LCCC NEWS BULLETIN
MARCH 30/06
Below news from miscellaneous sources for 30/03/06
Arab summit backs Hamas, stable Syria-Lebanon
ties (Roundup)Monsters and Critics.com -
Beyond the radicals and terrorists-The Manitoban
Dismay at Lebanese leaders' clash-ISN
Feds say smuggling ring helped fund Hezbollah-Detroit Free Press
Hamas Formally Takes Over Government-ABC News
Lebanon's Cardinal Supports Government Talks
Beirut (AsiaNews) --- Maronite patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir has pledged his "full
support" to "any initiative that leads the country out of its current crisis".
Speaking on the eve of his departure for Rome where he will take part in the
Consistory, the Patriarch said he was opposed to "the use of any violent
language against the president of the Republic".
He said he hoped that the ongoing national dialogue would progress, calling on
participants to assume their responsibility before history and warning against
the danger of using force.
He also expressed his support for new elections under legislation that is fairer
and more representative, adding that everyone should learn from history.
Today, the third and most difficult round in the national dialogue opened but
was suspended immediately. At its core is the fate of sitting President Émile
Lahoud and, in accordance with UN Resolution 1559, the disarmament of militias,
in particular Hezbollah's.
For the daily L'Orient Le Jour, the atmosphere is particularly charged. The
paper reports that the meeting was suspended partly because Saad Hariri, one of
the 14 leaders involved in the national dialogue, is currently in Saudi Arabia.
Other sources say that the talks will resume after the summit of Arab heads of
state in Sudan on March 28-29 which will also deal with this the Lebanese
problem.
By Youssef Hourani
UN paves way toward trial of Hariri assassins
By Jerome Mayer-Cantu -Special to The Daily Star
Thursday, March 30, 2006
BEIRUT: The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a
French-drafted resolution to commence formal negotiations between UN chief Kofi
Annan and the Lebanese government on the establishment of a tribunal to try the
killers of former Premier Rafik Hariri.
In a closed-door session, the 15-member panel voted to take the final step
toward establishing the hybrid court; it will now be up to Lebanese authorities
and Kofi Annan to determine the final details of the tribunal.
A draft resolution sponsored by the U.S., the U.K., and France was circulated to
the Security Council this week. It affirmed the international community's desire
to establish a hybrid tribunal along the lines drafted by Lebanese and UN
authorities.
According to a Lebanese judicial source, the tribunal's "international
character" will primarily mean that the judge panel overseeing the trials will
consist of three international judges selected by the UN and two Lebanese judges
selected by the Lebanese government.
This will give international judges the ultimate say, as they have enjoyed in
previous hybrid tribunals.
The draft affirms that those behind the "terrorist" bombing that killed Hariri
must be brought to justice, while respecting the sovereignty and wishes of
Lebanon. The draft declares that the Security Council is willing to "assist
Lebanon in the search for the truth and in holding all those involved in this
terrorist attack responsible."
Lebanese Justice Minister Charles Rizk has previously argued that the tribunal
should operate under Lebanese law. But international law will take precedence in
cases of disagreement between the two.
The judicial source said that the tribunal will not use the death penalty, as it
is allowed under Lebanese law but forbidden under international law.
The source said that certain countries on the UN Security Council have opposed
any expansion of the tribunal's mandate to include other crimes, such as the
assassinations of anti-Syrian journalists Gebran Tueni and Samir Kassir.
Both Druze leader MP Walid Jumblatt and the head of the UN team investigating
Hariri's assassination, Serge
Brammertz, have said that the tribunal could expand to include the prosecution
of the series of high-profile crimes committed in Lebanon over the past 18
months.
The source suggested that the trial would likely be held in Cyprus in order to
minimize costs, especially costs regarding the transportation of witnesses and
suspects.
This comes contrary to public statements made earlier this month by
Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamade that the court would either take place
in either Geneva or Vienna.
The UN draft resolution leaves undecided the formation of a financing mechanism,
which may be the most important factor determining the efficient and timely
progress of the trial. - With agencies
Summit backs Lebanon's right to resistance
By Majdoline Hatoum -Daily Star staff
Thursday, March 30, 2006
BEIRUT: The Arab summit's final statement issued Wednesday stressed Arab
"support for Lebanon's natural right to resistance and right to free all its
occupied territories."The statement also identified the Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shouba Heights as
occupied Lebanese territories, and expressed the support of the Arab states for
"the Lebanese government's calls to confirm the Lebanese identity of Shebaa
Farms and demarcate it according to acceptable UN procedures."
The regional backing came on the heels of an argument between Lebanon's
President Emile Lahoud and Premier Fouad Siniora over Hizbullah's military wing.
The argument reportedly erupted after Siniora, who participated in the Khartoum
meeting independently of the Lebanese delegation headed by Lahoud, demanded the
removal of a clause pledging support to the armed "Lebanese resistance."
Lahoud protested Siniora's request, which led to an argument between the two
leaders, according to one diplomat who requested anonymity.
"I am president of the official delegation, and I speak in the name of Lebanon,"
Lahoud reportedly said.
The president also accused Siniora of trying to destroy any Lebanese consensus
on
the resistance.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday from the Sudanese capital before returning to
Beirut, Lahoud said: "The way Siniora spoke before Arab leaders gave the
impression that the Lebanese people disagreed on the natural right of the
Lebanese resistance to carry on its struggle until the rest of Lebanon's
occupied land is freed, and this is not the case."
In a separate news conference, Siniora said his words had been intentionally
misinterpreted by Lahoud in order to achieve "imaginary goals."Siniora, who held a meeting with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa
earlier in the day, explained that his demand to remove the relevant clause was
intended to clarify that resistance was a "national right for all the Lebanese,
and not restricted to a certain armed group," in an indirect reference to
Hizbullah.
"The Lebanese state is the one responsible for defending Lebanon, and the whole
of Lebanese society enjoys the right to defend the country. The resistance is
part of Lebanese society," Siniora said.
