As they burned the tires they also blocked the traffic and created huge traffic jams .
The Lebanese security forces immediately surrounded the violence scenes and dispersed the crowds. The demonstrators tried to throw stones at the security forces but according to reliable sources there were no casualties reported among the security forces that dispersed the protestors .
Three separate groups of about 50 people each blocked the traffic for about 20 minutes in the Shi’ite seaside southern suburb of Ouzai and the Beirut central district of Zokak Blatt and Msaitbeh residential district , but army and police patrols rushed to the scenes and reopened both roads, a police source said.
We could not confirm how many or if any arrests have been made.
The protestors chanted slogans attacking Lebanese prime minister Fouad Siniora's majority government, a target of Hezbollah attacks for the past 2 years.
George Maalouf, an energy analysts told Ya Libnan: The irony in all this is that neither Hezbollah nor Amal supporters pay for the electricity in Lebanon. Electricity fee collectors are scared to go to the Hezbollah controlled areas for fear for their lives . Many collectors were killed in the past when they attempted to collect the electricity charges in the Hezbollah and Amal dominated areas of Lebanon.”
Despite the high charges that law abiding citizens of Lebanon have to pay for electricity , EDL is excessively subsidized to cover the short fall caused by the refusal of Hezbollah supporters to pay their share . This subsidy is a major burden on the Lebanese treasury , since Lebanon is a heavily indebted nation . Lebanon’s debt exceeds 185 % of the GNP.
This is not the first time Hezbollah and Amal supporters resort to this type of violence .
Last December they also protested against power rationing .
“Usually when there is a power failure in Lebanon , the whole country is affected but only the Hezbollah and Amal supporters protest despite the fact they don’t pay for electricity. “ Maalouf said
Earlier this month Hezbollah supporters also burnt tires and blocked the airport road in protest against an alleged rumor of price increase of the local bread. The government declared that the rumor was an absolute lie and that there was no intention to raise the cost of bread. The flour that is provided to the bakeries is usually highly subsidized by the government .
Picture: Lebanese army soldiers and police , reopen a street after garbage containers and rubber tires were set on fire by Hezbollah and Amal supporters blocking a tunnel and streets that link central Beirut with the airport, Lebanon, Monday Jan. 21, 2008
Tags: Amal, Beirut, electricity, Hezbollah, Lebanon, power, Protests
