets, aiming for the eyes”.
on January 21, The Lebanon gets a government, formed by a single camp, one of Hezbollah’s pro-iran and its allies, including the party Amal and the free patriotic Current (CPL) of the president Aoun. On 11 February, the Parliament granted its confidence to the government, despite the opposition of hundreds of protesters. Clashes are more than 370 injured.
ALSO READ >> Before the explosion, the Lebanon was already in a “state of decay is pervasive,”
The economy dips so. On march 7, the Lebanon, which is crumbling under a debt of us $ 92 billion (170% of GDP), is in default on the first tranche of its debt, in the amount of $ 1.2 billion. On march 23, he announced that he will not pay all of its Treasury bills issued in us dollars. A month later, the government announces a stimulus plan and request for assistance from the international monetary Fund. On 13 may, the Lebanon, began negotiations with the IMF. But the process has since stalled. Mid-June, protests erupt in Lebanon after a new run on the book.
At least 160 people dead in the explosion in Beirut
It is in this economic context that takes place, the 4 August, a huge explosion in the port of Beirut. It destroyed part of the capital and killed at least 160 people dead and over 6,000 injured, and hundreds of thousands homeless. The drama re-launches the popular opposition, which was weakened with the pandemic of sars coronavirus.
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Double explosion in Beirut
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thousands of Lebanese demonstrate on 8 August against their leaders accused of being responsible for the tragedy. Clashes opposed protesters and the security forces, who are firing tear gas and rubber bullets. Protesters occupy government ministries. The next day, new clashes occur in the city centre. The 10, Hassan Diab announced the resignation of his government following the “earthquake” caused by the explosion.
