Beirut (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Thousands of pro government supporters are pouring into the centre of Beirut to commemorate the third anniversary of Rafic Hariri’s death, the former Lebanese premier assassinated on the city’s seafront February 14th 2005. The city is on high alert: at the same time as the anti-Syrian march, the funeral of Hezbollah military leader Imad Mughniyeh, killed yesterday in a car bomb attack in Damascus, will be held in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital. Militants of ‘God’s Party’ claim that Mughniyeh, known by the Americans as “the Shiite Bin Laden”, was killed by Israel. For its part Israel has denied all involvement.
The army has been deployed the length and breadth of the city. Heavy security conditions have been imposed in the attempt to avoid factional violence. Yesterday Beirut was the setting for clashes between the Amal Shiite movement and Saad Hariri followers, from the “14 March” group who are organising today’s demonstrations. Schools and universities remain closed and many shops and businesses have decided not to open.
For months now Lebanon has been in the grips of one of its worst political crises since the end of the civil war (1975 – 1990). The stark standoff between the pro western government and filo Syrian and Iranian opposition is blocking the election of a new President, a post which has been vacant since November last. Since then the parliamentary session to elect a successor to Emile Lahoud has been postponed a total of 14 times.