The Prime Minister
By: General Michel Aoun
(Translated by: Elias Bejjani)

Except in Lebanon, it is rare to hear an official trying to clear himself from responsibility for his acts or from the consequences of his acts.
Mr. Rafiq Hariri told the Lebanese people that economic prosperity would be guaranteed within the first year of his office. Five long years passed and no such thing had happened. The five strenuous years passed and Hariri's promises are still far from reach. That which was green when he first came to office has withered. What was left of our underground water supply became polluted and the precious historic treasures that were discovered in downtown Beirut were either stolen or reburied underground.

Mr. Hariri claims the civil war is behind the economic deterioration. If his claims were valid, how could he justify his lies to the people when he initially promised them economic prosperity?
If, up till now, he is not aware of the reasons, he will continue to be ignorant. Being ignorant, however, is not a good excuse for the failure of a statesman. Assuming Mr. Hariri is not ignorant or a liar and was simply a victim of unpredictable obstacles hindering the fulfillment of his promises, what exactly are these obstacles?

Mr. Hariri must break the silence and tell the truth. The people have the right to be informed. Otherwise, Mr. Hariri must be considered to be a participant in a criminal conspiracy aiming to bankrupt the country and its people, selling both in the stock market for profit. The reasons for bankruptcy could be different and numerous: but bankruptcy is bankruptcy.
Mr. Hariri is a modern version of Sinbad. To travel, he only flew in his private jets, avoiding the use of other forms of transportation. If his suitcases were to be searched during any of his journeys, one would only see files pertaining to his privately owned companies. One would certainly not find a single official file regarding Lebanon.

He used his name in a dubious manner to illegally appropriate downtown Beirut. Now he is virtually handing it over to non-Lebanese by making it legally possible for them to buy shares in his private holding company, Solidare.
Mr. Hariri is a businessman who establishes commercial companies and bids for contracts. He is a successful broker, having started in Taef and ending in Lebanon as Prime Minister. Mr. Hariri pays bribes and commissions graciously but never gives what he knows he cannot later take back. He destroys official institutions for the benefit of private companies.

Mr. Hariri recently established the Modern Lebanese Company (also known as the government) with the full support of the militias with whom he rules happily. He is comprehensively protected by his masters, the foreign occupiers. He changed the status of his fellow Lebanese citizens to clients, so that he can abuse them and generate profits.

Those who believe that Mr. Hariri is a savior are either stupid or traitors. Mr. Hariri is a noose tied tightly to the necks of the Lebanese people. He is dragging us to the hanging post. Let us cut this noose, save ourselves and save our country.

31/10/1997
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