LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
July 19/09
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 12:14-21. But the
Pharisees went out and took counsel against him to put him to death. When Jesus
realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many (people) followed him, and he
cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known. This was to fulfill
what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet: Behold, my servant whom I have
chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my spirit upon him, and he
will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not contend or cry out, nor will
anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, a
smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory.
And in his name the Gentiles will hope."
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Sami Gemayel/Now Lebanon July 17,
2009
Why the revival of the Der Spiegel
theory?By: Michael Young, NOW Contributor , July 17, 2009
Bucking the trend, Christians talk
tough on cabinet. By: Matt Nash, NOW Staff , July 18, 2009
On regional and international
developments. By: Ziad Majed , Now Lebanon July 18, 2009
We can dream, can’t we? Now Lebanon
18/07/09
Mentality of obstruction/Future
News 18/07/09
Nasrallah’s calmness completes the
optimism of Berry… FPM opposes/Future News 18.07.09
Rafsanjani stakes out middle ground in Iran, but will anyone join him?
By The
Daily Star 18/07/09
Bold
ideas are needed to advance nuclear non-proliferation-By
Mohamed El-Baradei 18/07/09
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for July
18/09
Patriarch
Sfeir calls for overcoming
divisions. Future News
Sakr: Hariri Syria visit
part of possible settlement.Future News
Israel condemns Kfar Shouba border
protest. Future News
Geagea:
Jumblat Pillar of March 14, Be Prepared for Surprises in International Probe-Naharnet
Marouni: Kataeb will not
participate in cabinet if Hizbullah’s arms legalized-Future News
3rd
Week Ends with No New Developments on Cabinet Formation-Naharnet
France
Acknowledges Difficulties in Forming Government-Naharnet
Wahhab Conveyed to Gemayel
Letter from Syria-Naharnet
Berry surprised at the pessimism
and attacks on Jumblatt/Future News
Nasrallah: Don't Pressure
Hariri; We Do Not Want Guarantees for Weapons or Tribunal-Naharnet
Berri Questions Attack on
Jumblat: Christian-Muslim Conflict Over-Naharnet
Bellemare's Office:
Progress in Investigation into Hariri's Murder; Siddiq No Longer Central to
Probe-Naharnet
Probe into Fake Gallbladder
Surgeries, Custom Permits-Naharnet
Bombs
rip through Indonesia hotels, killing 8 people-Daily
Star
Hezbollah says Israel holding Lebanese prisoner-Ynetnews
Assembly extends UNIFIL troop deployment-United
Press International
Nasrallah: We want no guarantees on our arms-Daily
Star
Hariri
court calls for improved relationship with the media-Daily
Star
Citizens
briefly take over Israeli post in Kfar Shuba-Daily
Star
Hariri
and Bassil hold 'positive' talks on cabinet formation-Daily
Star
Fadlallah calls for political reconstruction-Daily
Star
Bassil:
Cellular firms increasing capacity to cope with traffic-Daily
Star
IMF
calls on the new Lebanese government to implement Paris III-Daily
Star
H1N1
cases in Lebanon reach 82 as WHO abandons count-Daily
Star
Man
charged with murder of Aisha Bakkar victim-Daily
Star
Lebanese
Red Cross distributes 1,400 units of blood-Daily
Star
Judicial
Police arrest thief working at jewelry store-Daily
Star
Roads in
Jdeideh to be closed for repairs-Daily
Star
Pope
appoints Caccia as nuncio to Lebanon-Daily
Star
Cartoon
contest boosts fall Francophone games-Daily
Star
Documentary on 2006 war wins prestigious film award-Daily
Star
Volunteers help renovate Tibnin prison-Daily
Star
French
expert presents 4-step plan to improve road safety-Daily
Star
Drug
addicts ‘need treatment, not jail-Daily
Star
Sfeir calls for overcoming divisions
July 18, 2009/NOW Staff/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir called on
Saturday for all Lebanese to overcome the domestic divisions caused by the 2009
Lebanese parliamentary elections, during a meeting with a delegation from the
Zgharta al-Zawya Pastoral Council. While meeting with a separate delegation from
the Independence Movement, Sfeir also said he was displeased with divisions
among Christians.
Why the revival of the Der Spiegel theory?
Michael Young, NOW Contributor , July 17, 2009
Special Tribunal for Lebanon prosecutor Daniel Bellemare during the start of the
first session on March 1. (ANP/Marcel Antonisse)
There has been a story circulating around Beirut lately that the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon will soon be issuing indictments in the February 14, 2005
assassination of Rafik Hariri and those accompanying him, and that these will
closely replicate the conclusions published by the German newsmagazine Der
Spiegel last May.
As you might recall, the article, written by one Erich Follath, made the claim
that “it was not the Syrians, but instead special forces of [Hezbollah] that
planned and executed the diabolical attack.” Follath also affirmed that Syria
“is not being declared free of the suspicion of involvement,” but that
“President Bashar Assad is no longer in the line of fire.”
That the Hariri tribunal will be issuing indictments soon is good news, but
nothing yet indicates this is in any way true. Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare, by
the tribunal’s own admission, will be spending several weeks in Canada, during
which time he will undergo medical treatment. His health problems may be minor,
we hope so, but somehow it seems unlikely that a prosecutor on the verge of
issuing high-profile accusations will do so right after spending that long a
period away from his office.
There are several more serious problems with the hypothesis about the
indictments approximating the Der Spiegel article – a hypothesis repeated again
this week by the respected An-Nahar commentator Sarkis Naoum. The first is that
Der Spiegel itself was vague about the nature of Hezbollah’s involvement. In a
complex conspiracy like the Hariri assassination, there are several circles of
perpetrators, something United Nations investigators recognized in their
reports. Follath claimed that analyses of telephone intercepts by Lebanon’s
Internal Security Forces had proven that Hezbollah members were in on the Hariri
operation. Yet nowhere did he elucidate precisely the role they allegedly
played. For example, they may have been observing Hariri’s motorcade but were
not in on the actual killing, which was apparently carried out by a suicide
bomber. Only by being specific on so essential a detail can Follath legitimately
assert that Hezbollah planned and executed the attack.
A second problem is that nowhere did Follath substantiate that Syria was not
involved in Hariri’s murder, which meant he could not make a compelling case
that Bashar Assad was “not in the line of fire.” The reality is that if Syrian
involvement is proven, then no decision along such lines would have been taken
without Assad’s approval. And if Follath was unable to demonstrate Syrian
innocence, why should we expect the Special Tribunal to do so, when all the
information indicates that UN investigators never abandoned their belief that
Syria was involved?
In fact, just before leaving office, the first commissioner of the UN
investigative commission, Detlev Mehlis, was preparing to arrest Syrian
officials, a decision he left to his successor, Serge Brammertz, because of time
constraints. If Brammertz disagreed with Mehlis, he never expressed it in any of
his reports. All of them tended to validate what Mehlis had written, even if
Brammertz’s methods were tamer. In fact they were so tame that not a few people,
including several officials who dealt with the Belgian, believe he advanced
relatively little during his years in office.
