Posted on 02/27/2005 11:36:22 PM PST by BCrago66
In the latest developments from Lebanon, the government fears a showdown:
Lebanon was headed for a showdown between the opposition and the security forces as thousands of demonstrators massed late today in Beirut in defiance of a ban on protests by the pro-Syrian government.
Shouting “Syria out” and waving the Lebanese flag, the protesters converged on the central Martyr’s Square as hundreds of heavily armed troops aided by police deployed jeeps and trucks to the main crossroads leading to the square.
An opposition member of parliament told the demonstrators that three members of the pro-Syrian Lebanese government had resigned.
The energy minister, economy and commerce minister and the junior minister for administrative development had all quit, Nayla Moawwad told the crowd to loud applause. The claim could not be independently verified.
“We are going to hand out blankets, we are staying here,” one of the demonstrators said over a megaphone, just hours before the ban was to kick in at 5am (1400 AEDT).
I have been saying that a revolution is possible on Monday since Thursday. Lebanonwire reports the same:
BEIRUT, Feb 27 (AFP) - Lebanon was headed for a battle of wills between the opposition and the security forces Monday as the pro-Syrian government announced a ban on all public demonstrations ahead of a mass rally called by its critics to coincide with a parliamentary censure vote.
Pro-government parties, including the Shiite Islamist movement Hezbollah, had called their supporters on to the streets for counter-demonstrations, raising fears of violence that the government used to justify its ban.
“All security forces are asked to take all necessary measures to protect security and order, and to ban demonstrations and gatherings on Monday,” Interior Minister Suleiman Frangieh said.
The ban had been ordered “due to the current circumstances, in the supreme national interest and with a view to the requirements of protecting civil peace,” he added.
The army later issued a statement saying that the ban would go into force from 1 am (0300 GMT), raising fears that troops would forcibly disperse the opposition sit-ins that have been held nightly since the assassination of five-times prime minister Rafiq Hariri, a Damascus critic.
But opposition leaders swiftly voiced defiance, insisting they would go ahead with their plans to demonstrate in the city centre to mark the second week since the deadly bomb blast on the Beirut seafront.
“The ban does not concern us. We are only holding a peaceful sit-in which will be maintained. Let them arrest us,” said leading opposition politician Elias Attallah.
That’s the right attitude! If the Syrian government or Hezbollah attack the anti-Syria protestors, the Lebanese are going to be beyond pissed. Already pissed off, this would probably throw the entire country into an even bigger mood of rage.
The no-confidence vote in the government is tomorrow, with thousands of people still protesting, and business, banking, and industrial leaders closing down the country’s economy in order to go out there themselves. It is going to be big, and it could be brutal, but either way, this could be the revolution.
Dar Al-Hayat has more on the solidarity of Syrian intellectuals with the people of Lebanon over restoring national sovereignty.
HELLO: Hi Instapundit readers. Well, you heard it here first, and if I’m wrong, then you know who to extract silence bribes from. But if something does go down, be sure to be back tomorrow for huge roundups of information.
PICTURES OF THE TENT CITY
Update: Wow. Pictures and video from all of the demonstrations from all over the world. Check out the rest of the forum. This seems to be where a lot of Lebanese are organizing their protests. Valuable information.
Whittier Daily News has an article tying Ukraine and Lebanon together.
BLOGGING THE OPPOSITION: Across the Bay, a Lebanese blog, has more on this.
TO QUOTE: “Lebanon’s interior ministry on Sunday ordered troops to “use all necessary means” to prevent demonstrations Monday against Syria’s military deployment, but protesters vowed to hold them anyway.” I think it is readily apparent just whose side the government is on.
The PubliusPundit guy thinks the revolution will happen today, and maybe he's right.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050228.wxmideast-syria28/BNStory/International/
WHEW! Thanks for clearing that up for me!
end sarcasm in 3.....2......
Thanks for this post. We sure are seeing some great things going on in the world. At lightening speed it seems.
ROFL
People will die, inevitably. The movement of Lebanon away from Syria will not be allowed by the Syrian Generals who merely consider Lebanon as a forward base aginst Israel. This will get very ugly before it gets any better. The U.S. may have to get involved before it's finished.
Times, they are a changin
I'm that PubliusPundit guy!
And it looks like the Pro-Syrian protestors will be stepping down and not protesting. It also seems as if the army is not preventing protestors from doing what they're there to do. It may not be long before they join in.
bttt
Hey :-) Sorry I didn't see your reply until the next day. I should have known; all the best bloggers are FReepers.
The government has just resigned.
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