Confinement in Lebanon: the anger of the inhabitants of Tripoli does not weaken
Violence near the house of a Lebanese politician, during a demonstration against strict containment and worsening economic conditions, in Tripoli, January 28, 2021. REUTERS - OMAR IBRAHIM
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
In Lebanon, protests over the past four days have left at least one dead and 300 injured in Tripoli, the poorest city in Lebanon.
Already undermined by a serious economic crisis, Lebanon has decreed strict containment since January 14 because of the coronavirus and this has angered the population.
RFI was able to contact residents of Tripoli.
Publicity
Read more
Hani Hamzeh lives near the seat of the governorate of Tripoli.
For several days he has been hearing shots, jets of molotov cocktails or tear gas.
According to him, the demonstrators who come up against the police are mainly day workers who no longer have any income.
"
They are daily workers, they do not have a fixed job, and with
total confinement
they could no longer go out to work and could no longer meet their needs,"
explains Hani Hamzeh.
The
security forces were trying to impose this lockdown.
So in addition to their poverty, these people received fines from the security forces.
"
The endemic poverty in Tripoli is one of the reasons for the anger, as during the protest movements of 2019. But according to Elias Khlat, a civil society activist, the demonstrations are also instrumentalised by political parties: “
These are political messages that pass between fake Lebanese local policies in order to win somewhere on the political scene;
as if the country was in a normal state.
Winning one more minister or one less minister, that's it.
"
For almost 6 months, Lebanon has been waiting for the formation of a new government, the political parties in power still cannot come to an agreement.
►
Read also: In North Lebanon, Tripoli, hotbed of new violence
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Lebanon
Society
Coronavirus
On the same subject
In North Lebanon, Tripoli, hotbed of new violence
Popular protest takes shape in Lebanon
Reconfinement in Lebanon, another hard blow for the economy