LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
November 20/09
Bible Reading of the day
Isaiah 1/2-7: " Hear, heavens, and listen, earth; for Yahweh has spoken: “I have
nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The
ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel doesn’t know,
my people don’t consider.” Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with
iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They
have forsaken Yahweh. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are
estranged and backward. Why should you be beaten more,
that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart
faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it:
wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven’t been closed, neither bandaged,
neither soothed with oil. Your country is desolate. Your cities are burned with
fire. Strangers devour your land in your presence, and it is desolate, as
overthrown by strangers.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
(Lebanon an) Orphan state/By:
William Harris/Now Lebanon/November 19/09
Johnny Nassif, Dead or alive? It’s
time we know/By: Manal Sarrouf/Now Lebanon/November 19/09
Amin Gemayel On the MTV/November 19/09
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for November 19/09
Sfeir hopes no obstacles after
cabinet formation/Future News
Hizbullah Concludes General
Conference, Reelects Nasrallah and Qassem/Naharnet
Hariri
Wants Policy Statement that Guarantees Better Life for Lebanese/Naharnet
Jumblat-Aoun Reunion Next Week/Naharnet
Body
Likely that of U.K. Journalist Kidnapped in 1985/Naharnet
Committee Squabbles over Hizbullah
Arms/Naharnet
International Tribunal
Defense Office Mission to Lebanon/Naharnet
Moscow to Deliver MiG-29s
to Lebanon End of 2010/Naharnet
Qahwaji: Army Has Names of
those Behind Eido, Hajj, Eid Assassinations/Naharnet
Fatah al-Islam Plotting to
Kill Top Army Officer/Naharnet
Dispute between Police, ISF
Chiefs Made Public/Naharnet
Tebnine Citizen Arrested
on Suspicion of Spying for Israel/Naharnet
Germany Extends
Afghanistan, Lebanon Missions/Naharnet
March 14 Wants 'Defensive
Strategy' as Sole Discussion Topic on National Dialogue Table/Naharnet
Aoun: 'Change and Reform'
Begin by 'Changing' Those Refusing to Comply Inside FPM/Naharnet
Berri: Nothing Prevents
Holding of Vote of Confidence Session before al-Adha/Naharnet
Judge Sawwan issues arrest warrant
against Fatah al-Islam member/Now Lebanon
-Akhbar reports Baroud annoyed by
Rifi’s behavior/Now Lebanon
Abboud: Aoun is not Hitler/Future
News
Ministerial portfolios blowup
FPM/Future News
Committee Squabbles over Hizbullah Arms
Naharnet/Lebanese MPs wrangled over the issue of Hizbullah arms as they met for
a fourth time under Prime Minister Saad Hariri in an effort to put the final
touches on the new Cabinet policy statement. Officials from both camps – the
majority March 14 coalition and the Opposition -- have been at odds over the
issue of the weapons of Hizbullah, which won two seats in the new government. In
line with a 2006 agreement that ended a 34-day war between Hizbullah and Israel,
Hizbullah is compelled to lay down its arms.
Christian leaders within March 14 have expressed displeasure with Hizbullah's
weapons in the policy statement. Druze leader Walid Jumblat, however, said the
defense strategy should remain separate from the Cabinet debate. Beirut, 19 Nov
09, 12:08
Hizbullah Concludes General Conference, Reelects Nasrallah and Qassem
Naharnet/Hizbullah concluded its General Conference which lasted for several
months in the making, and endorsed a new political doctrine, the second of its
kind after the "open letter" in 1985.Hizbullah issued a communique declaring
that the party has endorsed "a number of organizational amendments that fit the
new developing nature of its movement and path in the previous years on various
aspects."The communique also announced the election of the party's Shura Council
members and their designations for the new term as follows: Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah (Secretary-General), Sheikh Naim Qassem (Deputy Secretary-General),
Sheikh Mohammed Yazbek (Head of Sharia Committee), Sayyed Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed
(Head of Political Bureau), Sayyed Hashim Safieddine (Head of Executive
Council), Hussein Khalil (Secretary-General's Political Assistant), MP Mohammed
Raad (Head of Loyalty to Resistance bloc).The secretary-general will hold a
press conference in the next few days to declare the new political doctrine,
said Hizbullah's communique. Beirut, 19 Nov 09, 17:56
Hariri Wants Policy Statement that Guarantees Better Life for Lebanese
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Thursday that the new national unity
government's policy statement should guarantee a better life for the Lebanese.
