| The Daily Star |
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| Some residents have been enraged by receiving only two to four hours of electricity a day during the summer heat. (Mohammed Zaatari/The Daily Star) |
SIDON, Lebanon: Residents of Sidon continued their protests for a third day against ongoing power and water outages in the city, as some voiced hope services would be restored Thursday.
While dozens of demonstrators in Sidon protested the long cuts to power and water services in the city, others said they were hopeful that repairs by the Electricite du Liban staff would solve the power problem.
Demonstrators blocked several roads in Sidon, including in the Bustan area and the eastern highway of the city, chanting slogans against the government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, especially Energy Minister Gibran Bassil.
As they burned tires to block the roads, protesters called on officials at EDL and the Energy Ministry to put an end to continuous cuts in water and electricity in the city.
In solidarity with the demonstrators in Sidon, the Future bloc condemned what it called the “punishment of the city” that is targeting people’s livelihoods in the holy month of Ramadan.
“The Future bloc in Sidon and south Lebanon announces its complete solidarity with the daily pains of the people who are suffering from the absence of basic services such as water and electricity,” the bloc said in a statement Wednesday.
That the demonstrations have reached their third day in the city is a “cry of disdain” for the sad state of government services in the region, according to the Future bloc.
“Sidon has the right to take its share of basic necessities from various departments of the government as other regions in Lebanon do,” it said.
The statement also asked about political factions that used to protest the lack of government services.
“Where are all those who protested in the city under the pretext of defending people’s rights?” asked the bloc.
The statement added that protesters in the past used social issues to launch political attacks against former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s government.
While dozens of demonstrators in Sidon protested the long cuts to power and water services in the city, others said they were hopeful that repairs by the Electricite du Liban staff would solve the power problem.
Demonstrators blocked several roads in Sidon, including in the Bustan area and the eastern highway of the city, chanting slogans against the government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, especially Energy Minister Gibran Bassil.
As they burned tires to block the roads, protesters called on officials at EDL and the Energy Ministry to put an end to continuous cuts in water and electricity in the city.
In solidarity with the demonstrators in Sidon, the Future bloc condemned what it called the “punishment of the city” that is targeting people’s livelihoods in the holy month of Ramadan.
“The Future bloc in Sidon and south Lebanon announces its complete solidarity with the daily pains of the people who are suffering from the absence of basic services such as water and electricity,” the bloc said in a statement Wednesday.
That the demonstrations have reached their third day in the city is a “cry of disdain” for the sad state of government services in the region, according to the Future bloc.
“Sidon has the right to take its share of basic necessities from various departments of the government as other regions in Lebanon do,” it said.
The statement also asked about political factions that used to protest the lack of government services.
“Where are all those who protested in the city under the pretext of defending people’s rights?” asked the bloc.
The statement added that protesters in the past used social issues to launch political attacks against former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s government.
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