The government of Hassane Diab resigned yesterday, as a consequence of popular pressure which has been expressed strongly since the disaster of August 4. As the Lebanese newspaper L’Orient le jour rightly reads: "Diab resigns...what next ?"
Indeed, while since October the demonstrations multiply with the slogan: "let them all leave" the prospect of a real change in Lebanon does not seem within reach as the Lebanese political forces are involved in a system in the hands of the business bourgeoisie and represent, beyond national interests, those of the imperialist forces and their regional allies who intend to keep control of Lebanon as a platform for intervention in the Middle East.
Macron's visit to Beirut is part of this strategy, so is the intervention of Le Drian, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who instructs Lebanon for: "the rapid formation of a government that will prove its worth with the population and whose mission is to respond to the main challenges of the country, in particular the reconstruction of Beirut." The US is not far behind, sending the US Under Secretary of State for Middle Eastern Affairs, David Hale.
From all sides, inside and outside, the will is clearly for a false change that will allow the pursuit of the same policy and leave in place the current networks whose level of corruption is matched only by the cynicism they use to maintain their dominance. Note that the resignation of H. Diab had the consent of all parliamentary political forces, including Hezbollah, whose links with Iran are known.
To say that the moment is serious is therefore an understatement: on the one hand a regime hated by the population as it failed to satisfy the minimum of popular aspirations and led to the bankruptcy of the State, on the other hand political forces for change that are still very weak – a situation which can only favor a “change everything so that everything remains the same”.
It is in this context that the political bureau of the Lebanese Communist Party spoke on August 7, stressing that only the union of the democratic forces engaged in the struggle since October 17 is likely to allow a solid democratic change for an independent Lebanon able to modernize its state apparatus: "The Lebanese Communist Party, which considers the current stage to be the stage for democratic change par excellence, firmly rejects any attempt by the official authorities to impose restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of assembly. In this context, the party sees the importance of the imposed “state of emergency”, but warns the authorities in case it intends to maintain it as a permanent measure. The Lebanese Communist Party considers that the forces of the national uprising of October 17 are invited to restore the pulse of the streets and to intensify the confrontation against the authoritarian system in power by proposing its alternative program. Therefore, all political groups- operating under the umbrella of October 17- should join hands and unite their efforts to establish a unified political framework that would take the lead in organizing the next wave of uprising. "
We stand in solidarity with the progressive and democratic forces of Lebanon, with its Communist Party in their difficult struggle to pull Lebanon out of the tragic situation to which the Lebanese politicians and their imperialist masters have led it. We call on workers in France to fight and reject interference from French imperialism!