March 14: Hizbullah, AMAL Shut down Zahrani Plant to Increase their Control of Lebanon
The March 14 General Secretariat condemned on Wednesday Hizbullah and the AMAL movement’s shutdown of the Zahrani power plant, accusing them of committing militia practices aimed at harming the Lebanese state.
It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “It was an attempt to increase their control over the legitimate state institutions and create more closed security and economic zones outside the state’s control similar to the zones that Hizbullah has created.”
“Will the Lebanese soon find themselves before an independent Hizbullah power network similar to its telecommunications network?” it wondered.
The statement noted that Energy Minister Jebran Bassil’s accusation against Hizbullah and AMAL of being involved in the shutdown “does not exempt him from his political duties to exact strict measures to punish the assailants.”
“If the minister is incapable of taking such measures, then he should resign and clear the way for someone who is capable of translating his statements into actions,” said the March 14 General Secretariat.
Addressing the developments in Syria, it urged the Arab League and international community to speed up measures that would ensure “the liberation of the Syrian people from the clutches of oppression and terrorization.”
Bassil condemned on Monday the shutdown of the Zahrani plant, describing it as an attack against state institutions.
He said during a press conference: “We will not remain silent over the incident.”
“I urge the security authorities to hold those responsible for the shutdown accountable for their actions. Remaining silent over the incident is a crime,” he said.
Electricite du Liban said the shutdown came on Friday in protest at the transportation of a major MVA power transformer from the plant to Sidon.
Source: Agence France Presse
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