A third problem is that the Special Tribunal is not only investigating Hariri’s
assassination, but also the dozens of bomb attacks and assassinations that
followed between 2005 and 2008. The Der Spiegel article never addressed these
crimes, therefore any thorough indictment must necessarily move well beyond what
Follath wrote. When UN investigators from the outset have been mainly working on
a Syrian angle to the crime, and this can be confirmed from numerous sources, it
seems risky in the extreme to maintain that everything has been telescoped into
a narrow focus on Hezbollah. Nor do recent UN reports imply this.
This allows us to ask, then, why the sudden return to the Der Spiegel
conclusions? It’s difficult to say. However, the leak to the German magazine was
not a coincidence, and it was, plainly, done to undermine the UN investigation.
The most frightful message in the article was that the truth about who killed
Rafik Hariri might lead to a Sunni-Shia civil war. That was the gist of what
Bashar Assad told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a meeting they held in
Damascus in April 2007. Are those leaking to the media that the Special
Tribunal’s indictments will inculpate Hezbollah trying to issue the same
warning? If so, then someone is again placing the Hariri trial in the
crosshairs.
In the absence of something official from the Special Tribunal, it’s best to
remain skeptical when it comes to whatever is said about the Hariri case.
However, the tribunal’s continued delay in issuing indictments only provides
more room to those seeking to close the institution down once and for all. Not
surprisingly, the scent of blood is in the air.
**Michael Young is opinion editor of the Daily Star newspaper in Beirut.
Sakr: Hariri Syria visit part of possible settlement
July 18, 2009 /NOW Staff
In an interview with New TV on Saturday, Zahle in my Heart bloc MP Okab Sakr
said that a possible visit to Syria by Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri may
form part of an Arab settlement. “Hariri’s visit to Damascus is not intended to
form the cabinet, but to work to organize Arab relations,” Sakr said. He noted
that Hariri would have visited Syria if the conditions were positive and added
that the international community wants the cabinet to be formed by the end of
July. “The US and Saudi Arabia want the cabinet to be formed quickly, unlike
Iran,” he said. He noted that Arab reconciliation “can only be achieved in
cooperation with Syria, while Damascus’ problem is in Lebanon.” However, he
stated that Syria is serious about acting positively toward international and
Arab communities. Sakr said that the opposition is not united over one cabinet
formula and reiterated his refusal to grant the opposition the obstructing-third
vote in the new cabinet. He also emphasized the necessity of forming a
national-unity cabinet as it will save Lebanon from regional conflict.
“Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s speech was calm and
good,” he said, adding that he hoped the opposition would mimic his rhetoric.
Bucking the trend, Christians talk tough on cabinet
Matt Nash, NOW Staff , July 17, 2009
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, like other Christian politicians, has
repeatedly made demands about the make-up of the next government as his
non-Christian allies remain mum on the issue. At first glance, one would think
Lebanon’s Christian leaders didn’t get the memo. As the rest of Lebanon’s
sectarian politicians exchange platitudes about cooperation, Christians in both
March 8 and March 14 are publically fighting over hot-button issues like whether
or not the opposition should have veto power in the next cabinet, and
Hezbollah’s weapons.
Kataeb and Lebanese Forces leaders Amin Gemayel and Samir Geagea have been
adamant about denying the opposition veto power and both have demanded a
ministerial statement that takes a strong stance on Hezbollah’s arsenal. On the
other side of the aisle, Marada Movement head Sleiman Franjieh has been
tirelessly campaigning for 11 opposition ministries (in Lebanon veto power is
achieved through holding more than a third of the 30 seats in cabinet) while
Free Patriotic Movement’s Michel Aoun has demanded time and again “proportional
representation” for the March 8 camp in the government.
The Christians, it seems, are the only community that can afford confrontation.
The wounds of May 7, 2008, are still fresh among the Sunni, Shia and Druze
communities and the Sunni-Shia dynamic has reached tinderbox status as evidenced
last month in Aisha Baikar, when celebratory gunfire turned into a shootout that
left one woman dead.
“There is a sensitivity because the tension in the country is between Sunni and
Shia, that’s where the calm is required,” said Paul Salem, director of the
Carnegie Middle East Center. “If Christians holler at Christians, no trouble,
it’s politics.”
Arguments among the Christians are exactly that: arguments. As such, they
constitute an in-house problem that, aside from some isolated violent incidents
in the years since the end of the civil war, does not have the same potential of
spilling into the streets as disagreement between other communities do.
Christian leaders are still locked in what Salem called “the desperate game of
proving that they represent their community.” In fact, right after the elections
many Christian politicians from both March 8 and March 14 accused each other of
reaching parliament through non-Christian votes, though this particular talking
point hasn’t been voiced in weeks.
While their allies act with an eye on managing conflict among highly mobilized
“streets,” which are seemingly ready to fight at the drop of a hat, Christian
leaders feel the need to constantly project strength as they jockey for the
position of the “most representative” of the community.
March 8 Christians have much to lose if the opposition does not get veto power,
Salem argued. Hezbollah’s weapons give it de facto veto power while Amal leader
Nabih Berri’s position as speaker of parliament gives him the muscle to close it
when he sees fit (as he did, for example, between November 2006 and May 2008).
The cabinet is the only place for opposition Christians to have power, and
they’re fighting for it just as hard as March 14 Christians are fighting to deny
it.
Of course, this is not only a local debate.
“There’s a larger shadow over all of this […] and that is the Syria-Saudi Arabia
dynamic,” said Habib Malik, associate professor of History at the Lebanese
American University. As the two long-opposed countries try to reconcile, they
have likely pressured their closest Lebanese allies to soften their rhetoric,
according to both Malik and Salem.
Syria appears to want Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri to visit Damascus
before forming a government to symbolically indicate that Syria still holds
power over its smaller neighbor. Silence from Hariri and Progressive Socialist
Party leader Walid Jumblatt on cabinet formulas could be interpreted as the
lesser of two evils, leaving the Christians to speak on their behalf on key
issues. “The Christians are often used as a kind of mouthpiece to trumpet
certain things that others would rather be silent about,” Malik said.
We can dream, can’t we?
July 18, 2009 /Now Lebanon
Imagine if you will that we have fast-forwarded to the summer of 2011. The
mid-July temperature is, as ever, rising, the traffic is still grows thicker
along with the ever encroaching summer humidity, and the parking lots are
typically bulging to capacity. Something however, is different.
The thousands of A/C units across Beirut run uninterrupted; the roads, for so
long pot holed and littered with mangled barriers and other deadly obstacles,
are well-maintained, while there is a distinct absence of overhead cables. The
police carry themselves with a sense of purpose and the usual chaos brought on
by the urban traffic is less chaotic. A huge poster of U2’s Bono hangs from the
Burj El Murr tower. There is, dare we say it, a sense of relative order. A
palpable buzz cuts through the summer heat.