"We want the policy statement to become a real preamble for achievements that
the Lebanese are awaiting for ... to improve their living conditions and provide
them with better living standards," Hariri told the Annual Arab Banking
Conference held at the Phoenicia hotel in Beirut. "We want a unity cabinet not
only in the political sense but economic" sense as well, Hariri said. "Our
responsibility lies in providing the appropriate political and legislative
stability ... that encourages Arab banks to make investments" in Lebanon, the PM
added.
He reiterated that Lebanon escaped the repercussions of the world economic
crisis unharmed and became a "refuge for incoming capitals" as a result of the
Central Bank's "wise policy." Beirut, 19 Nov 09, 11:10
Jumblat-Aoun Reunion Next Week
Naharnet/Druze leader Walid Jumblat hailed efforts by President Michel Suleiman
aimed at achieving national reconciliation. Suleiman on Wednesday hosted a
reunion between Jumblat and Marada Movement leader Sueliman Franjieh. Jumblat
told al-Manar TV late Wednesday that there was no "fundamental disagreement with
Franjieh in the first place, but merely differences in views on some issues."
While Jumblat refused to confirm or deny that similar preparations were underway
for a reunion with Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, press reports on
Thursday said a get-together between the two men is likely to take place next
week. On inter-Christian reconciliation, Al-Liwaa newspaper said it was
premature to have such meetings. Beirut, 19 Nov 09, 09:30
Body Likely that of U.K. Journalist Kidnapped in 1985
Naharnet/The height, age and amputated finger indicate that the body belonged to
that of British journalist Alec Collett, kidnapped in Lebanon in 1985 during the
peak of the civil war, the daily An-Nahar reported Thursday. British experts,
working in eastern Lebanon have recovered a body believed to be that of Collett,
but the team was awaiting DNA test results. Collett went missing in 1985 and was
reported to have been killed a year later. Sixty-four years old at the time, he
was on assignment in refugee camps for the United Nations Relief and Works
Agency (UNRWA) near Beirut airport when taken hostage. Fatah-Revolutionary
Council, a militant Palestinian group better known as the Abu Nidal
Organization, claimed responsibility for the abduction and killing. Beirut, 19
Nov 09, 11:04
Qahwaji: Army Has Names of those Behind Eido, Hajj, Eid Assassinations
Naharnet/Lebanese army commander Gen. Jean Qahwaji uncovered that the military
institution has obtained the names of "some" of those directly involved in the
bombings that were carried out in recent years. A high-ranking official, quoted
by Al-Akhbar, said Qahwaji's remarks were based on information obtained by
detainees Khaled Qanbar and Fadi Ibrahim.
He said the two suspects confessed that they overheard former Fatah al-Islam
leader Shaker Abssi and present commander Abdul Rahman Awad speaking on
different occasions about the role of their group in the assassinations of MP
Walid Eido and army officers Francois Hajj and Wissam Eid. Beirut, 19 Nov 09,
10:43
Fatah al-Islam Plotting to Kill Top Army Officer
Naharnet/Suspected Fatah al-Islam member Fadi Ibrahim, who was arrested last
month, has reportedly told the Lebanese army intelligence that the terrorist
group was planning to assassinate a top military officer. Informed sources told
al-Akhbar newspaper that Ibrahim, known as Sikamo, told the army intelligence
that Fatah al-Islam was plotting to kill the officer during his visit to Sidon.
Military prosecutor Judge Saqr Saqr referred Sikamo to the military examining
magistrate on Wednesday. Beirut, 19 Nov 09, 08:58
International Tribunal Defense Office Mission to Lebanon
Naharnet/Head of the Defense Office of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon François
Roux and his team visited Lebanon last week to meet with Lebanese lawyers,
academics and other members of civil society with the goal of briefing them
about the work of their office, the STL has reported. The Defense Office is one
of the four independent organs of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. The primary
duty of the Defense Office is to protect the rights of the Defense. This
includes ensuring that an accused's right to counsel is protected, defense
counsel are provided with support, assistance and legal advice. In addition, STL
said on its website, the Head of Defense Office can appear before the Judges on
matters of general importance to the Defense. It said that while there are no
indictments at this time, the Defense Office is "preparing in order to fully
assume its role when this situation changes." While in Lebanon, the Defense
Office organized a seminar with the Tripoli Bar Association to brief lawyers
there about the role and function of the Defense. The discussions also touched
on how lawyers can become involved in the Tribunal and what lawyers can expect
from the Defense Office. As part of the Tribunal's Outreach, the Defense Office
also met with the Deans of the Faculties of Law of two Universities in Lebanon.
