LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
December 06/08
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 9,27-31. And as Jesus
passed on from there, two blind men followed (him), crying out, "Son of David,
have pity on us!"When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and
Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" "Yes, Lord," they said
to him. Then he touched their eyes and said, "Let it be done for you according
to your faith." And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, "See that
no one knows about this." But they went out and spread word of him through all
that land.
Saint Anselm (1033-1109), monk, Bishop, Doctor of the Church
Proslogion 1, (trans. Sr Benedicta Ward)
"Of you my heart speaks:... your presence, Lord, I seek. Hide not your face from
me" (Ps 27[26],8)
Now, my whole heart, say to God: «I seek your face; Lord, it is your face that I
seek» (Ps 27[26],8). O Lord, my God, teach my heart where and how to seek you,
where and how to find you. Lord, if you are not here but absent, where shall I
seek you? But you are everywhere, so you must be here; why then do I not seek
you? Surely you dwell in light inaccessible – where is it? And how can I have
access to light which is inaccessible? Who will lead me and take me into it so
that I may see you there? By what signs, under what forms, shall I seek you? I
have never seen you, O Lord my God, I have never seen your face. Most High Lord,
what shall an exile do who is as far away from you as this? What shall your
servant do, eager for your love, cast off far from your face? He longs to see
you but your countenance is too far away. He wants to have access to you, but
your dwelling is inaccessible. He longs to find you but he does not know where
you are. He loves to seek you but he does not know your face. Lord, you are my
Lord and my God, and I have never seen you. You have created and recreated me;
all the good I have comes from you, and still I do not know you. I was created
to see you and I have not yet accomplished that for which I was made. How
wretched is the fate of man when he has lost that for which he was created...
Let me seek you by desiring you, and desire you by seeking you; let me find you
by loving you and love you in finding you.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Both
March 8 and March 14 have undermined the Lebanese state-The
Daily Star 05/12/08
Making sense of Aoun's latest gambit.By
Marc J. Sirois 05/12/08
After
Mumbai: The Terror Attacks Will Be Worse, Here’s What Lies Ahead. By Walid
Phares 05/12/08
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for December
05/08
Harb
Ridicules Aoun-Naharnet
U.N.
To Help Lebanon's Election Process-Naharnet
Sheikh Qabalan: Reconciliation is a Must-Naharnet
Pope of the Orient!-Naharnet
Hizbullah Proud by Aoun's
Courage-Naharnet
Muallem: Embassy by Year-End,
Ambassador Appointment to Take Place Gradually-Naharnet
Gemayel: Dialogue is Hypnotism to Tame People-Naharnet
Obama’s New Foreign Policy Team Looks Toward Syria-Forward
Lebanon 'immune' to financial crisis-BBC
News
Berri: Elections on Time at Any Price-Naharnet
Security Council 'Consensus' on International Tribunal-Naharnet
Assailants Steal Car with Saudi Plate after Beating Up Lebanese Driver-Naharnet
Shibani Tells Sfeir There
is Always an Open Invitation for Him-Naharnet
Murr: Suleiman Alone
Negotiates on Behalf of Lebanon-Naharnet
Aoun: Media Misguidance
Will Not Affect Us Electorally-Naharnet
Qassem: Aoun Paving Way
for New Alliances and Alter Balance of Power-Naharnet
Suleiman Wants Arabs to
Deal with Lebanon's President-Naharnet
March 14 Committed to
Implement National Dialogue Decisions-Naharnet
French-Syrian Media War
over Aoun's Damascus Visit-Naharnet
Saniora to Subsidize Fuel
Oil Prices-Naharnet
Hizbullah Says it is Sure
to Win 2009 Legislative Polls-Naharnet
Assad to Aoun: Syria Will
Not Return to Lebanon No Matter What-Naharnet
Suspect in Connection with
Attack on Harqous to Stay in Custody, 2 Others Freed-Naharnet
Aoun uses Syrian stage to accuse UN of coddling
Israel-Daily Star
Sleiman urges foreign countries to deal only with
head of state-Daily Star
Would multiple arms suppliers be blessing or curse
for LAF? Daily Star
'Lebanese-American tortured in UAE after Washington-backed arrest'(AFP)
Salameh
urges Lebanese banks to offer more loans-Daily
Star
Siniora pledges subsidized fuel oil for winter-Daily
Star
Lebanon well-positioned to become hub for IT services-Daily
Star
Lebanese consumer prices still climbing despite lower costs-Daily
Star
International Surgeons College gets Lebanese rector-Daily
Star
USAID
gives Saint Joseph University $50,000-Daily
Star
Lawyer's acquittal hailed as 'victory' for free speech-Daily
Star
Lebanese, French troops on joint maneuvers near Naqoura-Daily
Star
Freeing the minds behind the bars of Lebanon's most notorious prison-Daily
Star
Aoun uses Syrian stage to
accuse UN of coddling Israel
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Friday, December 05, 2008
Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Michel Aoun accused the United Nations on
Thursday of "covering up all harms committed by Israel against the Palestinian
people," adding that the world body "resolves world problems based on the will
of great powers." "The United Nations has always failed to condemn Israel due to
the veto right and we see it in oil fields with or without a resolution," Aoun
said during a lecture at Damascus University.
"Some [powers] are exerting pressures to abrogate the Palestinians' right of
return to their homeland," he added.
He also accused "major powers of playing a role in preventing the return to
normal relations between Lebanon and Syria." Aoun did not identify these powers
by name.