The disarming of Hizbullah and the fate of Lahoud are the two remaining
controversial topics under discussion by Lebanon's leaders in the country's
ongoing national dialogue, which is set to enter its fifth round Monday.
However, the semi-public row at the Arab summit in Khartoum may very well damage
the already fragile talks, according to Druze MP Walid Jumblatt.
"This disagreement represents the Lebanese internal disagreement over
Hizbullah's right to continue carrying on its armed struggle, and it indicates
that we will not reach an accord over the issue of the resistance's arms,"
Jumblatt told The Daily Star, adding that he is "a staunch opponent of
maintaining the resistance's arms outside the Lebanese Army."
Jumblatt further said the argument reflected the "continuation of Syrian
influence over Lebanon through Lahoud."
Parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri criticized Lahoud's behavior at the
summit and accused the president of trying to upstage Siniora and "make him
sound disloyal to the resistance."
"Siniora is a patriotic man who does not need anybody's testimony on that,"
Hariri said.
"He is heading a government that has fully supported the resistance," Hariri
added. "We have expressed this position in all the capitals of the world ... our
Arab brothers know very well our stance regarding the heroic national
resistance. Lahoud's cheap attempts will not change this reality."
Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir also expressed distress over the
dispute in Khartoum, saying upon his return from a recent trip to the Vatican
that he was praying so that "Lebanese leaders could agree among each other on
the country's best interests.""What happened was very bad, and we wish it had not taken place ... this will
lead other countries to form a bad opinion of Lebanon," Sfeir said.
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said that the clash in the Sudanese capital
was "regrettable."
"Siniora is the one who knows what is going on with Lebanon's national dialogue
and the one who can convey the real picture to the Arab summit leaders," Geagea
said.
While the vast majority of Lebanese politicians defended Siniora's position
during the Arab summit, Lahoud delivered a speech on the meeting's second and
final day praising the roles of Syria and Hizbullah in Lebanon.
Addressing heads of state and ministers, Lahoud said he was certain that his
fellow Arabs supported the ongoing national dialogue between Lebanon's leaders.
The president said Lebanon "is confident that its current quest for consensus
and unity will be embraced and supported by the Arabs, starting with its
neighbor Syria, the country that has always stood by its side."He continued: "This [Arab support] will strengthen the choices expressed freely
by the Lebanese, foremost amongst which is Lebanon's commitment to its right to
recover its remaining occupied territory in the South, notably the Shebaa
Farms."
Lahoud also spoke of the need to protect the national resistance, a reference to
Hizbullah, which he described as "a symbol for steadfastness and dignity."
"The summit affirmed Lebanon's right to maintain the resistance against Israeli
occupation, using all means," Lahoud said. - With agencies
General Labor Confederation: Increase minimum wage
Daily Star senior writer-Thursday, March 30, 2006
BEIRUT: The General Labor Confederation reiterated Wednesday calls to increase
the minimum wage to LL600,000 from LL300,000, stressing that any political
solutions will not be decisive unless coupled with radical solutions to deal
with the deteriorating economic conditions. The GLC also called on the national
dialogue to discuss social issues and act in coordination with the GLC,
particularly as more than 50 percent of citizens are living below the poverty
line.
In a statement released following its regular meeting, the GLC said it opposed
any increase taxes on fees and privatization projects. "We have always supported
the reform and restructure of public administration, the protection of
government properties, and the readjustment of fiscal policies based on indirect
taxes that supply 80 percent of the Treasury's money," the GLC added, calling
for reopening a serious dialogue on these issues.The GLC regretted the government's "neglect to settle its overdue contributions
to the national fund as it is affecting services and turning benefactors into
beggars.""Consequently, true reform starts with re-establishing a fiscal balance to the
sectors of hospitalization, maternity and family assistance," he added.
The GLC also strongly objected to any hike in the price of bread and any
tampering with the amount of the pack, announcing it had decided to form a
committee to organize festivities to mark Labor Day on May 1. - The Daily Star
Feds say smuggling ring helped fund Hezbollah
March 29, 2006
By JOE SWICKARD-FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
A smuggling ring operating in Michigan helped fund Hezbollah with profits from
bootlegged cigarettes, counterfeit tax stamps, phony Viagra tablets and hijacked
toilet paper, according to a federal indictment unsealed in Detroit on
Wednesday.
The indictment, issued almost two years ago, names 18 men and alleges the
leaders were bound together by their support of Hezbollah. Federal authorities
say the men levied a surcharge on the cigarettes they smuggled as a tax on
behalf of the organization, which is characterized as a terrorist group by the
U.S. government. They were indicted on charges of being part of a global
racketeering conspiracy. Ten of the suspects have been arrested or are expected
to surrender to federal officials. The others are believed to be outside the
United States. Arrested Wednesday morning by the Detroit Joint Terrorism Task
Force were: Karim Hassan Nasser, 37, of Windsor; Fadi Mohamad-Musbah Hammoud,
33, of Dearborn; Majid Mohamad Hammoud, 39, of Dearborn Heights; Jihad Hammoud,
47, of Dearborn; Youssef Aoun Bakri, 36, of Dearborn Heights; Ali Najib
Berjaoui, 39, of Dearborn; Mohammed Fawzi Zeidan, 41, of Canton; Imad Majed
Hamadeh, 51, of Dearborn Heights and Adel Isak, 37, of Sterling Heights.
Theodore Schenk, 73, of Miami Beach, is expected to voluntarily surrender for
arraignment on April 10. The gang s operations, according to U.S. Attorney s
office, stretched from the Detroit area to New York, North Carolina, the Ivory
Coast, China, Lebanon, Brazil and Paraguay.