The meetings were organized to explain the opportunities for internships at the
STL for students and young professionals. The Defense Office also highlighted
its specific role within the Tribunal. Beirut, 19 Nov 09, 14:19
Dispute between Police, ISF Chiefs Made Public
Naharnet/A dispute between Internal Security Forces commander Maj. Gen. Ashraf
Rifi, who enjoys majority support, and Opposition-backed police chief Brig. Gen.
Antoine Shakkour threatened to aggravate a range of underlying issues to the
extent that presidential intervention was required to stop the squabble. The
conflict, which took on political dimensions, seems to have stemmed from a fight
over jurisdiction as well as administrative decisions and correspondence between
Rifi and Shakkour relating to certain tasks.
ISF leadership meetings have also been suspended due to the boycott of a number
of its members. The daily As-Safir said Shakkour has been refusing to carry out
Rifi's orders which he believes are not in line with legal norms. Shakkour's
action constituted "disciplinary violation," according to Rifi – actions that
the ISF commander can "no longer keep silent about."
The dispute further aggravated over the past two days in the wake of orders
issued to Skakkour by Rifi.
Al-Akhbar newspaper said Rifi hinted at taking stern disciplinary measures
against Shakkour that could lead to his arrest in case of non-implementation of
orders.
The conflict required a speedy intervention by Lebanon's top political leaders,
including President Michel Suleiman to prevent further escalation of the
situation.
Al-Akhbar said Opposition leaders -- including Hizbullah, Speaker Nabih Berri,
Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun and Marada Movement chief Suleiman
Franjieh – have voiced support for Shakkour. Citing a senior official, the daily
said Prime Minister Saad Hariri did not object to actions taken by Rifi.
Suleiman met Shakkour late Wednesday and listened to his side of the story.
Al-Akhbar said Suleiman expressed solidarity with Shakkour.Interior Minister
Ziad Baroud, meanwhile, told Al-Liwaa newspaper in remarks published Thursday
that the dispute within the ISF was "being properly handled."
"I will take appropriate action in a timely manner," Baroud stressed. Al-Akhbar
, however, quoted Baroud as rejecting "partial solutions."
Baroud has reportedly said that he would not accept any action taken against any
officer, particularly Shakkour. As-Safir said contacts led to an agreement to
put the dispute on the shelf until Cabinet meets to discuss the issue after it
gets a vote of confidence. The issue drew reactions from Aoun and Druze leader
Walid Jumblat who stressed that the status of the ISF and the structure of its
leadership should be reconsidered. Aoun took a harsher stand. He accused Rifi of
overstepping his jurisdiction and of "threatening" Shakkour and manipulating the
structure of ISF units, which include the police. He demanded sweeping reforms
in the police institution. Beirut, 19 Nov 09, 08:35
Aoun: 'Change and Reform' Begin by 'Changing' Those Refusing to Comply Inside
FPM
/Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said that "Change and
Reform" begin through "changing" those who are "refusing to comply inside the
Free Patriotic Movement", Aoun was answering a question about the latest wave of
objections, led by Maj. Gen. Issam Abu Jamra, inside FPM. After the weekly
meeting of Change and Reform bloc, Aoun said that "posts in parties are rare and
their claimers are numerous", he added that FPM does not only allocate its sworn
members to certain posts and that the allocating compass includes supporters.
"FPM reckons on the freedom of submission and respects the choices of its
members regarding parliamentary elections," said Aoun, adding that "there is a
workshop of Change and Reform inside the (Free Patriotic) Movement that will
finish before the end of the year."
On the other hand, Aoun said that agreeing on the clauses of the ministerial
Policy Statement is not suffering from any basic dispute and that everything is
going positively.
"I can go to Damascus whenever I want and I'm not racing with Hariri over this,"
said Aoun answering a question about a possible visit to Syria.