The FPM leader also defended his memorandum of understanding with Hizbullah,
which was signed in early 2006, saying it "reflected on our community, enabled
us to maintain our national unity and helped the resistance achieve victory in
the most ferocious war staged by Israel against Lebanon."
The understanding "empowered us against external threats ... and despite all
obstacles we achieved national harmony around the resistance, its principles and
targets," he added. Aoun also praised the "miracles achieved by resistance
fighters" against Israel during the summer 2006 war.
He added that "terror groups in North Lebanon have a specific ideology," the
source of which "no one is ignorant of." He added that no one is ignorant of the
source of "the groups' financial resources," either. Aoun also said he had "many
reservations about the Taif Accord because there is no equality between
constitutional institutions, especially between the Lebanese presidency and
premiership."
Aoun arrived in Syria on Wednesday to meet with top officials, including
President Bashar Assad. He was also expected to visit Christian holy sites
during his visit, which will last several days. Aoun met on Thursday with
Information Minister Mohsen Bilal and visited the Ummayyad Mosque in Damascus.
Aoun also clarified remarks he had made the previous day, in which he reportedly
urged Lebanese to apologize to their compatriots before asking for Syria's
apologies.
"When I called on the Lebanese people to apologize, I meant that they should
apologize to the Free Patriotic Movement, not to Syria; but some biased media
outlets tried to distort my speech," Aoun said. On Wednesday, Aoun met with
Syrian President Bashar Assad and told reporters afterward that before Lebanon
could demand a Syrian apology for atrocities committed during its 15-year
military presence, "those in Beirut" should apologize to their own people.
Aoun's remarks, which were interpreted by some as a call for the Lebanese to
apologize to Syria, were met with fierce criticism from the March 14 Forces.
In an interview with Future news television, Progressive Socialist Party leader
Walid Jumblatt said: "Aoun should have rather asked the Syrian regime to
apologize to the Syrian people for the massacres that it has committed in the
past; he should have also asked the Syrian regime to apologize for invading
Lebanon."
Hizbullah's number two, Sheikh Naim Qassem, defended Aoun's visit to Damascus.
"Many of those who visited Syria went there as thieves asking for high
positions; as for General Aoun, he went there to give and take for the sake of
his country," Qassem said on Thursday.
But MP Nayla Mouawad said the visit was an "insult to Lebanon's memory and a
cover for the Syrian regime's re-invasion of Lebanon."
In a statement released on Thursday, she accused Aoun of undermining efforts to
reach balanced relations between two free, independent and sovereign countries.
"No one asked Aoun to represent Eastern Christians and usurp the role of Bkirki,"
Mouawad added, referring to Lebanon's Maronite Church.
Another March 14 MP, Samir Franjieh, accused Aoun on Thursday of trying to "link
the Christians with the Syrian-Iranian coalition and isolate them from the Arab
and international communities." - Agencies, with The Daily Star
Sleiman urges foreign countries to deal only with head of state
Relations with syria on 'right track'
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Friday, December 05, 2008
President Michel Sleiman on Thursday urged foreign countries to only deal with
with his office, which he said was "in charge of [Lebanon's] relations with
other states." The remark came during a speech delivered to Arab ambassadors in
Berlin, where the president is on an official visit. Sleiman also stressed that
the Lebanese should use their good relations with Arab and other states in order
to achieve a common cause that benefits Lebanon's national interests.
"We have groups and parties that have links to, and relations with, this state
or that. This is a source of wealth," Sleiman said.
"These friendships should be invested in the interest of accord and in for the
sake of Lebanon," he added. But "we want [foreign] states to deal with the state
of Lebanon, specifically with the head of state," he stressed. "This does not
mean that at all states should not deal with friends, be they individuals or
groups, but there is a level for dealing with the head of state and [another]
level for dealing with others," Sleiman said. His remarks coincided with a visit
to Syria by Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, who was received by
President Bashar Assad on Wednesday.
Sleiman said Lebanon's relations with Syria have "been placed on the proper
track ... They are based on frankness between President Bashar Assad and
myself."
Beirut and Damascus plan to exchange diplomatic missions and ambassadors before
the end of the year, Sleiman noted.
"This would be followed by cooperation to counter terrorism," he added.
On his last day in Germany, the president also met with members of the Lebanese
diaspora there. He was expected to arrive in Beirut late Thursday.
In a speech delivered to the Lebanese expatriates, Sleiman said that Lebanon was
able to restore its leading role in the region as a country of "dialogue,
forgiveness and justice." He also reiterated that relations with Syria were on
the right track. The visiting Lebanese president also met Thursday with German
ministers and heads of parliamentary committees. The Central News Agency said
that a meeting between Defense Minister Elias Murr and his German counterpart
resulted in an agreement to provide the Lebanese Army with tanks, in addition to
training personnel tasked with controlling the country's borders.
Sleiman arrived in Germany on Wednesday and met with President Horst Koehler and
Chancellor Angela Merkel. In a separate development, Progressive Socialist Party
(PSP) leader Walid Jumblatt said late Wednesday that reconciliation with
Damascus was not possible and stressed that the March 14 coalition wanted to win
the 2009 parliamentary elections to avoid a return to Syrian "tutelage."
"Reconciliation with the Syrian regime is impossible," Jumblatt told Future News
television in an interview. Jumblatt said that Syria had "stopped assassinations
only to focus on winning the Lebanese elections in order to rule us again at the
political, economic and security levels without returning militarily."
Damascus has denied any role in the string of assassinations that have rocked
Lebanon since that of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005.
