Protests erupt following reports of poverty-related suicide cases

Beirut: A 56-year-old unemployed Lebanese man reportedly committed suicide on Thursday in his house in southern Lebanon due to his dire financial condition.

The former construction labourer, Nazih Aoun, allegedly committed suicide, according to local media reports, in his home village of Tibnin, part of Nabatiyeh governorate.

Gulf News contacted Tibnin Municipality and spoke to an official named Hussain, who said: “Nazih Ali Aoun [the deceased] was found dead in his house. We cannot confirm it as a suicide yet. We informed Internal Security Forces [Lebanese police] who inspected the scene and called a forensic examiner to check the body and clarify the cause of death. It could be a normal death, suicide, heart attack or maybe murder … investigations are pending.

“Born on July 8, 1964, Aoun has four children who live in Germany. He has been poor and unemployed for over a year now. Last year he was selling vegetables on a small booth and previous to that he was a construction labourer.”

The village of Tibnin is the hometown of Lebanese Speaker of the House and Head of Amal Movement Nabih Berri.

Aoun’s purported suicide is the third such incident in five days. On Wednesday, a man named Dany Abu Haidar shot himself with a hunting rifle over a 3 million Lebanese pound (about $2000 )debt in Al Nabaa area. On Sunday, destitute Naji Al Fulaiti hanged himself over a 700,000 Lebanese pound (about $430 ) debt and his inability to give his daughter 1,000 Lebanese pounds to buy flatbread in Arsal.

The medical examiner has now confirmed that a poisonous element led to the man’s death.

Lebanese protesters launched a big demonstration on Wednesday in the capital Beirut after news reports about people committing suicide in Lebanon due to their poor living conditions, local TV channel LDC reported.

Protesters chanted slogans against the current political ruling class while asking politicians to leave in a bid to give an opportunity for skilled people to come to power and implement reforms to save the deteriorating economy.

Lebanon has been witnessing nationwide protests since Oct. 17 against the current political ruling class.

According to a January 2019 report by Xinhua around 200 people committed suicide in Lebanon in 2018 compared to 143 in 2017.

Xinhua based its findings on a report by Elnashra, an online independent Arabic language newspaper

“Around 1,500 attempted to commit suicide in 2018, equivalent to 4 suicide attempts per day,” Elnashra said.

Agencies