BEIRUT, Lebanon
Lebanon's government has stepped down as Prime
Minister Hassan Diab blamed endemic corruption for a devastating explosion last week that tore through the capital.
Lebanon's Prime Minister Hassan Diab
submits his resignation to President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in
Baabda, Lebanon
President
Michel Aoun accepted Diab's resignation on Monday and asked the government to
stay on in a caretaker capacity until a new cabinet was formed.
Tensions
have been boiling over in the country following the massive explosion at
Beirut's port that killed some 200 people and wounded 6,000 others, according
to the latest tally.
"This
crime" was a result of corruption that is "bigger than the
state", Diab said in
a televised statement, adding that
"I
declare today the resignation of this government. May God protect
Lebanon," Diab said, repeating the last phrase three times.
The
developments follow a weekend of angry, violent anti-establishment
protests in which 728 people were wounded and one police officer killed
amid a heavy crackdown by security forces.
Through
analysis of videos and images of the security response by the army and men in
plain-clothes on the day, and examination of medical documents and interviews
with doctors who treated the wounded, Al Jazeera established that security forces violated
international standards on the use of force.
The August
4 disaster, which was caused by highly explosive ammonium nitrate that was
stored at Beirut's port for more than six years, has fuelled popular anger
and upended politics in a country already struggling with a major economic
crisis.
Most
Lebanese blame their leadership's corruption and neglect for the
explosion, which has caused damage to the extent of an estimated $15bn and
left nearly 300,000 people homeless.
Since
October, there have been mass demonstrations demanding the departure of the
entire sectarian-based leadership over entrenched corruption, incompetence and
mismanagement.
But the
ruling oligarchy has held onto power for so long - since the end of the civil
war in 1990 - that it is difficult to find a credible political figure not
tainted by connections to them.
Although Diab's resignation had appeared inevitable after the catastrophe,
he seemed unwilling to leave and only two days ago made a televised speech in
which he offered to stay on for two months to allow for various factions to
agree on a road map for reforms. But the pressure from within his cabinet
proved to be too much.
Diab's
government was formed after his predecessor, Saad Hariri, stepped down under
pressure from the protest movement. It took months of bickering among the
leadership factions before they settled on Diab.
His
government, which was supported by Hezbollah and its allies and seen as
one-sided, failed to implement the
sweeping political and economic reforms that it had promised.
Now the
process must start again, with Diab's government in a caretaker role as the
same factions debate a new one.
Al
Jazeera's Bernard Smith, reporting from Beirut, said the change is going
to be challenging because Lebanon's electoral system is set up "to protect
the political elite in the country".
"To
change that system, those political elites have to agree to it," Smith
said.
"Even
an explosion as catastrophic as Tuesday's might not be enough to get those
elites easily give up their grip on power ... That's why international
pressure, people believe, is necessary."
On Sunday,
world leaders and international organisations pledged nearly $300m in emergency
humanitarian aid to Beirut, but warned no funds would be made available until
Lebanese authorities committed themselves to the political and economic reforms
demanded by the people.
Rami
Khouri, a professor at the American University of Beirut, described the
developments of the past week as "a historic turning point in the modern
political governance of Lebanon" that is "just at the
beginning".
Khouri said
there were essentially two main forces currently in Lebanon: "One is
Hezbollah and its close allies, and the other one is the protest movement, or
the revolution as they call themselves - these are all kinds of people but they
do represent the majority of the population."
"The
question is, will there be a serious negotiation now," he said, noting
that the formation of "a hybrid government" tasked to address
Lebanon's critical issues was likely.
"They will have to agree on whether the
transitional government that comes in is a serious reformist government, with
'clean' and efficient people that can get the support of the international
community and do a quick deal with the IMF."
Meanwhile,
Habib Battah, a Lebanon-based journalist, questioned how long the caretaker
government would remain in place since it is "very difficult" to form
a government in Lebanon.
"The
Diab government was many months in the making," Battah said.
He said
while the resignation could be seen as a victory for the protesters who view
the government as a "corrupt system", it is important to note that
others benefit from it.
Political
parties control schools and hospitals, among other things across the country.
"These parties are really tough to compete against in elections," Battah said, adding that it was up to the international community to stop supporting these parties if it were serious about helping Lebanon. - Agencies
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