"I know the structure of the Syrian regime and I know that they have no mercy
for anyone," Jumblatt added. The PSP chief said that Syrian meddling had not
stopped. "The method, however, has changed," he said. On Middle East peace
talks, Jumblatt insisted he did not want to link Lebanon's fate to
Syrian-Israeli negotiations. "I don't want Lebanon to be a bargaining chip," he
said.Regarding a reconciliation with Hizbullah, Jumblatt said: "I saw that there
is no benefit from a meeting at the political level. Main topics are to be
discussed during the dialogue." He added that political differences did not
necessarily mean that war was likely to happen.
Turning to the 2009 parliamentary elections, Jumblatt said the March 14 Forces'
goal was to win the polls to "continue the march toward independence."
"We want to win the elections to strengthen the independence march," he said.
"If the March 8 Forces win, [Syrian] tutelage will return."
"The borders with Syria remain the source of terrorism," he added. Commenting on
the Special Tribunal to try those accused in Hariri's assassination, Jumblatt
said that it was "unique," adding: "Nothing like it has been seen since World
War II."
He added that he gave his testimony to previous UN investigator Detlev Mehlis
and that he was looking forward to going to The Hague to testify.
Also on Thursday, Hizbullah said it was sure of a March 8 victory in next year's
legislative elections but would still seek to form a national unity government
with anti-Syrian rivals.
"We want to make it clear from now that we will want to establish a national
unity government" with the Sunni-led coalition that is backed by the United
States and Saudi Arabia, Nawaf al-Moussawi, a top Hizbullah official, told
AFP."No one can lead Lebanon on his own and without consensus," Moussawi said.
He added that Hizbullah felt confident of reversing the slim majority which its
rivals currently hold in Parliament.
The international community has made it clear that it would closely watch the
parliamentary elections next year that could see Hizbullah and its allies grab
the majority.
Such a scenario would deal a major blow to the current Western-backed ruling
parties in Parliament which rode to power in 2005 amid a wave of anti-Syrian
sentiment following Hariri's assassination. Damascus has denied any role in the
killing.
The opposition, which includes Hizbullah, has veto power over major decisions in
the current national unity government formed in July following a political
crisis that brought Lebanon to the brink of civil war.The crisis was defused
following a Qatari-brokered deal in May that led to Sleiman being elected
president, the formation of a national unity government and a new electoral law
being drawn up.
Also on Thursday, parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri met with US
Ambassador Michele Sison. - With AFP
Would multiple arms suppliers be blessing or curse for LAF?
Washington has already started sending equipment, but others are lining up
By Nicholas Kimbrell /Daily Star staff
Friday, December 05, 2008
BEIRUT: President Michel Sleiman asked German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung
Thursday for military aid in the form of tanks but the request could not be
immediately accepted because it would have to be passed by the German National
Security Council, a senior German government source told The Daily Star.
The source added that German law forbids military sales to conflict zones, in
which Lebanon is included. News of the request, already reported in the Lebanese
media, has nevertheless added to the speculation over how - and by whom - the
Lebanese Army is being armed.
Indeed, according to senior diplomatic officials and recent foreign military
communiques, a collection of foreign powers is training and rearming the
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), or at least offering to do so.The United States is
providing the lion's share of equipment and training in the form of military aid
packages, now coordinated through the US-Lebanese Joint Military Commission
established in October.
The US has pledged $410 million in military aid to Lebanon. In addition, the US
Military Education and Training fund for Lebanon has increased by 50 percent
this year.To date, Washington has sent 285 Humvees, with 312 more slated for
delivery in March, hundreds of trucks, dozens of artillery pieces and
ambulances, according to a US Defense Department press release issued Monday.
Millions of rounds of ammunition, spare helicopter parts and shoulder-fired
rockets have also been supplied. In addition, the US military is also planning
to deliver M-60A3 battle tanks to the LAF.
In an interview with The Daily Star in late October, US Ambassador Michele Sison
outlined some of Washington's motivations for the assistance.
"When you look at the planning for the support of the Lebanese Armed Forces,
you'll see that after the very valiant performance of the LAF with many
casualties and many losses of life after Nahr Al-Bared there was a quick
decision to assist," she said then, stressing the importance of the joint panel.
Sison also spoke about the method of weapons deliveries. "I'll tell you a little
bit about the US equipment procurement pipeline," she said. "All of this amount
has been contracted, for the $410 million. We've had a large quantity of that
delivered. I would term the rest of that as in the pipeline ... We will
highlight continuing deliveries through this pipeline."In Monday's Defense
Department statement, widely quoted in the Lebanese press, Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Near East and South Asian Affairs Chris Straub
emphasized the US role in "helping to build up the Lebanese Armed Forces."
Straub said that Washington always considered Israel's concerns before providing
military aid to Lebanon, adding that night vision equipment and unmanned aerial
vehicles will be delivered. He also said that "the next step is more capability
in the air, thinking in terms of not only being able to transport things via
air, but have a precise close-air support capability."
General David Petraeus, commander of the US Central Command, visited Lebanon on
Tuesday and was reported to have discussed US aid to the LAF with US Embassy and
Lebanese officials. But other international players have also shown interest in
arming the LAF. In a high-profile visit to Moscow in Mid-November, US-backed
Future movement and parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri met with senior
Russian officials; and, according to Russian news reports, military aid was one
of the topics discussed.