Aoun said he is living in peace with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir "but
each according to his political line."
"The gathering of Christians is possible through the restoring of Bkirki's
constants and the other side signing on the pact that FPM had signed on before,"
answered Aoun to a question.
Aoun hailed the reconciliation meeting held in Baabda between MPs Walid Jumblat
and Suleiman Franjieh, adding that he does not personally oppose to meet with
Jumblat but according to an agenda that gives the meeting a national meaning.
"Transgressions inside the Internal Security Forces institution have reached an
unacceptable level and I demand for an investigation in all transgressions,"
said Aoun expressing dismay at how things are going inside the ISF.
"The leader of police was threatened and he is not an ordinary government
employee. Things have reached an unacceptable level of transgressions and
intimidation," added Aoun.
Earlier, Abu Jamra strongly objected Cabinet appointments by Aoun and threatened
that "all options are open" if there was no respond to his objection.
In an interview published Wednesday by the daily Al-Mustaqbal, Abu Jamra
described as a "mistake" Aoun's ministerial appointments.
He said the FPM is one of the biggest movements in Lebanon "and we have
potentials and skills enough to form a government, and not just one government."
"Consequently, we cannot understand why people were selected for ministerial
posts from outside the FPM," Abu Jamra asked.
He said this issue "affects the morale of the FPM."
"You cannot have someone in the government who is outside your movement," he
complained.
"What if the only FPM (Cabinet) minister was absent from a meeting? Do we
guarantee others acts? Abu Jamra wondered.
Beirut, 18 Nov 09, 19:08
Sfeir hopes no obstacles after cabinet formation
Date: November 19th, 2009
Source: NNA
Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir hoped during a meeting
with Labor Minister Boutros Harb that hinders are thwarted after the cabinet had
been formed.
Patriarch Sfeir’s meeting with Minister Harb on Thursday addressed cabinet tasks
and challenges before it. Harb said after the meeting that “discussions
concerning policy statement efforts will not be discussed in public,” but
assured that ministers are making large efforts to achieve it. Harb hoped the
Ministerial Statement is achieved “within days” and that “ministers tasked with
forming it reach a joint vision on how to facilitate the lives of the Lebanese
of all sects and affiliations.”Sfeir received today Egypt’s Consul in Lebanon
Ahmad Helmi and the Ambassador of South Africa to Lebanon and Syria, Mohammad
Dengo who made his visit on the occasion of the end of his mandate. He also met
with MP Nehmatallah Abi Nasr family, who informed him of the loss of MP Abi
Nasr’s wife. It should be noted that the Patriarch is visiting Rome next Sunday
to set a working plan for Synod Pope Benedict XVI called for.
Johnny Nassif, Dead or alive? It’s time we know
Manal Sarrouf , November 19, 2009
Now Lebanon/“It was a shock…the hero is gone,” Violette Nassif, the mother of
Johnny Nassif, the 15-year-old Lebanese soldier who went missing on October 13,
1990 and whose remains were recently identified, told NOW over the phone. For
years, Violette and her family have believed that their son was being detained
in Syria.
Violette, fully dressed in black with a pale and drawn face, receives
condolences at her home in Bourj Hammoud. She refuses to make statements to the
media, explaining that she is on medication and “has lost all hope.”
Johnny’s remains, along with those of his comrades in Battalion 102, were first
discovered in December 2005 when a mass grave on the grounds of the Defense
Ministry headquarters in Yarze was unearthed after the Syrian army withdrew from
Lebanon. Initially, only seven of the bodies in the grave were identified, but
it was thought that one of the three remaining corpses belonged to Johnny.
Around three months ago, Violette finally accepted submitting to a DNA test upon
her return from a nine-month visit to her children in Australia.
“She never trusted the Lebanese Army Command or the Lebanese authorities because
they were depriving her of her right to know [her son’s fate],” said Ghazi Aad,
founder of the NGO Support of Lebanese in Detention and Exile (SOLIDE), when
asked why Violette refrained from submitting to the test earlier.
Violette had been led on by numerous Lebanese authorities since her son’s
disappearance almost 20 years ago. On October 13, 1990 the Lebanese army
reported that Johnny Nassif had died in a battle that took place in the village
of Dahr al-Wahesh during the Liberation War against Syria launched by former
Army Commander Michel Aoun. Violette had searched for her son in the nearby
military hospitals for several days following the battle but could not find him.
