He accused the ruling political class of causing the collapse of the country
Hassan Diab announces the resignation of his government: The system of corruption is greater than the state in Lebanon
Hassan Diab during the resignation announcement. A.F.B.
Lebanese protesters gather behind concrete walls protecting Parliament in downtown Beirut. A.F.B.
Demonstrators try to storm the Parliament building in downtown Beirut. A.F.B.
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Yesterday, Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab submitted the resignation of his government to President Michel Aoun, stressing that the system of corruption is greater than the state in Lebanon, accusing the ruling political class of causing the collapse of the country, wasting Lebanese deposits, and dropping the country under the burden of debt.
In detail, the resigned Prime Minister of Lebanon said in a speech to the Lebanese people that the Beirut explosion was the result of rampant corruption.
Diab said in a televised speech, "Today we have arrived here, to this earthquake that struck the country. Today we are appealing to people, and to their demands to hold accountable those responsible for the disaster that has been hiding for seven years, to their desire for real change," adding, "In front of this reality, we take a step back. By standing with the people, so today I announce the resignation of this government ».
He added, "The ruling political class brought the country to collapse, wasted people's deposits, and placed the country under the burden of debt," and that his government "bore a lot of accusations for Lebanon, but we refused to lure us into sterile debates." We made a great effort to lay down a road map to save the country, and we were keen on the future of the people of the country. ”
"One of the examples of corruption exploded in the port, but corruption patterns are scattered in the country's political and administrative geography."
He explained that "the paradox is that the corrupt, after weeks of forming the government, tried to hold it responsible for waste and public debt," and that his government's first concern was "to work to overcome the repercussions of the earthquake that struck the country and to reach a fair and transparent investigation."
He emphasized that "all the major powers were supposed to cooperate in order to overcome this ordeal, and to silence to mourn the souls of the martyrs." The resigned prime minister had declared after the end of a cabinet meeting (comprising 20 ministers, including Diab), at the "Governmental Serail" in the capital, Beirut, that "the government will resign."
Diab pointed out that "the decision to resign came to assume responsibility."
Before the resignation yesterday, the Lebanese government appeared to be in a fragile situation, after the resignation of four of its members, following the tragic explosion of the Beirut port, while the anger of the Lebanese who are trying to heal their wounds is mounting, insisting that those responsible are held accountable and all political structure is toppled.
Five days after the huge explosion, which killed 160 people, injured more than 6000, and continued to lose about 20 people, the report promised by the authorities has not been issued about what happened. According to the authorities, the explosion was caused by a fire, the cause of which has not been confirmed yet, in a hangar containing 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, the reason for keeping it for six years, after it was confiscated from a ship that subsequently sank. The last of the resigning ministers was Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni, preceded by Minister of Justice Marie Claude Najm, Minister of Information Manal Abdel Samad, and Minister of Environment Damianus Train.
Earlier, local media reported political pressure from ministers wishing to resign, to dissuade them from doing so, and to prevent further weakening of the government. The government consists of 20 ministers. According to the law, more than a third of its members must resign in order to fall out of office.
Najm, like Wazni and Abdel Samad, is one of the new political figures who took ministerial portfolios for the first time in the government formed by Hassan Diab in January, after the fall of the government headed by Saad Hariri, under pressure from popular demonstrations, and it included representatives of most political parties.
This government was supposed to be a technocratic government, working to address the problems of the Lebanese, especially the economic and living, but it is clear that the decision regarding it is subject to the influential political forces in the country, led by the current of President Michel Aoun and his ally, Hezbollah.
Last Saturday, Diab called for early parliamentary elections to get the country out of its "structural crisis." It gave political leaders two months to agree on reforms and an alternative to the government.
The number of deputies who submitted their resignations after the blast rose to nine, while Parliament begins Thursday to hold continuous sessions to hold the government accountable.
In a TV program the night before last on the MTV screen, the resigned MP, Nadim Gemayel, from the Kataeb Party, said, “There is no government or institutions ... there is one person who controls this country, whose name is Hassan Nasrallah. If the robbery is not removed from all institutions, there is no country. ”
"If we want to elect a president, we must take Hassan Nasrallah's approval," he added. If we want to appoint a prime minister, we must take Hassan Nasrallah's permission. If we want to hold elections, we must wait for any election law that Hassan Nasrallah wants. Today, no one can enter the port except the group of Hassan Nasrallah, "who said Friday," We have nothing in the port of Beirut. "
In general, Hezbollah remains outside the direct political scene, but it is clear that it is the strongest political force today, especially as it possesses an arsenal of weapons that exceeds that of the Lebanese army.
At this time, the boil continues on the street. During the past two days, Beirut witnessed angry demonstrations, which carried the slogans: "Hang the gallows" and "Judgment Day". This was interspersed with confrontations with the security forces, who fired tear gas and rubber bullets, which caused dozens of injuries, especially among the demonstrators.
The protesters, who are fundamentally disgruntled, are demanding accountability for those responsible for the explosion and the departure of the entire political class.
No solution to the current worn out situation appears on the horizon, as it will not be easy to form a new government in the event of the resignation of the current government, and early parliamentary elections under a law that is tailored to measure the political forces currently represented in Parliament may return the same political forces to Parliament. Not to mention the difficulty of organizing them in light of the prevailing chaos.
The bombing came in the midst of Lebanon's worst economic crisis.
The authorities have arrested more than 20 people pending investigation, including officials at the port, customs and engineers. The authorities seem completely absent, despite the massive damage caused by an explosion that left a hole 43 meters deep in the port, according to a security source.
The Lebanese army announced that rescue teams managed to retrieve five bodies of the victims of the Beirut port explosion, and "the search continues for the rest of the missing."
While volunteers are active in every street and alley to remove rubble and shards of glass scattered in every direction, the official apparatus appears almost absent. Affected citizens complain that no one was contacted by the authorities or offered any assistance.
Diab asserted that corruption patterns are widespread in the country's political and administrative geography, and that his government has incurred many accusations for Lebanon.