But Hariri's visit was quickly mired in controversy after uncorroborated Russian
news reports that he had offered to establish ties with the breakaway Georgian
provinces, South Ossetia and Abkazia, over which Russia and Georgia fought a
brief war in August.
Speaking with The Daily Star, the Georgian ambassador to Lebanon, Jordan and
Iraq, Ekaterine Mikadze, questioned the legitimacy of the reports and said that
Russia was interested in reasserting its Cold War influence in the region
through various methods, including arms sales.
"Russia is really trying to revive the paradigm of the Cold War particularly in
the Middle East," she said.
She also said that she thought the Russian press had purposefully tried to
manipulate Hariri's visit and comments, citing the fact the Georgia places
economic sanctions on any person, corporation or country that establishes ties
with the breakaway provinces.
During her most recent visit to Lebanon Mikadze said: "I was assured by the
Lebanese government that they fully support Georgian territorial integrity,
independence and sovereignty." She repeated this sentiment after a meeting with
Hariri.
The Vremia Novosti report quoted Hariri as saying that Russia would help supply
Lebanon with heavy weapons. Hariri had reportedly told the Interfax News Agency
that American support was limited to light weapons, and that Lebanon was in need
of more powerful equipment, like "tanks and artillery."
He was also quoted as saying that these needs would be met when Defense Minister
Elias Murr, responsible in principle for signing weapons agreements, visited
Russia. Murr, currently on a visit to Germany with Sleiman, was not available
for comment. But an aide close to the minister said that a trip to Moscow was
planned for the coming weeks.A spokesman for the Russian Embassy in Lebanon,
Vladimir Cherpamnoov, said that he had no details on Hariri's reported comments
during his Moscow visit.
Defense analyst and retired LAF General Elias Hanna, said that since Hariri's
visit there seemed to have been a tacit Russian promise to supply arms, but that
nothing had come of it. He added that Syria and Iran have also made promises of
weapons, but had tied them to specific terms. "When you get arms from multiple
sources, it's a burden," he argued. When asked whether he thought Moscow would
sell weapons to Lebanon he said, "Maybe, but for what kinds of weapons and for
what kind of units ? ... We don't have a defense strategy [yet]."
Adding to the list of potential arms suppliers, last week Sleiman visited Iran,
a staunch supporter of Hizbullah, and news reports suggested that the two
countries had come to a agreement that could involve mid-range weapons and
rockets. Commenting on the rearmament of the LAF and the growing list of
potential arms suppliers, Paul Salem, the director of the Carnegie Middle East
Center, told The Daily Star that "armament [of the LAF] is important and welcome
... The last time there was a serious effort was in the '80s."But he noted that
Lebanon "is not in a position to enforce its sovereignty," and that along with
the lack of "real structural recognition," the army would be limited, as would
weapons supplies.
Salem added, echoing US officials, that Washington would not supply arms to
Lebanon that threatened Israel or made Israel uncomfortable. He also said Turkey
was on the list of countries looking to arm the LAF. "It reflects the current
state the region is in," he said. "No one has won, and no one has entirely
lost." - With additional reporting by Fidelius Schmid
'Lebanese-American tortured in UAE after Washington-backed arrest'
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Friday, December 05, 2008
LOS ANGELES: An American of Lebanese descent was tortured in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) after Washington requested his arrest, a leading US civil rights
group said Wednesday. American Naji Hamdan was released from state security
custody after months of detention and moved to a regular prison in Abu Dhabi
only after a California branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
filed a lawsuit on his behalf, the group said in a statement.
Hamdan suffered "severe torture" while under state security custody, the ACLU
said. Hamdan, who lived in Los Angeles for 20 years before moving to the UAE in
2006, was allowed to call to his brother Hossam Hamdan, also from Los Angeles,
on December 2, to relay the information, the ACLU said.
The statement said that Hamdan had told his brother that his captors routinely
beat him and kept him in a freezing underground room during his detention by
state security forces. Hamdan also told his brother that the torture "was so
severe that he often passed out from the pain," the group said.
Hamdan, who ran an auto-parts business and helped manage an Islamic mosque and
community center in the Los Angeles area, was under FBI surveillance when he
lived in the US, the ACLU said. FBI agents traveled to the UAE at mid-year to
question Hamdan, and some three weeks later Hamdan "was detained by agents of
the UAE state security forces," the ACLU said. The ACLU has filed a petition in
a federal district court in Washington DC alleging that UAE officials detained
Hamdan "at the behest of the US government." - AFP
Lebanon well-positioned to become hub for IT services
By Will Donovan/Special to The Daily Star
Friday, December 05, 2008
BEIRUT: Lebanon is well-positioned to offer web development, digital marketing,
and information technology services to local, regional and international
clients, according to several owners and partners of companies in and around
Beirut. These experts agreed that Lebanon's global position for IT services,
outsourcing and off-shoring capabilities is unique, due to its geographical
location, its multilingual talents, its cultural convergences between East and
West, and its excellent technical education opportunities. Marcel Farjallah,
partner and chief programmer at Fluid Design & Media, said that "as a Lebanese
business, for the rest of the world, we can usually provide the same or more
expertise for lower prices when compared by with Western businesses."
Multilingual web-platforms are a hallmark of Lebanese quality, and an obvious
advantage of contracting with a Lebanese firm. Joe Hage, CEO of eSharing, told
The Daily Star that "almost every customer asks for translation services, and we
have an entire team devoted to this."