Two months later, the family received a Lebanese army communiqué saying that
Johnny and five other soldiers were not killed on October 13.
According to Aad, Violette followed the actions of many other families of
missing soldiers and started contacting Syrian officers and the Lebanese
officials close to them to see if they had any information on her son’s
whereabouts. She even managed to receive a visiting permit to a detention
facility in Syria in 1991. “Violette says she saw her son in Syria. I do not
know if she saw him very closely or from afar,” Aad told NOW.
Aad says it is possible Johnny and his comrades could have survived the battle
of October 13, 1990 and been taken as prisoners to Syria, where they were killed
and then transferred back to the mass grave in Yarze. He notes that the Syrians
controlled the Defense Ministry and indeed the entire country during the nearly
30-year period they occupied Lebanon.
“They had a lot of time to cover up what they did,” he said. He also pointed out
that no tests were carried out to pinpoint the date the soldiers died.
Further evidence Johnny may not have died in battle comes with the story of
Officer Robert Abu Serhal, whose remains were identified in the Yarze grave in
2005 and who was reportedly seen alive after October 13, 1990. Abu Serhal was
allegedly abducted by the Syrian army on October 14, 1991 from Aad’s friend’s
home in Monte Verde and seen “safe and sound” by another army officer who
happened to be passing on the road when Abu Serhal was taken to Syria. The army
officer attempted to convince the Syrians to take Abu Serhal to the Defense
Ministry, but he said they told him the issue was “none of his business.” Later
in 2005, an Iraqi refugee who was applying for political asylum at the United
Nations Higher Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) headquarters in Beirut reported
that Abu Serhal was imprisoned with him in Syria in the early 1990s.
Yet a former Red Cross volunteer who had worked on the battlefield in 1990 and
who was present when the Yarze mass grave was unearthed in 2005 says he saw
Johnny Nassif being buried. He said that the Red Cross had wrapped the bodies
and tagged them with numbers in the week following the battle in 1990. They had
also filmed the soldiers’ faces and the tags on their bodies as they were being
handed over to the Lebanese army before their burial in the mass grave on
October 24, 1990. “Most soldiers were shot in their heads, and their bodies were
piled on top of each other,” he said. The footage, however, has disappeared.
Some families were given the wrong corpses during the war, but when the mass
grave was excavated the bodies were exchanged, the volunteer said, pointing out
that two more bodies had been added to the grave after the first group was
buried.
Regardless of what happened, Aad claims that Lebanese army officials would
deceive the families of the missing and would “strengthen the families’ beliefs
that their sons were detained in Syria” and promise that they were
investigating. He cites the yearly visits Lebanese army officials would make to
families of the missing on Army Day, including Violette Nassif and Sonia Eid,
the president of the Commission of Parents of Missing, who is still looking for
her son, a Lebanese soldier detained by the Syrian army in Lebanon in 1990 when
he was 20 years old.
“Although the news was heartbreaking, Violette Nassif was at least able to know
her son’s fate, 19 years after his disappearance,” says another mother of a
missing soldier.
Amid all the complications and with so many unanswered questions, Aad believes
the best way to deal with the issue of the missing is to establish a national
commission of inquiry that would map Lebanese territories and record how many
people disappeared from 1975 to 2005. The committee would have access to the
Internal Security Forces and Army Intelligence archives. “We also need to
classify the missing persons into two groups: those who were kidnapped by local
militias and those who were abducted by regional powers such as Syria, the
Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel.” He also wants the establishment
of a DNA database of unearthed remains.
Aad argues that no matter where the bodies of the missing are found, Lebanese
authorities are responsible for investigating how they were killed and by whom.
“Our cause is not based on hope but on our right to know. Hope fluctuates, so it
is a matter of rights.”
Orphan state
William Harris , November 18, 2009
Now Lebanon/
What is the purpose of a Lebanese national dialogue when any participant who
might whisper that the Lebanese state should have command over all its territory
knows that he (women have no role in the “national dialogue”) risks being
labeled a traitor? In such an atmosphere it is best to be realistic and
fatalistic about the longevity of the Resistance’s weapons. Why question the
tide of history? The weaponry will probably prove a principal element in an
eventful ride into the unknown in South Lebanon, and whoever drives events, for
sure it won’t include the Lebanese state. Que Será, Será – Whatever will be,
will be.
