Lebanon Sheikh defiant over sit-in

Sunni cleric of Lebanon's southern city Sidon, Sheikh Ahmed Assir denied that the sit-in he began last month on the city's coastal highway is causing harm to Sidon's economy as suggested by some of the city's main political and religious leaders. Assir, who began his protest against Hezbollah’s weapons last month, is blocking the eastern highway at the northern entrance to Sidon. Interviewed by the Kuwaiti daily al-Anbaa, Assir said: "Those who claim that the sit-in I called for is causing deterioration to the economy and trade activity in Sidon are the same people who incited the government to act against me only 12 hours after the sit-in started." "I call for a neutral investigation committee to assess the amount of trade activity in Sidon before and after the sit-in to enable the people to know whether these allegations are true or not. Whatever [former prime minister] MP Fouad Siniora and [head of Sidon's municipality] Mohammed Saudi say is not reliable because they are considered political rivals of mine." he added. Local leaders met Wednesday to tackle the controversial sheikh’s ongoing sit-in. Those present included Sidon MPs Fouad Siniora and Bahia Hariri, Sidon mufti Sheikh Salim Sousan, head of Sidon's municipality Mohammad Saudi, and the head of the internal security forces in south Lebanon, Brigadier General Tareq Abdullah. "It is not through blocking roads and causing socio-economic crises in Sidon that problems can be resolved,” said Siniora, the head of the Future Parliamentary bloc. "Sidon was and will remain a meeting point for all Lebanese and all southerners and a link between the south and the rest of the country," he added. "We object to spreading chaos in the city and adopting a negative attitude," Siniora said, adding that he did not agree with Assir’s tactics. Siniora also said that he would personally follow up the matter with the president and prime minister in order to encourage the government to adopt a firm position. Sheikh Assir, in his interview with al-Anbaa claimed that the two Shiite groups; Hezbollah and Amal are depending on the time factor which could lead the protesters to give up their sit-in, in addition to incitement from local traders associated with the two groups  to push for a halt to the sit-in, but he insisted he would not step down until his demands are met, and Hezbollah is disarmed. Asked to comment on press quotes that Hezbollah officials are describing the closing of  Sidon's coastal highway as a "red line", Assir brushed off the threats saying that neither himself nor the protesters were afraid adding: "it is clear who is drawing the red lines now" after the protesters forced the House Speaker Nabih Berri to travel home  taking the road they directed him towards, instead of the coastal highway.