"Quality is the advantage in Lebanon," said Nassib Haddad, managing director of
nhgraphics. "It is quite impressive for a country that is so small and has such
limited resources ... but look at what's coming out of Lebanon, and look at the
many satisfied clients."
Lebanon's web sector is currently benefiting from the global financial crises in
two ways. On the matter of the global slowdown, Hage said, "In order to edge the
competition, in the hard times, even in the United States, corporate decision
makers believe [a downturn] to be a good time to optimize their business ... A
downturn is a positive for us."
At the same time, the local Lebanese market has remained fairly insulated from
the global problems, and in fact has prospered as foreign Lebanese nationals
have transferred an enormous amount of capital to Lebanese banks. The pace of
this new influx of money has quickened in tandem to an increase in political
stability, and Haddad acknowledged that due to "good times in Lebanon," there
are "bigger budgets for innovation and investment." This combination of local
stability, international recession, and Lebanese prosperity creates a favorable
business environment for marketing professionals in general, and web development
agencies in particular.
On the matter of local projects, Haddad, Hage and Farjallah were in agreement
that the Lebanese market is both very competitive and open.
All griped about local "developers" with limited expertise who are a problem for
"more capable, professional developers," as Farjallah put it. "As a result, for
small web-design projects, there is a lot of competition and the client rarely
know the difference between good and bad ... agencies."
Haddad seconded this, saying that, "people who take a couple courses ... call
themselves experts!"
This has increased a sense among the larger and more accomplished agencies that
strong referral networks are the key to business development in the Mideast
region. Reputation, portfolio, word of mouth and referral remain far more
important than advertising for small-to-medium projects. However, for larger,
foreign projects, aggressive business development practices are still needed to
guarantee a strong lead pipeline.
"Being a Lebanese company is a big plus when dealing with the Gulf, and a plus
when dealing with the world," said Farjallah. "In the region, Lebanese are
usually well regarded, as engineers and people with skills. We have also been
more exposed to Western culture which can be argued to be the origin of the
regional activities today." On this, all were in agreement that an understanding
of how to leverage Western business, marketing and cultural practices was
important.
Though each company, eSharing, Fluid and nhgraphics, began differently in terms
of whether their initial client base was Lebanese or Western, all agreed that
their company's expertise and technical philosophies converged in Lebanon
between Middle Eastern and American/European. Above all else, all saw this as a
tactical advantage.
Lebanese, French troops on joint maneuvers near Naqoura
By Mohammed Zaatari
Daily Star staff/Friday, December 05, 2008/NAQOURA: Lebanese Armed Forces troops
and peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon's French
contingent performed joint military maneuvers on Thursday near the coastal town
of Naqoura, which hosts UNIFIL's headquarters. Six 155mm artillery guns were
used during the exercises, which took place within 500 meters of Lebanon's
border with Israel. Four of the guns were self-propelled models belonging to the
French contingent, whose soldiers also displayed their Mistral anti-aircraft
missiles. A UNIFIL military spokesman said that the maneuvers were aimed at
enhancing cooperation between the peacekeeping forces and the Lebanese Army.
"This is the third maneuver that we perform jointly with the Lebanese Army," he
said, describing Lebanese troops as "committed and professional."The maneuvers
were conducted under the command of UNIFIL's commander, General Claudio Graziano,
and Lebanese Army Brigadier General Reslan Hilweh.
Freeing the minds behind the bars of Lebanon's most notorious prison
Drama therapy gives convicted criminals opportunity to discover, communicate
their identities
By Dalila Mahdawi /Daily Star staff
Friday, December 05, 2008
ROUMIEH: In a large room hazy with cigarette smoke, 45 actors and musicians wait
for their play director, Zeina Daccache, to arrive and begin rehearsals. Painted
on the wall is a quote from Abraham Lincoln, "I have always found that mercy
bears richer fruits than strict justice." There is nothing particularly
remarkable about such a scenario, but it is the setting that is extraordinary.
The men waiting have been found guilty of drug dealing, rape, manslaughter or
theft and are all serving sentences in Roumieh Central Prison.
A drama therapist who worked previously with drug addicts and bereaved mothers
following the summer 2006 war, Daccache had a dream to bring theater to
Lebanon's biggest and most notorious men's prison. Today, with funding from the
European Union (EU) to l'Association pour la Defense des Droits et des Libertes
(ADDL) and in the framework of the Afkar II program managed by the Office of the
Minister of State for Administrative Reform, her dream is being realized.
After three months of auditions in 2007, Daccache's cast members began
rehearsals for "12 Angry Lebanese," adapted from the 1950s Reginald Rose play,
"12 Angry Men." Some of the prisoners play jury members deciding the fate of a
19-year-old accused of patricide, while others have together written and
composed songs about prison, human rights, capital punishment and justice. Some
deliver illuminating non-fictional monologues about their lives before prison or
about their crimes.
The idea of the play, said Daccache, was to give the men a platform where "they
could communicate identities other than that of the convicted criminal."
Prisoner Atef agreed: "Each person has multiple identities. Maybe when people
watch our play, they will see the good things in us and what we are capable of."
Although only a fraction of Roumieh's prisoners were involved in "12 Angry
Lebanese," Daccache emphasized the unifying force of the play.
"We have Nigerians, Iraqis, Bangladeshi, Palestinians, Egyptians and Syrians
acting, as well as Lebanese," said Daccache. "These 45 men collectively bring
the voices of the 4,000 prisoners in Roumieh together."
