Residents of Mieh Mieh File Complaint with Interior Minister Over Plan to Establish Landfills for Non-Residents

Residents of the town of Mieh Mieh submitted a complaint to His Excellency the Minister of the Interior and Municipalities, expressing their objection to the project to establish landfills for non-residents on plot number /467/ in the Mieh Mieh municipal area, which is owned by the Sidon Association.

The complainants, including the four local sheikhs, stated that they had previously observed fieldwork being carried out on the aforementioned property, which is classified as agricultural land located in a geographically low-lying area surrounded by natural watercourses and adjacent to several inhabited buildings and properties. They noted that the works included excavation, land leveling, use of heavy machinery, and construction of retaining walls, coinciding with serious reports suggesting the site was being prepared for landfill use.

They emphasized that, given the absence of any official announcement clarifying the nature of the project, the intended use of the land, or the legal basis for the ongoing works, a delegation representing various religious, political, social, and municipal figures from Mieh Mieh visited the municipality on July 20, 2026, requesting clarification on the project’s status and whether any permits or approvals were issued. According to the complaint, the municipality responded during the meeting that it had not granted any permit for the ongoing activities and that no prior registered permit related to the project was found, though it did not definitively clarify its position on any future application to use the land as a landfill.

The complaint further stated that a delegation of residents visited His Grace Bishop Elie Beshara Haddad, the Archbishop of Sidon and Abbot of the Maronite Catholic Monastery of Qarn al-Ras, at the Sidon Archepiscopal Cathedral on July 23 and July 28, 2026, where they presented the facts regarding the ongoing works on plot number /467/ and the associated concerns. During both meetings, His Grace expressed concern about the project and rejected any action that could harm the public interest of Mieh Mieh or negatively impact its future, the well-being of its residents, and its unique identity, affirming that he would follow up with relevant authorities to reach a solution safeguarding the rights of the town’s inhabitants.

Additionally, the complainants noted that on Saturday, July 25, 2026, residents organized a peaceful demonstration in front of the Mieh Mieh Municipality building to reaffirm their commitment to protecting the public interest, despite the continuation of construction work without a permit. On the same day, the Mieh Mieh Municipality issued an official statement declaring its rejection of any activity that might harm the public interest of the town and its people.

The complaint also mentioned that a delegation of residents visited Member of the Development and Liberation Bloc MP Ali Assirian at his residence on July 27, 2026, where he, as a member of the Sidon Association—the land’s owner—confirmed the association’s intention to establish landfills, which the complainants viewed as confirmation of the seriousness of their concerns. They added that they rejected the proposed solution of planting a tree belt to obscure the site, emphasizing that their opposition is fundamentally based on the urban, environmental, and health impacts of the project.

The residents of Mieh Mieh reiterated in their complaint their firm and final rejection of any project aimed at establishing, creating, or expanding landfills designated for non-residents on plot number /467/ or any other land within the municipality’s boundaries, regardless of ownership, stressing that physical actions do not create legal rights and must not be used to impose a fait accompli.

They called on the competent authorities to refrain from issuing or approving any permit allowing landfills for non-residents on their territory, immediately halt all ongoing works, seal the property entrance with red wax in coordination with judicial authorities, take necessary measures to prevent the establishment of a cemetery on the said plot or any other land, and consider this objection a clear expression of the town’s collective will, binding any current or future transactions related to the matter.

The complainants concluded by affirming that their position is grounded solely in the protection of the public interest and the town’s identity, and does not target any particular group or sect, but aims to safeguard the rights of the town’s residents and prevent decisions that affect their future without their consent.