Lebanon protests set to continue

Lebanon protests set to continue

The protests and clashes have increased tensions in Lebanon [AFP] Anti-government protests in Lebanon will continue until the US-backed government retracts decisions said to be against Hezbollah, sources within the opposition have said. Groups of Lebanese youths clashed in Beirut on Wednesday, amid the general strike enforced by roadblocks and burning barricades, that have brought the city to a halt. "What is happening today is the start of a disobedience [campaign]," an opposition source said. "Roads will remain closed, including those leading to the airport, until the government rescinds its decisions." Your Views Is Syria to blame for Lebanon's political crisis? Send us your views The government had pledged to take steps against a private telecommunications network operated by Hezbollah, which the government says is illegal and a threat to state security. The government has also accused the Shia group of installing spy cameras at Beirut International airport and removed the airport's head of security, a figure close to the opposition, from his post. Hezbollah and Shia political and religious leaders have rejected the government's allegations. Roadblocks The protests began as a general strike called by labour unions to demand pay increases after rejecting a last-minute government offer. The industrial action, backed by the opposition, was called by the General Confederation of Labour Union (CGTL) to force the government to raise the monthly minimum wage which had been unchanged since 1996. Protesters burnt tires and old cars in some neighbourhoods [AFP] On the eve of the protest, the cabinet agreed to raise the minimum wage by $130 to $330, but the CGTL said it was insufficient. The federation is demanding that the minimum wage be increased to $600. The government has refused such a rise, with Jihad Azour, Lebanon's finance minister, saying it could fuel inflation. A series of roadblocks, many made up of burning tyres and old cars, sprung up in some of the capital's neighbourhoods, enforcing the strike. Later, explosions and gunfire could be heard throughout the city, but James Bays, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Beirut, said it was not immediately clear who was behind the fighting. "There was fighting between rival political groups, but all the political parties are saying they didn't order it, they weren't behind it." He reported there was a strong army presence, but that the armed forces had not been involved in the fighting. "Their role is to try to bring back calm to the situation - they don't want to be drawn into the fighting and certainly we haven't seen them involved in any of the fighting," he said. Exchange of fire Youths loyal to the rival sides threw stones in Mazraa, one of the Beirut districts where sectarian tensions have been high between Sunnis and Shias. Inside Story Lebanon's strike, on Al Jazeera at 17:30 GMT Elsewhere, government supporters exchanged rifle and grenade fire with Hezbollah sympathisers in the Beirut neighbourhoods of Noueiri, Ras al-Nabae and Wata al-Musaitbeh, the Reuters news agency reported. It was not clear if there had been any casualties. Reuters also reported that armed men from the opposition took over an office of the Future political group led by Saad al-Hariri, a coalition leader and one of Lebanon's most influential politicians. Marwan Hamadeh, a government minister, said Hezbollah was "trying to use military means to block the airport". One security source said the army had detained two men armed with M-16 assault rifles in Beirut. Earlier in the day, a stun grenade thrown into a crowd lightly injured three protesters and two soldiers, the state-run National News Agency said. It was not immediately clear who threw the stun grenade. Industrial action Bays said the strike action had come as many Lebanese struggle to meet the rising cost of food. "Lebanon has had a very bad harvest, which means that food prices are rising, making it very hard for the very poorest in society," he said. Gunfire was heard across the city, but it was unclear who was behind the clashes [AFP] "That is why the labour unions called for this protest to take place today." But the industrial action comes against the backdrop of a confrontation between the Western-allied government and Hezbollah. Opposition supporters have held a sit-in political demonstration in the centre of Beirut since December 2006, shortly after Hezbollah pulled its representatives out of the cabinet of Fouad Siniora, the Lebanese prime minister. Lebanon has been in a political stalemate and without a president since November. The opposition has boycotted 17 parliamentary sessions to formally select a new president, citing problems with power sharing in the cabinet. http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/3EB4700B-752C-4737-BD0A-5784517E1550.htm