Dismay at Lebanese leaders' clash
ISN SECURITY WATCH (Wednesday, 29 March: 17.04 CET) – Lebanese Prime Minister
Fuad Siniora and the country's President Emile Lahoud have aired their
differences openly at the annual Arab League summit in Khartoum, Sudan as
tensions over the role of Syria in Lebanese domestic politics burst out on the
international stage. The argument erupted when Siniora demanded the removal of a
clause in the summit's draft communiqué promising support to the "Lebanese
resistance" – a clear reference to the pro-Syrian Hizbollah militant group. A
diplomat told Middle East Online, on condition of anonymity, that Lahoud sought
to override Siniora's objection sparking a fiery debate in which the pro-Syrian
president said: "I am the president of the official delegation and I speak in
the name of Lebanon". The Lebanese media and government officials reacted with
dismay to the exchange with the Al-Balad newspaper leading with the headline
"The Summit of Shame".
Pro-Syrian former prime minister Salim Hoss criticized Siniora for his public
stand, saying, "The prime minister's objections over the draft resolution were
detrimental to the Lebanese cause," He added that the two leaders should have
refrained from "airing their dirty laundry" in public. It had been hoped that
the Arab League meeting could be used to revive the stalled "national dialogue"
in which leaders of the various Lebanese factions have met to resolve key issues
threatening national stability. These issues include the disarmament of
Hizbollah; the status of the Israeli-occupied Shabaa Farms; and Lahoud's
presidency – which was controversially extended prior to Syria's 2005 military
withdrawal from Lebanon.
Siniora and Assad meet to mend ties
Wednesday, 29 March, 2006,
By Noureddin Abuzant-KHARTOUM: Syrian Pres-ident Bashar al-Assad and Lebanese
Premier Fouad Siniora held in Khartoum yesterday an “ice-breaking” meeting on
the sidelines of the 18th Arab League summit. Their only previous meeting was in
Damascus last summer, shortly after Siniora took office. Lebanese sources said
Assad invited Siniora to visit Damascus to defuse the increasing tension between
Damascus and Beirut after the murder of former Lebanese premier Rafik al-Hariri
in February last year. The Syrian leader stressed that the Damascus meeting
should be “well prepared”, the sources said. Pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud
officially headed the Lebanese delegation but Siniora, his political archrival,
flew in separately.
And in a departure from protocol that underlined the rift between the two
leaders, the premier did not sit behind Lahoud at the summit.Lebanon’s Foreign
Minister Fawzy Saloukh told reporters that an exchange of diplomats between
Syria and Lebanon was not on the agenda.
USA will sink in Iraq swamp - Syria
28 March 2006
WASHINGTON: Syria's president predicted the United States would "sink in the
swamp" that is Iraq and insisted his country took no part in the murder of
former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.
In an interview with The Charlie Rose Show to be aired on Monday night on the
PBS network, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that he had known that there
would "chaos and resistance" if the United States decided to oust Iraqi
President Saddam Hussein.
"You will have (a) swamp. You are going to sink in the swamp," he said.
"They've (the United States) been there for three years. What happened? We don't
have any evidence that this situation is getting better, but we have all the
evidence that the situation is getting worse," he said.
Assad also repeated his assertion that Syria was not behind the Feb. 14, 2005,
truck-bomb murder of Hariri, a tough critic of Syria's decades-long domination
of Lebanon. His death, which many Lebanese blame on Syria, prompted Syria's
withdrawal of its troops from Lebanon.
A UN investigation into Hariri's assassination has told the UN Security Council
of strong evidence that high-ranking Syrian officials and their Lebanese allies
were involved in the attack that took his life and 22 others.
Assad referred to Hariri as "a friend to Syria," and denied reports that the
former Lebanese leader had told friends he feared for his life after a Feb. 1,
2005, meeting with Assad.
AdvertisementAdvertisementUN investigators have reported evidence that Assad had
threatened Hariri's life in the Feb. 1 meeting and that Assad's brother-in-law,
Maj. Gen. Asef Shawkat, could have figured in the plot to kill Hariri.
"Nobody threatened him in Syria, me or nobody else," said Assad.
Assad, after much delay, has agreed to talk to UN investigators in April about
the killing and said that no evidence could possibly exist linking Syrian
officials with Hariri's death.
"I'm sure there's no such evidence, 100 per cent. I don't usually use 100 per
cent but this time I use it," he said.
Annan calls for international court to try Hariri suspected killers
Morocco TIMES 3/23/2006
A mixed court comprising both Lebanese and international members would best
serve justice in the trial of those accused of having participated in the murder
of Lebanese former Prime Minster Rafik Hariri, said UN Secretary General Kofi
Annan.
Annan said A mixed court comprising both Lebanese and international members
would best serve justice in the trial of those accused of having participated in
the murder of Lebanese former Prime Minster Rafik Hariri. Ph. AFP.
"A purely national court would not be able to effectively fulfil the task of
trying those accused of the crime," Annan said in a preliminary report submitted
Wednesday to the UN Security Council.
“At the same time, it became clear from our consultations with the Lebanese
authorities that the creation of an exclusively international tribunal would
remove Lebanese responsibility for seeing justice done regarding a crime that
primarily and significantly affected Lebanon,” the report added.
The preliminary report presents the key issues raised during UN consultations
with Lebanese authorities, while recommendations will be presented to the
National Council at a later date.
The consultations were conducted on Jan. 26-27 by a UN team headed by Nicolas
Michel, the Under-Secretary for Legal Affairs. The team met with Lebanese
president Emile Lahoud, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, and the Speaker of the
National Assembly Nabih Berri. Two Lebanese senior judges later visited the UN
headquarters for further consultation.
Annan's report came as an answer to a call made by the Lebanese Prime Minister,
Fouad Siniora, who sent a letter to the UN Secretary General in Dec. 2005
requesting the establishment of an international tribunal to try those accused
of Hariri's death.
Responding to the Prime Minister, the Security Council issued a resolution
requesting Annan to help the Lebanese government identify the nature of the aid
needed to try those eventually found guilty.
Annan said that consultation resulted in a shared understanding that it would be
most appropriate to establish the tribunal through an agreement concluded
between Lebanon and the United Nations.
If the Security Council accepts the proposal, it will be expected to issue a
recommendation authorising the start of negotiations with the aim of setting up
the international tribunal.