Welcome to the new Lebanon. For two years, Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s
government, one that was eventually formed in mid-summer 2009, has been allowed
to function unfettered by political killings, war and the many guises of civil
unrest. Issues – the Palestinians, the so-called national defense strategy and
the Special Tribunal for Lebanon to name but a few – remain, but there has been
a commitment by all parties to make progress where progress can be made.
As a result, genuine priorities have been addressed: the national electricity
grid has been privatized and upgraded. It has taken over 21 years of relative
peace to fix, a fact made light of in a national campaign with the slogan “We
got there in the end”. There is broadband internet from the Akkar to Hermel to
Tyre and all stops in between. Lebanon’s two mobile phone networks have also
been auctioned off and charges have been further reduced. The country’s water
resources have been harnessed. Shortages are fewer and there is even talk of
selling any surplus to a parched Cyprus.
Job creation has become a priority. It is part of a five-year economic blueprint
to develop once-neglected sectors, such as agriculture and industry, to ensure
that the country is no longer reliant on banking and foreign remittances for 60%
of its GDP. Everyone knows the process will be long but at least there is a
sense purpose.
The public sector has been revamped, all taxes are paid and all bills collected.
Quarrying has been banned and there is a robust environmental program across all
sectors all segments of society. Prime Minister Hariri, supported by Hassan
Nasrallah, Amin Gemayel, Samir Geagea, Michel Aoun and other politicians with
sizeable followings have taken a leaf out of Walid Jumblatt’s book and urged
their communities to respect environment. The effects – this is Lebanon after
all – are as instant as they are dramatic. Picnic areas are no longer littered
with post-lunch debris, while migrating birds now fly over the Bekaa’s marsh
lands without being shot down by mindless hunters with pump action shotguns.
The lobbying efforts of YASA, the road safety organization, finally bear real
fruit. Lebanon’s roads are safer. There is a highway code and traffic laws are
enforced across the board, bringing in much-needed revenues to the state
coffers. The government has slashed import tax on new cars in a bid to encourage
to people to buy vehicles that are both safer and environmentally friendly,
while those used to drive old (not to mention dangerous) cars are offered
financial incentive to surrender them for scrap. In the meantime, a national
campaign promotes the use of a revamped public transport system. This creates a
greater sense of the ‘us’ rather than the ‘me’.
A committee is established to pinpoint and exploit Lebanon’s economic assets.
This of course includes a tourism masterplan, one that encourages the sector to
move beyond its comfort zone. No longer reliant on visitors from the GCC,
Lebanon seeks to become a destination for religious, historical, medical and
wine tourism. Charter flights offering competitive rates land daily, depositing
tourists who are eager to explore a small country crammed with history, sun,
service, night life and good food.
The government launches a charm campaign in the world’s media, promoting
Lebanon’s positives. Beirut is nominated as the Mini-break Destination of Choice
for Europeans by Condé Nast Traveler magazine, while Lebanon’s designers,
actors, singers, winemakers, chefs and even models are all feted by a world
eager to feed on Lebanon’s sudden appeal.
On the 2011 summer’s festival program U2, Coldplay, Green Day, Black Eyed Peas
and the Killers headline a season filled with some of the world’s most popular
bands and artists. Gone are the days when Lebanon could only lure the curious
and the has-been. Savvy marketing and the prospect of playing at what are now
seen as some of the most spectacular concert venues on Earth – Baalbek,
Beiteddine, Byblos and even downtown Beirut are now regarded as infinitely
cooler than the soulless arenas that punctuate the world concert trail – has
ensured that the cream of the world’s musicians insist that Lebanon makes it
onto their itinerary.
What else? Oh yes, did Hezbollah disarm? You ask.
We can dream, can’t we?
Sami Gemayel
July 17, 2009
Now Lebanon
On July 17, the website of the March 14 forces, 14march.org, carried the
following report:
Deputy Sami Gemayel announced he received information from the security bodies
revealing he was in danger, which forced him a few days ago to adopt the
necessary security measures and be careful when moving around. He announced in
an interview with the Kalam al-Nass show that the Lebanese Kataeb believed in
the Christian-Druze partnership as it believed in national partnership in
general. He added: “We launched reconciliation with Deputy Jumblatt in the year
2000 because we were convinced of the necessity to prevent the return of the
past massacres and tragedies and to allow the return of life in Mount Lebanon
and coexistence.”
In this context, he described Jumblatt’s recent statements as being provocative,
indicating however he will not allow them to affect the strategic issues and
that the Kataeb were trying to absorb the tensions which were generated by them.
He thus called upon Jumblatt to “stop these provocations and the talk about an
Islamic Front, as though we the Christians did not exist on the Lebanese map and
as though the defense of Lebanon did not require the Christians. We therefore
ask him to stop issuing such positions because they are affecting a certain
public,” hoping that these statements were not the price paid by Jumblatt to
ensure rapprochement with Syria...
Regarding what was attributed to him about his support for peace with Israel,
Gemayel said: “We support the Arab peace initiative, the indirect negotiations
with Israel and the return to the truce agreement because we want peace and
stability in Lebanon. Why not adopt diplomacy for our country’s stability. Syria
is currently seeking peace with Israel and is negotiating with it and all the
other Arab countries are doing the same, while Lebanon is still in a state of
permanent war with Israel and bearing the consequences.” Gemayel then rejected
the saying according to which what happened in the Taif Accord was a
reconciliation, considering that a Lebanese team was absent from it. He
believed: “In 2005, and following the end of the Syrian tutelage over Lebanon,
the Lebanese should have sat together to put forward their fears and concerns.
If we continue to build Lebanon on settlements and lies, we will encounter the
same problems again. We therefore must recognize that this political system has
failed and should evolve… However, our political system does not propose
solutions to the problems, but rather pushes the Lebanese toward taking to the
street to resolve them…”
Gemayel announced on the other hand he had a problem with any illegitimate arms
in Lebanon, differentiating between the arms and presence of the Palestinians in
Lebanon and the arms of Hezbollah and its political plan in Lebanon. He
indicated: “The problem with the Palestinians resides in seeing their camps
turned into security pits where terrorist operations would be set up,”
indicating in this regard that naturalization posed a major threat on Lebanon
and that it would be impossible for one third of the parliament members to vote
in favor of its implementation... He also believed: “The most important decision
of all, i.e. the peace and war decision, should be in the hands of the state but
is currently detained by part of the Shia community.”
Regarding the share of the Lebanese Kataeb in the governmental formation, he
said: “The shares have not been defined yet and they are linked to the shape and
structure of the government,” responding to what is being said about the
formation of the government on the Lebanese level: “What is happening is
shameful. As a Lebanese citizen, I am insulted. We are either in an independent
and sovereign country or not.” He added: “The situation cannot continue like
that. There is a structural problem in Lebanon. The Lebanese people are afraid
of each other and the only solution is to hold a national conference during
which their problems and concerns would be honestly and truthfully put forward.
