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A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 29 OcTOber 2019
Lebanese protesters get creative as they block roads

BEIRUT (AP) — On a main straint. There have been
thoroughfare in Beirut on few reports of arrests or
Monday, Lebanese pro- serious injuries since the
testers set up a living room demonstrations began,
with an area rug, a couch and security forces have
and a refrigerator. On an- calmly stood guard around
other, they held a morning mass rallies held in public
yoga class. And on a third squares.
road, a band with an ac- On Sunday, thousands of
cordion player sang one of protesters formed a human
the newest slogans of Leb- chain stretching along ma-
anon's anti-government jor highways in and around
protests. Beirut.
"Hela, hela, hela ho, the Schools, banks and most
road is closed, sweetie," the businesses remained closed
song went — a reflection of Monday, raising concerns
how the protesters have that many Lebanese would
grown more creative as not be able to receive their
they have blocked roads salaries at the end of the
as part of massive anti- month. There are also fears
government demonstra- of a run on the banks that
tions underway for the last could further deplete the
12 days. country's limited supply of
The protests are directed Anti-government protesters gathered for an early morning yoga session organized as part of the foreign currency, poten-
at the political elites who protest blocking the main highway linking east and west Beirut by tents, stones, and bricks during tially affecting its ability
have dominated the coun- a protest against the Lebanese government in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019. to import wheat, fuel and
try since its 1975-1990 war, Associated Press medicine.
and who many accuse of The Association of Banks in
corruption and econom- many young Lebanese, she ing security forces to drag Lebanese soldiers forcibly Lebanon said banks would
ic mismanagement. The cannot find employment. them away by their arms removed protesters from a remain closed Tuesday for
demonstrations have para- "We won't stop until the re- and legs. In others, they highway linking the south- a 13th consecutive day "in
lyzed the country, and the gime steps down. If anyone have blocked routes with ern city of Sidon to the light of the continuation of
prolonged closure of banks has a problem with us let overturned dumpsters and capital, Beirut, and briefly popular movements and
has raised fears of an eco- them speak to (President) burned tires, sending black detained around a dozen awaiting the stabilization
nomic collapse. Michel Aoun and ask him smoke up into the air. Pro- of them. No weapons were of general conditions." But
"We are all tired, and we un- to step down. Then we'll go testers set fires to block the used and there were no re- the banks said they were
derstand that people want home." airport road in Beirut early ports of serious injuries from determined to pay public
to get back to their work, In many locations, dem- Monday before Lebanese the confrontation. sector salaries, especially
but we cannot stop now," onstrators have sat or lain troops in armored person- The protests have been to members of the security
said Dina Yaziji, who joined in the streets in a form of nel carriers arrived to clear largely peaceful, with se- forces, and had enough li-
the protests because, like civil disobedience, forc- the route. curity forces exercising re- quidity to do so.q

Rights groups criticize Tanzania's leader over repression

By TOM ODULA work," said Roland Ebole, bers of political parties for
Associated Press Amnesty International's its report.
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Tanzania researcher. Amnesty International said
Four years of Tanzanian "His government must re- it interviewed 68 govern-
President John Magufuli's peal all oppressive laws be- ment officials, representa-
rule have stifled indepen- ing used to clamp down on tives of non-governmental
dent journalism and se- dissent and urgently end and intergovernmental
verely restricted the activi- human rights violations and groups, lawyers, academ-
ties of non-governmental abuses," Ebole added. ics and others.
organizations, two interna- "Tanzania should show true The rights groups said that
tional human rights groups commitment to protecting since 2015, Tanzania's gov-
said Monday. and fulfilling the rights to ernment has stepped up
With one year to go before freedom of expression and censorship by banning or
the next elections, repres- In this Nov. 5, 2015, file photo, Tanzania's new President John association," said Oryem suspending at least five
sive laws have created an Magufuli holds up a ceremonial spear and shield to signify the Nyeko, Africa researcher at newspapers for content
beginning of his presidency, shortly after swearing an oath dur-
uneven playing field for ing his inauguration ceremony at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Sa- Human Rights Watch. "The deemed critical. They in-
people challenging the laam, Tanzania. authorities need to put a clude Tanzania's major
ruling party, Amnesty Inter- Associated Press stop to harassment, intimi- English-language daily
national and Human Rights dation and arbitrary arrests newspaper, The Citizen,
Watch say in separate re- leged human rights viola- "As President Magufuli of activists, journalists and this year and four others in
ports released jointly. tions. marks four years in office opposition members." 2017.
They say arbitrary arrests Since his election in 2015 next month, he must care- Human Rights Watch said it Authorities used the 2015
and threats to deregister Magufuli has faced criti- fully reflect on his govern- spoke to 80 journalists, blog- Cybercrimes Act to prose-
non-governmental groups cism for intolerance of dis- ment's record of ruthlessly gers, lawyers, representa- cute journalists and activists
have stifled reporting and senting voices in the East disemboweling the coun- tives of non-governmental for social media posts, the
public discussion on al- African nation. try's human rights frame- organizations and mem- groups said.q