TASEK PAUH blogspot

Lebanon protest to be stepped up

Thousands of demonstrators have remained camped out on the streets of Beirut for a sixth day of protests.

The opposition says it will step up its campaign to overthrow the Lebanese government, and form a unity government.

The opposition called for a new massive demonstration to happen on Sunday and asked the Lebanese people to prepare for other forms of peaceful protest.

"We call on the Lebanese to participate in a demonstration on Sunday in the hope that our voices are heard," the opposition said.

Nabih Berri, the pro-Syrian parliamentary speaker, whose Amal group is an ally of fellow Shia movement of Hezbollah, told As-Safir newspaper that the street protests would continue, but urged calm.

And Christian leader Michel Aoun said that the Lebanese opposition would escalate its protests if the government failed to accept demands for a national unity cabinet.

"If the prime minister and his camp continue to monopolise power, there will be an escalation of popular pressure," Aoun told Associated French Press. "We will paralyse the government ... we will force it to go into a deep coma."

The Organisation of the Islamic Conference urged Lebanese leaders to act with "the highest degree of self-restraint, wisdom and responsibility in order to save the country from slipping on the inevitable slope of confrontation".

Lebanon's Maronite church also weighed in, urging an early presidential election, an tribunal into the killing of Rafiq al-Hariri, and the formation of a new "government of accord" to end the political deadlock.

The opposition, made up of Shia and Christian factions, has held demonstrations since Friday outside the offices of Fouad Siniora, the Lebanese prime minister,in central Beirut where he and several ministers have been holed up.

Labels: Berita, Lebanon, Luar Negeri