LEBANON-PROTEST/MINISTRY UPDATE Lebanese protesters enter environment ministry, stage sit-in

Record ID: 140522

  • Title: LEBANON-PROTEST/MINISTRY UPDATE Lebanese protesters enter environment ministry, stage sit-in
  • Date: 1st September 2015
  • Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (SEPTEMBER 01, 2015) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS, JOURNALISTS, AND SECURITY FORCES GATHERING OUTSIDE THE OFFICE BUILDING THAT HOUSES LEBANESE ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AND INTERNAL SECURITY FORCES MEMBERS AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE BUILDING EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING THAT HOUSES LEBANESE ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY VARIOUS OF MAN WAVING LEBANESE FLAG FROM WINDOW IN THE BUILDING VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS INSIDE THE HALLWAYS OF THE ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY IN THE BUILDING INTERNAL SECURITY FORCES MEMBERS WALKING BETWEEN PROTESTERS IN THE HALLWAYS OF THE BUILDING VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING IN ARABIC FOR THE RESIGNATION OF LEBANESE ENVIRONMENT MINISTER MOHAMMAD MACHNOUK (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE ACTIVIST FROM 'YOU STINK' CAMPAIGN, MARWAN MAALOUF, SAYING: "We are now in a situation in which garbage reached all houses. We are today in face of a government that couldn't find an environment solution for the past year; we have been protesting for one month and a half already. The Lebanese people are determined, they made their voice heard on Saturday, we gave the government three days to meet our demands. We are now at the environment ministry, protesting peacefully till the environment minister resigns because he has to take responsibility for the situation. We are continuing." VARIOUS OF PROTESTER HOLDING LEBANESE FLAG IN THE HALLWAY OF THE MINISTRY MORE OF PROTESTER SITTING IN THE HALLWAY INSIDE THE MINISTRY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE PROTESTER, JAMAL AAWAR, SAYING: "We are here. We took the ministry from the corrupted people who were occupying it, and we are not leaving from here until the minister resigns. It is as simple as that. The minister has not found a solution for the trash crisis for the past two months and he won't. And now he is calling us to negotiate? He won't do magic or a miracle. The man as environment minister did not solve the trash crisis in the past two months, let him take his responsibilities and leave. In any other different country in the world, the minister would have resigned." VARIOUS OF POLICEMEN DEPLOYED OUTSIDE THE MINISTRY BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE PROTESTER, ZEINA, SAYING: "I am here to ask the minister who neglected his responsibilities to resign from the government and step down from his chair, because we can't handle the garbage crisis in Lebanon any longer. There are environment massacres happening daily. He must take responsibility but since he can't take responsibility, let him resign and give others a chance to solve the crisis we are in." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE BUILDING VARIOUS OF INTERNAL SECURITY FORCES MEMBERS AND RIOT POLICE OUTSIDE THE MINISTRY BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 16th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA66TFI6FY4BPGKUTVPQG2YEZRJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: **PLEASE NOTE SOUND IN THE FIRST SOUNDBITE IS AS INCOMING**
    Dozens of protesters occupied the environment ministry in the Lebanese capital Beirut on Tuesday (September 1) calling on minister Mohamad Al Machnouk to resign over a rubbish disposal crisis.
    Hundreds of other protesters gathered outside the building as riot police took up positions in surrounding streets.
    Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk said protesters had 30 minutes to leave, al-Jadeed and al-Manar television stations said, without saying what would happen if they did not.
    Lebanon has been hit by a series of protests against the government ignited by a dispute over uncollected rubbish as well as widely perceived corruption in its sectarian political system.
    A Reuters witness inside the ministry building said a few soldiers watched protesters who staged a sit-in along a corridor in the top floor.
    "Machnouk - out, out, out!" protesters chanted.
    Those inside said they had quietly entered in small groups before security personnel blocked the main door.
    "We are now in a situation in which garbage reached all houses. We are today in face of a government that couldn't find an environment solution for the past year; we have been protesting for one month and a half already. The Lebanese people are determined, they made their voice heard on Saturday, we gave the government three days to meet our demands. We are now at the environment ministry, protesting peacefully till the environment minister resigns because he has to take responsibility for the situation. We are continuing," said Marwan Maalouf of the "You Stink" movement that organised the protest.
    Protesters said it was not clear if the environment minister was still in the building as other members of staff locked their office doors and left.
    Reuters was not able to reach the minister by telephone for comment.
    "We are here. We took the ministry from the corrupted people who were occupying it, and we are not leaving from here until the minster resigns. It is as simple as that. The minister has not found a solution for the trash crisis for the past two months and he won't. And now he is calling us to negotiate? He won't do magic or a miracle. The man as environment minister did not solve the trash crisis in the past two months, let him take his responsibilities and leave. In any other different country in the world, the minister would have resigned," said Jamal Aawar, one of the protesters.
    The environment minister withdrew from a committee dealing with the garbage crisis on Monday but that has not mollified protesters.
    "I am here to ask the minister who neglected his responsibilities to resign from the government and step down from his chair, because we can't handle the garbage crisis in Lebanon any longer. There are environment massacres happening daily. He must take responsibility but since he can't take responsibility, let him resign and give others a chance to solve the crisis we are in," added another protester, Zeina.
    Thousands took to the streets of Beirut in a protest on Saturday against corruption.
    The protesters say the rubbish crisis, which has led to piles of refuse being left festering in the summer sun, reflects the incompetence of a political system run by sectarian politicians.
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