Sidon General Strike Called Off to Pave Way for Govt. Efforts to End Asir’s Sit-in

A number of officials from the southern city of Sidon announced on Sunday that they have decided to call off Monday’s general strike in order to make room for government efforts to end Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir’s sit-in in the city.

The head of the Sidon merchants association Ali al-Sharif made the announcement after the meeting of political, economic and religious officials.

He warned however that the strike will be held should Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Interior Minister Marwan Charbel fail to end the Salafist cleric’s sit-in that has crippled the city economically and threatened security deterioration.

He warned that the premier and minister have two days before the general strike is scheduled again.

Sunday’s meeting was not attended by head of the Mustaqbal bloc MP Fouad Saniora, MP Bahia Hariri, and head of the Popular Nasserite Movement, Osama Saad.

Hariri and Saad had held a meeting held on Friday, their first since the last parliamentary elections in 2009, to tackle Asir’s sit-in.

Hariri also visited President Michel Suleiman on Saturday.

She held talks with several officials and religious leaders on Friday and announced that the expression of views “must remain peaceful” away from “violence and attacks.”

Her tour came after Saad’s supporters blocked the city’s al-Murjan roundabout with burning tires to protest the suffocation of Sidon.

The burning of tires coincided with a march that al-Asir’s supporters held for the second day in a row following Friday prayers.