By Brittani Howell 

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

BEIRUT, Lebanon – On Tuesday, activists for the “You Stink” Movement lined the halls of Lebanon’s environment minister’s office. The protestors engaged in a 9-hour sit-in to protest the garbage piling up in the streets and the incompetence of the government.

Garbage has been collecting in the streets since July. Residents of a town just south of Beirut blocked garbage trucks from continuing to dispose of waste in the already overfull landfill because of environmental concerns. Since the incident, the government has not reached a solution for the proper disposal of the trash.

The “You Stink” movement gave the Lebanon government three days to reach a solution for the garbage issue on Saturday. If the demands of the protestors were not met, the activists stated they would escalate.

Activists were able to sneak into the Ministry building in small groups until security personnel locked the main doors. As many as 40 activists participated the sit-in and refused to leave until Environment Minister Mohammed Machnouk resigned. While in the halls the protestors chanted “Out, out, out!”

When asked what the protestors intended to do if police were to enter the building, one activist responded, “They don’t understand that we are doing civil disobedience. We will not leave. And of course we will not confront them.”

During the protest the air conditioning was turned off and the bathroom doors were locked, while the army and riot police gathered outside. Nine hours from the beginning of the sit-in, the activists were forced out of the building when they refused to leave. Activists claim to have been struck by batons on their way out and two reported injuries, including a broken shoulder. Interior Minister Mouhad Machnouk, a relative of the Environmental Minister Mohammed Machnouk, stated that force had not been used on the protestors.

Protestor Wadih Asmar stated, “In other countries people have asked to take down their state. We are asking for a state and they are beating us.”

The “You Stink” movement has united people of different religious background, which is rare in a country constantly divided along religious and political lines. “The fact that we have this spontaneous nonsectarian movement is really the most important thing here,” stated a former interior minister and lawyer, Ziad Baroud.

Lebanon has been without a president for over a year. The country continues to have daily power cuts and water shortages is further strained by the influx of over one million Syrian refugees.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Lebanon Rubbish Crisis: Police Eject Ministry Occupiers – 1 September 2015

Reuters – Beirut Protestors Occupy Ministry, Demand Minister Resigns – 1 September 2015

The New York Times – Police Clear ‘You Stink’ Protestors from Minister’s Office in Beirut – 1 September 2015

The Wall Street Journal – Lebanese Activists Occupy Environment Minister’s Office – 1 September 2015

By Brittani Howell 

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

BEIRUT, Lebanon –  Protests over uncollected trash transform into anti-government protests in Lebanon this week. The “You Stink” movement expresses protestors’ discontent with the government.

The garbage crisis has been going on since July. Landfills became overfilled and the residents neighboring one particular landfill, blocked garbage trucks from entering because of potential environmental hazards. Since July, garbage has been collecting in the streets of Lebanon.

For many, the garbage filling the streets is the last straw. Mohammad Rizk, a sandwich shop owner, told the New York Times, “Enough. This is Enough. No electricity, we said O.K. No water, we said O.K. But the trash?”

The country cannot meet the power needs of its citizens and many have needed to purchase generators or merely go without power for hours at a time.

In addition, running water is only available for a few hours on certain days, even though Lebanon has water resources that neighboring countries would envy. When the water is running, it flows into the streets from the neglected, broken pipes. Citizens are thus forced to buy water to fill personal water tanks for daily use, or use salty water from wells.

Lebanon’s infrastructure is further strained as refugees from war torn areas seek shelter. As many as 1.3 million refugees from Syria have sought shelter in Lebanon, a country of 4 million people.

Lebanon’s Parliament has failed to elect a new President for 15 months. The sectarian nation is currently seeking a Christian to fill the Presidency, but the different religious sects have not reached an agreement on the person for the job.

The Parliament has been unable to even come to terms with a solution for cleaning up the garbage that lines the streets and adjourned from an emergency meeting held Tuesday with no solution.

Sunday’s protest turned violent. Sticks and stones were thrown at police officers and tear gas and hoses were turned onto protesters. Over 400 protesters and security forces were injured during the protest, according to the International Community of Red Cross. Subsequent planned protests have been delayed as 32 of the protesters were arrested.

Earlier this week Prime Minister Tammam Salam threatened to resign if the meeting on Tuesday was not productive regarding possible solutions to the garbage problem. If Salam did resign, Lebanon would be thrown into additional chaos, as it is the President who appoints the Prime Minister.

For further information, please see:

The Wall Street Journal – Anger Over Garbage in Lebanon Blossoms into Demand for Reform – 28 August 2015

The New York Times – As Trash Piles Up, So Does Contempt for Lebanon’s Government – 27 August 2015

CNN – Lebanon: How Piles of Trash Led to a Violent Uprising Against the Government – 24 August 2015

Reuters – Lebanon Protest Postponed as U.N. Urges Restraint – 24 August 2015

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria—The Islamic State abducted over 230 people from Qaryatain on Thursday. Dozens of Christians were among those abducted according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights.