Hariri was assassinated by a truck bomb that targeted his convoy in Beirut on
Feb. 14, 2005. Twenty two others were killed in the attack.
Arab summit backs Hamas, stable Syria-Lebanon ties
(Roundup)
By Ola Galal Mar 29, 2006,
Secretary General of the Arab Leaque Amr Moussa (L) and Algerian President
Abdelaziz Bouteflika (R) at the opening session of the annual summit of the Arab
League in Khartoum, Sudan Tuesday, March 28, 2006. The Arab League Summit opened
Tuesday with key Arab leaders absent from the meetings that are expected to
tackle a number of thorny regional issues. The 18th meeting of Arab heads of
state comes at a time when Hamas is trying to get Palestinian legislative
approval of its government line-up, sectarian tension is flaring in Iraq and
Syrian-Lebanese relations have come to a standstill.
Khartoum - Arab leaders confirmed their solidarity with the new Hamas-led
Palestinian government as the Arab League summit in the Sudanese capital
Khartoum concluded Tuesday.
The league's 22-member states also expressed their support for Syria's
leadership and rejected US pressure and the threat of sanctions on Damascus, as
the Lebanese and Syrian presidents - whose countries currently have no
diplomatic relations - briefly shook hands on the conference's sidelines.
The leaders rejected the sending of United Nations troops to Darfur and
emphasized the importance of dialogue among the Iraqi people as violence reaches
new levels between Shiites and Sunnis.
Chairman of the Arab Summit, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, appealed for a
stabilization in relations between Syria and Lebanon. 'Out of solidarity, we
have to look to Syria and Lebanon and support them in the face of pressure that
Syria is facing through unjust laws ... and we support a free will and
independent decision for Lebanon,' al-Bashir said.
Syria faces UN sanctions over its lack of cooperation with a UN- led
investigation requested by Lebanon after last year's assassination of former
prime minister Rafik Hariri. A preliminary report has pointed the finger at
involvement by Syrian government figures. After the assassination, Syria was
forced by international pressure to withdraw its military presence after decades
of occupation in Lebanon. airman of last year's summit, Algerian President Abdel
Aziz Bouteflika, said that Syria and Lebanon enjoy 'extraordinary ties.' 'As
much as we are keen on revealing the truth about the assassination of former
Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, we also call on our brothers in Syria and
Lebanon to maintain their brotherly close ties that bind the two brother nations
since old times,' Bouteflika said.
During his opening speech Monday, Bouteflika praised the democratic elections in
the Palestinian territories, saying it was wrong for western countries to
distance themselves from the Palestinians because of Hamas's election victory.
'There is no reason to punish the people,' he said.
enting in their closing statement on the controversial Prophet Mohammed
cartoons, summit leaders said that offensive attacks on religions must be
condemned in principle. The leaders rejected the sending of United Nations
troops to Darfur, contending that such an action should only be taken with the
approval of the Sudanese government, according to Sudanese minister of state for
foreign affairs Al-Samani al-Waseela al-Sheikh who briefed reporters.
The United Nations, with the promised help of NATO for logistics, have been
preparing to relieve several thousand African Union troops who have been
maintaining oversight in the conflict region of western Sudan for more than a
year.
According to UN estimates, at least 180,000 civilians have died in the two-year
conflict in Darfur that has pitted government-backed militia against a rebel
group and the local civilian population. Khartoum has expressed opposition to UN
forces, but in past weeks appeared to have been softening its stance. 'We
confirm that there were no disagreement on any of the resolutions. They were
taken with consensus among all Arab leaders,' al-Sheikh said. The Arab leaders
are expected to issue a final communiqué on Wednesday following the closing
session of the 18th Arab League Summit.
The 18th Arab League Summit kicked off Monday with key Arab leaders, including
Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, absent from
the meetings that were expected to tackle a number of thorny regional issues.
The Emirates' Sheikh Khalifa Ben Zayed Al Nahayan and the Moroccan Monarch
Mohamed VI also failed to show up for the two-day summit.
Observers expressed surprise that important issues such as the escalating
violence in Iraq and political assassinations in Lebanon were widely ignored by
delegates during debates. A small success was scored by Arab foreign ministers
who, meeting two days earlier to set the agenda for the summit, rejected any US
or Israeli pressure on Syria and stressed Lebanon's right to sovereignty.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora 'met briefly and shook the hand' of Syrian
President Bashar al Assad on the sidelines of the summit, a source in the
Lebanese delegation told Deutsche Presse- Agentur dpa. Seniora expressed his
wishes during his brief encounter with Assad 'to visit Damascus soon' to solve
differences, the source said. The source said Assad 'welcomed the visit.' The
Arab ministers' proposal comes following a visit by UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen
to Lebanon during which he called on Syria to open an embassy in Lebanon in
compliance with UN Security Council resolution 1559 which demanded Syrian troop
withdrawal from its neighbour. Lebanon's Foreign Minister Fawzy Saloukh said in
a statement to Deutsche Presse-Agentur, dpa that the issue of diplomatic
exchange between Syria and Lebanon has not yet been brought up. 'We thank Mr
Terje Roed-Larsen but exchange of diplomatic relations between Syria and Lebanon
concerns only these countries,' Saloukh said. 'Syrians welcome it and we do too
but it should only be brought up at the appropriate moment.'
Jailed Syrian human rights activist freed by authorities
By The Associated Press
DAMASCUS, Syria - A human rights activist arrested over the weekend was freed by
Syrian police and said Tuesday that he had been detained because of his
participation in a conference of Syrian dissidents abroad. Samir Nashar told The
Associated Press he was released Monday night and said he was treated well in
custody. Security agents arrested him Saturday from his office in the northern
city of Allepo after refusing to answer a request to report to the intelligence
department, Nashar said. The Syrian government, whch does not comment on
security-related matters, did not confirm that Nashar had been detained.