When Daccache finally arrives, she is greeted with a joyous uproar from her
actors. She has clearly made a good impression on them, for they hang on her
every word and respect her instructions. With the play set to begin performances
in February, there is not much time left to rehearse, and Daccache, or Abu Ali
(Father of Ali) as her actors have affectionately nicknamed her, immediately
begins to organize the cast. In one corner of the guarded room, talented
musicians and singers launch into the first song of the play, a tranquil guitar
and oud melody. Those acting as the jurors rehearse in the center of the room,
stopping every now and then to take in Daccache's comments and re-read their
lines.
Although drama therapy programs exist in the prisons of many Western countries,
Daccache's program at Roumieh is currently the only one in Lebanon. Watching the
rehearsals, it is clear she is providing a vital platform for her cast members
to educate and express themselves.
According to inmate Jamal, when the prison guards announced that auditions for a
play were to be held, "over 150 people tried out, simply for the sake of getting
out of their cells." But those who made the cast quickly became engaged in their
roles. Other than some activities organized by nongovernmental organizations and
computer and English classes taught by the prisoners themselves, there are very
few activities for Roumieh's 4,000 prisoners.
Many of the prisoners could not read or write before the play, said Daccache,
who has helped them learn to read their lines. Three classrooms are reportedly
currently under construction, however, and many are hoping Daccache's program
will secure enough funding to continue after February.
"Zeina sets our minds free," said Jamal. "She makes us feel as though we are not
in prison. When we start rehearsing, we forget our surroundings and concentrate
on working together and giving our best."Justin, a Nigerian prisoner, said
Daccache was the first person who had visited him in prison. "Before her, no one
would come to see us. I know we are prisoners, but we would like more
organizations to come and work with us," he said, adding that Daccache's
presence had revealed talents in the prisoners no one knew existed.
Daccache is also conducting a study on whether her prisoner-actors are
benefiting from the drama therapy program. So far, initial results have been
overwhelmingly positive. Speaking to the prisoners, the impact that the program
is having is obvious. "I used to always have nightmares about when and how they
would kill me," said one prisoner facing the death penalty. "Since Zeina came, I
don't think about it anymore."
"One year ago I still thought like a criminal," said another inmate. "Now I
don't want people like Zeina to come and find me in prison for a new crime ever
again. I've learned many things that perhaps if I'd learned at a younger age,
would have prevented me from ending up here. I can set targets and reach them."
Some of the cast members indicated they were even thinking about acting careers
when they finished their sentences.
Despite the program's clear success, Daccache said that getting it up and
running had proved difficult. "This is the product of meeting after meeting,"
she said. "Without the cooperation of [General Prosecutor] Said Mirza, Judge
Joyce Tabet, [Internal Security Forces (ISF) Police Chief] Antoine Chacour,
[Director General of the ISF] Ashraf Rifi, all the police on the ground, the
Lebanese Conservatoire and the ISF Orchestra, none of this would have ever
happened." Daccache said she hoped she would find the necessary funding to
continue the project.
As Daccache prepared to leave at the end of rehearsals, there was a discernable
feeling of optimism in the air. Working with Daccache, said one prisoner, had
taught him to accept advice and criticism, something that would have infuriated
him in the past. "We are here to express that we are human beings," he said. "We
have made many mistakes in our lives but we are still human beings."
For information about the conditions to see the play, call 03162573.
Both March 8 and March 14 have undermined the Lebanese
state
By The Daily Star /Friday, December 05, 2008
Editorial
Pressure has been applied from some quarters on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon
to hasten its work in investigating the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik
Hariri and proceeding with the prosecution of suspects. It frequently being the
case that justice delayed amounts to justice denied, such calls are desirable on
their face. The acceleration of the process, though, would not come without
complications: Years have been wasted in which the Lebanese state might have
been strengthened, and no regional consensus has been arrived at over how to
regard the Hariri court, meaning that if and when indictments are announced, the
reactions are liable to be highly destabilizing for this country.
This week's trips by President Michel Sleiman to Berlin and by Free Patriotic
Movement leader Michel Aoun to Damascus have one central element in common:
However they are sliced, at the core of each lies the continuing weakness of the
Lebanese state. Even the extremists at both ends of the current divide agree on
that. No such consensus will greet the indictments when they are released,
though, and one can expect that long before any trial begins, the propaganda
machines of various political parties will be "trying" the case in newspapers,
on radio, television and the Internet, and possibly in the streets.
All of this might have been avoided if the March 14 Forces, who have held the
balance of government power since Hariri's murder, had used their time to
explain their goals for this country - but they did not. Their rivals in the
March 8 camp might have done the same - but they did not live up their
responsibilities either. It is only fitting, then, that since they spent all
their time and energy battling one another and inflicting collateral damage on
the Lebanese state by further eroding its already inadequate foundations, they
now blame each other for the nation's predicament.
On the off chance that either of these groupings desires genuine democracy as
opposed to the "managed" electoral outcomes that both are seeking in most parts
of the country, there is still time to promulgate policy platforms that outline
their respective visions and therefore begin to define what the Lebanese state
should like like. Nebulous goals like avoiding more near-calamities like that
which took place in May - and therefore acquiescing in open-ended instability -
do not qualify.
