Beirut: As Ramadan approaches, Beirut and other cities are missing the decorations that fill the streets for the occasion. Instead, photographs of candidates running for parliamentary elections are pasted everywhere.
Only a few minor banners are raised, reminding people to donate to charity during the holy month.
Lebanon is battling a severe financial crisis for the third year in a row that has pushed many people below the poverty line, resulting in an increasing number of beggars on the streets. The crisis has also hit the middle class, whose income has been decimated by the depreciation of the local currency against the dollar, while hundreds of others have closed due to the closure of institutions, factories and shops.
With rising unemployment on the one hand, and dollarization of the most basic necessities – including monthly subscriptions to electricity generators and fuel – on the other, most Lebanese are barely surviving.
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Lebanon’s financial system has collapsed since 2019 under the burden of sovereign debt and the system of corruption that governs it.
Neighborhoods with more than an hour’s power supply from the government are considered lucky. Fuel prices have increased significantly. Taking a cab for a round trip costs 36,000 Lebanese pounds ($23) – this was 2,000 Lebanese pounds ($1.30) pre-crisis.
Nemat, a mother of five who shopped for vegetables at a popular market in Tariq al-Jadideh, told Arab News: “God help us. Every Ramadan is harder than the last one. A bundle of bread now costs 10,000 Lebanese pounds, and I need two every day. The prices of fruits and vegetables are insane, although everything is local. A kilo of cucumbers costs 35,000 Lebanese pounds, a head of lettuce costs 20,000 Lebanese pounds. A kilo of chicken breast is about 200,000 Lebanese pounds and our local butcher told us that prices are expected to rise even more this month. A gallon of vegetable oil costs 500,000 Lebanese pounds.”
Neamat said: “With the Ukrainian crisis, prices rose even more; as if we need more plagues in Lebanon while our youth are unemployed.”
Lebanon’s financial system has collapsed since 2019 under the burden of sovereign debt and the system of corruption that governs it. Meanwhile, politicians are yet to reach an agreement on a recovery plan that is enough for the International Monetary Fund to bail out Lebanon.
The Lebanese pound has lost more than 90 percent of its value and prices have risen dramatically as Lebanon relies heavily on imports. The military’s monthly salary is reduced to the equivalent of $50; Earlier it was $900.
When Lebanese discuss the price of goods, they do not spare their officials.
Zuhair al-Masri, a retired international football referee, told Arab News: “Last Ramadan, the exchange rate was about 16,000 Lebanese pounds against the dollar. This has now risen to 23,000 Lebanese pounds dollars. The cost of fuel has doubled, and Prices of all commodities have risen. A gallon of jalalab, a popular fruit syrup during Ramadan, cost 25,000 Lebanese pounds last year; now costs 140,000 Lebanese pounds. A kilo of plain Arabic sweets cost 35,000 Lebanese pounds ; It’s now 100,000 Lebanese pounds. Sometimes I envy people who have diabetes.”
Mohamed Al-Halaq, the owner of a small shop in Beirut’s popular neighborhood, told Arab News: “The price hike is unprecedented. People cannot bear it, but will definitely fast and no one has died of hunger till now. May God bless us during this holy month.”
Mustafa, a solid businessman who no longer has work due to the financial crisis, complained that he would not be able to afford everything he needed for Ramzan. “He said assistance will come from Gulf countries during Ramzan. I don’t know why he left us alone to bear this injustice.
Umm Imad, an elderly woman living in the southern suburb of Beirut, said: “Those who receive their salaries in dollars, including the families of Hezbollah members and employees, who work in institutions that share their wages in dollars and families who have relatives working abroad and sending dollars to them are doing well. They can afford to buy meat and fish during Raman; their iftar meal will be the same as every year, so that No matter what other people are doing.”
Shops selling Arabic sweets, which are usually very popular during Ramadan, have changed their recipes to include more affordable ingredients. They are using almonds instead of pine nuts, of which a kilo costs $100, while Aleppo pistachios are replaced with less expensive Sudanese pistachios, so that customers do not pay as much for the sweets and the shop owner still to sell your products.
Najah Zahra, branch manager of Al-Baba Sweets, said: “We are trying to take into account the current living conditions. The cost of raw materials such as sugar, flour and oil has been hit by the rise in the dollar exchange rate and the Ukraine crisis. Getting enough material also requires a double effort.”
Zahra said: “Our chefs are inventing new items at lower prices and in slightly smaller sizes so that customers can still buy them.”
Maher al-Taweel, who is following the conditions of mosques under Dar al-Fatwa’s supervision, expects Taraweeh prayers to be held by candlelight.
“There is no electricity at night; What do people do for Suhoor? Not all mosques can afford to pay two million Lebanese pounds a month for generators. Some affluent citizens have provided UPS equipment to provide minimal illumination to some mosques. Others have bought solar panels to light the mosques at their own expense. Still, many mosques will offer Ramadan prayers by candlelight,” he said.
Al-Taweel said: “There are no Ramadan decorations on the streets this year. Being priced in dollars they have become a luxury. The people who used to do the decorations are going to socialize this year in an effort to reach as many people as possible.” Would love to give money to charities very active on the media.”