Demonstration of retired Lebanese army personnel at Riad al-Solh Square, in downtown Beirut, on April 24, 2025. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L’Orient Today)
BEIRUT — Four days after their latest protest in Beirut, Lebanese military personnel, severely impacted by the country's economic crisis, the Retired Military Movement issued a forceful statement on Monday announcing "a new phase of struggle" and threatening civil disobedience.
The statement, relayed by the state-run National News Agency (NNA), condemned the government's inaction and called for a decisive response. "After exhausting all avenues of dialogue and peaceful expression, and after being confronted with complete silence and a humiliating disregard for our legitimate demands, we, the retired military, announce today a new phase of struggle," the statement read.
The demonstrating veterans are pressing the government to approve an immediate aid package of 20 million Lebanese Lira (around $223,464) at its next meeting, followed by a comprehensive review of their salaries.
Thursday’s protest coincided with a parliamentary session that discussed, among other pressing issues, a law aimed at increasing pensions for retired soldiers and police officers. The protestors demanded a 50 percent increase in their pensions, calculated in U.S. dollars at the current market rate, followed by a 10 percent hike every six months until a total revaluation of 100 percent is achieved.
'Nothing to lose'
"We have long waited and endured the unbearable," the statement continue. "But, our patience is exhausted, and our tolerance capacity has crossed all red lines. The silence of successive and current authorities has been nothing but contempt towards our dignity, our sacrifices and our families, who suffer from hunger and need." The retirees further declared that they had "nothing left to lose."
They warned that their protests would no longer be limited to "sporadic" but would escalate to actions that "shake the ground beneath the feet of cowards and those who profit from our suffering." The statement also declared their readiness to defend their rights and dignity "by all legitimate means."
Among the potential measures, the veterans threatened "civil disobedience ... blocking roads, paralyzing institutions," and potentially "mobilizing during [May's] municipal elections in all regions."
Since the onset of Lebanon's financial crisis in 2019, public sector salaries, including pensions, have collapsed due to the sharp depreciation of the Lebanese Lira. Protestors have repeatedly denounced what they see as systemic injustice, claiming that military retirees have been disproportionately affected compared to other public sector employees who have received salary increases.
Last September, a series of talks between former Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s government and retired military representatives failed to produce any resolution to their demands, leaving the veterans increasingly frustrated and determined to escalate their efforts.