Making sense of Aoun's latest gambit
By Marc J. Sirois /Daily Star staff
Friday, December 05, 2008
There is more than a dash of spectacle in Michel Aoun's visit to the capital
that forced him out of his homeland for a decade and a half, but the reaction of
his critics back here in Lebanon is every bit as entertaining. In Damascus, the
leader of Lebanon's Free Patriotic Movement is painting his visit as the most
natural of moves for a free patriot to undertake. In this show, he is no longer
playing the commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces and then supra-constitutional
prime minister who led a failed revolt against the Syrian military presence
during the end-game of the 1975-1990 Civil War. Instead, he sees himself as the
role of elder statesman and the head of the Lebanese Parliament's single-largest
Christian bloc who can deal - unofficially, he stresses - with Damascus now that
it no longer enjoys powers of "tutelage" over Beirut.
It is often difficult to reconcile the "statesman" bit with the former general's
mercurial personality, but from one perspective, his politics have been
amazingly consistent for a very long time. No one familiar with Aoun's longing
for the presidency and his talent for caste-based politics can doubt that he is
a product of his country's political system, and of his Maronite sect's favored
status within that system. But he and his allies would have it that unlike most
of his rivals for primacy of place within that community, the FPM leader is not
a prisoner of the system, that his priorities are national rather than tribal
ones. To those who accuse Aoun of not understanding the need for "balance" in
Lebanese politics, or of wanting to annul the shotgun marriages that make up the
various editions of the Lebanese Constitution, the rejoinder of his supporters
amounts to an attestation that none of these "rules" is sacred, especially since
they were written in blood on stolen paper.
According to this line of reasoning, Aoun's alliance with Hizbullah was a
confirmation of, not a departure from, the staunch opposition to Syrian control
over Lebanon on which his previous reputation had been built. Likewise, his
professed willingness to engage with Syrian leadership is portrayed as both
recognition of fact and prophylactic: The Syrians are gone now, and their
continuing influence here makes it only prudent to remain on good terms in order
to keep it that way.
For a variety of reasons, it is unfortunate that the first Lebanese Maronite
leader of real heft who really reached out to the country's Shiites was Aoun.
His own nature opened him up to the charge of having allowed naked ambition to
eclipse his earlier principles - and his Shiite allies to that of wanting to use
him as a fig-leaf. It also invited accusations that his choice of allies was
influenced by his own authoritarian tendencies. In addition, the nature of
Lebanese politics, especially within the fractious Maronite community, meant
that virtually everyone else would gang up on him no matter what he did just
because he was seen as a frontrunner for the presidency. Nassib Lahoud, long a
high-powered candidate for the presidency, fell victim to this very same
tendency in 2005, when his "allies" were successful in seeing to it that he lost
his own seat in Parliament.
All of this enrages Aoun's foes in the March 14 Forces. They swear by "balance"
(when stasis favors their continuing empowerment) and pledge allegiance to
something called a "sectarian consensus" (ignoring those who disdain it as
apartheid with a smiling face). Many of the same people deny ever having wanted
the Syrians here (although this did not stop them from imbibing the rewards of
power and wealth that went along with going along).
Now the March 14istas are in a couple of different pickles.
Domestically, they publicly treat Aoun's diminished electoral prospects as
received wisdom, reasoning that after Hizbullah's heavy-handedness last May,
Christians voters will desert him in droves during the parliamentary elections
scheduled for next May. They might well be right, but behind the scenes, they
are also deeply worried. The Sunni and Shiite outcomes of the polls (a virtual
carbon-copy of today's) were largely determined by the Doha Accords that
followed last May's deadly clashes, but the myriad potential contestants on the
Christian side, most of them aligned with March 14, make races there highly
susceptible to fratricide and therefore inherently unpredictable.
In addition, many Lebanese have learned from their leaders that sometimes it's
just easier to go with the flow. Large numbers of voters take their cues from
family patriarchs, and one of the standards by which these determine their
"preferences" is by answering a simple question: Who's going to win? March 14
strategists who think about such things consequently worry that if Aoun and his
partners in the March 8 camp give off even a whiff of inevitability, the
election will be over before it starts.
As far as Damascus goes, the March 14 dilemma might be even worse. Aoun might be
unpredictable, but he is highly adept at turning the tables on political rivals.
His foes will run on the same anti-Syrian and anti-Hizbullah mantras that have
been their refrain for the past couple of years. Expect Aoun and the FPM to try
and steal their thunder by arguing that he, not they, is best-positioned to
defend Lebanon's independence and sovereignty against threats - from all sides.
He will assert that a March 8-led government would make a Syrian comeback less
likely because it would soothe Damascus' fears about having another hostile
country on its borders. He will also boast that his formula for limiting Syrian
influence would not come at the expense of mortgaging Lebanon's soul to the
United States.
There are solid arguments against these claims, but March 14 has yet to pick
them up with uniformity. Instead, they spend their time calling him a traitor
(to Lebanon mostly, but some of the camp's Christian figures regard his primary
"offense" to have been against his tribe). Alternatively, they try to sow fear
by warning that if he and his allies win the next elections, Lebanon will be no
more. When not screaming that the sky is falling, they fold their arms and
insist that it's Aoun's star that has lost altitude, that his trip to Damascus
is a desperate and doomed effort to recover. Justifiable confidence or false
bravado? Only time will tell.
As far as Aoun is concerned, most of his critics today are the same people who
failed to be by his side when he tried to drive the Syrians out in 1989-1990,
then spent the next 15 years making regular treks to Damascus (or even more
inglorious hikes to Anjar) to receive their orders while he was exiled in Paris.
To those who defend their actions during this period by arguing that his venture
was suicidal and they had no choice but to play ball with Damascus, the Aounists
will tell you their hero was anti-Syrian when anti-Syrian wasn't cool, so don't
start telling him now how to pluck the strings.