Nashar said he was arrested because he had attended meetings of about 60
Syrian dissidents in Berlin and Washington in February. "Attending such
conferences is a red line (for the authorities)," he told AP. He defended his
participation as beneficial for Syria, saying, "In my opinion, we should attend
to express our views on the international arena." Nashar is a member of the
Committees for Reviving the Civil Society and of the committee of the "Damascus
Declaration," the broadest opposition gathering in Syria.The "Damascus
Declaration" was formed in October by five small opposition groups and six
political figures. The signatories of the declaration said they want to build
internal support for a peaceful democratic change in Syria. Arrests of human
rights and pro-democracy activists are common in Syria. President Bashar Assad
has freed hundreds of political prisoners since coming to power in 2000 but has
also clamped down on critics of his government.
Beyond the radicals and terrorists
Yemen offers friendliness and beauty that defy North American
stereotypes of Middle East
Nick Kennedy (Concordia University)
Image courtesy of CUPSANA’A, YEMEN (CUP) — Driving down a winding desert road in
rural Yemen, we found ourselves stuck behind a slow-moving pickup truck
overflowing with men. There were men on the roof, on the hood and at least 20 in
the cab — and they were all carrying AK-47s. Such a sight might be enough to
make a Westerner visiting the Middle East think that he or she doesn’t have too
much longer to live. But after a few tense seconds, these fears quickly
evaporate when all the men on the truck start to wave and shoot you toothy — or
toothless — smiles.
The misguided perceptions of the Middle East are largely a result of the
constant media barrage of violence, religious fanaticism and the belief that it
is a hotbed for what is said to be the greatest of all modern evils — terrorism.
The late Middle Eastern scholar and Palestinian activist Edward Said called this
perception “Orientalism” — the Western world’s lens of misunderstanding,
outdated concepts and often racist prejudices. Said was a Christian Palestinian
born in Jerusalem who later moved to the U.S. and spent much of his academic
life at Columbia University. He was able to see first-hand how his and other
Arab peoples were portrayed in the Western media. I decided to visit the Middle
East in August to gain a more balanced perspective of the region than that
offered by CNN and Fox News. My travels through Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon
and Yemen allowed me to view the Middle East off-camera.
As a first-time traveller to the region, I was told by others who had visited
before to expect overwhelming hospitality, and I was not disappointed. Strolling
down the streets of any Syrian city, I was constantly stopped by the locals to
talk. In Hama, Syria’s fourth-largest city, I was approached by two 20-year-old
men while I was admiring the city’s ancient water wheels. They introduced
themselves as Radwan and Mohammed and then spent almost an entire day showing me
around the city.
The next evening we went to dinner at Radwan’s home. His mother had clearly
spent the entire day preparing the enormous meal of salads, dips, rice and
chicken — all of which were passed my way until I was so full I could barely
move. The family treated me as though I were an old friend that they hadn’t seen
in years, when in fact we had just met.
But nowhere is Middle Eastern hospitality more heartwarming than in Yemen. With
a per-capita GDP of only $800 US, Yemen ranks with Palestine as one of the two
poorest countries in the Middle East yet still manages to be incredibly
welcoming toward visitors.
This friendliness towards foreigners is at least partially due to nomadic Arab
traditions. Hospitality towards outsiders was a necessary custom because of the
harsh conditions of the desert. If a fellow traveller in the desert was left
without shelter or water, he could very well die, so it was necessary to take
them in.
Another reason for the friendliness is that Yemenis know full well how much
tourism benefits their country, and so they genuinely appreciate visitors taking
interest in their land and culture. Visitors particularly excite children.
“Foreigner, foreigner,” they shout at you in Arabic as you walk past, and then
invite you to join them in a game of volleyball or soccer.
I spent about two hours playing volleyball with six Yemeni kids on the narrow
cobblestone backstreets of old Sana’a. The game eventually became one of
“everybody team up against the foreigner,” and every time I spiked the ball, I
got cheers of approval from the large crowd that gathered to watch the game. At
one point, a line of people wanting to serve the ball to me was formed — young
children along with old, bearded men would wait their turn to smack the ball my
way.
When I decided I had to go back to my hotel — drenched with sweat and badly
dehydrated — I couldn’t get away without first shaking the hand of every
spectator and every other participant in the game, and then promising that I
would come back the next day.
The other side of the lens
Unfortunately, the country is best known in the West for the year 2000 bombing
of the USS Cole, when a group of men drove a boatload of explosives into the
side of a U.S. warship, killing 17 sailors. Of course, it is seldom mentioned
that the Cole was on its way to support the economic blockade imposed on Iraq
after the first Gulf war — sanctions which had contributed to the deaths of
500,000 Iraqis. When brought up, the incident seems to elicit embarrassment from
Yemenis, who quickly mention that the attack was masterminded by Saudis living
in Yemen.
What truly sets Yemen apart from other countries in the Middle East is the lack
of modern influences. Granted, there are cars, TVs and Internet cafés, but they
all seem to fade into the background of the country’s ancient history. Yemeni
architecture is completely unique in the Middle East. The buildings in the old
city of Sana’a are made from light brown and sometimes burgundy mud bricks, with
white bricks used around the doorways and windows. There are also designs
running around the roof of every building — usually white circles and lines, but
the design on every house is unique. Western fashions are rare — most men still
wear long robes, turbans and have a jambiyya, a large decorative dagger,
prominently tucked into their belts. With few exceptions, Yemeni women are
covered head to toe in full hijab.
In the more remote parts of the country, where government influence is minimal,
tribes live by their own laws. Tribal life is central to most Yemenis, and even
educated men living in the cities will return to the village of their birth to
defend it if another tribe infringes on their territory. People are still living
as they did centuries ago –– often in mud huts or tents made from sticks and
animal skin. Their lives are obviously not easy, yet the friendliness of the
children living there still sticks out for me. As they hear your vehicle
approaching, kids come running from every direction to smile and wave. Some of
the shyer ones blush and run away as soon as you wave back. Nobody asks for
anything, they just come out to wav
It’s staggering how different popular perception can be compared to the real
world. If two years ago I had seen those same men in the pickup truck on a news
broadcast, my first thought would have been, “oh man, those guys look dangerous,
they must be mujahedeen fighters going to kill somebody.” When you live in a
society as sheltered as Canada, it’s difficult to imagine the ways that people
live in other parts of the world. These guys weren’t ruthless killers or
“terrorists,” they were simply members of a family living a very different
lifestyle than the one Western norms dictate.
