Many Lebanese are angry at the government after the devastating explosion in the port of Beirut. For some it is violent. The crisis country needs international help quickly.
Beirut / Paris (AP) - Chaos and violence between security forces and demonstrators have increased tensions in the Lebanese capital after the devastating explosion in the port. According to the security forces, a police officer was killed in the clashes.
More than 200 people were injured, reported the Lebanese Red Cross. Prime Minister Hassan Diab's announcement that he would propose early elections to the cabinet did not allay protesters' anger. On Sunday, five days after the explosion in the port of Beirut, the international community held a video conference on emergency aid for the crisis country.
The meeting, convened at short notice, will be chaired by UN Secretary General António Guterres and France's Head of State Emmanuel Macron, as reported by circles from Macron's presidential office. It is about helping the hard hit population directly, without embezzlement. Medical help, food and the rapid reconstruction of schools and hospitals are needed. An amount for international aid was not mentioned - the UN assessment was not yet ready.
US President Donald Trump has already announced that he will be attending, it said in Paris. The Jordanian King Abdullah II, Egypt's Head of State Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson have agreed, as has EU Council President Charles Michel. "We are all ready to help," Michel said on Saturday at a meeting with Lebanese President Michel Aoun. Germany and Italy are also reported to be represented, but names of representatives have remained open for the time being.
Macron had promised international aid during a visit to the Lebanese capital on Thursday, but at the same time called for reforms in the Mediterranean country.
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) announced a German emergency aid package worth ten million euros before the conference. "The people in Beirut need our help and they need cause for hope," he told "Bild am Sonntag". And further: "I am very pleased that I can pledge another ten million euros from the German government today for emergency aid measures.
Thousands of demonstrators protested peacefully in the center of Beirut against the leadership of the country, which makes them responsible for the explosion, which left more than 150 dead and more than 6,000. But then the protest turned into violence. Some protesters tried to break the barriers to parliament and threw stones. The security forces used tear gas on a massive scale. Eyewitnesses also said they heard gunshots.
Some protesters stormed the banking association building. Others invaded the foreign, economic and energy ministries, as reported by local media. The police who were killed wanted to help people who were stuck in a hotel in central Beirut, the security forces said. He was attacked by "rampaging murderers".
With his proposal for new elections, Diab reacted to the massive pressure on the government, which many Lebanese hold responsible for the detonation. He did not mention a possible date for new elections. The next elections would actually be in 2022. It seems unlikely that Diab's announcement can appease people's guilt. Many Lebanese complain that elections have so far changed little in terms of the real balance of power in the country.
Mass protests against the government had already started last October. The demonstrators are calling for extensive political reforms. They accuse the political elite of corruption and ruthlessly pillaging the country.
The anger is also so great because apparently large quantities of the highly explosive chemical ammonium nitrate have been stored in the port for years without safety precautions. This is said to have caused the huge explosion. However, the investigation is still ongoing.
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