Maria Laura Avignolo
08/11/2020 - 15:46
- Clarín.com
- World
Exactly a week ago, an ammonium nitrate explosion in the port of Beirut plunged Lebanon into hell and darkness facing the future. The fungus and the shock wave not only left 175 dead, 6,000 injured and 3,000,000 "homeless." He took the hope of a country and the efforts of thousands of Lebanese. The government fell. Prime Minister Hassan Diab denounced "the corruption of a political class", which today seeks to dissolve Parliament in order to be re-elected, with a false new air. An anti-confessional law, which ends the regime of the 18 communities that should govern the country is the new instrument of the old warlords to recycle themselves as the salvation of poor Lebanon. A resignation of 43 parliamentarians to elect a new Parliament in early elections, when the country is in mourning and on its knees is the proposal of some.
"A government of national union . " The Free Patriotic Current of Gebral Basil, President Aoun's son-in-law and the country's most detested, and MPs affiliated with the stainless Shiite Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berry, the godfathers of the renouncing Sunni premier Diab, call for "the rapid formation of a new cabinet ”.
President Aoun accepted Diad's resignation but will remain in office until a new premier arrives. The octogenarian head of state has not yet set the date for parliamentary consultations, to let the political formations debate. The Lebanese Constitution does not set a date to elect a prime minister.
Protests in the streets of Beirut, after the outbreak of a week ago. Photo: AFP
The Aunista deputies do not want to give up power in an early parliamentary dissolution, which includes a new political class. They called for "the formation of a productive and effective government that focuses its attention on the resolution of the financial, economic, and social crisis that Lebanon is going through."
"We will do everything to facilitate the birth of a new cabinet and we will be at the forefront of the cooperation to come," said the members of the government. It is the last thing the protesters in the Plaza de los Mártires want. "Let them all go" is his motto.
The parliamentary group of Nabib Berry, who together with Hezbollah formed the Shiite tandem, called for "the rapid formation of" a unifying government ", to vote a new electoral law, with a single constituency and without the community limits imposed by its 18 religious communities , and the formation of a Senate, representing the different communities of the country, as foreseen in the Taif agreement, which put an end to the civil war. A non-denominational Lebanon to save itself.
Map showing the extent of damage caused by the August 4 explosions in Beirut, based on the analysis of satellite images. AFP
A "neutral government?"
Leader Walid Jumblat, who had initially accused both Hezbollah and Israel of the blast, set out to coordinate with Shiite Berry. Even in the opposites, the irreconcilable adversaries understand each other if power is at stake. “ You need a government that deals with the economic situation, deals with reconstruction and puts the reforms in motion . I do not have a candidate for the post of Prime Minister or conditions to participate. I will coordinate with Mr. Berry, ”said Jumblat, who called for a“ state of emergency ”because there is“ the risk of the spread of the coronavirus ”and“ hospitals will not be able to receive patients ”.
Parliament will finally meet on Thursday to discuss the state of emergency in the capital.
In this battle of names to lead the government is the former Sunni prime minister, Saad Hariri, who the protests caused him to resign, and the former ambassador to the UN, Nawaf Salam. But the United States, Saudi Arabia and France would support the nomination of Salam, who was a judge at the International Court of Justice, to obtain "a neutral government."
President Michel Aoun has veto power over the prime minister but will only use it after parliamentary consultations .
Tribute to the victims of the explosion in Beirut. Photo: AP
These proposals are exactly what the Lebanese do not want to hear. Their "revolution", their protests since October, only seek that that corrupt ruling class, which is recycled from father to son or son-in-law, is erased from the political scene to recover a multicultural Lebanon, which is not trapped in the regional conflicts that Iran and Hezbollah promote, along with Israel and Saudi Arabia . They want to recover the future and not recycle the past.
Terms
The head of French diplomacy, Jean Yves Le Drian called on Lebanon "for the rapid formation of a government that will make its test before the population." The help will not reach them but directly to those who need it. "The Lebanese have lost confidence in them," President Emmanuel Macron told Lebanese politicians at their multisectoral meeting in Beirut. He will be back on September 1 to see the progress.
Audit and conditions on the millions of euros of aid and the threat of sanctions to the Lebanese leaders who oppose the reforms that the protesters demand in the street, together with the international community, were suggested by Emmanuel Macron during his visit.
The protests in Beirut have been going on for several days. Photo: AFP
The Lebanese remain angry and mourning after the fall of the government. They consider it "insufficient" and accuse a whole political class, which they consider "corrupt", "guilty of the explosion due to negligence" and "of the multiple crises" that have left the country bankrupt.
The port explosion, a symbol of the country's corruption and political patronage , was an additional tragedy for Lebanon. It is a product of the destruction of Lebanese institutions, eaten away by nepotism, laziness, and negligence.
The confessional system , which appeared at the beginning as a model of justice, balance, tolerance, little by little has become the paralyzing poison of the nation. Those who destroyed it, today want to transform the country into non-denominational to continue perpetuating themselves in power sine die.
This mountainous territory, which can be covered in two hours from end to end, populated by 7 million inhabitants, invaded, bombarded, suffering, benefits from a very rich diaspora, of ten million people, who fled after different conflicts and today they are fortunate and well-educated families, living in the United States, in Europe, in Africa and in the Gulf. They are the ones who will help, once again, to rebuild Lebanon. It will cost at least $ 15 billion, when the country is already bankrupt.
PB