Lebanese veterans face pension crisis

Since Lebanon has been plunged into economic crisis, veterans of the armed forces from various branches have tried to make their voices heard by demanding a dignified retirement. Retired soldiers from the Internal Security Forces (ISF) gathered around Lebanon’s Grand Serail building and the home of interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati to air their grievances against a government they say has abandoned them.

The cabinet was supposed to discuss the 2025 budget, but the demonstrations forced the session to be postponed. On September 11, the prime minister fired back at the criticism of the retired soldiers, accusing them in a statement of an attempted coup:

It appears that certain organized groups, operating under the pretext of “advocating the rights of retired military personnel”, have stepped up their actions towards an attempted coup d’état against the State and the Council of Ministers, with the aim of completely paralyzing the country. The Prime Minister expresses his surprise at the continued protests, which wrongly imply that convening the government to deal with public issues is somehow criminal. These protesters seem to have deliberately ignored the statement made by His Excellency at the beginning of the session, in which he emphasized: ‘Now that we are beginning revise the budgetwe will take important decisions regarding the rights of public sector workers. Proposed increases for both current and retired civilians and military personnel are already included in the draft budget. In the meantime, we are implementing temporary measures to provide social assistance to public sector workers until the budget is ratified by parliament, and we have already extended similar measures to both active and retired military personnel.’

In the evening, some protesters set fire to roads near the caretaker prime minister’s home, located in Beirut’s luxurious Zaitunay Bay neighborhood, home to some of the country’s wealthy elites and politicians.

Two retired ISF men spoke with The national interest about their decision to protest. Their names will remain anonymous.

The first man said in Arabic: “I am a retiree of the Internal Security Forces. During my service, we carried out our duties with the understanding that after retirement, the state would fulfill its responsibilities, provide medical care and education to our children and ensure a dignified life for us and our families. However, today we live in poverty and misery. Can you imagine surviving on $250 a month? We never thought we would reach this point. The state we once served has revealed itself as a state run by gangs and a mafia. If it were not for the army and the Internal Security Forces, there would be no state at all. Even the judiciary is maintained by the army and our colleagues in service.”

Much of their low pensions are due to the 2019 economic crisis, when the Lebanese pound (lira) lost most of its value against the US dollar. So far, the government has failed to implement reforms needed to rediscover sustainable economic growth, which would give citizens more purchasing power.

The same man told TNI that keeping quiet is not an option as long as he and his loved ones are struggling financially. He also warned that if the government does not find a just solution to this huge dilemma, the situation will only get worse.

He told TNI“I refuse to remain silent. We cannot meet the basic needs of our families, and that is unacceptable. Escalation is inevitable, no matter how they want to label us, as militias or whatever. We will escalate, and we call on the people to stand in solidarity with us. I call on all sectors, especially the public sector, to join us. Our goal is not to paralyze the country, as the office of Prime Minister Mikati claims, but to demand our rights. Put them in our shoes, would they accept this situation? The state, which is supposed to protect the rights of its citizens, is the one that undermines them. It is like a mother who abandons her children. But we will not resort to theft or violence. Instead of enjoying my retirement, I now work from morning to night as a security guard, just to meet basic needs.”

The second retired veteran shared his views on how the state should deal with the key demands.

He noted: “We demand that the state and its corrupt ministers listen to us, our families and our children, so that we can live a dignified life. We were the ones who protected them during the war, while they enjoyed life in Monte Carlo, Paris and France. When they returned, they climbed on our backs, all of them. We are not ashamed to say that we stand against this failed regime, which after the last thirty years, it is time to change.”

Much of the anger and resentment is a reminder that Lebanon is facing two wars: one between Israel and Hezbollah, and one with itself.

Adnan Nasser is an independent foreign policy analyst and journalist with a focus on Middle East affairs. Follow him on Twitter @Adnansoutlook29.

Image: Crop Media / Shutterstock.com.