At least 3 killed as protests paralyze Lebanon

In Dubai, U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said the international community must support the Saniora government against “those who would destabilize it.”

Barricades and roadblocks
The day’s turmoil brought Beirut airport to a halt, with Hezbollah supporters building earthen barricades on roads to the facility.

Their cars blocked, departing passengers wheeled suitcases past protesters and burning tires on the highway leading to the airport. Airlines canceled flights later in the day, and 400 passengers were stranded at the terminal. Among those stuck for hours were 146 Chinese troops who were joining U.N. peacekeepers in south Lebanon.

Tuesday’s violence grew out of a nationwide general strike called by Hezbollah and its allies to push for a new government in which they would have veto power over major decisions. The opposition accuses Saniora’s government of not representing them and of allying the country too closely to the United States.

Protesters set up barricades of burning tires and cars at major intersections in Beirut and other cities. In many areas, violence erupted when government backers moved in to confront the protesters.

“We’ve been protesting (peacefully) for 52 days and our calls went unanswered,” said Tony Younes, who was blocking a road in northern Beirut with other followers of Michel Aoun, Hezbollah’s top Christian ally.

“Today, we escalated. Tomorrow we will escalate more. And we will continue until the fall of the government,” he said.

Fight for control
Security forces struggled to contain the violence. In some places, officers moved between battling camps of protesters amid a rain of stones. In others, they broke down barricades only to see them rebuilt.

In the Christian Batroun region, government supporters and opponents fired on each other, killing a pro-Saniora protester. Across the country, 44 people sustained gunshot wounds and about 80 others were injured in fistfights or stone-throwing attacks.

Lebanon’s Sunnis largely support Saniora, while the Shiites back Hezbollah. Many Christians support Saniora, but the pro-Hezbollah Aoun also has a large following.

Across the country, many businesses closed as workers stayed home, either in support of the strike or because of blocked roads. Some schools closed because of the unrest; others opened and quickly sent pupils home.

“My mother is sick in the hospital and I want to go see her,” cried Jean Kahwaji, who was trying to maneuver his car around burning tires east of Beirut.

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