If we do not do that, we will remain in our place and will only be postponing
the problems from one stage to the other…” Regarding Al-Hariri’s visit to Syria,
Gemayel said: “We must firstly form the government and prepare the pending
dossiers with Syria, then head to it in an official way to discuss these
dossiers. We should not visit it as though we are asking for its consent.
Moreover, we refuse seeing Al-Hariri accompanying the Saudi monarch to Syria.
The problems should be resolved through the Lebanese prime minister that has
earned the consensus of all the Lebanese.”
He added: “We want to enjoy the best relations with our neighbors, whether they
are Arabs or not, taking into consideration the fact that the problem with
Israel has nothing to do with this issue…” When asked about the blocking third
obstacle, he stated: “The constitution talks about participation and says that
the government should be based on sectarian and not political balance. Hezbollah
and the Amal movement represent the majority of the Shia sect and are only
entitled to six ministries. This number of ministries does not allow them to
enjoy a blocking third...”
On regional and international developments
Ziad Majed , July 17, 2009
Now Lebanon
Talk has picked up recently in Lebanon regarding a new phase of regional and
international relations.
What follows is an effort to touch upon relevant information to this regard by
discussing the dynamics of the three countries directly connected to Lebanon –
Syria, Iran and Israel – and their influence in the country.
First: The “Syrian Issue”
It can be said that there are two tracks that will outline the course of Syrian
regional and international relations in this phase.
- The first is the European track, led by France, which aims for quick political
and economic normalization with Damascus and supports its efforts for
reconciliation with the US in order to steer the Syrian government away from
Iran. This would isolate the latter and pave the way for dialogue with an Iran
deprived of its most important bargaining chips.
At the same time, stipulations could be made for respecting Lebanon’s stability,
guaranteeing the security of UNIFIL forces deployed in South Lebanon under UN
Security Council Resolution 1701, and opening up the Syrian market to French and
European investment and trade. The current Saudi approach resembles the
French/European one to a great extent.
- The track of cautiously and slowly opening up with the US will see, through
realization of Syrian promises, efforts to secure calm in Iraq and Lebanon, the
demarcation of Syria’s borders with those countries, and contracting Hezbollah’s
maneuverability. This would indicate good intentions and cause relations to be
normalized. For its part, this track would separate Damascus from Tehran in a
way that would be highly beneficial and afford diplomats the opportunity to work
with an “isolated” Iran.
Current Egyptian efforts can be considered closer to the US approach than to the
European and Saudi one.
Second: The Topic of Iran
Barak Obama arrived at the White House on positions resembling those of European
governments. Such positions call for initiating dialogue with Iran, and
respecting its regional role in exchange for its nuclear program being put under
international observation, preventing it from becoming a military program. This
accompanies US efforts to make a deal with Russia regarding the missile shield
along its western borders in exchange for Russia ending its support for Iran’s
nuclear program. This also coincides with what we discussed earlier about
separating Iran from its allies and putting it in a more difficult negotiating
position whereby severe economic sanctions would be imposed if Iran were not to
respond “positively” to diplomatic efforts.
In contrast, Israel is swiftly trying to convince the US and European states of
the need for a military strike on Iran, destroying its nuclear facilities before
reaching what Tel Aviv calls “the point of no return once Iran acquires the
nuclear bomb.” Israel claims that striking Iran would facilitate solving the
issues of the region as a whole.
Third: The Israeli Situation
Israel is trying to push for war: a war on Iran accompanied by a strike against
Hezbollah and Hamas, or at least tying them down through a deal with the Syrian
regime – with international support – to put pressure on them “to preserve
calm.” Israel has juxtaposed its plans for war with Iran with announcing its
readiness to negotiate with Damascus and its blessing of the French effort to
play a mediating role in the “peace negotiations” in order to alleviate the
pressure on it to make a settlement with the Palestinians – as its current
government has rejected any solution guaranteeing even a modicum of rights to
the Palestinian people…
Where does Lebanon fit in?
There is no doubt that 1) Israel’s proximity to Lebanon 2) Syria’s ambition to
play a new role in Lebanon under the pretext of “facilitating” matters and 3)
Iran’s need to brandish the threat of a southern front in case it were exposed
to military strikes have made Lebanon an open field for conflict. This has
prompted US, European, Arab and international intervention and mediation, which
have thus far been fruitless.
However, amid all of that, what makes matters worse is Lebanon’s internal
division and Hezbollah’s insistence on administering its relations with its
foreign alliances outside the authority of the Lebanese state. This has dragged
the country into something it cannot cope with: joining the Iranian-Syrian camp
– which might become a solely Iranian camp - “in the field.” This would forcibly
place Lebanon on the frontlines of a conflict which, if it happened, would clear
the way for the Syrian regime to play a role in Lebanon, which might seem to
many in the West “necessary to control the situation.”
This would especially be the case if the Special Tribunal for Lebanon were later
to issue an indictment resembling the Der Spiegel report. This issue requires
detailed analysis and has serious and complicated ramifications linked to some
of the regional issues mentioned in this editorial.
In any case, predicting what will happen in the region as a consequence of these
issues is nothing more than fortunetelling, since each course carries multiple
possibilities within itself and with any change various scenarios could emerge.
However, it is important to take note of these issues and to try to understand
them. And it is most important to 1) hasten the formation of a Lebanese
government based on the results of the recent parliamentary elections and 2)
guarantee a level of national participation in the government, securing a
minimum level of harmony in governance. Doing so would shape a road map for the
country to deal first with the many possibilities and scenarios originating from
abroad and second with the country’s many, many domestic issues…
**This article is a translation of the original Arabic, as published on the NOW
Arabic site on July 14
Nasrallah: We want no
guarantees on our arms
Opposition only wants 'real participation'
By Elias Sakr /Daily Star staff/Saturday, July 18, 2009
BEIRUT: Hizbullah wants "no guarantees" about its weapons or the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) in exchange for joining the next government, the
party's leader announced on Friday. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said that Hizbullah
was only interested in real partnership, and had avoided setting down concrete
formulas for Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, who was charged with forming
a cabinet three weeks ago.
In a televised speech to mark the first anniversary of the most recent prisoner
and detainee swap with Israel, Hizbullah's secretary general said the party was
open to several suggestions regarding the cabinet make-up so as to facilitate
Hariri's task.
He denied reports claiming that Hizbullah was hampering the government's
formation by asking for guarantees with regards to the party's weapons or the
STL, adding that the opposition only demanded to be granted "real
participation."
Nasrallah explained that he didn't set pre-conditions during talks with Hariri
earlier this month, adding that the issue of Hizbullah's weapons was left to
discussion when Lebanese leaders convene for a session of National Dialogue, to
tackle the country's defense strategy.
"We refrained from mentioning the next cabinet's specific structure in order to
facilitate Hariri's task, and [there are] several suggested proposals that would
lead to a government of partnership," Nasrallah said.
