Renewed tensions in Lebanon after the interview of President Michel Aoun

Lebanese President Michel Aoun's statements in a televised interview on Tuesday night and the death shortly after a protester shot dead have provoked renewed tensions in Lebanon, where a critical phase is opening up while the country of Cedar has been the scene since October 17 of an unprecedented popular uprising against the political class and corruption.

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of several cities across the country to express their anger, blocking several roads and roads in the capital Beirut and throughout the country.

In the evening, a protester was shot dead in the area of ​​Khaldeh, south of Beirut, after an altercation with a soldier about a blocked road. This deadly incident generated a wave of anger and indignation on social networks, while the victim, Alaa Abu Fakhr, a young father, is the second person killed since the beginning of the uprising.

According to an army statement, an incident occurred between a patrol and a group of protesters who cut the road, forcing a soldier to open fire to disperse them. The text adds that an investigation was opened after the arrest of the shooter.

# الجيش_اللبناني #Lebanesearmyhttps: //t.co/tWvzV1vxSy pic.twitter.com/rVEyHr9NUo

Dozens of roads were still cut Wednesday morning, according to Lebanese media, as the army unfolded around the presidential palace in Baabda, where a demonstration is scheduled in the afternoon.

"Despite what happened last night, we have no other refuge except the state (...), if we lose hope in the state we will switch to chaos" said Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, chairman of the Progressive Socialist Party, of which Alaa Abu Fakhr was a local official.

For his part, the resigning Prime Minister Saad Hariri also called for calm, inviting "all citizens in all regions to preserve the peaceful nature of their movement", and the responsibility of "authorities, leaders , security forces and protesters, who must protect Lebanon and show solidarity to face the challenges. "

"They emigrate"

During his televised interview, at the root of tensions, President Aoun notably deplored the absence of a leader within the protest movement able to engage in dialogue with state officials. "I called to meet the protesters, but I never got an answer," he said. And to add: "Is there a revolution without a leader?"

While the two journalists who questioned him made assumptions about the reasons or the fears of the protesters who could explain the absence of leader, the head of the state retorted: "If they think there is no honest people in the power they emigrate because they will not come to power. "

The sentence, calling on the protesters to leave the country, provoked an uproar on social networks, to the point of compelling the services of the Presidency to denounce a misinterpretation of the presidential remarks in an update published in the evening. "These words have been misinterpreted," he wrote on the Presidency's Twitter account, saying that if protesters fail to find honest people to participate in a dialogue, emigrate, because they will not come to power. " The development, perceived as defiant, has again sparked the ire of protesters, who issued calls for "civil disobedience", from this Wednesday.

The protesters snarled against the President of the Republic and in shock, after he suggested yesterday that protesters who find no-one good in the country emigrate. #liban #Beirut

In addition, Michel Aoun denounced the blockages of roads and public institutions that paralyze the country. "We have heard your demands and apprehensions, but do not destroy the country and stop besieging public institutions," he said. Assuring "to work day and night to restore the situation," he warned the protesters. "If they go on like that, there will be a catastrophe, and if they stop, there is still the possibility (for us) to fix things."

On the political front, the president rejected one of the movement's main demands, namely the formation of a government composed exclusively of independent and apolitical technocrats, replacing that of Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who resigned on 29 October. "Where can I go to find them? On the moon?", Quipped the president, before indicating that "the next government should be techno-political", shared between ministers from political parties, for the sake of democratic representativeness, and technocrats.

According to Michel Aoun, the binding parliamentary consultations to appoint a new prime minister, which did not start because of political negotiations, have not made any major progress. However, they should start before the end of the week, he said. But the violence of last night and the turn of events may prolong this delay, while the country of Cedar is facing a serious economic crisis.

Banks tightened restrictions on dollar withdrawals and conversions, exacerbating fears of devaluation and customer dissatisfaction.

On Monday, the central bank said the Lebanese pound would remain indexed to the dollar and asked banks to lift their restrictions on withdrawals.

With AFP and Reuters