Friday's two suicide incidents in Lebanon, most likely linked to a living squeeze due to the country's rapid economic collapse, have sparked a wave of reactions denouncing the official performance in crisis management.
A Lebanese man committed suicide by shooting his head in the middle of the commercial Hamra Street in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
The 61-year-old left behind a piece of paper bearing the Lebanese flag and a statement issued by the authorities indicating that his criminal record was free of any crimes, in addition to the phrase "I am not a disbeliever but hunger is an infidel", which is a clip from a song by Ziad Al-Rahbani - the son of singer Fayrouz - in reference to ill Economic situation and deteriorating living conditions.
Dozens of protesters gathered at the suicide site and blocked the road for a short time, holding up several signs, one of which read "He did not commit suicide, killed in cold blood." A young man held a second banner saying, "Harpoon to die because of poverty and hunger."
"Today there is a person who committed suicide in Hamra and the people are still silent and asleep ... a person killed by the (political) class and poverty," said Saba Marwa during her participation in the Waqfah.
In the village of Jadra, near the city of Sidon (south), the body of a 37-year-old man was found hanging Friday in a room in his house.
Jadra's mayor, Joseph Al-Kazzi, told the French Press Agency that the young man, who is the father of a little girl and works as a minibus driver, hanged himself with a rope that he hung on the ceiling of the living room while his family was outside the house.
The young man was suffering from difficult financial conditions due to the faltering economic situation, according to Al-Kazzi.
A spokesman for the Internal Security Forces confirmed that the two incidents were suicides, pointing to the increase in suicide rates since the beginning of the year, without being able to determine the percentage.
On his Facebook account, university professor and economist Jad Shaaban wrote, commenting on the two incidents, "Those who died today and yesterday and before them, were killed and did not commit suicide.
Lebanon is witnessing an accelerated economic meltdown, which is the worst in the country in decades, the repercussions of which are not excluded by any social class.
With him tens of thousands have lost their jobs or part of their salaries during the past few months.
Almost half of the Lebanese people live below the poverty line, while 35 percent of the workforce suffers from unemployment.
The crisis is accompanied by an unprecedented decline in the value of the lira, as its exchange rate against the dollar crossed the threshold of nine thousand this week, while the official price is fixed at 1507 pounds. This caused a frenzy of high cost and eroded the purchasing power of a wide segment of the Lebanese population.