Concerning the timing of the cabinet's formation, Nasrallah advised Lebanese
parties against using time as an element to pressure Hariri into quickly forming
the government.
"The matter requires that Hariri take the necessary time [to accomplish it]," he
said.
Hizbullah's leader stressed that the June 7 parliamentary elections proved that
opposition groups were representative of a large segment of the Lebanese people,
and as a result, the majority should acknowledge its rivals' role in
decision-making in the next government.
"We have called for real partnership in the next cabinet, which would [lead to]
cooperation rather than obstruction," he said.
Nasrallah said the new government should be solid enough to deal with major
economic, social and security challenges, both domestically and regionally.
Nasrallah added that Lebanon's current economic challenges, given the huge level
of public debt, as well as domestic and regional security threats posed by
Israel and its recently-uncovered spy networks in Lebanon, necessitated that no
group take monopoly over decision-making.
"Whether we want it or not, Lebanon is the country that is most affected by
regional developments," Nasrallah said.
Citing recent meetings between former political rivals, Nasrallah urged Lebanese
parties to take advantage of the present opportunity to end divisions, but added
that some elements of the March 14 coalition "didn't want cooperation" to take
place between the parliamentary majority and the opposition.He also took March
14 figures to task for continuing to warn of Hizbullah's weapons, saying they
wanted to disturb the calm atmosphere in the country. "I advise them to
re-evaluate their stances because the Lebanese people seek dialogue and
understanding."
He added that Hizbullah will "not be provoked at this stage" and that the
opposition would remain open-minded.
Moreover, Nasrallah pledged that if the current efforts ended up leaving
Hizbullah out of the next cabinet, "I'd personally support such a government."
Addressing the party's struggle against Israel, Nasrallah noted that the
prisoners and detainees issue hadn't been brought to a satisfactory conclusion,
despite last year's exchange, which saw the release of the longest-serving
Lebanese detainee, Samir Qantar.
He expressed his party's commitment to liberate prisoners and recover bodies of
martyrs still in Israel's possession, in the absence of efforts by the Lebanese
government toward resolving the issue.
Nasrallah accused Israel of submitting false reports on the fate of missing
detainee Yehya Skaff, adding that Hizbullah believed he was still being held by
the Israelis. "Yehya's family said he was still alive and detained in an Israeli
prison and we take their word for it; Israel's reports claiming they ignored his
fate were not convincing in legal terms," Nasrallah said.
Hizbullah would not give in to "Israeli claims" stating that they had returned
all bodies and prisoners, he added. Nasrallah stressed that Hizbullah wasn't
trying to take over the Lebanese authorities' role in the matter, adding that
the party would be glad to assist the government if it assumed its
responsibilities.Nasrallah also called on the future cabinet to resolve the
issue of the Lebanese and Syrians who went missing in both countries during the
1975-1990 civil war. "Let their fate be uncovered, to put an end to their
families' misery," he said.
Nasrallah praised President Michel Sleiman's recent pardon of Youssef Shaaban
for the assassination of a Jordanian diplomat in Beirut in 1994, after the
killers were convicted and executed by the Jordanians. He also said the Lebanese
authorities should end the practice of administrative detention and urged them
to free detainees who haven't been convicted of a crime.
Qantar delivered a short address prior to Nasrallah's speech, which was
broadcast on a big screen in front of hundreds of supporters at the Shahed
Complex in Beirut's southern suburbs.
Nasrallah: Don't Pressure
Hariri; We Do Not Want Guarantees for Weapons or Tribunal
Naharnet/Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah gave the designated premier a
boost Friday cautioning against pressures to form a government and pledging to
endorse a future cabinet even if it did not include the Shiite party. Nasrallah
was speaking in a televised speech to mark the 1st anniversary of a prisoner
swap with Israel in which five Lebanese prisoners were freed in return for the
remains of two Israeli soldiers. On the government formation, he said: "Any
missed step or uncalculated pressuring is unnecessary… the country experienced
dangerous division and is facing great challenges." "We are required to
cooperate to put and end to the division, there is an open window for that. I
advise against using the element of time to pressure the premier designate to
form a government.
"The (shape-up) deserves to take its time and we remain open to dialogue and
partnership," he said.
Nasrallah denied reports that Hizbullah has been hampering the formation by
asking for guarantees concerning the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the
party's weapons arsenal as pre-conditions.
"I told Hariri, during our meeting, that we do not want guarantees for the
resistance's arsenal from the government or anyone else in this world. We both
agreed that the issue is part of the national dialogue," he said. "Now I speak
for myself: even if the opposition and Hariri agree on a government that does
not include (Hizbullah), I, Hassan Nasrallah will endorse and support it and
will not be dismayed." Nasrallah also said that Hizbullah has never asked for
guarantees with regards to the tribunal, which was set up to investigate the
bombing that killed former premier Rafik Hariri. "We are not asking for
guarantees concerning the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. The issue is not and has
never been a topic of discussion with the other team. We are not asking for
guarantees from the government either with regards to the tribunal," Nasrallah
said.
Nasrallah criticized those who want to disturb the calm atmosphere in the
country advising them to "reevaluate their positions because the people want
dialogue and understanding."
He said Hizbullah supports meeting between "any side of the opposition with any
side of the pro-government forces."
"We will not be provoked at this stage," he insisted, adding the opposition was
"open-minded and will facilitate the government formation." On another note,
Nasrallah said Hizbullah remained committed to "recovering or freeing" prisoners
or bodies of martyrs that are still in Israel's possession in the absence of
state effort to do so.
He said Hizbullah supported claims by the Skaff family that its son Yehia
remained alive in Israeli prisons.
"We will not give in to Israel's claims it returned (all prisoners and bodies)
and will continue to work to recover those bodies," he promised. "If the next
government takes over these files, Hizbullah will be at its service. Let it bear
the responsibility. "We do not want to substitute the government in any issue. I
am asking it to assume responsibility and we will be helpful," he added.
Nasrallah said the government had a responsibility to uncover the fate of four
Iranian diplomats who went missing in Lebanon in 1982. Iran accuses Israel of
holding the diplomats.
