The US State Department issued on Thursday its 2009 Reports on Human Rights Practices, saying that the Lebanese cabinet did not make enough efforts to disband and disarm militia groups such as Hezbollah.

The report added that UN Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701—which call upon the Lebanese cabinet to control its whole territory and disarm militias—were not implemented. Hezbollah still controls parts of Lebanese territories, the State Department added.

The report also touched on Palestinian refugee camps in the country, saying they “continued to act as self-governed entities and maintained security and militia forces.”  Systematic discrimination against Palestinian refugees and other minority groups is also still taking place, according to the State Department.

There were limitations on the right of citizens to change their government peacefully, said the report, and “unknown actors committed unlawful killings and one reported disappearance [in 2009] that may have been politically motivated,” referring to Technology Operations Manager for Middle East Airlines (MEA) Joseph Sader.

It also stated the civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of government security forces, but added Hezbollah retained influence over parts of the country despite the presence of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and UNIFIL.

“Torture of detainees remained a problem [in Lebanon], as did poor prison conditions, lengthy pretrial detention, and long delays in the court system,” said the report, adding, “The government violated citizens' privacy rights, and there were some restrictions on freedoms of speech and press, including intimidation of journalists.”

It also said that domestic violence, societal discrimination against women, violence against children and child labor were ongoing issues in the country. 

-NOW Lebanon