The formation of the Lebanese new cabinet Friday, after five weeks of political bickering and disputes, did not fulfill the hopes of many Lebanese people who did not come out to rejoice this achievement.
Political analyst Faisal Salman wondered in his editorial in pro- government Al-Moustakbal daily on Saturday that "I was astonished why didn't the Lebanese people come out and rejoicing after the announcement of a new cabinet, but instead kept going on with there lives as if nothing happened."
"I don't feel concerned" Charbel Antone, a Christian shop keeper told us, "we want the prices to go down so that we can live, I don't care which minister got which ministry" he added.
Huda Yamine, a strong supporter of Christian majority leader MP Michel Aoun told Xinhua that she is happy Aoun took four cabinet posts plus the deputy premiership. "His party was not represented in previous cabinet, now he has five seats including deputy Prime Minister."
But, Amal Hajjar, who is also a supporter of Aoun, expressed her disappointment that Samir Geagea, an opponent to Aoun and the leader of Lebanese Forces (LF), which was the strongest Christian militia during the Lebanese civil war 1975-1990, got the ministry of justice.
"It turned out that each leader wants his own profit" said Amal who is also a journalist.
"The situation will cool down for a while, but not for a long time, no reform will take place because the leaders only want power" Amal added.
Jean Antown, a university student, expressed his comments to Xinhua that "this country is a hopeless case" explaining the student's worries about their future. "Each time we achieve something we think it is over, but it turns out we have another deadlock coming up," he added.
"The (new) government is an achievement to the opposition because they got what they want" Maher Makdad, a Shiaa employee from south Lebanon said, but he also pointed out that this government is a "government for the coming election only."
Last Friday, the Lebanese cabinet was announced giving 16 seats to the majority, 11 seats to the opposition and three named by the president. The opposition got the veto power in the new cabinet after 18 months of political deadlock and a series of internal fierce clashes.
The upcoming challenge for Lebanon is the third phase of the Doha agreement reached on May 21 between Lebanese political leaders, and would be implemented when the Lebanese parliament adopted an amended version of the 1960 electoral law for 2009 parliamentary elections.
Also on Friday, Druze opposition leader Walid Joumblat said that the new cabinet includes "those who failed in 2005 parliamentary elections." He was hinting that the new cabinet was formed in a line-up that prepares for the upcoming parliamentary election of 2009.
"The life of this cabinet is short, it will last until Spring 2009 when Parliamentary elections take place, thus, not much is expected to be achieved from this cabinet," Jean Aziz Local OTV news director said Saturday.
Tensions and fear among Lebanese persist each time they face a deadlock, a president was elected after fierce clashes in Beirut during May, while the cabinet was formed following fierce clashes in north Lebanon and the Bekaa valley during June and July.
The first phase of the Doha accord was implemented on May 25, this year, when president Michel Suleiman was elected president, after six months of presidential vacancy.
The second phase of the accord was implemented on July 11 when a new national unity government was announced, after five weeks of governmental vacancy.
Waiting the implementation of the third phase, the Lebanese remain worried and uncertain of the period in between.
Source:Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article