"Not because they are Iranian nationals, but because they are diplomats in
Lebanon," Nasrallah said. He also called on the future government to follow up
the files of Lebanese missing in Syria and Syrians missing in Lebanon. "Let
their fate … be uncovered. Put an end to the misery of their families,"
Nasrallah said. He thanked President Michel Suleiman for pardoning last week an
innocent Palestinian who spent 15 years in prison after he was convicted of
assassinating a Jordanian diplomat in Beirut. "I do not know if there are other
cases like that of Youssef Shaaban in Lebanese jails. But we have a
responsibility … to address this issue," he said. Nasrallah also called for an
end to administrative detention asking the authorities to release prisoners, who
have not been convicted of a crime. Beirut, 17 Jul 09, 20:47
Mentality of obstruction
Date: July 18th, 2009 Source:
Future News/The recent claim for the obstructing third is one of the comic
anecdotes included in the political life, but reflects the political crisis in
the mentality of the minority that have not yet chose the direction for its
political behavior. How can we talk about a democratic system when some
political components seek to disrupt political life, under the excuse of
guarantees, to “link a dispute” to the rhythm of regional and international
negotiations? Ironically, talking about "guarantees" is coming from a political
group which solely obstructed the country and its political and constitutional
institutions, closed its facilities and blocked its roads. The minority ignores
its involvement in obstructing the path of the Lebanese political social and
economical advancement, specifically the attempt to politicize the international
tribunal, while the majority insisted on separating the tribunal from internal
political facts. Moreover, these forces are trying to plunge the country through
the issue of “guarantees”, required primarily from the Lebanese, so that no
group would monopoly the decision of war and peace, and take the country into
the unknown. Previous experiences showed that the mentality of obstruction and
paralysis has done nothing but put Lebanon on the path of non-stopping
regression, given that any of the resolutions of the national dialogue which
started in the parliament were not implemented at all levels.
Marouni: Kataeb will not participate in cabinet if
Hizbullah’s arms legalized
Date: July 18th, 2009 /Future News
Tourism Minister Elie Marouni said on Saturday that Kataeb party will not
participate in the new cabinet if it grants the opposition the obstructing-third
vote and gives guarantees to Hizbullah in regard to its arms. In an interview
with Future News Marouni affirmed that the meeting held on Thursday night
between Kataeb leader Amine Gemayel and Tawhid Movement leader Wiam Wahab fell
within the framework of openness and dialogue. He also revealed that Wahab had
requested the meeting. He described Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah’s declaration on Friday that his party "does not need guarantees from
any one on the Resistance’s arms,” as a completion to his previous stances in
which he stressed that his arsenal is a sacred issue not open for discussions.
Speaking during a celebration in Hizbullah’s stronghold in West Beirut,
Nasrallah argued that his party needs no guarantees on whether to preserve and
make legal the Resistance’s arms. Marouni said the Syrian leadership is not
likely to invite Kataeb leader Amine Gemayel to visit Damascus via a former
Lebanese minister, “unless he was assigned its ambassador,” he argued, welcoming
any visit to Syria if it was meant to preserve Lebanon’s sovereignty.
Geagea: Jumblat Pillar of March 14, Be Prepared for Surprises in International
Probe
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said that Progressive Socialist
Party chief Walid Jumblat was a "pillar" of the majority March 14 coalition
regardless of his controversial positions. Geagea, in remarks published Saturday
by the daily al-Liwaa, stressed the need to promote March 14 cohesion. He
stressed the need to follow up on the probe into the 2005 assassination of
former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri as well as the link between a report
published by the German weekly Der Spiegel and the results of the ongoing
investigation. "We should be prepared for surprises in the international
investigation," Geagea warned. Beirut, 18 Jul 09, 09:43
3rd Week Ends with No New Developments on Cabinet Formation
Naharnet/Third week of talks between Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri and
various leaders ended with no major breakthrough in the formation of a national
unity government.
An assessment meeting, however, is expected to take place later Saturday between
Hariri and President Michel Suleiman. Visitors quoted Suleiman as saying he
reject the so-called "open-ended deadline." Suleiman was also quoted as
reiterating that he will only approve the formation of a national unity
government "and nothing else." The president urged the various political leaders
to "make concessions for the sake of the nation." Beirut, 18 Jul 09, 09:33
France Acknowledges Difficulties in Forming Government
Naharnet/French Foreign Minister spokesman Eric Chevallier said that the
formation of a government in Lebanon "is not easy." Chevallier, however, noted
that French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner "felt there were opportunities"
for a settlement to the Cabinet lineup during his recent visit to Lebanon and
Syria.Official French sources, meanwhile, stressed that a rapprochement with
Damascus "does not mean abandoning the fundamental principles of French policy
in Lebanon." Beirut, 18 Jul 09, 11:08
Wahhab Conveyed to Gemayel Letter from Syria
Naharnet/A lengthy meeting has taken place between pro-Syrian former Cabinet
Minister Wiab Wahhab and Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel, it was disclosed
Saturday.
Media reports said the meeting took place Thursday evening at Gemayel's mansion
in Bekfaya. They said Wahhab conveyed to Gemayel a letter from Syria that
underlined its openness toward the former President and renewed its invitation
to him to visit Damascus. Wahhab told the daily al-Liwaa in remarks published
Saturday that his visit to Gemayel "came as part of attempts to hold dialogue in
all directions." "Gemayel believes in pleasant and excellent relations as well
as dialogue with Syria," Wahhab explained.He said Gemayel also stressed the need
that Lebanon should be friends with Syria. However, Gemayel said that there are
certain issues that needed to be settled, Wahhab added. Beirut, 18 Jul 09, 10:
Probe into Fake Gallbladder Surgeries, Custom Permits
Naharnet/Authorities have opened an investigation into fake gallbladder
surgeries as well as custom permits -- two examples of public money squandered
for no good reason. Health Minister Mohammed Jawad Khalife uncovered that
hospitals and doctors were involved in scores of cases of forgery and cheating.
Khalife, in an interview with the daily As Safir published on Saturday, said he
made the discovery "accidentally," thanks to the Electronic Control System which
saves data of each surgery. Khalife said the scam involved 20 doctors working in
different hospitals "with bad reputation." He said each surgeon got a 25 percent
increase for each surgery he performed. Khalife, however, said the increase
would be deducted from their dues and stressed that the ministry would take
legal action against them. Meanwhile, the customs department opened an
investigation into forged permits by one of the customs clearance offices.
