By Kaoutar Nasser | Staff Writer
Anger and frustration boiled over in central Beirut as former soldiers rallied against the sharp decline in the value of their pensions following the 2019 economic collapse. Protests that took place in late March 2023 took place again in mid-February raising similar issues but resulting in more clashes.
Flashbacks of the March protest came rushing back as hundreds of retired military personnel clashed with riot police and troops in front of parliament and Grand Serail (Government Palace), demanding a wage increase amid Lebanon’s spiraling financial crisis and steep devaluation of wages. Military retirees were protesting in Riad al-Solh Square and blocked all access points to the Grand Serail attempting to prevent ministers from reaching the building in Downtown, as reported by local news outlets. The demonstration took a chaotic turn when tear gas was deployed against the protesters causing two cases of asphyxiation and more injuries among the crowds according to the National News Agency. Parallelism between the two protests resurfaced as former soldiers pushed for a better living and minimum wage to get by.
Between the protests of last year and this year, there hasn’t been much change. This has only intensified the protesters’ anger and despair, fueling their impassioned statements.
“We want our rights!” added Fouad Abi Anni, a veteran of 14 years. He said his monthly pension is about 7,000,000 LBP, an amount that he worries will depreciate further alongside the lira. “That’s nothing,” Abi Anni mentioned to L’Orient Today in the March 2023 protest.
“I want to be considered as a human being. My salary is worthless. All I ask is to live in dignity,” lamented a former soldier who attended the demonstration as reported by L’Orient Today on the protest that took place on February 8, 2024.
The Lebanese pound has hit record lows until its value has depreciated by 95% in the past three years, with an official rate of 15,000 LBP and a black market value of about 90,000 LBP. This has pushed different sectors such as restaurants, grocery stores, and such to opt for a dollarization approach: pricing their products in dollars to ease inflation and stabilize the economy. However, many jobs and pensions are still priced in Lebanese Lira. In turn, this has deepened the crisis and pushed a large percentage of the population into poverty.
As reported in the latest protest, Wissam Ahmadiyeh lamented: “My salary is not even worth $100…How can I feed my children and pay for their education?” raged this father of four.
Taking into account that the cost of living in Lebanon is $1223, which is 1.17 times more expensive than the world average, and that the average salary after taxes in Lebanon is $364, which would cover living expenses for about 0.3 months (Cost of Living, 2024).
In response to the protest, the prime minister Mikati has called for an exceptional cabinet meeting on Saturday, primarily addressing public servant salaries and retiree pensions. This session comes against the backdrop of protests by Army and Security Forces retirees, expressing grievances over their exclusion from the agenda. The Cabinet aims to discuss amendments to decrees concerning temporary compensation for all public sector employees and retirees with pensions. Additionally, the fixed monthly transportation allowance for various security agencies will be deliberated upon.
Sources
“Agenda of Cabinet’s Exceptional Saturday Session.” This is Beirut, 8 February 2024, https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/lebanon/225160. Accessed 16 February 2024.
“Cost of Living in Lebanon: prices in 6 cities compared.” Livingcost.org, 6 November 2023, https://livingcost.org/cost/lebanon. Accessed 16 February 2024.
Shawkat, Ahmed. “Beirut protest sees tear gas fired at retired officers as economic crisis leaves Lebanese “struggling to survive.”” CBS News, 22 March 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/beirut-protests-lebanon-economic-crisis-retired-soldiers-tear-gas/. Accessed 16 February 2024.
Taleb, Wael, and Michel Hallak. “’All I ask is to live with dignity’: Retired soldiers hold tense protest in Beirut.” L’Orient Today, 8 February 2024, https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1367482/all-i-ask-is-to-live-with-dignity-retired-soldiers-hold-tense-protest-in-beirut.html. Accessed 16 February 2024.
“Tear Gas, Clashes as Lebanon Protesters Try to Storm Government Headquarters.” VOA News, 22 March 2023, https://www.voanews.com/a/tear-gas-clashes-as-lebanon-protesters-try-to-storm-govt-hq/7016156.html. Accessed 16 February 2024.
Yassin, Mohammad, and Richard Salame. “Army retirees protest by the hundreds in Beirut, demanding higher pensions.” L’Orient Today, 30 March 2023, https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1333172/army-retirees-protest-by-the-hundreds-in-downtown-beirut-demanding-higher-pensions.html. Accessed 16 February 2024.