EDL Worker Sets Himself on Fire During Protest

An Electricite Du Liban (EDL) worker was rushed to Geitawi hospital on Monday morning after he set himself on fire during a protest in front of the EDL building on Corniche el-Nahr.

The incident happened at around 10:00 a.m., according to LBC news, when contract workers gathered to protest against a controversial draft law regarding their full-time employment which was presented to parliament by Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan on June 26.

While other protesters burned waste containers and tires, one of the EDL workers, identified as Hussein Allam, set himself on fire. He was later released from the hospital with first degree burns.

EDL contract workers have been caling on the government to employ them as full-time staff and pay them due wages for months now. The draft law was supposed to be addressed by parliament’s general assembly today, but Speaker Nabih Berri postponed the session until July 16.