Caretaker Prime Minister Fouad Saniora on Friday contacted Finance Minister
Mohammed Shatah and Prosecutor-General Saeed Mirza to be briefed on the latest
developments regarding the probe.Saniora stressed the "need to speed up
investigations in order to take the necessary legal measures." Beirut, 18 Jul
09, 08:23
Berri Questions Attack on Jumblat: Christian-Muslim
Conflict Over
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri questioned the attack campaign against 'Democratic
Gathering' parliamentary bloc leader MP Walid Jumblat whom he described as one
seeking to bridge differences among the Lebanese. Following his meeting of
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Sultanov on Friday, Berri said: "For
those that have ears we say, there is no Christian-Muslim conflict, this issue
is over forever." He added that Jumblat is working on removing past problems
rather than sweeping them under the rug. In newest remarks to the daily Al-Akhbar
published Friday, Jumblat criticized March 14 leaders as living in another
world. "It seems that the youngsters are (living) in a different world," Jumblat
said. Jumblat's criticism came as the Druze leader's call for a "solid"
gathering with Hizbullah, al-Mustaqbal Movement and Speaker Nabih Berri drew
outrage from March 14 leaders. "This was a slip of the tongue," Phalange Party
leader Amin Gemayel said of Jumblat's recent statement. Lebanese Forces leader
Samir Geagea, however, disagreed with Jumblat on his reasoning that the Muslim
arena was the "foundation." "This is not true. The political arena is national
and not religious," Geagea believed. "We cannot talk about any alliance in
Lebanon's interest in isolation from the Christians," Geagea stressed. MP Sami
Gemayel, for his part, said in an interview with LBC's Kalam el-Nass talk show
late Thursday that he does not mind a rapprochement between Jumblat and Syria
"provided we would not pay a price for this rapprochement." Berri commented on
the issue of government formation saying: "Most local, regional and
international stances embrace the principle of a speedy formation of a national
unity government." Sultanoc also met with Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri
and outgoing PM Saniora. Beirut, 17 Jul 09, 21:17
Hariri court calls for improved relationship with the media
By Patrick Galey and Carol Rizk
Daily Star staff/Saturday, July 18, 2009
BEIRUT: The prosecutor in the United Nations-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon
(STL) said on Friday that it required a better relationship with the media in
order to continue in its probe into the death of former Prime Minister Rafik
Hariri. Addressing reporters at the Seat of the Lebanese Journalists'
Association, Radhia Ashouri, spokesperson for Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare, said
the prosecutor's office was "developing specific projects to communicate with
the public and media better."
She called for greater public participation in the tribunal, highlighting a new
STL website - launched last month - as one possible avenue of witness
engagement. "As far as we are concerned, as the office of the prosecutor, we
want to reach out as much as possible," she said.
However, Ashouri sounded a note of caution, warning that any leaked reports
could stand in the way of the tribunal's passage to justice.
"No information will be leaked to the media or to politicians or any other
institution because the investigation is still confidential and the culprits are
still free. Any information made public can benefit the criminals," she added.
She said the probe was moving forward, but stressed that the prosecution would
not be hurried into any decision.
Ashouri vowed that Bellemare would "give whatever the evidence lets him [give]
and leave no stone unturned" in the pursuit of bringing Hariri's killers to
justice.
The STL was set up to try those allegedly responsible for the assassination of
billionaire and five-time former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was killed
along with 22 others by a massive car bomb in the Beirut neighborhood of Ain al-Mreisseh
on February 14, 2005. It has been plagued by controversy since its inception in
2007.
Ashouri stressed that the tribunal had been necessarily slow in its efforts to
conduct an "entirely evidence-based" investigation. Bellemare could "dictate the
pace of the investigation but he cannot dictate the results," Ashouri said.
"Behind every inch of progress there is a mile of work," she quoted Bellemare as
saying. "I did not come out of retirement to fail."
Ashouri continued: "All those who worked with the prosecutor general were well
aware of the difficulties of this task but we were determined to overcome these
difficulties due to the importance of our mission."She reiterated that the prosecution was not seeking to speak further with
Mohammad Zuhair Siddiq, the former Syrian intelligence officer who alleged that
Syrian President Bashar Assad and his then-Lebanese counterpart Emile Lahoud
ordered Hariri's killing.
Siddiq was initially treated as a witness by the tribunal but became a suspect
after his testimonies were discredited.
"The evidence he provided is not acceptable and we are not interested in him,"
said Ashouri.
Earlier this year the STL ordered the release of four Lebanese generals held
without charge since 2005 on suspicion of involvement in Hariri's assassination.
Ashouri indicated that the prosecution saw their release as legitimate and
routine.
"The investigation was never restricted to the case of the four generals. The
legal status of the four generals, according to us, is relatively special. We
cannot condemn them or consider them suspects and this is why we had no problem
setting them free. The matter of their release is a matter of procedure," she
said. Last month, German publication Der Speigel alleged that Hizbullah had
plotted and executed Hariri's murder. While Hizbullah at the time dismissed the
accusations as "nothing but police-like fabrications," Ashouri refused to be
drawn on the subject."We don't comment on [this] and other media reports and we
will not comment on operational aspects of the investigation," she said.
Hariri's murder has been widely blamed on Damascus and prompted the pullout of
Syrian troops from Lebanon after a presence of nearly30 years.
Man charged with murder of Aisha Bakkar victim
Saturday, July 18, 2009
BEIRUT: General Prosecutor Ralph Maamari has charged one person with murder in
the Aisha Bakkar violence of last month, as six others face prosecution for
attempted murder. Armed clashes on June 27 between Future and Amal supporters in
the Beirut neighborhood left a resident, Zeina Miri, dead and 11 others injured.
The celebratory gunfire following the re-election of Amal leader Nabih Berri as
speaker and the appointment of Future Movement leader Saad Hariri as
premier-designate was said to have sparked the clashes. On Friday, Maamari
charged Amal Movement supporter Musa Ali Daher with killing Miri, while four of
his compatriots - Ali Mohammad Shreim, Abbas Ibrahim Mansour, Youssef Ahmad
Merhi and Ali Badawi - were charged with attempted murder, for firing weapons at
two youths during the clashes. Meanwhile, Said Sabaa and Tareq Said were
indicted on charges of attempted murder, while their fellow Future Movement
supporters Ali Zakariya Mahmoud and Rabih Kaaki were charged with firing warning
shots, and Ahmad Barakat for provoking the shooting. Eight other suspects -
Wissam Harqous, Khalil Fouani, Nasser Khodr, Mohammad Atris, Haitham Daher,
Ahmad Zahwa, Abdel-Aziz Qattan and Bassem Kayyal - who are still at large, were
charged with rioting or possession of unlicensed arms, while Ali Zakariya
Zaraqet was charged with assault.
Pope appoints Caccia as nuncio to Lebanon
Daily Star staff/Saturday, July 18, 2009
BEIRUT: Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Magistrate Gabriele Caccia as nuncio to
Lebanon. Archbishop-designate Caccia succeeds Archbishop Luigi Gatti, who was
transferred to Greece on Thursday, according to a statement by the Secretariat
of the Papal Embassy in Lebanon Friday. The 51-year old Caccia’s previous role
as assessor for general affairs is to be filled by Peter Wells, the Catholic
News Service reported. In addition to his native Italian, Caccia speaks English,
French and German. – The Daily Star
Drug addicts ‘need treatment, not jail’
NGO highlights need for government efforts to cure ‘disease’
By Stephen Dockery /Special to The Daily Star
Saturday, July 18, 2009
BEIRUT: Samir Khashan was a drug addict for 24 years. His addiction landed him
in trouble with the law; he was arrested and imprisoned dozens of times. “I
passed through all the prisons that exist in Lebanon,” said the 41-year-old from
Hadath. But recently things have improved for Khashan. He found a rehabilitation
organization to help him and he has started a drug substitution therapy program
to battle his addiction. The organization that is helping Khashan fight his
addiction, Skoun, held a drug addiction conference at the Movenpick Hotel in
Beirut on Friday. Khashan was one of the testimonial speakers at the event,
which also featured presentations from judges, government specialists, NGO
workers, and focused on the need for government efforts to rehabilitate and
treat drug addicts, rather than simply assign them time in jail. “There needs to
be more recognition that addiction is a treatable disease,” said Nadya Mikdashi,
the director of Skoun, about the purpose of the event. “There needs to be more
people joining in on addressing this issue, it cannot just stay in the hands of
the police force and the judicial system.”
