Shiite leader presses ahead with hunger revolt
Lebanon, Politics, 7/3/1997

A Shiite Muslim cleric is pressing ahead with plans to launch a "hunger revolt" in eastern Lebanon, in an attempt to force the government to improve living conditions in the impoverished region.

Sheik Sobhi Tufeili, former secretary general of the Iranian-backed Hizbullah guerrilla group, has called on his Shiite followers in the Baalbek-Hermel regions of the northern Bekaa Valley to stage "civil disobedience" beginning Friday July 4, to pressure the government to succumb to his demands.

These are mainly free water, electricity, schooling and hospitalization for the poor, progressive income tax, increase in minimum wage and protection for producers and consumers.

The northern Bekaa has long been neglected and is among the country's poorest regions. Despite Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's multimillion dollar reconstruction program and a postwar construction boom, living conditions across the country continued to deteriorate. Tufeili's planned revolt, however, has sent authorities scrambling for ways to stave it off.

The government on June 25 earmarked 150 billion pounds (97 million US dollars) in emergency aid for rural development in impoverished regions in the Bekaa and the Akkar region of North Lebanon.

The move has failed to impress Tufeili, and he is pressing ahead with his plans, causing concern in official circles in view of the possibility of a confrontation between protesters and security forces.

The government, which has banned demonstrations since 1993, warned that violence would not be allowed. Interior Minister Michel Murr said Tuesday that civil disobedience "is forbidden". Murr stopped short, however, of saying what specific measures will be taken to deal with the movement.

Syria, the main political and military power in Lebanon, has not yet commented publicly on Tufeili's call.

Tufeili has warned that if the government does not act to improve conditions, "we shall stop paying taxes, electricity and water bills in Baalbek and Hermel in the first stage".

"If no results are achieved, we shall march on Beirut as the second stage and lay siege to the palaces of the three (top government) leaders", he said in earlier statements.

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search