**Marc J. Sirois is managing editor of THE DAILY STAR. His email address is
marc.sirois@dailystar.com.lb.
After Mumbai: The Terror Attacks Will Be Worse, Here’s What Lies Ahead
By Walid Phares
December 4th, 2008 12:28 PM Eastern
FOX News Contributor/Terror Expert
Mumbai’s “bloody week” has ended with shock and awe in India and around the
world. Since 9/11, and even before, the jihadists have been leaping from one
massacre to another, scarring democracies and civil societies with their violent
imprints.
Hundreds of people gather to light candles in the memory of people killed in
terror attacks as they proceed towards the Taj Mahal hotel (AP)
From New York and Washington to Madrid and London; from Beslan and Baghdad to
Islamabad and Bali, the seekers of a Taliban-like “Caliphate” continue to adapt
their tactics and while staying the course. No civilization or continent has
escaped their designs.
The seekers of a Taliban-like “Caliphate” continue to adapt their tactics and
while staying the course.
But after Mumbai, one has to expect more and worse. Let’s look at what’s on the
the horizon:
1) Urban Jihad is Open for Business
My initial assessment of the Mumbai terror attacks leads me to predict that the
Mumbai model is now a frame of reference for copycats. These attack can
unfortunately happen again, in India, in the region and around the globe. “Urban
jihad,” the termed I’ve used in my last three books and in recent op-ed pieces,
is a combination of terror activities by Salafists or other adherents of
Jihadism aimed at shocking, paralyzing, and seizing part of a city or
neighborhood.
The goal of “urban jihad” is to take the battle inside the cities of the enemy,
in this case India. But the Beslan school massacre in Russia in September 2004,
the terror attacks in Saudi Arabia in November, 2003 the multiple killings in
Iraq, Afghanistan and Algeria, as well as the similar scenarios in Israel over
several decades, tell us that this form of urban terrorism is now open for
business. In the near future I will make more predictions jihadi copycats
worldwide.
2) Real Jihadi Claims Beyond Kashmir
Interestingly, the jihadi propaganda machine reacted instantly to the attacks by
invoking the issue of Kashmir. So did many in the international media. But the
reality is –- using the words of the jihadists –- the goals have mutated and now
extend beyond the classical ethnic conflict in Kashmir. The aim is now to
establish a Taliban state covering half of India, all of Pakistan and also
Afghanistan. It is more the Caliphate then self-determination that the
terrorists seek.
3) Trans-Regional Forces Trump Local Forces
As I write, many experts and authorities on terror have been trying to determine
if the Mumbai “perpetrators” are the Pakistan-based Laskar e Taiba, the Indian
Mujahideen, Taliban inspired factions or simply Al Qaeda. Strategically, we
don’t need to wonder too much: all four of these groups are all part of the same
web. It’s a web that stretches from Kabul to Mumbai: these are the
subcontinent’s jihadists. Decisions are made at a high level with coordination
between the big bosses and terrorist actions are carried out by the designated
organizations, teams, and cells. The rest is left for our media and commentators
to guess and juggle. While it is very useful from an intelligence perspective to
determine the chain of command and the entity directly involved in the Mumbai
terror attacks, from a global perspective it is important for the public and
decision makers from around the world to realize that the three south Asian
democracies are all threatened by the same enemy, appearing in different shapes
and showing multiple faces.
4) Preempting the Forthcoming Offensive in Afghanistan
Beyond the investigation regarding the Mumbai attackers and their networks, it
is equally important for strategic planners inside NATO to read the attacks as a
preemptive strike against the forthcoming reinforcement of U.S. and allied
troops in Afghanistan. It seems to me that the Mumbai attack, and possibly the
other attacks that may follow, are actions designed to break down precarious
relationships between the three democratic governments in that region and to
weaken the efforts promised by President-elect Obama against Al Qaeda and its
regional allies in 2009.
**Dr Walid Phares is the Director of the Future Terrorism Project at the
Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and the author of “The Confrontation:
Winning the War against Future Jihad”
UALM Supports General Michel Aoun’s historic visit to Syria
UALM: Any initiative aimed at improving relations between neighbours is
encouraged
4.12.2008
For Immediate Release
Sydney, Australia : The United Australian Lebanese Movement (UALM) affirms its
support for the visit of Lebanon ’s former Prime Minister, Army Commander and
current MP Michel Aoun to Syria . The UALM firmly believes that the visit will
have positive ramifications for Lebanon and the region and as such welcomes the
move.
The UALM considers the visit of General Aoun to Syria as an opportunity to
assist in rectifying several issues that are pending between the two nations. It
could also be a catalyst to start a new era of Lebanese-Syrian relations based
on mutual respect.
The UALM welcomes General Aoun’s statement’s concerning several issues namely
the matter of the Lebanese missing in Syria and also that of his rejection of
the permanent settlement of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon .
Aoun who heads the largest Christian Bloc in Lebanese Parliament and leads
Lebanon ’s largest secular political party the Free Patriotic Movement, is
reflecting the will of the majority of Lebanese to live in peace and harmony.
This historic visit has come after 30 years of conflict between the two nations
and ended after Syria’s withdrawal from Lebanon in 2005, the UALM sees this
turning of a new page as a model for a way forward for the region as a whole.
Media contact:
Charlie Khouri
P :( 02) 9687 0518
F: (02) 9687 0975
M: 0411 868 222
E: pressoffice@ualm.org.au
A: P O Box 3157 Parramatta NSW 2124