Is there really no choice? Lebanon’s best weapon is perhaps simply to be a
strong democratic state, its strength illustrated by state monopoly of force, a
proud national army, and refusal to sign any peace that does not address its
requirements.
Overall, the indefinite postponement of a state monopoly of force can only mean
further fraying of the already-tattered fabric of state and society in Lebanon.
Lebanon will evolve as two countries that are organically intertwined, but one
will be excluded from war and peace decisions, making it ever more desperate for
a divorce. This is a poisonous domestic scenario.
The coexistence of a national resistance and a national army, the former having
precedence over the latter, can only demoralize the state army. It is really
hard to see the situation in any other way. Further, despite its social and
welfare wings, Hezbollah has admitted that it cannot carry the full apparatus of
a state in the territories it controls. The people need the services, policing
and justice that only the state can provide, but these activities cannot
function seriously when the state is a subordinate partner that does not hold
the monopoly of force.
Of course Lebanon must have enlarged and highly robust defensive capabilities in
the hands of its national army. Such capability is the cornerstone of any
national defense strategy and any agreement for decommissioning private weapons.
Lebanon is in a state of war with one neighbor, and faces continuous
destabilizing infiltration from the other. In manpower and training, the
national army presents a viable platform for the necessary military
reinforcement. However, if the army has to persevere much longer as a
poorly-regarded secondary force, this viability will corrode.
The way forward depends on the balance of sentiment within the Shia community.
As long as the majority of the community feels it needs Hezbollah’s armed wing
for external security and to hold up the community within Lebanon, state
monopoly of force cannot be implemented. Hezbollah’s majority has become so
sufficiently entrenched that only extraordinary events or an extraordinary
political initiative could substantially shift the Shia balance.
Any political initiative would have to go beyond the standard Lebanese national
dialogue. Presumably it would involve bringing forward constitutional change to
the top of the agenda, for example abolition of sectarian allocations in
parliamentary elections and/or a presidential council with a rotating chair.
Political sectarianism cannot suddenly evaporate, considering Lebanon’s
fundamental character as a collection of communities. Nonetheless, that does not
preclude concepts for a new pluralistic compact. The problem is that it is
impossible to have a genuine constitutional debate, let alone a legitimate
outcome, in an environment in which at least half the country feels intimidated
and overshadowed by private weaponry.
Hezbollah’s situation is obviously connected to external factors. The party’s
Iranian and Syrian partners remain committed to its armed wing. Iran and Syria
apparently oppose the right of the Lebanese state to monopoly of force. For
Iran, Hezbollah represents a deterrent against an Israeli strike on its nuclear
facilities, which is from the perspective of the Iranian regime a logical
strategic investment. This is potentially a double-edged sword for Hezbollah,
however. There is a reasonable chance that the party’s Shia public would react
badly to damages perceived as resulting from servicing Iran.
By the same token, Hezbollah’s championing the doctrine of Wilayat al-Faqih
(Guardianship of the Jurist), which is controversial for Shia in general and not
a natural orientation of Lebanese Shia, may have a similar souring effect.
These are speculative developments. What is not speculative is the commitment of
the international community, expressed through multiple UN Security Council
resolutions, to state monopoly of force in Lebanon. In the world beyond the
parochial boundaries of Middle Eastern affairs, state monopoly of force is an
existential matter for the global family of nations. We know why it does not
apply in Lebanon and we know the status quo will carry on, but the fundamental
position of the international community will also not change.
*William Harris is professor of politics at the University of Otago in New
Zealand.
Amin Gemayel On the MTV
November 18, 2009
On November 17, the website of the March 14 forces, www.14march.org, carried the
following report:
The leader of the Lebanese Kataeb Party, Amin Gemayel, announced that despite
the “blame addressed to allies in regard to the government formation, the party
will carry out its full responsibilities in the cabinet as a whole and in the
Ministry of Social Affairs, where we will show our effectiveness through an
efficient program and a prompt handling of the issues which are within this
portfolio’s jurisdiction and the other sectors related to social affairs.”
