لبنان اليوم
The committee for the defense of tenants’ rights gathered in front of the Lebanese Parliament in a declared sit-in, expressing their strong rejection of what they described as “displacement” and “unfair” rent laws, which they believe threaten the future of thousands of families and expose them to the risk of losing their homes and livelihoods.
In a statement, Castro Abdullah, head of the National Federation of Unions and Employees, affirmed that the protesters are announcing their categorical rejection of any internal attack that affects the citizens’ basic right to housing and living in dignity, stressing that displacement remains displacement, whether due to enemy missiles or unjust laws that squander citizens’ rights. He explained that the 2017 rent law, in light of the suffocating economic and social crisis, will lead to the displacement of tens of thousands of families, while the non-residential rent law 11/25 will lead to the closure of thousands of institutions, shops, and official schools, thus depriving many of their right to education and work.
Abdullah warned against continuing to adopt policies that serve the interests of brokers and real estate monopolists, and turn cities into mere investment projects that expel their residents, demanding that Parliament take immediate action to repeal these “unjust” laws and return to working with Law 160/92 in order to protect tenants’ rights, in addition to enacting a fair and balanced law that guarantees the rights of both the owner and the tenant alike. He also called for revealing the fate of the funds of the floor law since 1980 to build 20,000 housing units.
He concluded by affirming that “we will not leave our homes, and we will not accept anything other than a fair law for tenants,” announcing their continued peaceful and democratic action until they achieve their legitimate goal of decent housing.
source: 961 today
