Lebanon: Reopening of main roads, aid to protesters

Lebanese security forces have reopened most of the main roads that protesters have cut off as part of a popular movement demanding the formation of a technocratic government outside the political class that organizes and supervises early parliamentary elections.

This coincides with the funeral of a crowd of Lebanese youth Alaa Abu Fakhr (38 years), who was killed by a soldier while he was involved in the closure of a road in the Khaldeh area south of Beirut the day before yesterday.

During the funeral in his hometown of Choueifat, east of Beirut, demonstrators joined the family of the slain who wrapped his coffin with the Lebanese flag. Mourners chanted "Revolution, Revolution" and "Ahrar Rebels We will complete the journey" and spread rice and roses on his body.

Abu Fakhr is the second person killed since the popular movement began demanding the downfall of all the symbols of the ruling political class, after the protester was shot dead on an airport road in the first week of protests.

On the other hand, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that the demands made by the protesters are being followed up, and stressed - in a series of tweets - that the fulfillment of these demands will be one of the first objectives of the government that he is working on in the near future.

Aoun expressed his hope that the government could be born in the coming days after removing obstacles to commissioning.

He added that dealing with the latest developments is based on the national interest, which requires cooperation with all to achieve the desired goals, as he put it.

Aoun had proposed - during an interview aired on Tuesday evening - the formation of a "techno-political" government, while the demonstrators demand an independent government of specialists away from any party loyalty or association with current officials.

During the meeting, Aoun spoke in a tone that the demonstrators considered "provocative", criticizing the lack of leaders to represent them to dialogue with the PA, while the protesters are proud that their action is spontaneous and inclusive and reject any dialogue with the current authority.

The delay in forming the government and the slow response to the rest of the demands anger the demonstrators, who believe that officials do not take them seriously.

Since the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri on October 29 in front of street anger, the authorities have not acted to respond to the protesters' demands, and Aoun has not yet called for parliamentary consultations to form a new government.

It is noteworthy that the popular movement in Lebanon began on October 17 against the backdrop of living demands, and appeared cross-sectarian and regions and sticking to the demand for the departure of all symbols of the current political class.