Lebanon protesters postpone Monday garbage demonstration

On Sunday Prime Minister Tammam Salam threatened to resign as public discontent brought thousands into the streets.

The explosion of anger targets the endemic corruption, hapless government and sectarian divisions of a brittle country once torn by civil war and now struggling with a wave of tens of thousands of Syrian refugees.

The violence of law enforcement is very well documented, via the #YouStink طلعت _ريحتكم# movement’s Facebook page, while a general overview of Saturday’s developments can also be found on Eye on the East’s twitter account (@eyeontheeast). People have taken to burning trash, and there have been reports of trucks dumping waste into valleys and other open spaces.

Some demonstrators lit fires.

Fears are growing in Lebanon that Iranian proxy Hezbollah is attempting to exploit the country’s waste management crisis to overthrow the government. “It’s important to watch these events closely over the next couple of days”.

Lebanon has been without a president for more than a year, and parliament has twice extended its own mandate since the last elections in 2009. But it was handsome, because the violence only emphasized the rightful demands of the people, the women, men, old, young and the children (yes, the children) who have had enough of the criminal, corrupt, unaccountable, illegal political class whose time is up.

Security services escorted the demonstrators who were marching toward the government building.

Organizers of the “You stink” protests that have captivated the Lebanese capital postponed demonstrations set for Monday evening after a night of violent clashes with police during which dozens of protesters and police officers were wounded. We are there to oversee that there are no slips, nor any intruders taking the demonstrations in another direction.

All this comes as the country remains without a president.

“This movement has succeeded in reawakening the Lebanese, and we will not let them make us go to sleep again”, said Marwan Maarouf, a group representative. They have vowed to continue their protests.

They relented after the government promised to find alternatives.

By the weekend, instead of just demanding efficient trash removal, some protesters had taken up the slogans “Revolution!” and “The people want the downfall of the government”. Unfortunately, the government’s response, too, mirrored aspects of the Arab uprisings.

On Monday, leaders of “You Stink” said they were regrouping after the weekend violence. Their concessions were small: A new garbage collection contract would be announced Monday, not Tuesday.

Trash collection has resumed since then, but what happens to that trash is still a big problem: In lieu of a suitable disposal plant, illegal dumps have been sprouting up around the country.

Lebanon has a sectarian power-sharing system that ensures equal illustration between the nation’s essential spiritual sects.

The change in tone on the street is stunning.

Ashraf Dabbour, Palestinian ambassador to Lebanon, told Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV Tuesday that a cease-fire agreement was concluded late Monday.

The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Sigrid Kaag, stressed the importance of protecting the rights of citizens to peacefully express their wishes and demands. No one wants the incompetence of governments like Lebanon’s (or Yemen’s or Syria’s) to be replaced by chaos, anarchy, and strife.