'You Stink' Campaign Rallies Saturday to Demand Environment Minister's Resignation
The “You Stink” civil society campaign announced on Friday that it will hold a demonstration on Saturday afternoon to demand the resignation of Environment Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq over his failure to resolve the trash disposal crisis.
The campaign announced that the demonstrators will demand that Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq be held accountable for the “assaults by the security forces and parliament guards” against the protesters last week.
Tomorrow's rally will kick off from in front of the Interior Ministry in Beirut's Hamra neighborhood at 5:00 pm and head towards Martyrs' Square in downtown Beirut.
“Our campaign started as a few dozen members and our numbers now reach the thousands,” said activist Asaad Zebian during the press conference.
“After we were beaten up, it became clear that the government chose to cover its head in the sand rather than face the truth over the garbage crisis,” he declared.
The “You Stink” campaign hoped that its efforts will be crowned with the staging of parliamentary elections after the current parliament had “illegally” extended its term on two separate occasions.
Clashes erupted last week between security forces and protesters from the “You Stink” protesters who were demonstrating against the ongoing waste management crisis.
Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands of them in Riad al-Solh square and to stop them from moving towards the nearby Nijmeh Square, leaving scores of protesters injured.
The demonstrators blamed politically-affiliated thugs for veering the rally off its peaceful course.
Earlier on Friday, Interior Minister Mashouq reiterated the accusations, acknowledging that the security forces had “used excessive force” during last week's protests.
He vowed that an investigation will be held to determine those responsible for the unrest.
The trash crisis erupted on July 17 when the Naameh landfill south of Beirut was closed.
The closure resulted in the piling of garbage on the streets as dumpsters overflowed with their contents and politicians failed to find a new landfill.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/188582 |