If this were a headline posted by an international media publication, what would it say about the current state of affairs of our nation?
Garbage. And piles of rubbish on the streets stand testament to that.
Although the government had [link] piles of garbage removed off the streets of Beirut, in hopes of quelling the commotion of activists who had taken to those same streets to make their voices heard, the truth remains constant: Lebanon is on the verge of an ecological disaster.
Several protesters took the streets, chanting anti-corruption slogans during a rally calling for a prompt solution to the waste management crisis in downtown Beirut, but only one out of the hundreds of participants caught the eye of Minister Rachid Derbass who happened to be passing through -and that person was Tarek Mallah.
Why? Because, there’s history there, as activists recounted.
Derbass has repeatedly ignored whistleblowers' accounts on sexual harassment and child molestation cases at Dar al-Aytam al-Islamiya, dismissing them –without further investigations- as lies.
Tarek was among the first whistleblowers who took his story to the mainstream media.
Here are the videos on record.
7ki Jelis, Episode 9
7ki Jelis, Episode 11
And here are the details of what happened on Tuesday leading to Tarek's arrest.
Video link here.
"Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas told the state-run National News Agency on Tuesday that some protesters attacked his vehicle and verbally harassed him in downtown Beirut.
He also told the agency that he filed a lawsuit against a person, identified as Tarek Mallah, on charges for assaulting his vehicle.
“These were not protesters, there were a group of 15 who did not only attack me, but also attacked passers-by,” Minister Derbas added.
Mallah is known for bringing to light the issue of sexual harassment and molestation against minors at Dar al-Aytam al-Islammiya orphanage. However, the ministry failed to launch investigations into the allegations and instead dismissed Mallah's claims as lies."
Currently, friends and activists are protesting the authorities' failure to free Tarek and have vowed to remain there until his release.
Another sit-in is scheduled for 6 pm tonight, set to place before the Ministry of Social Affairs. For more details click here.
Meanwhile, this is the sentiment shared on social media affairs in reaction to the arrest of Mallah.