Lebanon Marks Independence Day as Country at Stake over Terrorism, Refugee Burden

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Lebanon celebrated Independence Day on Friday amid the growing threat of terrorism, the widening gap between Lebanon's political parties and the huge burden of the Syrian refugees.

The country marked 70 years of independence with an official ceremony staged in downtown Beirut.

Streets leading to the area were cordoned off from the early hours of Friday for the ceremony which was attended by President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati, PM-designate Tammam Salam, diplomats and other dignitaries.

Suleiman, Berri and Miqati later headed to Baabda palace where they received well-wishers.

This year's independence comes as the country is barely standing 2 ½ years into Syria's war.

A string of deadly bombings and sectarian gunbattles linked to Syria has left hundreds of casualties in several areas, mainly Hizbullah strongholds - Beirut's southern suburbs and the Bekaa - and the northern city of Tripoli.

The latest bombings targeted the Iranian embassy in the Beirut neighborhood of Bir Hassan, a Hizbullah stronghold, on Tuesday. An al-Qaida-linked group claimed it carried out the twin suicide bombings, raising fears of Iraqi-style attacks in the country.

There has been no functioning government since Salam's appointment in April because of divisions between the March 8 and March 14 alliances over Syria.

The March 14 coalition has conditioned the formation of the cabinet on Hizbullah's withdrawal from Syria. The party's fighters have been openly backing Syrian President Bashar Assad against the rebels seeking to topple him.

Parliament has unilaterally extended its own mandate by 18 months by skipping the polls. The legislature is also failing to convene over the boycott of several blocs from the two rival camps.

The security and political crises have been topped with a huge economic burden caused by the Syrian refugees who are escaping the fighting in the neighboring country.

The Lebanese authorities have warned that the massive influx of refugees in the past week could no longer be resolved through humanitarian aid.

They called for a political or security solution to end the crisis.

Lebanon hosts more than 800,000 Syrians.

Lebanese Independence Day commemorates the country's liberation in 1943 after 23 years of governance by French Mandate that succeeded Ottoman rule.

Comments 11
Thumb general_puppet 22 November 2013, 08:00

A Happy Independence Day to all!

Lebanon has had a very tough time in 70 years of existence... here's to a future of peace, prosperity & freedom.

Missing greatpierro 22 November 2013, 08:02

it is not Katar, nor KSA or Iran that are controlling the country it is us who instead of controlling ourselves and living together in good understanding we are turning to those countries to settle our differences.

Thumb ado.australia 22 November 2013, 14:49

greatpierro... very true. Qatar ksa iran syria usa israel etc are all counties that unduly influence lebanon, interfere and outright breach Lebanon's sovereignty. Ksa is currently openly vetoing a lebanese government... Lebanese politicians travel to KSA to receive instructions or beg for permission to form a government! its so embarrassing and demeaning to the citizens of Lebanon!

But can you blame them or do we blame the treacherous parliament "representatives" that allow our country to be the pawn of all regional and international powers and battles?

To quote Khalil Gibran... "Pity the Nation"...

Thumb cedre 22 November 2013, 15:34

it is in lebanese genetics to look for help abroad...
but we never understand that we have to pay back for that help.

Thumb ado.australia 22 November 2013, 17:26

cedre, historically we lebanese have looked abroad, but its not genetics, it's our sectarian culture. When we look at each other as what sect we are and which sect can be elected for this seat, and what sect we are on our ID cards, we will forever be at the mercy of the foreign sectarian powers like iran or ksa for the muslims. The sunni lebanese leaders will always look to ksa for their support and iran for the shiites. only the christains can no longer look to the "christain" countries because they are now so secular that they support the muslim powers so that they undermine each other (divide and conquer), with no regard to the end position of christians in the middle east. they prefer that the middle east was sunni and shiite muslim with no significant christian population so that the israeli promoted position of pro western/Christian israel against crazy muslims. something that is too easy to currently portray.

Thumb scorpyonn 22 November 2013, 09:40

Lebanon will be truly free when we get rid of Iran and its puppets that rule unchalleneged.

Thumb benzona 22 November 2013, 12:43

happy independence day everyone.

Missing jayjay 22 November 2013, 14:59

if only we never got our independence from France... i believe we could have been a better country, better people, BETTER GOVERNMENT

Missing jayjay 22 November 2013, 15:05

SURRENDER your weapons to the LAF and anyone with common sense will negotiate.

Missing peace 22 November 2013, 15:31

happy dream day!!!!

Default-user-icon Baal (Guest) 22 November 2013, 18:22

where are u from T&A ?