He then denied any knowledge of the “ministerial portfolio offered to the Kataeb
Party or the name of the minister to which it was given,” indicating that this
issue was now overcome and that the party eventually adopted its decision and
will assume its responsibilities. “Prime Minister Hariri did not contact me
following the government formation to clarify his position, but rather to look
into future matters. Since the beginning, we in the Kataeb politburo decided to
turn the page, even if with some bitterness, and announced our determination to
continue and move forward.”
In statements to MTV, Gemayel said: “We must give the government the opportunity
to prove it was purely made in Lebanon, and as long as everyone is flaunting
that, let us place them before this reality. The formation of the government,
despite its flaws, had salvaged the institutions just like what happened when
the president of the republic was elected. There are some political issues which
we have not accomplished yet and we are struggling to ensure their
accomplishment. We hope we will turn the dark pages of assassinations.”
He then stressed the necessity “to revive the institutions, use the entry of
Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri to the government house with all its glow and give
this government an opportunity without focusing on the painful events [of the
past]. Martyrs like Rafik al-Hariri and Pierre Gemayel should be a lesson and a
motivation.” Regarding the ministerial statement, Gemayel said: “During the
meetings of the committee to draft the ministerial statement, we will listen to
the opinions of others and they will listen to ours. Therefore, our position
will stem from the logic of the law and the principle of non- isolation. We
should not rush the issuance of the ministerial statement and all things should
be discussed calmly.”
He pointed out that Hezbollah was a partner in this country, but that
logically-speaking, partnership is represented by patriotic feelings. He asked:
“Where is the principle of partnership and citizenship when a team points its
arms in your face? We are demanding an equal dialogue on the basis of logic.
There should be a constructive dialogue over the arms issue, since what was
reached during the debates around the dialogue table was the July war.” He then
reiterated his position by saying: “The arms are one of the main topics in the
ministerial statement and this will therefore require time in the hope of
reaching results.” Regarding the Kataeb Party’s relations with the March 14
forces, Gemayel stressed that the Kataeb Party was an inherent part of March 14
and that even if all the other sides were to leave it, the Kataeb will not.
“This alliance is not a narrow framework or a group of parties. It is a spirit
and a revolution... Let no one try to outbid us at this level. However, we must
reconsider the implementation mechanism and how to deal with each other, but not
at the level of the general secretariat. We will no longer participate in the
meetings of the March 14 general secretariat and are demanding another
framework. At the same time, we highly appreciate Dr. Fares Soueid and recognize
his sacrifices. Nonetheless, the situation extends beyond him.” Gemayel assured
on the other hand that he supported “President Michel Sleiman who is playing an
important role despite his [limited] prerogatives and is trying to bring the
conflicting sides closer together,” stressing the importance of seeking
Christian unity as the gateway for national unity and pointing out: “The
dialogue efforts which have started with the head of the Marada Movement, Deputy
Sleiman Franjieh, and the Tashnag Party, fall in this context. Once the
relations with General Aoun are ripe, we will meet with him. However, until
then, no joint committee will be formed with the Free Patriotic Movement...”
Asked about the relation with Syria, he said: “I always had positive things to
say about Syria and we always corroborated the necessity to establish good ties
with the Syrians. A recovered, sovereign and independent Lebanon that is
maintaining its relations in the region is for the best interest of Syria,”
warning against “its program, [since its] implementation will pressure the
Lebanese government and its prime minister. It is unfortunate that its means of
pressure are often disliked or rather illegitimate. Syria does not like seeing
any politician in Lebanon outside its control, and would rather see the arrival
of people whom it can influence.” Regarding the demarcation of the
Lebanese-Syrian border, the head of the Kataeb Party believed: “The Syrian
position toward the Shebaa Farms issue is dubious and as long as Lebanon has not
received the documents confirming that these Farms are Lebanese, our work within
the international forums has no legal bases. The Syrians should provide us with
these documents so that the Lebanese identity of the Farms is recognized on the
international level.”
In response to a question regarding whether or not Hariri will be asked to put
forward the demarcation issue in the event of a visit to Syria, Gemayel said:
“We are making these demands live on the air and in private gatherings.”
