Crisis in Lebanon: anger explodes on roadblocks in the capital
Audio 01:23
Young people on scooters set fire to garbage cans at Mazraa Corniche, a popular Sunni neighborhood in southern Beirut, June 28, 2021. © RFI / Noé Pignède
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
Lebanon is sinking deeper into the crisis every day.
From north to south of the country, the Lebanese block the roads every day, paralyzing the country.
But the ruling class remains deaf to their demands: for ten months, Lebanon has not had a government.
On the roadblocks of the capital, the demonstrators shouted their anger Monday evening.
Reportage.
Publicity
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With our correspondent in Beirut,
Noé Pignède
In Mazraa Corniche, a popular Sunni neighborhood in southern Beirut, dozens of kids set fire to garbage cans with the little gasoline left in their scooters.
In a concert of horn, some cars try to force the roadblocks.
Mohammad carries yet another trash can to block the passage.
“
First, we are out
of gasoline
.
Second, we no longer have diesel for the generators that provide electricity to our homes.
Third, everything has become overpriced.
And finally, our salaries are now worth less than $ 35 a month, he
explains.
What can we do with this?
If they would open the gates of the country and let us go, believe me, the country would be empty.
Even animals live better than us.
The rich keep getting richer.
Meanwhile the poor are losing everything.
"
Among stranded motorists, anger rises: with tears in her eyes, a woman gets out of her car to convince the demonstrators to let her pass.
“
I am not against them, I am with them 100%, she
says.
We are all for the revolution, and against the politicians.
But my children are in daycare, I have to go pick them up.
It's just not a good time, but I support the dams.
We must continue to demonstrate.
They don't give us a choice.
"
Despite the
shortages of drugs
, gasoline and electricity, nothing seems to shake the Lebanese political class deaf to the cries of despair of a people sinking from poverty.
The
national currency
has lost 120% of its value, and half of the population now lives below the poverty line.
►
To read also: Economic crisis in Lebanon: new blockages in the country
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Lebanon
Economic crisis