'You Stink' Campaigners Back to the Streets of Beirut
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Anti-trash activists blocked on Tuesday several roads in Beirut to protest the authorities' failure to find a permanent solution to the waste crisis.
The demonstration was planned to coincide with a cabinet session which Prime Minister Tammam Salam adjourned to pave way for more consultations.
Tuesday's protest by "You Stink" activists at Riad al-Solh square near the Grand Serail was not the first. The same demonstrators held a sit-in in the area over the weekend to protest the mountains of garbage that had piled up in Beirut and its suburbs.
The protesters then blocked the road near Mohammed al-Amin mosque where the environment ministry is located, calling for the resignation of Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq.
They later moved to Beirut's Hamra thoroughfare chanting slogans calling on the authorities to resolve the waste problem.
At one point, the demonstrators surrounded the vehicle of Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas, who later severely criticized them, telling Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) that the protesters were on the verge of "smashing the car's windows."
They also threw trash bags near the Central Bank that lies in Hamra.
Later in the day, the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch arrested the activist Tareq Mallah after Derbas filed a lawsuit against him and other protesters, accusing them of attacking his car.
LBCI TV said the activists tracked dump trucks on Monday night and found out that the trash was being thrown in Beirut River and a parking lot in Sin el-Fil.
The Facebook page of "You Stink" has so far garnered over 6,700 likes.
Trash collection resumed on Monday evening after the waste management ministerial committee headed by Salam managed to agree on a preliminary solution to the garbage crisis.
The solution involves the “immediate resumption” of waste collection in Beirut, a “balanced distribution” of Beirut and Mount Lebanon's garbage to new locations and financial “incentives” to municipalities, Environment Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq said following the committee's emergency meeting at the Grand Serail.
The trash crisis erupted on July 17 when the Naameh landfill south of Beirut was closed.
G.K.
D.A.
28 July 2015, 12:10
59
All Lebanese already know the leaders are corrupt, inept and useless. The problem is, they'll never do anything about it!
bet ya this demonstration will evaporate in a few days, the mafia in office will find some "temporary" hole to dump the trash, and everyone will shut up.
28 July 2015, 14:49
82
(1). Saturn, this is what Lebanese amount to. Today trash has invaded them to the point where their very health is now at risk. But trust me on this, and go all the way to a 100% on this, the very moment the matter boils down to the party or the leader, the Lebanese will separate on a bad note all over again. The Lebanese will die for his party, he will die for his leaders, he will follow them to starvation, even if he left Lebanon, from abroad he will continue his blind defense of his party and leaders. because we do not follow the state, or the nation, then we shall continue to be heavily abused and laughed at by the politicians. believe me when I tell you that during the war, the warlords both Christians and Muslims of all colors shared the cake mutually all the while we were killing each other. mes.
28 July 2015, 14:50
82
(2) Saturn. Today in peace time, nothing has changed, nothing. The politicians, they own everything here and may I here cite a few: The Mobile companies, the Internet ISPs, the Port Management, the Airport management and both including the Duty-Free sectors. They own the Mechanique, the TV Stations, the Papers, much of the Utilities, Casino, the beach resorts and the very beaches too, the Kissarat that are gnawing at what's left of our mountains, Sukleen, the Marinas, masalan Zeitouna Bay, the Insurance Companies, many of our hospitals, and pharmaceutics, Fuel, Ishtirak, Mazout, etc..... Please ya Saturn, kirmel Allah, do your research, it will shock you and shake you to your feet to know that these bastards owns almost everything, even the major hotels and supermarkets, and this in a land of 4 million people!!
28 July 2015, 14:51
82
(3). Saturn. We the Lebanese and the refugees we have are just plain consumers, numbers, eat and pay, use and pay, be sick but pay first, die but pay before you die or you rot. What was once the domain of the people has been stolen, this country of ours is one of the most beautiful on earth, but the rotten politicians are killing it. If you ya Saturn or any other person thinks that anything will be solved, you are dreaming, this with all due respects to you all, you are dreaming. Even now, both M8 and M14 politicians are not in disagreement, the contrary is more true. In public they want us to believe that they are opposed to the bone, but the truth is very different, it's still all about that CAKE and how to share it. The world has woken up to our lies, that is why now no one bothers much with us, the only thing they agreed to now is to keep Lebanon from flaring up otherwise we would have long gone up in flames.
28 July 2015, 14:57
72
(4). Saturn. Finally for now, this is why the politicians, and this includes Clerics of all sects, they will do everything to continue to divide us and you know why? Because of that CAKE, they will want to share it to the very last Lebanese, to the every last refugee in Lebanon. What you people see in public is not what they do in the corridors. Our politicians will use any use as a soft target, other than that, they will protect each other. Nothing will change in this country if we continue to nag, the politicians know that come night time, everyone will go back home.
28 July 2015, 14:58
82
(5). They also know that we Lebanese are a very sick people, we talk of high ideals, but hey, watch, don't touch my party, don't touch my leaders, don't touch my religion or hell will blow up in your face, so yes, if it has to come to that, they will pit us against each other, using at first party ideology, if this doesn't work, then sectarian sensitivities and this is where the clerics come in to put oil to the fire. Unless the changes come from grassroots, the sickness will go on forever. We are sheep, led by wolves. Today it's Sukleen, tomorrow it will be another thing, but they know us to be sick, to they'll keep the cure well hidden underground. It's all about divide and rule, never forget that, for as long as we're sheep.
28 July 2015, 15:01
74
يا عيب الشوم.......
هذا دليل على أن زبالة الشوارع انظف ملايين المرات من زبالين السياسة...
هذه هي النتيجة عندما اوسخ بشر تحكم لبنان اوتتحكم به..
في أيام الرجال كنا نغني مع وديع الصافي..
لبنان يا قطعة سمى..أما الآن وفي عهدالسماسرة والزبالين والعملاء..أصبح لبنان قطعة زبالة...
عليكم اللعنة.
جعلتم من لبنان صورة طبق الأصل عن قباحة اخلاقكم وتربيتكم
28 July 2015, 17:48
46
@phoenix, only one person can fix this mess but alas he's dead - Adolf Hitler. Other candidates include Joseph Stalin, Saddam Hussein, and Augusto Pinochet. Alas, all dead :)
28 July 2015, 15:44
72
The incompetence of the Lebanese "government" has finally hit home with the garbage crisis. How ironic that it would take stinking garbage to fill the noses of the Lebanese before they would blanch on the stench of the stink coming from their political class. A political class that cannot find its way out of a paper bag; one that does not know its ass from a hole in the ground.
Well Lebanese, here it is! Garbage in the street. This is the government that you elected, and the one that you deserve until you demand better! So demand better! From the street!
28 July 2015, 16:54
67
Yeah that is March 14s plan all along, they throw garbage on the streets and wants to force people to accept your dirty politics.
Your Saudi masters played this one out beautiful.
It will backclash, because the Lebanese people knows who runs Sukleen, your master Hariri Junior.
28 July 2015, 17:38
75
Mystic, you don't even have a clue on what this crisis is all about. You come here accusing Saudi Arabia and Hariri and seriously it makes you look more of an idiot than you already are.
28 July 2015, 18:59
00
The river, really I mean who said that was a solution. I don't think the beaches north of Beirut will be any better than Rio where trash and toxic material make swimming a serious risk. Dump the trash in Syria, nobody is going to say anything but not into the sea.
29 July 2015, 02:56
10
So you think we needed the garbage crisis to realize that our leaders are corrupt? Wake up dude
