2015–2016 Lebanese protests explained

2015–2016 Lebanese protests
Date:21 July 2015 – 2016
Place:Lebanon
Causes:Garbage problem
Sectarianism
Corruption
Unemployment
Political dysfunction
Power cuts
Water shortages
Goals:Solve garbage crisis
Proportional Electoral Law
Elect a new parliament
Overthrow the government
Investigation into actions of police brutality
Methods:Demonstrations
Sit-ins
Self-immolation[1]
Status:Ended
Side1:Protesters
Side2:Government of Lebanon
Internal Security Forces
Leadfigures2:Tammam Salam
Nohad Machnouk
Mohammad Machnouk
Howmany1: (8 August)
(22 August)
(23 August)
(29 August)
Casualties1:1 killed[2]
402 wounded
Casualties2:31 wounded

2015 Lebanese protests also known as the 'You Stink Protests'https://studies.aljazeera.net/en/reports/islamic-group-and-lebanon%E2%80%99s-popular-uprising or the 'You Stink Movement' (Arabic: مظاهرات طلعت ريحتكم) were a series of protests in response to the government's failure to find solutions to a waste crisis caused by the closure of the Beirut and Mount Lebanon region waste dump in Naameh (south of Beirut) in July 2015. The closure led the region's waste company Sukleen to suspend collection causing piles of rubbish to fill the streets. A series of small but increasing protests, led by grassroots organization "You Stink!," were held throughout the summer, culminating in large protests in August. These attracted thousands of demonstrators but also saw scuffles with police.[3]

The protest were categorized by comical slogans and imaginative chants which mostly linked political figures to the crisis.[4] [5] [6] However, protesters were reported shouting a number of chants made popular during the Arab Spring uprisings across the region, including "Ash-shab yurid isqat an-nizam" (meaning "The people want to topple the regime").

The protests spawned the political campaign Beirut Madinati.[7]

Background

The ‘National Strategy’ for waste management, drawn up in the years after the Lebanese civil war, saw all the waste from the Beirut, Mount Lebanon region going to a single landfill site.[8] The Naameh facility was opening in 1997 as a temporary, short term site that would take just two million tons of rubbish. 18 years later, the site had taken an estimated 15 million tons of waste.[9]

Despite knowing of the closure, the Lebanese government had no plan in place for dealing with the waste. This led waste contractors to suspend collection in July causing waste to pile up around the city.[10] On 27 August, Sukleen restarted collection but with no functioning dump sites, the waste was stored under bridges and on empty lots around the capital.[11]

While the protests began over the piles of trash around Beirut and the Mount Lebanon region, they expanded to issues of civil representation, corruption and government inefficiency.[12] [13]

Protesters blamed 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, and political bickering that has kept Lebanon without a president from 2014 to 2016.[14]

23 August 2015 demonstration

Lebanese army units were deployed in central Beirut after the demonstration degenerated in street fighting between protesters and law enforcement.[15] The Lebanese Red Cross said it treated 402 people in Sunday's protest. About 40 people were taken to hospital.[16] 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".[17] 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.[18] Some demonstrators burnt fires. A tree next to a church was set ablaze, road signs were pulled from the ground and shop fronts smashed.[19]

The protest, organized by an online group "You Stink!" along with other civil society groups,[20] attracted an estimated [21] people on the streets of Riad El Solh Square in central Beirut.

By 29 August, more than Lebanese took to the streets to manifest against the government's corruption. It began as small protest, but it has soon proved to become an uprising, with many protesters calling for a revolution.[22]

Reactions

International

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.[23]

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.[24]

Organisations

issued a press release documenting the use of excessive force against peaceful protesters by Lebanese authorities in September 2015. The Euro-med called for quick solutions to end the problem by providing a good public-health services which the residents of Lebanon deserve.[26]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: بالصور.... شاب يحرق نفسه امام سراي صيدا الحكومي. saidaonline.com. Arabic. 23 August 2015. 23 August 2015.
  2. Web site: Protester dies during demonstrations in Beirut. Al Jazeera English. 23 August 2015. 23 August 2015.
  3. Web site: What does Beirut smell like? From the stench of trash to blood. Haines-Young. James. 24 August 2015. Al Arabiya English. Al Arabiya English. 29 April 2016.
  4. Web site: Photos: ‘You Stink’ campaign decries more than garbage buildup in Beirut. PBS NewsHour. en-US. 29 April 2016.
  5. Web site: Top 10 #YouStink protest placards. Arab. The New. alaraby. en. 29 April 2016.
  6. Web site: Lebanese Humor Ever-Present at Civil Society Demo. Naharnet. 29 April 2016.
  7. News: Beirut shocks its old guard: The established leaders are jolted by a party of protest. 12 May 2016. The Economist. 11 May 2016.
  8. Web site: Lebanon’s rubbish crisis, 40 years in the making. Middle East Eye. 29 April 2016.
  9. Web site: Lebanese protest against waste-disposal crisis. www.aljazeera.com. 29 April 2016.
  10. Web site: Sukleen suspends waste pickup in Beirut… again. The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. 29 April 2016.
  11. Web site: Sukleen resumes trash collection as workers end strike. The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. 29 April 2016.
  12. Web site: "You Stink" activist to LBCI: We will not stand still in face of corruption. www.lbcgroup.tv. 29 April 2016.
  13. Web site: Trash crisis sparks clashes over corruption, dysfunction in Lebanon. Washington Post. 29 April 2016.
  14. News: Protests in Lebanon: Talking trash. 30 August 2015. The Economist. 29 August 2015.
  15. Web site: Army deployed to Beirut after anti-government anger boils over . CNN . Conlon . Kevin . Razek . Raja . Qiblawi . Tamara . 24 August 2015.
  16. Web site: Beirut rubbish protesters clash with police amid anger at political paralysis . The Guardian . Chulov . Martin . Shaheen . Kareem . 24 August 2015.
  17. Web site: Beirut rubbish protesters clash with police . BBC News . 22 August 2015.
  18. Web site: Many injured in Beirut 'You Stink' protest over rubbish . Aljazeera . 23 August 2015.
  19. Web site: Beirut protests turn violent for second day as PM threatens to quit . Reuters . Bassam . Laila . Perry . Tom . 23 August 2015.
  20. Web site: Clashes Break Out During Protests Over Trash Crisis in Lebanon . The New York Times . Saad . Hwaida . 23 August 2015.
  21. Web site: Thousands of Lebanese protesters stage largest anti-government protest yet over trash crisis . U.S. News & World Report . El Deeb . Sarah . Karam . Zeina . Zeina Karam . 29 August 2015.
  22. Web site: Rubbish Revolution. Fanack.com. 8 August 2016.
  23. Web site: Ministry of Foreign Affairs renews its call to citizens not to travel to the Lebanese Republic. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 24 August 2015. 24 August 2015.
  24. Web site: Kuwait, Bahrain issue Lebanon travel warnings. Al Bawaba. 24 August 2015. 24 August 2015.
  25. Web site: U.N. urges restraint in Lebanon protests. alarabiya.net. 24 August 2015. 24 August 2015.
  26. Web site: Lebanese security forces using excessive force against protesters. Monitor. Euro-Med. 2016-09-25.