Little to celebrate as Lebanon marks 75 years of independence

Lebanon marked 75 years of independence with a military parade in Beirut yesterday, but many anxious Lebanese feel they have little to celebrate.

The country’s corruptionplagued economy is dangerously close to collapse and political bickering over shares in a new Cabinet is threatening to scuttle pledges worth $US11 billion (£8.5bn) by international donors.

The World Bank issued a stark warning last week, with one official saying unless a government is formed soon to carry out badly needed reforms “the Lebanon we know will fizzle away”.

It has been more than six months since Lebanon held its first national elections in nine years but the prime ministerdesignate Saad Hariri still hasn’t formed a government to undertake the reforms necessary to unlock the donors’ funds. The vote, in which the Shi’ite militant Hezbollah group and its allies made significant gains, did little to pull Lebanon out of a political impasse. Anger against politicians’ apparent indifference, worsening public services and distress over down-spiraling finances and gloomy predictions are building up.

Heavy rains last Friday caused Beirut’s sewage system to burst, turning the city’s famous Mediterranean coastal avenue into a river of filthy, foul-smelling black water that engulfed motorists along the otherwise scenic route.

On the same day, the military had closed a main artery for drills ahead of the Independence Day parade, paralysing traffic for hours. Flights from Beirut’s international airport were missed and a woman reportedly went into labour on the road. The army later apologised.

Lebanese president Michel Aoun and the country’s top officials yesterday watched an hour-long military parade along Beirut’s waterfront as helicopters hovered overhead. The city centre was closed off for the duration of the spectacle. As soon as the parade ended, dozens of protesters took to the streets to voice their impatience with the political stalemate. Some denounced corruption, while others ranted about electricity shortages, fraying infrastructure or increasing pollution levels.

Despite a population of more than 4.5 million that is among the most educated in the region, Lebanon still has a primitive infrastructure, widespread electricity and water cuts and a long-standing waste crisis that over the past few years saw trash piling in the streets for weeks at a time.

“There is no independence [to celebrate] because corruption is eating us up,” shop owner Mohammed al-rayyes said.