When you meet the people so often branded as nothing more than terrorists in the
Western press, you quickly see how misguided and simplistic many of our beliefs
are. Only by visiting these countries and interacting with their peoples can you
really understand what’s on the other side of the lens.
'Summit of shame' for Lebanon
BEIRUT: Lebanon cringed yesterday after its president and prime minister
publicly argued at the Arab League summit in what media and officials described
as a shameful airing of the country's dirty laundry.
"The Summit of Shame" read the headline of the Al Balad newspaper a day after
Damascus-backed President Emile Lahoud and anti-Syrian Prime Minister Fuad
Siniora disputed a draft resolution pledging to support Lebanese armed groups.
The dispute came as Lebanese leaders are locked several weeks of dialogue aimed
at pulling the country out of political deadlock which has paralysed the country
since the withdrawal of former powerbroker Syria last April.
"The prime minister's objections over the draft resolution were detrimental to
the Lebanese cause," said former prime minister Salim Hoss, who added that the
two leaders should have refrained from "airing their dirty laundry" in public.
The argument erupted after Siniora, who took part in the Khartoum meeting
without sitting in the Lebanese delegation headed by his arch rival Lahoud,
demanded the removal of a clause pledging support to the armed "Lebanese
resistance".
Lahoud protested Siniora's request - which reflects concern over the right of
the Shi'ite Hezbollah to retain its arms - leading to a vocal dispute between
the two leaders, according to one diplomat who requested anonymity.
"I am the president of the official delegation and I speak in the name of
Lebanon," Lahoud reportedly said.
Among the key points of contention in the Lebanese political talks have been the
armament of Hezbollah and Lahoud's presidency, which was controversially
extended by three years under Syrian pressure in September 2004.
Leaders had hoped that they could gather Arab support at the summit in order to
break the impasse.
But with key mediators King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and Egyptian President
Hosni Mubarak absent, Lebanon's gaping divisions were harshly exposed, leading
the pro-Syrian Al Dyar newspaper to declare the political dialogue "clinically
dead."
The anti-Syrian parliamentary majority, elected in 2005 after the assassination
of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri, has repeatedly called on Lahoud to resign. Lahoud
has refused.
Lebanese leaders adjourned national dialogue talks on Monday without any
agreement over Lahoud's future as the politicians awaited the outcome of the
two-day Arab summit which began on Tuesday in Khartoum.
International and domestic outcry in the wake of Hariri's killing in a February
2005 bomb blast led Syria to withdraw its troops after maintaining a military
presence in its tiny neighbour for 29 years.
Officials said that the question of the presidency could only be resolved once
the subject had been discussed in Khartoum, possibly with Syrian President
Bashar Al Assad.
Assad and Siniora, whose relations have been strained since Hariri's killing
amid accusations of Syrian involvement in the plot, met briefly on Tuesday and
shook hands on the sidelines of the summit, a source in the Lebanese delegation
said.
It was their first encounter since July 2005.
Siniora's decision to attend the Arab summit in Khartoum was a challenge to
Lahoud, whose mandate the minister's allies deem unconstitutional. "This
decision (for Siniora to go) is aimed at making up for the inadequate
representation of Lebanon which is limited to the president of the republic," an
aide of Siniora said. The anti-Syrian majority in Lebanon's parliament have
contested Lahoud's right to represent his country at the summit, arguing that he
is only still in office as his mandate was extended by Syria. In September 2004,
the previous Lebanese parliament extended Lahoud's mandate by three years in the
face of opposition from a majority of Lebanese and a UN Security Council
resolution.
Meanwhile, in a speech sure to exacerbate divisions back home, Lahoud praised
the roles that Syria and the group play in his country.Addressing heads of state
and ministers on the second day of an Arab League summit, Lahoud said he was
certain that fellow Arabs supported ongoing national dialogue talks between
Lebanon's leaders.
"Lebanon...is confident that its current quest for consensus and unity will be
embraced and supported by Arabs, starting by its neighbour Syria, the country
that has always stood by (Lebanon's) its side," Lahoud said.
"This would strengthen choices expressed freely by the Lebanese, foremost among
those is Lebanon's commitment to its right to recover its remaining occupied
territory in the south, notably the Chebaa Farms," he added, speaking of an
Israeli-occupied territory on the border of Lebanon, Syria and Israel.
Lahoud also spoke of the need to protect the national resistance, a reference to
the Hezbollah group, which he described as "a symbol for steadfastness and
dignity."
The final declaration of the Arab summit expressed support for Lebanon's
resistance, or the Iranian and Syrian-backed Hezbollah. "The summit affirmed
Lebanon's right to maintain the resistance against Israeli occupation, using all
means," he said.
Lahoud's comments were sure to anger the anti-Syrian majority in Lebanon, which
has been calling on Lahoud, a close Syrian ally, to resign. He has refused.
The anti-Syrian majority regards Lahoud, whose term in office was extended under
Syrian pressure in September 2004, as Syria's man in Lebanon.
"There is a split (in Lebanon) between a group that sees itself as a majority
and another group that sees itself as the majority. The Lebanese have to make
their own choices," Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said.
"Lebanon must decide its own direction. Is it an Arab or an international
direction?" Some in the anti-Syrian majority have also been calling on Hezbollah
to disarm, saying any remaining Lebanese territory should be recovered through
diplomacy.
