Lebanon. Popular anger is exacerbating and “dangerous” tension between Aoun and the army commander

In protest against deteriorating living conditions and the high dollar exchange rate, protesters in Beirut announced their continued escalation on Tuesday, calling for broader participation in blocking more roads in the capital.

For their part, protesters in Tripoli said that the movements continue due to deteriorating economic conditions, emphasizing that the escalation will increase, and roads in the city will be cut from Tuesday morning and the movement will be completely paralyzed.

In light of the record deterioration of the exchange rate against the dollar and the country plunged into a horizonless political stalemate, Army Commander Joseph Aoun warned that soldiers should not be dragged into political stalemate, criticizing Lebanese President Michel’s request. Aoun to the army and security forces on Monday to remove barriers after a week of protests over the collapsing economy and government paralysis.

Aoun called for the opening of roads across the country after a meeting with senior officials, while the army chief held a separate meeting with military commanders, emphasizing the right to peaceful protest.

The commander of the Armed Forces, General Joseph Aoun, criticized “sectarian” politicians in Lebanon for their handling of the crisis, warning of the instability of the security situation, adding that the military is part of the suffering Lebanese society. economic difficulties. “The military is suffering and starving like the people,” he said.

He addressed his speech to officials, saying: “Where are we going, what do you intend to do? We have warned more than once about the danger of the situation and the possibility of it exploding.”

Tension between the president and the army commander

A political source said that tension between the president and the army chief increased after the request to open roads.

Protesters have blocked roads every day since the Lebanese pound fell to a new low last week as the currency lost 85 percent of its value.

However, there were no reports of violent clashes between security forces, the army and protesters during the week.

On Monday, General Joseph Aoun warned about the army’s involvement in political disputes. He said: “If some people intend to hit the army and its forces, they know that the overabundance of the army means the end of the entity, this is impossible to happen. The army is coherent and the experience of the 75 is not.” and it will not be repeated. “

Warning of a civil war

The army has long been described as almost the only institution that the Lebanese people agree to. Its collapse at the start of the Lebanese Civil War between 1975 and 1990, when it split along sectarian lines, brought the country down.
Under the control of the militia.

According to a statement by the Lebanese Presidency, senior government and security officials agreed during a meeting to measures that include “ordering the security services to arrest all persons who violate the provisions of the Currency and Credit Law and the Law that regulates the currency exchange profession “, including bureaux de change.

The statement clarified that the president asked “the security services to reveal the plans established to harm the country, especially after information became available on the presence of external organizations and platforms that work to criticize the state’s position.”
Financial “.

More protests

In the statement, the president expressed his rejection of the road blockade and said that this act is “unacceptable. The security and military agencies must fully comply with their functions and implement the laws without hesitation, especially since the matter now goes further. “.
The mere expression of opinion is an organized act of sabotage aimed at achieving stability. “

With the outbreak of the financial crisis in Lebanon in late 2019, a wave of massive protests broke out and protesters poured their anger on the leaders, who had yet to act against corruption for decades.

Tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs as a result of the crisis, which also caused bank accounts to be frozen and many people began to suffer from poverty.

On Monday, three main roads leading to the capital Beirut, south of Zouk, Jal el Dib and Dora were closed. In Beirut itself, protesters blocked a main road in front of the Central Bank of Lebanon.

And local media reported that shots were fired at Martyrs’ Square in central Beirut, but the source was unclear and there were no reports of injuries.

In Tire, in the south, a man tried to burn himself after pouring gasoline on his body, but the Civil Defense stopped him at the opportune moment, according to the National Information Agency.

In Tripoli, one of the poorest cities in Lebanon and located in the north, protesters erected a one-meter-high brick wall to prevent cars from crossing, but left room for passage in emergency situations.

The Beirut port explosion lit the fuse

After the Beirut port explosion destroyed entire districts of the capital in August, Prime Minister Hassan Diab’s government resigned but continues to do business.

However, Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri disagrees with Aoun and has been unable to form a new government that implements the reforms necessary to disburse international aid.

On Saturday, Diab threatened to abstain from duty to pressure politicians to form a new government.

Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai criticized politicians in his Sunday sermon, saying: “O officials, be reconciled with politics and with the people who wasted their money and hopes and cast them into poverty, hunger and unemployment.” .
It is a situation that has no religion, sect, party, or region, and only the street remains. So you are asking for your rights. “

“How can this people not rebel when the exchange rate of one dollar exceeds 10,000 Lebanese pounds overnight? How can this people not rebel when the minimum wage has fallen to $ 70?”

Al-Rahi called for an international conference under the auspices of the United Nations to help Lebanon.