Roads Blocked in Rival Demos over New Rent Law
Rival demonstrations were staged on Tuesday over the controversial new rent law that was recently adopted by parliament.
Members of the Follow-Up Committee of the National Conference of Tenants blocked the main street of Beirut's Hamra district, demanding that an amended version of the law be put in place.
It did not demand that the law be scrapped, but that a fair one be adopted instead.
“It is unfortunate that none of the lawmakers and political blocs have taken our plight into consideration because they are the ones benefiting from the law,” it added.
“This is the beginning of a social revolution,” it declared, while adding that it will stage a sit-in in front of parliament on Wednesday to press its demands.
“We will not be evicted from our houses,” stressed the protesters.
“We have legal contracts to live in our own homes and we are demanding that our rights be preserved,” they added.
“Lawmakers should not be led to believe that this law will pass,” they warned.
Later on Tuesday, the owners of old rent law buildings staged a rival sit-in at the Riad al-Solh Square in downtown Beirut to press President Michel Suleiman to sign the new rent law.
"Mr. President, our parents suffered dire situations and some of them were not able to pay for their children's medical care. We, the sons of the owners who were displaced from our houses, will not forget how our parents died," a spokesman said during the protest.
"Mr. President, do not allow further 'executions' of owners of old rent law buildings. We are without shelter while others are benefiting from our properties," he lamented.
"The heirs of the owners of old rent law buildings are not capable of assisting their parents and we unwillingly contributed to resolving the housing crisis throughout four decades, but today we're the ones suffering a housing crisis," the spokesman noted.
He said a lot of owners are elderly people and the new law represented "a glimpse of hope for them."
"You took an oath to be the constitution's first defender and your signing of the law would definitely protect the constitution and the rule of law," the spokesman said, addressing Suleiman.
He also called on all owners to stage a sit-in Wednesday at the intersection of the presidential palace in Baabda "in support of the president" and to push him to sign the law.
Last week, parliament passed a controversial draft law regarding rents, which had been previously opposed by renters, who argue that many won't be able to afford it, which will force them to leave their homes.
The new law calls for an increase in rents over a six-year period until they reach 5 percent of their current value.
The old rent law pertains to rent contracts carried out before 1993.
Several demonstrations have been staged in protest against the law, with the General Labor Confederation calling on President Michel Suleiman Suleiman to refer it back to the Joint Parliamentary Committees for further discussions.
M.T./Y.R.
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