DAILY NEWS
Cabinet Approves Demolition of Beirut Port Silos
According to Minister of Information Ziad Makari the Lebanese Cabinet decided to move forward with the demolition of the defunct silos that were damaged by the Port of Beirut Explosion in August of 2020, based on a “technical report” that concluded the silos could collapse in the coming months. This comes amid popular pressure, particularly from the families of the victims of the Port Explosion, to keep the defunct silos standing so long as there is no conclusion to an investigation into the August 4th, 2020 explosion. [Reuters]
Salameh Assures He is ‘Ready’ For Swiss Questioning
According to Reuters, Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh said that he has, “already informed the Swiss justice (authorities) that I am ready to go,” he told Swiss broadcaster SRF’s investigative Rundschau programme in an interview from Beirut aired late on Wednesday. ‘Because they asked the question in February 2020 whether they can (interview) me in Lebanon or in Switzerland. I said I am ready to go to Switzerland…I am waiting for them to call for me’.” [Reuters]
State Department Annual Report Highlights ‘Significant Human Rights Problems’
In the State Department’s 2021 Annual Report on Human Rights, Lebanon suffers from, “a serious political interference in the judicial system, serious restrictions on the freedom of expression and the media … severe restrictions on cyber freedom, refoulment of refugees to a country where they would face a threat to their life or freedom,” among other issues. [L’Orient Today]
Vatican Confirms Papal Visit to Lebanon in June
The Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States, Bishop Richard Paul Gallagher, in a letter to Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, confirmed that Pope Francis will visit Lebanon between June 12th and 13th. [L’Orient Today]
OPINION & ANALYSIS
Lebanon Can’t Rely Solely On Civil Society To Bring Change In The Country
Michael YoungYoung writes, “The problem is that by not unifying their efforts and forming joint lists, civil society groups have shot themselves in the foot. In several key districts, including Beirut I and Baabda, civil society lists will be competing against one another, which will only benefit the traditional political forces. The reasons for this inability to come together include clashing egos and the willingness of some groups, and the unwillingness of others, to form alliances with traditional political parties that had supported the 2019 uprising. One civil society list that will be worth watching, however, is the list running in the South Lebanon III district, where the two major Shiite parties, Hezbollah and Amal, are dominant. This list alone unified all civil society groups active locally, in an area that has suffered greatly from the economic crisis. If voters are not intimidated, one can expect surprising breakthroughs. It would be an irony if civil society shows its true potential in an area where the established political parties may well use force to prevent them from gaining.”
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.