Comprehensive chaos is spreading daily, affecting all sectors and leading the country towards complete paralysis. After political and economic chaos, security disorder is re-emerging, with bank intrusions, prisoner escapes, rampant weapon use, and a significant number of daily deaths from various individual conflicts. In light of these circumstances, it is expected that the situation will deteriorate further in the coming days, as suggested by the sequence of events.
The state stands by, unable to take any action. Its financial capabilities do not allow for the enhancement of its ability to maintain security and manage the public sector, and its human resources cannot facilitate exceptional measures to enforce security agencies' control on the ground. This is because the personnel themselves are suffering the same hardships, with their salaries remaining stagnant, leading to reduced productivity.
Yesterday, Friday, eight bank intrusions were recorded across various regions in Lebanon, following similar operations that occurred just hours earlier. Consequently, the Association of Banks decided to go on strike on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of next week; however, this is not a solution. The incidents of the previous days, and the success of some depositors in retrieving their money from their deposits, will encourage more depositors to take similar actions.
Hassan Moghniyeh, head of the "Depositors Association," noted that "the association recorded eight intrusion operations, most of which saw depositors successfully reclaim part of their funds." He responded to the Interior Minister's insinuation regarding the existence of "external parties manipulating them," asserting that "depositors have rights and can no longer remain silent; it is the minister who is influenced by external entities."
In a troubling indication, Moghniyeh stated in an interview with "Al-Anbaa" that "pressure in the streets is expected to increase in the coming days, especially after the banks' strike. We may witness dozens of intrusion operations on Thursday after the reopening, as the intensity is on the rise, and people will resort to violence and weapons to reclaim their rights."
Regarding solutions, Moghniyeh called for the swift formation of a crisis cell consisting of representatives from the Central Bank, banks, and depositors to discuss a mechanism to address the issue of people's inability to withdraw their deposits. In this context, Moghniyeh confirmed that "depositors do not wish to withdraw all their funds at once, but it is crucial to work on a plan for gradual reimbursement."
In conclusion, he mentioned that "no one has invited the Depositors Association to a meeting to discuss potential solutions, and claims regarding a meeting with the Association of Banks are unfounded."