Both the Arab League and the Lebanese president lack
vision
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Editorial-Daily Star
The Arab League, which has never been known for its timeliness or effectiveness,
demonstrated its own insignificance yet again on Wednesday when, nearly 25 years
after the creation of Hizbullah, it expressed support for the Lebanese
resistance. In the 1980s and 1990s, when the resistance was attacking Israeli
occupation soldiers in South Lebanon, it did not get any support from Arab
countries save Syria, which supported it for the sake of its own interests. The
Arab League did not voice support for the resistance when it was defending
Lebanese villagers who were being slaughtered in their own homes. It was not
until after Israel's withdrawal in 2000, after the resistance has successfully
expelled the Israelis from nearly all of Lebanese territory, that the Arab
League decided that it was time to support the right of Lebanese to resist
occupation. This is yet another example of how the Arab League institutionalizes
its own insignificance.
What's worse is that the Arab League's untimely renewal of support for the
resistance has jeopardized a local political process. Lebanese leaders have been
addressing the issue of the resistance and other thorny issues at the national
dialogue. The fact that Lebanese President Emile Lahoud raised this issue now at
the Arab League only served to painfully expose Lebanese divisions. If Lahoud
really cared about the resistance, he would recognize that at this juncture, the
League's support is of little value. A look at the Arab League's track record
and the causes it has supported - Saddam Hussein's presidency, the creation of a
Palestinian state, for example - shows how meaningless the organization's
backing is. The only effective shield for the resistance now is not the Arab
League, but the unity of the Lebanese people around it. Popular support in
Lebanon is the resistance's best, and indeed only, protection. This makes it all
the more unfortunate that the resistance has the open "support" of Lahoud, who
is perhaps the most divisive politician in Lebanon.
The Syrians no doubt enjoyed the address of Lahoud, who heaped praise on them
for their role in Lebanon. But this praise is empty and meaningless because
Lahoud is no ally of Syria; he is their servant. Lahoud ought to recognize that
more than any other country, Lebanon is the most useful of Syria's friends. If
the Lebanese were not constantly trampled under the boot of Syrian security
agencies, they would be strong allies in widening Syria's reach in the region.
But for the past seven years, Lahoud has shown that he does not know the
difference between a friend, who can give advice, and a servant, who must follow
orders. And Lahoud demonstrated this again in Khartoum. If Lahoud were a true
friend of the Syrians, he would have been able to tell them that many of the
choices they have made in Lebanon were politically wrong, not only for the
Lebanese Christians, Muslims and Druze who have suffered from these decisions,
but also for Syria and the vitality of its regime. But Lahoud sees his own role,
and the role of Lebanon, as confined to subservience. It is fitting that he
would express this limited view of himself and his country at the Arab League,
an organization that consistently demonstrates a lack of vision.
Roed-Larsen to ask for new UN resolution on Lebanon
Daily Star staff-Thursday, March 30, 2006
BEIRUT: United Nations special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen reportedly told the
French foreign minister this week that his report to be submitted to Secretary
General Kofi Annan on April 19 on the implementation of Security Council
Resolution 1559 should be followed by the issuing of a new resolution concerning
Lebanon.
According to sources quoted in Wednesday's issue of Sada Al-Balad, Roed-Larsen
said during a Monday meeting with Philippe Douste-Blazy that he hoped his report
was "strongly supported by the members of the Security Council and would result
in drafting a new resolution."The sources added that the envoy suggested the
resolution should cover three points: "demarcation of the Syrian-Lebanese
borders, the establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries, and
the disarmament of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias."
Roed-Larsen was also said to have noted "international and regional agreement on
the three points," in addition to asking France to set all the details related
to deliniating the borders, establishing embassies and disarming the militias.
According to the sources, Larsen proposed three possible solutions to the Shebaa
Farms dispute: a Lebanese-Syrian agreement, international arbitration, or an
Israeli withdrawal.
The sources said the envoy was "pessimistic about disarming the Palestinian
factions," which he said "would take some time."
The sources further quoted Roed-Larsen as having said the campaign to topple
President Emile Lahoud should be dropped "due to the opposition voiced by China,
Russia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt."
Roed-Larsen said he did not visit Damascus during his recent tour of the Middle
East on "the advice of the U.S. administration, which told him not to meet with
Syrian officials before the issuing of the new resolution."
Roed-Larsen met on Wednesday with Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamade and
Social Affairs Minister Nayla Mouawad.In remarks afterward, Hamade said "Lahoud
should resign before it's too late," adding that he did not discuss Hizbullah's
arms with Roed-Larsen "because we don't want anyone to interfere with this issue
since Lebanon's leaders are trying to reach a consensus on it through national
dialogue."
Meanwhile, the Lebanese Democratic Party said on Wednesday that international
interference in the national dialogue aimed to thwart Lebanese efforts to mend
ties with its Arab neighbors.In a statement, party president Talal Arslan said
that Lebanon is experiencing "direct international tutelage," adding that
"international delegates visit the country regularly to impose their road map
[on Lebanon] in an attempt to serve Israel's interests."
Arslan criticized Roed-Larsen's "obsolete, but velvet diplomacy, imposed with an
iron fist to promote a truce with the Zionist state."The Democratic Party leader
expressed support for the UN envoy's calls for settling the Shebaa Farms dispute
and strengthening Lebanese-Syrian ties, but said these matters should be solved
during the ongoing national agenda, not according to a new Middle East
initiative.Arslan urged participants in the dialogue to place Lebanon's interest
above those of "Larsen and those he represents," and stressed the need to
protect Lebanon and the resistance.
"The national solution's main objective lies first and foremost in endorsing a
modern electoral law based on proportional representation and in holding early
legislative elections," he said. - The Daily Star
Cabinet session likely to be stormy after Lahoud,
Siniora dispute
By Raed El Rafei and Therese Sfeir -Daily Star staff
Thursday, March 30, 2006
BEIRUT: A heated Cabinet session between President Emile Lahoud and the majority
is expected Thursday, following the dispute between the president and Premier
Fouad Siniora at the Arab summit Tuesday. A source close to Lahoud said he was
likely to preside over Thursday's Cabinet session at the Social and Economic
Council.