Friday’s conference marked the conclusion of Skoun’s two-year program, which was
funded by Afkar 2, a civil society initiative financed by the European Union and
administered by the Office of the Minister of State for Administrative Reform.
There are few reliable numbers on the prevalence of drug use and addiction in
Lebanon, but an illicit trade in various types of narcotics is rampant, and
often the target of government crack-downs. While alternative crops programs
have been unsuccessful in weaning farmers away from drug cultivation, addicts
have usually lacked a sufficient level of treatment programs, and are instead
usually punished with jail time.
Reforming the country’s drug laws began in 1998 with a drug reform amendment
that decriminalized drug addiction. However, the implementation of that
amendment stalled, as the government had few resources to put it into effect.
“What they are doing right now is not solving the problem. When you incarcerate
or arrest, you’re not solving the addiction you’re punishing the addiction,”
Mikdashi said.
Some members of the government have been supportive of the push for reform.
Several government officials and judges were present at the Friday’s conference
and gave presentations on what can be done to stimulate change. Mikdashi helped
found Skoun in 2003 to provide treatment for addicts and raise drug addiction
awareness in young people. It provides one of the few outpatient drug treatment
centers in Lebanon. A total of 172 people were treated by the Skoun program in
2008, and 68 people are currently seeking treatment from the program.
Since its creation, Skoun has received funding from international and local
donors; it then expanded its efforts to lobby for legal reform in 2007, through
funding from the EU’s Afkar civil society project. “Treatment aside, the spirit
of Skoun, in its non-judgmental, non-moralizing way of accepting who we are as
people first, creates safety and empowers us,” said Khashan, the former drug
addict
Khashan said the mere fact that government officials were attending a conference
like the one held at the Movenpick represented a significant shift in culture
from the past.
“If the government recognizes the need to provide treatment, then this would be
a huge accomplishment – drug addiction is a sickness that needs to be treated.”
Hezbollah’s Combat Function and Veto Power in the Cabinet
Fri, 17 July 2009
Walid Choucair/AlHayat
There is no argument about saying that the decline in tension on the Lebanese
scene is due to the atmosphere of rapprochement and openness, whether inter-Arab
or regional-international, based on, until further notice, a policy of engaging
in dialogue with Iran and Syria by the Barack Obama administration. There is
also the Saudi-Syrian reconciliation, which the Saudi side wants to use as a
launching-point for encouraging Egyptian-Syrian reconciliation, as the Egyptians
await practical moves by the Syrians that help unify Palestinian ranks, so that
this reconciliation can take place.
Without this atmosphere, it would not be possible for the prime minister of the
new Lebanese Cabinet, the leader of the Future Movement, MP Saad al-Hariri, to
visit Damascus after the formation of the government, as a sign of separating
the issue of Lebanese-Syrian relations from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon,
which is investigating the assassination of al-Hariri’s father, Rafiq al-Hariri,
the former prime minister. Moreover, perhaps it would not have been certain that
the younger al-Hariri would take on the responsibility of becoming prime
minister in Lebanon. Perhaps it would not have been possible for MP Walid
Jumblatt, the head of the Progressive Socialist Party, to take stances vis-à-vis
Syria that had earlier reached the height of hostility, and closer to a point of
no return. It would not have been possible for opposition figures, like Speaker
Nabih Berri, to take the initiative of “shuffling the deck” between the majority
and the opposition… And this does not refute the idea that there is a domestic
dynamics that requires a change in political discourse, which is the decisive
factor that is formed by the external political climate – despite the
appropriateness of talking about this domestic dynamics. If not for last month’s
parliamentary election results, which saw the 14 March coalition victorious, the
external climate itself would not have taken this accelerating direction, at the
least vis-à-vis contacts between Saudi Arabia and Syria. The American and
European openness to Syria would have moved much more slowly. If it were not for
this election result, the secretary general of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah, would not have felt the need to meet quickly with al-Hariri, and then
also with Jumblatt. If it were not for the fears of growing Sunni-Shiite tension
and strife (which regional powers, especially Saudi Arabia, are trying to
extinguish), al-Hariri would not have arrived at a policy of trying to build
bridges and being patient in forming a government of national unity. Walid
Jumblatt, fearful of the rising Shiite-Druze sensitivities, would not have
called for bringing together Future, Hezbollah, the Amal Movement and his PSP to
clear the air on the Muslims’ side, and expressed his longing for visiting
Damascus, etc.
However, this domestic political activity, which is prompting local leaders to
take such initiatives, is also influenced by external factors. But even when
these leaders take such domestic initiatives, the reason is their wager that the
external climate will help implement such policies.
If local leaders are able to adapt to this climate quickly, they might outstrip
the transformations that are sometimes under way in the regional political
equation, as in the case of Jumblatt, who precedes such changes and is blamed
for going too far and too quickly. Other groups, especially the opposition, are
late to take such steps and require a considerable amount of time to accommodate
themselves to the changes.
The inter-Arab reconciliation cancels out the idea of veto power within the
Cabinet (for the opposition) since it is a formula that arose after the
Saudi-Syrian dispute reached an unprecedented level. Damascus needed it, after
withdrawing from Lebanon and seeing its “veto power” within Lebanon’s political
system and legislature reduced, as it confronted an Arab policy (Saudi Arabia
and Egypt) that totally contradicted its own policy in Lebanon. With the
reconciliation taking place, the one-third-plus-one vote in the Cabinet, i.e.
the veto, loses the regional function for which it was created.
With the American opening to Syria, Washington’s reining in an Israeli war
against Iran, and the Obama administration’s policy of using negotiations and
economic pressure (in the worst case scenario) with Iran, Hezbollah’s combat
function is also abolished, and becomes instead a defensive function, in the
best case scenario. Hezbollah will require a different positioning in its
relationship with local rivals. It will no longer need to exercise power via the
arms it possesses, as an added strength that goes beyond its local political
clout in the Lebanese political-sectarian equation. It will insist on its share
of the government and in meeting the openness of the majority and in having good
ties with the president of the Republic, Michel Suleiman.
Perhaps Speaker Berri’s statement at the beginning of the week that Lebanon’s
peace, unity and stability are the country’s best faces of war with Israel,” is
the most eloquent expression of the substitution of a political role for the
combat function.
There are many elements of accommodation with the external political climate by
local players. One of the most important is the role of the president in
Lebanon. If there is an external consensus on anything, before the inter-Arab
reconciliation goes further, it is the central role of the president in
recovering the role of the Lebanese political authorities. This is something
that should be firmly cemented, as reconciliation develops.