Regarding the investigation into the assassination of Minister Pierre Gemayel,
he assured: “The investigations will reach results imminently. It is important
for justice to return to Lebanon. A crime committed in the middle of the day
should not go by without knowing who perpetrated it as soon as possible. Maybe
we will have a lead and eventually reach results through the international
investigation.” He then revealed that official information was delivered to the
family, “saying that I and my son Sami are under threat and should be careful.
Right now however, I have no new information about the assassination.”
Abboud: Aoun is not Hitler
Date: November 19th, 2009
LBC/Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud confirmed Thursday that none within the Free
Patriotic Movement intends to stage a coup against the party, stressing that
such allegations are groundless. Abboud commented on the recent dispute between
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun and FPM official and for Deputy
Prime Minister Issam Abu Jamra, saying the media blew it out of proportion. Such
reactions are normal in political parties, Abboud told the Lebanese Broadcasting
Corporation LBC.
He denounced those who accuse Aoun of Dictatorship and portray him as German
leader Adolph Hitler, asserting that Aoun has no inclinations to monopolize
power within the FPM, instead Aoun is for all the Lebanese. Some local media
reported that the growing conflict between two increasingly divergent groups
within the FPM: General Michel Aoun’s inner circle, and others who describe
themselves as the FPM “opposition.”Sources close to the FPM opposition say that
the major dispute is centered on Aoun’s plan to create a structure that would
allow his son-in-law, Gibran Bassil, to become his deputy president. Apparently,
many fear that this coveted position would be given to Bassil largely in order
to keep the considerable political and financial power it carries within Aoun’s
immediate family.Minister Abboud called on the Maronite Patriarch Mar Nasrallah
Boutros Sfeir “to disengage from political issues” because his interference
according to Abboud “harms the stature of Bkirki,” noting that the glory of
Bkirki is not only bestowed upon the Maronites, but also upon all the Lebanese
of all communities and sects.”“There is a global tendency to form public-private
partnerships to overcome bribery and corruption,” said Abboud, adding that it
does not go against the recommendations of the Paris III Conference and would
pave the way for full privatization. The minister also said that his bloc, the
Change and Reform, decided to participate in the government to cooperate with
other blocs and not to instigate disputes, stressing he is against wasting the
state’s resources not against privatization.
Abboud hailed the economic approach of Prime Minister Saad Hariri and his
determination aimed at creating job opportunities away from illogical bickering
and futile debates.
Ministerial portfolios blowup FPM
Date: November 19th, 2009
Future News
A huge dispute erupted lately within the ranks of the Free Patriortic Movement
(FPM) after the formation of the new cabinet, media outlets reported Thursday.
Prominent figures in the party led by former Vice Premier Issam Abu Jamra
objected to the names chosen by the FPM leader Michel Aoun to represent the
movement in the cabinet and to the hegemony of Energy Minister Gebran Bassil
over decision making in the Aouni party being the one who selected Charbel Nahas
to head the telecommunication ministry.
Aoun responded to the protests of retired Lieutenant General Abu Jamra who
criticized what he called “the general’s mistake” by confirming that he took the
right options.
Aoun told a press conference in the aftermath of the FPM weekly meeting held in
Rabieh Wednesday “Every partisan has a role to play. We were allotted specific
portfolios and we were seeking to appoint the best potentials we have.”
Abu Jamra who bore the responsibility of “inciting” the Aounist public opinion
against their leader for dominating the selection of the movement’s
representatives in the cabinet and for choosing ministers who are not of the
movement’s partisans, confirmed that he held a lengthy discussion with Aoun
minutes before the latter’s meeting with Premier Saad Hariri.
Abu Jamra asserted that he discussed with Aoun the latter’s cabinet options just
before “Aoun met Hariri in Rabieh and declared the names of his movement’s
ministers.”
Abu Jamra told the almustaqbal.org that he submitted a written protest to Aoun
afterwards threatening to take action if his demands were not taken into
consideration.
An informed source told the Saudi Okaz newspaper on the condition of anonymity
“first rank leaders in the party led by Abu Jamra and two deputies of the Reform
and Change bloc held meetings exclaiming willingness to go further with their
escalation.
“The protestors intend to hold a general reformative conference that initiates
the coming steps to be taken,” the source said adding “some mediators interfered
to resolve the crisis within the FPM, but was faced with Minister Bassil’s
adamant stance as he refused to negotiate with the protestors.”