The “October 17” revolution blows out its first candle … Financial, political and lively crisis besieging the Lebanese

In Asharq Al-Awsat, he wrote in Asharq Al-Awsat, a year later since October 17, when the spark of an uprising broke out that took the Lebanese to the streets in numbers that the squares did not know except in movements of a sectarian nature or partisan. At that time, the Lebanese from north to south demanded a change in the political class, the accountability of the corrupt and the recovery of the stolen money, raising the slogan “everyone means everyone”, indicating that all parties that participated in the power are responsible for the deterioration of the living situation.

This uprising is no longer with the momentum in which it was launched, since most of the squares that were called “Squares of the Revolution” are empty. Some activists meet from time to time to challenge the decision of a minister, the behavior of a president, or the decision of a bank without the ability to mobilize citizens and bring them together or even present a vision. They were united at a time when the economic crisis hit the Lebanese day after day.

And if the WhatsApp rate hike last October unleashed the uprising, then “a lot of sparks” appeared in a year, since “the collapse that was imminent at that time has become a living reality today,” according to the economist. Walid Abu Suleiman, speaking of variables. Monetary, financial and economic mission.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Abu Suleiman affirms that Lebanon, one year after the October 17 uprising, is today “a country suffering a four-dimensional monetary, political, economic and financial crisis”, which adds, of course, a threat to health and food safety due to the shortage of foreign exchange necessary to import. Food and medicine “.

Abu Suleiman talks about basic variables, the first of which is cash. Today, there are three prices in dollars: the official rate (1515 Syrian pounds), the bank withdrawals rate (3900) and the black market price, which has reached 10,000 more than once and is currently in the range of 8000, and this phenomenon is an “indicator”. It negatively reflects chaos and tension. “
And there is the financial variable, “the state’s income decreased by 50% during the year, and this will be reflected in the state’s budget deficit, especially since its expenses have not decreased because it continues with its obligations towards public sector employees and the importation of electricity from Lebanon “.
On the economic level, Abu Suleiman points out that the unemployment rate has increased from 30% to 40%, noting that it exceeds this percentage in certain regions, in addition to the increase in the number of people below the poverty line in Lebanon, which It added about a million people last October and today there are more than 2 million people, more than double.
There is a decrease in GDP of at least 30%, the closure of several commercial and tourist establishments, and the arrival of the banking sector, which was the backbone of the economy, on the verge of bankruptcy, adding to all these factors the pandemic of the Crown.
Despite all this, most of the groups involved in the movement do not expect broad citizen participation on the first anniversary of today’s uprising.
“We will not see a scene on October 17, 2019 for sure,” says Anthony Douaihy, one of the founders of the “Bidaya Watan” group, which is actively involved in the movement. Talk to Asharq Al-Awsat about many obstacles that prevent people from descending on the memory of the uprising in numbers that were revealed last October. Although he confirms that he does not use the word “I remember” because, as he sees it, the uprising “continues and never stops”.
Al-Douaihy mentions the Corona pandemic and the decision to close a series of areas that were considered gathering places for the uprising, as factors that may prevent people from coming down to celebrate the anniversary of the uprising, but does not deny the existence of another reason. , which is the inability of the Harak groups to “present a proposal that gives people confidence and is an alternative to Presenting authority”, stating that the different groups have become aware of this point and “are working to overcome it by proposing alternatives to people “.
Al-Douaihy believes that the uprising “brought down the sectarian leadership and broke the fear and the titles until it managed to raise the slogan (everyone means everyone). However, change needs a long breath, especially if it is in the face of a system that it permeates all institutions and against an authority that ruled 30 years. “