“We want to eat, we want to live” are the cries of Lebanese citizens during a new wave of protests.
Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the Lebanese government faces challenges not only in preventing infection spread, but in preventing further political unrest. Ongoing economic difficulties have had serious implications for the human rights of Lebanese citizens as well as damaging their confidence in the current administration’s ability to combat the looming crisis.
REVIVAL OF PROTESTS
October 2019 was witness to an upsurge in nationwide protests as economic hardship flooded the country and citizens retaliated to an influx of new taxes and mass inflation. The protests came at a time in which Lebanon was suffering from one of its worst recessions since the civil war and continued until February of this year, with weekly marches against the ruling elite being held in Beirut.
As the country sunk closer to the brink of economic collapse and more individuals were pushed into poverty - the Lebanese pound dropping to more than 40% against the dollar - the coronavirus pandemic swept the nation, exacerbating ongoing difficulties and leading the government to declare a medical emergency on 15 March.
The government-enforced lockdown was announced soon after and included the banning of all non-essential activities and public meetings. Given that the lockdown took place in already destitute circumstances, signs of resistance against the measures shortly began to show. Lebanese citizens struggled to cope with increased hardships brought by lockdown, and 17 April saw the beginning of a new string of protests.
On 27 April, a standoff between the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and protester’s resulted in the use of excessive force by the LAF leading to the death of one protester and injuring many more. Protestors torched vehicles and banks and threw stones against soldiers who were firing live ammunition and rubber bullets in response, in a move potentially contrary to the United Nations guidelines on the use of force by law enforcement officials.
IMPACT OF COVID-19
Lebanese citizens are fighting a battle between feeding their families and shielding themselves from infection. This sharp rise in protests and refusal to observe lockdown restrictions depicts a society willing to risk exposure to a possibly fatal virus in order to fight for food and economic security.
Witness to the protests, Abdelaziz Sarkousi, highlights “we have reached a state where unfortunately you cannot control people anymore, people are hungry.” This sentiment is echoed by journalist, Alia Ibriham, who notes, “if you are telling people ‘you risk getting the virus or you are definitely going to starve’, they will choose to fight hunger.”
GOVERNMENT ACTION
Human Rights Watch reveals their concerns that close to half of the Lebanese population do not have the financial means to obtain basic necessities such as food and clothing. In response to these insecurities, the Lebanese government committed to providing distressed families with a one-off payment of 400,000 Lebanese pounds, equating roughly to $150. However, evidence suggests that the government is struggling to carry out the payments, the sum already dropping to $100.
As a result of the precarious economic situation across the country, Lebanon has reached out to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in order to obtain urgent financial assistance. The government is seeking over $10 billion in a proposed rescue plan, adding to the $11 billion of international contributions already pledged.
The United Nations Security Council recently addressed the worsening humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, with Secretary-General António Guterres describing the economic situation as “dire” and “compounded by the adverse impact of COVID-19”, urging leaders to “develop and implement the required reforms.”
Christie graduated with an LLM in International Law and Security from the University of Glasgow. She focused on areas such as nuclear weapons, cyber security, counter-terrorism, and the international courts system. Most recently, she interned at the International Bar Association undertaking legal research and policy work.