The Government Of Lebanon Has Dissolved, Prime Minister Hassan Diab Has Resigned

Ilustrasi (Ilham Amin / VOI)

JAKARTA - Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab on Monday, August 10 resigned and dissolved his government after people staged a series of protests demanding local authorities to take responsibility for the explosion that destroyed the city of Beirut.

Diab, in his speech, also said that the explosion and the anger of the people were the fruit of corruption that has become ingrained in Lebanon.

The explosion caused by more than 2,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate in a port warehouse on August 4 left 163 people dead and injured more than 6,000 residents, and damaged most buildings in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.

The incident exacerbated the economic and political crisis that had raged in Lebanon for months.

"Today we follow the will of the people who hold the relevant authorities responsible for this disaster, (those) who chose to go into hiding for seven years, (and we will follow) the wishes of those who demand change," said PM Diab while announcing his resignation. , Sealsa, August 11th.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun accepted the resignation of the Diab government, but he asked the party to temporarily assume the role of acting until a new cabinet is formed, local authorities announced as broadcast on television.

The Diab government was formed in January and it has the backing of the Hezbollah group in Iran.

Prior to PM Diab's resignation, mass protests in Beirut entered its third day. Several protesters threw stones at security forces manning the front entrance of the parliament building. The authorities responded by throwing tear gas.

For many Lebanese, the explosion will be the last event that triggers the people's patience, considering that they are facing a crisis caused by the economic downturn, corruption and bad governance. The series of disappointments finally pushed residents to the streets demanding change to the root.

"The whole regime has to change. There is no meaning that there is a new government (if the regime does not change)," said Beirut-based engineer Joe Haddad. "We demand an immediate general election," he explained.

The government system in Lebanon requires President Aoun to discuss with parliament before determining the prime minister who will replace Diab. He is obliged to nominate candidates for prime minister and gather support from members of parliament.

Most people have long demanded that the government led by PM Diab be dissolved. A number of his ministers first resigned at the end of last week to Monday.

The rest, including the finance minister, plan to follow suit, said several sources within the ministry and political observers.

Diab on Saturday (8/8) said he asked for the parliamentary elections to be held earlier.

Accountability

President Aoun said the explosives had been stored in unsafe conditions for years at the port. He also explained that his party would explore several possible causes of the explosion, including accidents, negligence, or outside influences.

The cabinet decided to submit the investigation to the Judicial Council, said the official NNA news agency and a source at the ministry. The Judicial Council is the highest judicial institution in Lebanon whose verdicts cannot be appealed.

The Judicial Council usually handles high level security cases.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese people are still struggling to deal with the extent of the impact of the explosion that devastated the entire city.

"The economy has slumped and right now I can no longer make money," said Eli Abi Hanna, a local resident whose house and car repair shop were destroyed in the explosion. "It's easier to make money during the civil war. The politicians and the economic crisis have ruined everything," he said.

The military on Monday announced that five bodies had been recovered from the rubble bringing the total death toll to 163. Rescue and search efforts are continuing.

The anti-government protests over the past two days were the biggest since last October. At that time, the demonstrators were disappointed because they believed that massive corruption, bad governance, and low levels of accountability were the culprits of the economic crisis in Lebanon.

A meeting of international donor agencies on Sunday promised to raise around 253 million euros (around Rp4.36 trillion) to finance direct humanitarian assistance. However, foreign countries that provide funds demand that local governments be transparent when using this assistance.

Some citizens doubt the regime will change, given the sectarian political system that has dominated in Lebanon since the end of the conflict in 1975-1990.

"Nothing will work, the people (in government) are still the same. This is a mafia network," said Antoinette Baaklini, an employee of the power company whose office was destroyed in the explosion.