The Hezbollah-led opposition took the first step in a wider campaign to topple the Western-backed government on Tuesday, taking part in a protest against economic reforms proposed by the cabinet.

Hundreds of protesters, including opposition activists, waved Lebanese flags outside a Finance Ministry tax office to protest against an increase in value-added tax proposed by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's government.

The protest was called by the labor union confederation and backed by Hezbollah and its allies, including Christian leader Michel Aoun and the Shi'ite Muslim Amal movement.

Backed by Damascus, the opposition has declared the anti-Syrian cabinet illegitimate and demanded early parliamentary elections and a new electoral law.

Opposition supporters have been camped out in central Beirut since December 1 to press their demands, erecting tents a short distance from the government's headquarters and effectively shutting down the city's commercial heart.

The standoff between the opposition and the government is part of Lebanon's worst political crisis since its 1975-1990 civil war. One opposition protester was killed in December and many Lebanese fear more violence.

"The first thing we want is a clean government," said demonstrator Ralph Khoury, an 18-year-old Aoun supporter at Tuesday's protest.

"We're definitely tired, but our determination is strong," he said, adding that he had slept for 12 nights under canvas in central Beirut at the start of the opposition campaign.

Barriers

Hundreds of soldiers and police cordoned off the building housing the tax office. Organizers set up their own cordon between the protesters and the barriers in an apparent attempt to ensure there would be no friction with security forces.

Security forces closed roads leading to the building, which sits at a usually busy intersection. "Siniora is responsible for making Lebanon poor," read one sign held aloft by protesters.

The government says its reform plans, including raising VAT and privatization, will spur economic growth and help ease the burden of Lebanon's $41 billion public debt.

Siniora, who enjoys the support of the parliament majority and international support from France, the United States, Saudi Arabia and others, hopes a January 25 donors conference in Paris will yield foreign assistance vital to the reform plan.

The opposition said on Monday it would organize daily protests outside government buildings and public facilities until Siniora gives in to its demands.

Union chief Ghassan Ghosn urged the protesters to gather outside the Energy and Water Ministry on Wednesday.

Lebanese army commander General Michel Suleiman said the military would not allow any disturbances. "The Lebanese army will by no means allow any storming of any public or private institution," Suleiman told As-Safir newspaper.

The role of the army "is to protect the demonstrators... but we will not tolerate any disturbance," he said.

Geagea Criticizes 'Syrian Structured' Labor Union

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Monday criticized the General Federation of Labor Unions (GFLU) as "Syrian structured" and denounced calls by the opposition for serial protests against the government's socio-economic recovery plan.

Geagea, in a dialogue with reporters, said the GFLU was "Syrian structured … it is neither a union, nor general and it doesn't represent the labor force."

He added that the GFLU "tried in the past four or five days to call for sit-ins at some public institutions, but realized that no one (from the labor force) would respond to such a call."

Later, Geagea added, the GFLU "decided to call for a sit-in in front of the finance ministry offices. And they cannot even organize a sit-in there. So the (opposition) parties decided to rally support for this sit-in to avoid disclosing the real size and capabilities of this GFLU."

Geagea, who also is a prominent member of the March 14 majority coalition, said the majority government of Premier Fouad Siniora, which adopted the socio-economic recovery and reform plan earlier in the week "is the first administration in 30 years to think of the Lebanese People's interests."

He called for parliamentary dialogue between the rival factions to contain the ongoing crisis in Lebanon.

March 14 alliance accuse Hezbollah of damaging the economy

The leadership of the March 14th alliance has accused Hezbollah of damaging the economy during the war with Israel and in doing so has created a hole in the pockets of the Lebanese people.

Walid Jumblatt, leader of the PSP said "the war has resulted in the destruction of 100,000 homes and the displacement of 1 million Lebanese". He added "The war has cost Lebanon in excess of 15 billion Dollars and drove away 2 million tourists that were booked to spend the summer in Lebanon".

Jumblatt accused Hezbollah of destroying Lebanon's economy twice . once during the war and the second time during the protests in downtown Beirut which have resulted in the closure of several business and in massive layoffs by the business community .These layoffs he said "hurt the poor people the most"

Sources: Reuters, Naharnet,