Demonstration by Lebanonese workers union
Lebanon, Economics, 4/22/1999

The General Labor Confederation in Lebanon on Wednesday staged a demonstration in protest of increasing taxes and fees and to call for "correcting" wages.

However, the demonstration did not reach the headquarters of the Lebanese Cabinet which was then convening a meeting chaired by President Emile Lahoud in the al-Muthaf area. The demonstrators were kept far from the site, according to the license offered by the Lebanese Ministry of the Interior to the General Labor Confederation amid strong security measures.

The number of participants in the demonstration did not exceed 500. The address made by the General Labor Confederation's leader, Elias Abu Rizk, to the demonstrators was more enthusiastic than the impulse of the relatively few demonstrators who walked behind the union's leadership.

The demonstration seemed aimless and had no content, and the advocated demands were not clear because the demonstrators did not have certain slogans in their hands. They just started shouted "Budget, Budget," giving no indication of what may raise their concern in the budget plan proposed by the Cabinet.

And because most of the demonstrators had no definite attitudes toward the current government, many of them tried to bring back rage against previous governments. They chanted slogans against former governments. They chanted slogans against Former Premier Rafik Hariri. And the situation, once again was that there was nothing to bring the demonstrators together.

All journalists who were at the site of the demonstration noted the absence of parliamentary figures who used to be on top of such General Labor Confederation moves and demonstration attempts, especially parliamentarians Zaher al-Khatib and Najah Wakim.

Even the parliamentarians of the Hizbullah party were also absent and their representation was limited to a symbolic presence. Also the presence of young people was weak. There was no presence of youth, student or women's associations. Even the Lebanese Communist Party, a constant supporter of workers demonstrations, did not exert great efforts or show enthusiasm at taking part in the demonstration despite announcing backing for it.

When the demonstration reached al-Muthaf crossing, the demonstrators were stopped by a human wall formed by the Lebanese "riot fighting" units to prevent them from approaching from the special headquarters of the Lebanese Cabinet.

At that site, Abu Rizk delivered a speech in which he said, "The demonstration is not the target we seek. Our aim is to have the voice of workers, the poor and the students heard. The living conditions crisis is no more bearable." He continued, "Our aim is to back vulnerable freedoms -- the trade unions' freedoms that have been hit by the intervention of politicians."

After Abu Rizq stressed his rejection in the trade union's life, he stressed, "We are the ones who sought for a change in the financial policy," adding that the extra taxes should be on those who can afford it rather than the poor.

"We need a policy that can redistribute the national wealth. Our voice will be stronger until the change will be a reality and until workers demands are met. Our voice will be also strengthened despite the attempts of organized pressures and scenarios between licensing or not licensing demonstrations or laying very hard conditions much worse from the policy of preventing the demonstration thereby preventing the free speech," he said.

While Abu Rizk was delivering his speech, he was interrupted by several demonstrators who said they came from Akkar to take part in the demonstration. One of them asked for imposing taxes on foreign workers, who were exempted by the government in recent decisions from paying taxes.

Previous Stories:
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