HRW: Lebanon Government Failing to Uphold ‘Right to Electricity’

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Image copyright: Reuters [via Al Jazeera]

The Facts

  • In a report released on Thursday, Human Rights Watch said that the Lebanese government has failed to uphold the right to electricity by mismanaging the sector for decades, especially since Lebanon's economic crisis began in late 2019.

  • The US-based watchdog outlined how many middle and working-class families have been forced to spend most of their monthly income on private generators, which are often run by organized crime groups or people affiliated with political parties. Most families surveyed said that generator bills have impacted their ability to pay for food as well as for medical and other crucial services.

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The Spin

Narrative A

The Lebanese government and elite have failed their people. Due to greed, incompetence, hubris, and delusions, the Lebanese system has created a crisis so big, on paper, one would assume that Lebanon is currently engulfed in a civil war. All the parties and political forces in the country are to blame for Lebanon's situation, and the only path forward is a complete overhaul of the Lebanese state.

Human Rights Watch

Narrative B

Though there are many who like to pretend that all of Lebanon's political forces are to blame for its current problems, there's only one true source of Lebanon's troubles: Hezbollah. Iran now occupies Lebanon with an iron fist, and consequently, the country has been ruined like all the other countries in which Iran has intervened. The situation in Lebanon will only improve once Iran and Hezbollah have been kicked out of the country.

FDD

Narrative C

Hezbollah is one of the only positive forces in Lebanon. Besides the fact that it has defended the country from Israeli aggression on multiple occasions, the group has made a concerted effort to cross sectarian lines and work with other communities to help the country. Lebanon's collapse is due to Western meddling, which has made life for the average Lebanese even harder.

Grayzone

Metaculus Prediction

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