Despair in Lebanon: unemployed father takes his own life
An unemployed and debt-ridden Lebanese father of two killed himself on Sunday in the remote north-east town of Arsal as the country sinks deeper into an economic crisis.
Local officials told The National that Naji Fleity, 40, took his own life when he was unable to provide for his family after losing his job at a local stone quarry two months ago.
Fleity’s final conversation was with his daughter, 6, who asked him for 1,000 Lebanese pounds (Dh2.45) to buy manoushe, a popular Lebanese street food similar to a pizza.
Rima Kronbi, deputy mayor of the small rural community on the Syrian border, told The
National on Monday that Fleity had told his daughter he did not have the money and later that day took his own life.
Fleity left the army six years ago to look after his first wife, who had cancer. He had two wives and two children.
Ms Kronbi, like Fleity’s family and many in Lebanon, are linking his death to the worsening financial situation that sparked mass rallies in the middle of October.
“The bad economy is putting a lot of pressure on people,” Mrs Kronbi told The National.
She said that, like Fleity, about 6,000 employees at local stone quarries recently lost their jobs because of declining business.
The quarries are the backbone of the area’s economy. But Arsal’s stone suppliers cannot compete with cheaper imports from abroad and Lebanese businessmen have stopped investing locally, she said.
For the past year, the national economy has been slowly grinding to a halt, pushing the Lebanese, who are increasingly losing their jobs or receiving only a portion of their monthly salaries, to take to the street in nationwide protests. People are demanding that leaders return “the looted money” from the state after years of corruption and nepotism.
The World Bank projects the Lebanese economy will shrink 0.2 per cent this year.
Local news media reported that Fleity owed 700,000 Lebanese pounds. But Ms Kronbi said his debts were more substantial, although she was not sure of the exact amount.
Fleity’s death shocked Lebanon, with news media blaming politicians for neglecting the increasing difficulties faced by Lebanese families. UNDP figures indicate 27 per cent of Lebanese people live on less than $270 per month.
The price of basic goods such as olive oil and cheese has been increasing since banks restricted access to American dollars, used interchangeably with the local currency, in early November.
While the official rate is about 1,507 pounds to the dollar, on the black market rates have risen to more than 2,000 pounds to the dollar.
Fleity’s uncle Mahmoud, quoted by local daily newspaper Al Akhbar, said the suicide was “only the beginning of a phenomenon that we will see in the future after people from Arsal, and other Lebanese, lose their pride and dignity”.
He berated the Lebanese government, accusing it of “bankrupting” the country “without paying attention to citizens who go hungry and die from unemployment, debt and lack of access to hospitals”.
Fleity’s death has sparked an outpouring of anger online, with Lebanese people demanding action to form a government able to tackle the current crisis after Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned on October 29, causing the administration to collapse. Discussions have yet to begin officially to select a new administration.
Jan Kubis, the United Nations Special Co-ordinator for Lebanon, also asked whether politicians would ever start tackling the crisis.
“How many Najis, may his soul RIP, will the leaders of Lebanon need to start dealing effectively with the economic & social crisis?” he posted online. “How much time they will give themselves before agreeing on the new PM & government that will respond to the cries, concerns & demands of the people?”
After some politicians said they were ready to provide support to the Fleity family, Ms Kronbi said they didn’t want charity from outside.
“His family will only receive sympathy from locals, nothing from politicians,” she said.
In a similar incident in February, father of two George Zreik died after setting himself on fire in front of his daughter’s school in north Lebanon after he was unable to pay her fees. At the time, a Kuwaiti politician donated $10,000 to help his family.