Lebanon detaines 131 persons on the background of the fuel clashes
Lebanon, Local, 5/29/2004

Lebanese judicial sources said that number of detainees in the demonstrations of protest over increasing fuel prices reached 131 persons while five were killed in the confrontations.

The sources explained that some 124 are interrogating under the charge of carrying out acts of riots and attacking the security forces, while the military intelligence investigate 7 persons suspected to be linked to setting fire in the ministry of labor.

Police sources confirmed that 12 civilian were injured when the security forces opened fire at demonstrators in al-Silm quarters. The sources added that 54 soldiers of the army including 4 officers as well as two security members were injured in the confrontations.

Demonstrators burnt tires in the southern suburbs of the capital, while as from Friday ( yesterday) the Lebanese government decided to decrease Benzene tank from 25,000 to 23,000 Lebanese liras.

Meantime, the Lebanese President admitted the difficult living conditions in Lebanon. During his inspection visit to the wounded of the confrontation he said that the Lebanese judiciary will investigate what had happened.

On the other hand, the Lebanese Shiite clergy Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah denounced these incidents and called for dealing with the security settlement in Lebanon as a " red line that should be honored." In his yesterday's Friday's sermon, Fadlullah called for identifying the side responsible for what had happened, questioning justifications for using live bullets to dispersing the demonstrators and the interference of the Lebanese army.

Moreover, the Amnesty international called for investigation in the clashes between the Lebanese army and the demonstrators. It said in a statement from London that the Lebanese army which opened fire at the demonstrators might have violated the international law by over using of force.

The organization called on the Lebanese government to make an independent and neutral investigation in these incident and to reconsider ways of the security forces dealing with the demonstrations.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Assad receives Hariri   (5/28/2004)
  Lebanese ministry of Labor is burnt; Lahoud calls for investigations   (5/28/2004)
  Lebanese president highlights Arab commitment to just peace   (5/27/2004)
  A mass grave found in a southern Lebanese town   (3/13/2004)

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