SIDON/TRIPOLI: Sidon and Tripoli municipalities launched big campaigns this month to free their cities’ sidewalks from unwelcome intruders, namely vehicles and street vendors.
In the southern coastal city of Sidon, traffic police started issuing tickets to all cars parked on the sidewalk, after the municipality received numerous complaints from residents saying they struggled to find places to walk on the footways.
The objections included cases such as mothers and their children being forced to walk on the asphalted road because the sidewalk was too crowded.
Other complaints were filed by disabled citizens, who said they were not able to use the city’s pathways because there wasn’t enough free space for their wheelchairs.
Sidon locals voiced requests that the police impose high fines on traffic law violators who used sidewalks as a car park.
“It’s extremely rude. The sidewalk is for walking,” said Amal. “We still live under the rule of law. The principles of etiquette haven’t changed and people haven’t thrown away all their values.”
Though this view was shared by many in the city, it was disputed by the drivers who fell victim to the new measures.
A man, who wished to remain anonymous, admitted he broke the law by parking on the sidewalk and said he wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
He argued that authorities should have more pressing issues to attend to rather than sanctioning vehicles parked in the wrong place. “What about the rising prices of fuel, inflation, the poor social situation?” he asked.
However, the driver’s wish to have the new measures eliminated might not come true, as a minicipal source in the city told The Daily Star. “The campaign to free pavements from cars will continue through handing out parking tickets and, later, through towing violating vehicles.”
“The sidewalk is the right of pedestrians … Before anyone receives their driving license they should learn that the sidewalk is not for parking cars,” the source added.
In the northern coastal city of Tripoli, the municipality also decided to free sidewalks from intruders and gave street vendors a notice to clear their products by the end of October.
In the northern coastal city of Tripoli, the municipality also decided to free sidewalks from intruders and gave street vendors a notice to clear their products by the end of October.
The decision was faced with a wave of objections, as merchants insisted they would not leave their positions before an alternative was provided.
The sellers were referring to the Sqaf al-Naher project, which was intended as a gathering place for all street vendors.
“The municipality’s plan won’t work … If they remove us where will we go? We have no alternative,” vendor Mostafah al-Hallaq said.
“The Saqf al-Naher project was a failure and it hasn’t even been opened yet,” he added, noting that the space given to each trader was too small and the chosen location inadequate.
Hallaq was also very skeptical about the enforcement of the municipal decision and defied authorities by saying: “If they’re going to remove us by force than it’s an eye for an eye.”
Former municipalities attempted to implement the same decision but failed when political powers intervened. Nonetheless, this year the political immunity has been lifted and local authorities seem determined to clear the sidewalks.
“They should delay the decision until an alternative is found,” Mohammad Turkmany said, explaining that street vendors were not against authorities or organization but they feared losing their only source of livelihood.
Most vendors called for finding an alternative location to the Saqf al-Naher project and many were determined to fight for their cause, regretting that a lot of money was wasted on the failed project.
“The project destroyed the natural space around it and it didn’t meet our requirements,” vendor Ismail Nasser said. “Most of us have debts. What are we to do if we were arbitrarily removed from our places?” he asked. “We will surely speak out.”
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