The Syrian Observatory speculated that the abductions occurred either from “checkpoints or raids or from churches.” Among those kidnapped were 45 women and 9 children. Of those taken hostage, the other 170 individuals are Sunni Muslims.

Amnesty International called for the release of the detained citizens. An Amnesty International reporter stated, “the abhorrent abduction in Syria of more than 200 people by the Islamic State highlights the dreadful plight of civilians caught up in conflict in the country.”

Qaryatain lies in between Damascus, Palmyra, and Homs. The route between Damascus and Homs is often used to move supplies and fighters throughout the rest of the region.

This past February, the Islamic State kidnapped 220 Assyrian Christians. Only a few of those kidnapped in February have been released.

The Islamic State may be preparing to attack the nearby town of Sadad. Over 4,000 Chrisitian families reside in Sadad. According to an Assyrian activist, many of those living in Sadad have already begun to flee.

The Islamic State militants execute captives whom they deem to be “infidels,” including Shi’ite Muslims, Christians, and religious minorities. Sunni Muslims who do not swear allegiance are also executed. The militant group allows Christians to live under its rule as long as Christians pay a special tax.

The Islamic State has made advances into areas east and south of Homs. The Syrian Army has led a counter-offensive in hopes of re-capturing the city of Palmyra after it was lost to the Islamic State last May.

The Islamic State has been pushed back in Northern Syria by a surge of Kurdish-led forces. The Islamic State militants were evicted from the town of Tal Abyad in northern Syria by the Kurdish forces in June.

For further information, please see:

CNN – ISIS Takes Strategically Important Town in Western Syria, Rights Group Says – 7 August 2015

Reuters – Islamic State Abducts Dozens of Christians From Syrian Town: Monitor – 7 August 2015

The Los Angeles Times – More Than 200 Feared Kidnapped by Islamic State in Syrian Town – 7 August 2015

The New York Times – After Capturing Syrian Town, IS Abducts Dozens of Christians – 7 August 2015

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

SANA’A, Yemen – The Saudi-led coalition announced Saturday that a five-day humanitarian ceasefire was to begin at 11:59pm Sunday in Yemen. The Saudi-coalition stated, however, that they would respond to any attacks or military movements made by the Houthi rebels during the ceasefire.

The unexpected announcement came just hours after an airstrike on Friday, conducted by the Saudi-coalition, launched on the town of Mokha. The airstrike killed 120 people, many of whom were civilians.

The Houthi rebels expressed doubt over the ceasefire and intended to wait until they heard from the United Nations before changing their position. The Houthi rebels held up 16 trucks carrying humanitarian aid from the World Food Programme.

The airstrikes on Friday struck the homes of many civilian power plant workers of Mokha. Among the 120 people killed were women, children, and the elderly. The number of causalities may have been increased due to families visiting workers for the Eid al-Fitr holiday at the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Hassan Boucenine, a member of Geneva-based Doctors Without Borders stated, “ It just shows what is the trend now of the airstrikes from the coalition.” He continued, “Now, it’s a house, it’s a market, it’s anything.”

Rights groups, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have previously expressed concern that the Saudi-led coalition is violating laws for failing to ensure that civilian casualties are minimized. Concern over the Houthi rebel’s similar neglect for minimizing civilian causalities has also been expressed.

The U.N. human rights office stated earlier this week that, “since 17 June, there has been further destruction of civilian infrastructure, with at least 36 buildings, including hospitals, schools, court houses, power generation facilities, and communications institutions partially or totally damaged.”

A Saudi-coaliton military official stated that the military had been given incorrect coordinates. The closest Houthi rebel outpost to the town of Mokha was at least three miles away.

Just hours before the cease-fire was to start, fighting broke out between the Saudi-coalition and the Houthi rebels for control over an airbase north of Aden. Earlier in the week, the Saudi-led coalition recaptured much of the city of Aden.

Security officials reported random shelling by Houthi rebels in three neighborhoods surrounding the airbase. After the ceasefire took effect, security officials reported that the situation on the ground surrounding the airbase had quieted down.

Over the last four months, at least 1,693 civilians have been killed with another 4,000 civilians wounded. Air strikes caused a majority of the casualties.

A humanitarian ceasefire would allow aid to reach those desperately in need. It is estimated that more than 80% of Yemen’s 25 million population is in need of some form of aid. A proposed ceasefire earlier this month failed to go into effect because both sides blamed each other for not abiding by the truce.

For further information, please see:

Associated Press – 5-Day Humanitarian Ceasefire Starts in Yemen – 26 July 2015

Reuters – Houthis, Saudi-led Forces Battle for Yemen’s Biggest Air Base – 26 July 2015

BBC News – Saudis declare Yemen Ceasefire, as Air Strike ‘Kills 120’ – 25 July 2015

The Seattle Times – Saudi-led Airstrikes Kills 120; Deadliest in Yemen Conflict – 25 July 2015