It was reported Wednesday that Lahoud and Siniora argued over a Lebanese draft
resolution pledging to support the resistance. The dispute clearly highlighted
the divide between the ruling elite, bringing the presidential crisis to the
forefront of political declarations Tuesday.Participants in the national
dialogue failed to decide the fate of Lahoud and the identity of his successor.
Future MP Atef Majdalani told The Daily Star that the dispute between Lahoud and
Siniora was further proof there was a serious crisis at the level of the
presidency adding that Lahoud had acted "irresponsibly."
"Siniora was sent to the Arab summit by the all participants in the Lebanese
dialogue, while Lahoud adopted his own position for personal interest without
consulting with the other political groups," he said. Lebanese Forces leader
Samir Geagea said the March 14 Forces had agreed over a list of specific
criteria regarding the presidency following his meeting with Russian Ambassador
Sergei Bukin. He added that MP Michel Aoun was naturally one of the candidates
proposed.
Asked who was hampering solutions to the crisis, Geagea said some participants
were "not considering this issue as something that benefits the country."He
added that the country was at an impasse, stressing the best solution to
overcome deadlock "is to replace the president." "We will do everything possible
to change the president," he said, adding: "If Lahoud remains in his position it
will be a loss to the country."
During a lecture at the Lebanese University Law Faculty in Jal al-Dib, LF MP
George Adwan, said the next president will be chosen without any external
interference, adding: "We won't accept a president who dealt with the Syrians
during their tutelage over Lebanon.""It's up to all Lebanese to choose a new
president. But, nobody from outside the national dialogue can make this choice;
be it America, France, Saudi Arabia and certainly not Syria," Adwan said.
Meanwhile, Reform and Change MP Farid Khazen said he felt "sorry about sending
our disputes to foreign countries," adding the parliamentary majority "should
have been content with the participation of Lahoud." During an interview with
Sawt al-Ghad Wednesday, he said that what happened in Khartoum would "have an
impact on the dialogue, but won't hamper it."
Amal MP Ali Bazzi criticized Siniora's stance on the resistance during the Arab
summit. Indirectly slamming the majority, he said some people in Lebanon were
trying to renege on their commitments regarding the resistance but the Arabs had
expressed their support for it.MP Akram Chehayeb criticized the Lebanese-Syrian
Higher Council and its Lebanese president, Nasri Khoury, "for executing the
Syrian will," in a statement he sent Wednesday to Speaker Nabih Berri.
"What is the future of the Council following the decision made by the national
dialogue to establish equitable diplomatic relations with Syria?" he asked.Berri
has called for a parliamentary question and answer session Thursday.
Meanwhile, judicial sources told The Daily Star the Cabinet will appoint
Brigadier General Dalal Rahbani as deputy director general of the Internal
Security Forces during its session Thursday.
Attendance at summit of two leaders a mistake
By Philip Abi akl -Daily Star
Thursday, March 30, 2006
The disagreement between President Emile Lahoud and Prime Minister Fouad Siniora
in Khartoum has reflected negatively on the internal political situation and has
stunted the positive outcome of the national dialogue. The dispute distorted the
image of Lebanon and its unity, as Lahoud and Siniora dueled over the issue of
the resistance.
While the first tried to include a clause in the final statement that
unequivocally supports the Lebanese resistance (Hizbullah), the premier wished
to give all Lebanese citizens the right to liberate Lebanese occupied
territories.
Consequently, the presence of both the president and the premier in the Arab
Summit led to Lebanon's dirty laundry being strung out in front of everyone.
The March 14 forces were confused by the developments that occurred in Khartoum,
after they realized that Lahoud had defeated the premier, who was supposed to
present the Lebanese demands and hold discussions with Arab leaders to inform
them of the parliamentary majority's positions regarding the situation.
During the national dialogue on Monday, the head of the Progressive Socialist
Party, MP Walid Jumblatt, voiced his opposition at Siniora's participation in
the summit, noting that it would give legitimacy to the president, since he
would represent the Lebanese delegation and Siniora would be sitting behind him.
Jumblatt added that Siniora did not need to participate in the summit to express
the Lebanese position, since he would meet with Arab leaders and heads of states
to convince them of the majority's positions anyway.
But despite Jumblatt's advice, Siniora joined the summit, although he did not
attend the opening session to avoid sitting behind Lahoud. Even when he attended
the other sessions, Siniora sat in the observers' seats to highlight the
divergent views between the parliamentary majority and the president. During the
coming session on Monday, participants in the national dialogue will discuss the
Khartoum developments and Siniora will inform them of the details of what
happened.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb
What happened during the summit is pathetic and instigated a wave of indignation
among Lebanese politicians.
Several politicians said that what happened highlighted the major political
clash between top Lebanese officials. This alone should push the Arab and
Lebanese politicians to resolve the presidential crisis as soon as possible.
However, some politicians of the parliamentary minority said that the dispute
would increase the chances of Lahoud staying in office until the end of his
extended term in November 2007, because of the Arab support he received.
This would force the March 14 MPs to submit a proposal to the participants in
the national dialogue, asking them to resolve the presidency crisis before the
end of April.
The March 14 forces have already started discussing the means to resolve the
crisis and agree on Lahoud's successor.
During the national dialogue session, Jumblatt asked the candidates running for
the presidency to present their candidacy program. He also stressed that the
head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Michel Aoun, was the strongest Christian
candidate and asked him to explain his program.
However, Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said this issue
should be discussed in closed side-sessions, as Speaker Nabih Berri had
previously suggested, and should not be tackled during the national dialogue
before agreeing on the successor.Jumblatt's position enhanced his relations with
Aoun, whose sources said that he was seeking to forge a joint memorandum between
the FPM and the PSP, akin to the memorandum signed between the FPM and Hizbullah.
However, the convergence between some of the participants in the dialogue is
limited by the fact that the majority of the parties believe that the new
president should not belong either to the March 14 or March 8 forces.