Kataeb Suspends Participation in Dialogue, Asks Salam to Convene Cabinet or Declare Surrender

The Kataeb Party announced on Monday the suspension of its participation in the national dialogue talks due “to the mounting daily problems endured by the people,” mainly the growing garbage crisis.

It said in a statement: “We have repeatedly called for separating the people's daily concerns from political disputes and for the cabinet to convene, especially after the garbage crisis turned into an environmental and health disaster.”

“We have long warned of the mounting disaster and cabinet is still absent and being hindered from convening,” it added.

“We therefore announce the suspension of our participation at the talks until a solution to the people's daily concerns, especially the trash crisis, is found,” it stressed.

A national dialogue session was held later in the day at parliament and another session has been scheduled for next Tuesday.

In the evening, Kataeb chief MP Sami Gemayel held a press conference to clarify the party's stance and demand action from Prime Minister Tammam Salam.

“We had urged PM Salam to call a cabinet session and shoulder his responsibilities and we've been screaming for two months now,” said Gemayel, referring to the garbage crisis.

“Why haven't you called a cabinet session or for an emergency plan until the moment?” he asked Salam.

Addressing ministers boycotting cabinet sessions, Gemayel added: “Did you watch TV yesterday? Did you see any pictures?”

His remarks come a day after heavy rains turned streets in parts of Lebanon into rivers of trash due to the garbage that has been accumulating in random sites since the July 17 closure of the Naameh landfill.

“Where is the environment minister? In Florence? Have they heard about the diseases that are spreading among children?” Gemayel wondered.

“Where is the head of the Council for Development and Reconstruction? Where is the public works minister who told us two months ago that he took precautions to avoid this disaster?” he added.

Gemayel noted that in collaboration with Kataeb, municipalities in Mount Lebanon had “started searching for alternative (waste management) solutions two months ago.”

“The machines that we imported will arrive in 3 months. Can you shoulder your responsibilities for at least three months? After that we don't need this rotten state,” Gemayel added, addressing authorities.

He stressed that Salam must be “frank with people.”

“If the state still exists, he must call a cabinet session,” he said.

“We will be the last people to leave you but mass suicide is not a solution and all Lebanese will stand by you if you call a cabinet session. You should take an initiative or leave,” Gemayel added.

Lebanon has been suffering from a trash disposal crisis since July with the closure of the Naameh landfill.

Politicians have failed to find an alternative to the landfill, resulting in the pile up of garbage on the streets of the country.

The heavy rain on Sunday brought with it flooded streets coupled with waste and experts have warned of the health and environmental impact of the crisis.

M.T./Y.R.