1.
GV Street in Sidon, Southern Lebanon.
0.11

2.
GV Empty cafe.
0.16

3.
GV People walking in street past shuttered shops. (2 SHOTS)
0.32

4.
SV Newspapers and people reading headlines in newspapers. (3 SHOTS)
0.42

5.
GV Chairs and tables stacked outside closed restaurant and other shuttered shops. (2 SHOTS)
0.54



Initials JS/


TELERECORDING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The townspeople of Sidon, in southern Lebanon staged a strike on Monday (27 August) to protest against recent clashes between rival Palestinian commando groups. On Sunday (26 August) two men were killed and ten wounded in the latest fighting between the factions.

SYNOPSIS: Meetings were planned to try and restore peace to the city. But on Monday (27 August) shops, offices and restaurants closed to protest the fighting that continually endangers the civilian population of Sidon.

The recent clashes were between guerrillas affiliated to the major palestinian Commando group, and to the Marxist Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, (DELP). It has been confirmed that Lebanon's President Elias Sarkis is seeking an Arab summit to discuss the continuing conflicts in the south. He sent an envoy to Syria at the beginning of a tour to win support for the proposed summit.

But in Sidon the summit could not come soon enough and to protest about the daily disruption and danger to their lives they closed up shop and stayed at home.