LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
November 24/09
Bible Reading of the day
.
The Revival of Lazarus from death
John11/17-46: "Jesus found that he (Lazarus) had been in the tomb four days
already. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia away.
Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to console them
concerning their brother. Then when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went
and met him, but Mary stayed in the house. Therefore Martha said to Jesus,
“Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. Even now I
know that, whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise
again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the
resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he
dies. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She
said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God’s
Son, he who comes into the world.”
When she had said this, she went away, and called Mary, her sister,
secretly, saying, “The Teacher is here, and is calling you.” When she
heard this, she arose quickly, and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come into
the village, but was in the place where Martha met him. Then the Jews who were
with her in the house, and were consoling her, when they saw Mary, that she rose
up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep
there.” Therefore when Mary came to where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down
at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother
wouldn’t have died.”
When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he
groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?”
They told him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. The Jews therefore said,
“See how much affection he had for him!” 7 Some of them said, “Couldn’t this
man, who opened the eyes of him who was blind, have also kept this man from
dying?” Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, came to the tomb. Now it was
a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha,
the sister of him who was dead, said to him, “Lord, by this time there is a
stench, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell
you that if you believed, you would see God’s glory?”
So they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying.
Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, “Father, I thank you that you listened to
me. I know that you always listen to me, but because of the multitude that
stands around I said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” When
he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” He who
was dead came out, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped
around with a cloth.
Jesus said to them, “Free him, and let him go.”
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
New Opinion: Go figure/Lebanon
celebrated 66 years of independence Sunday/Now Lebanon/ November 23/09
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for November 23/09
Sfeir:
There's a Difference between Resistance and Army Weapons/Naharnet
Harb: No legal status to Resistance
apart from the state/Future News
Al-Watan
says Ministerial Statement to be finalized on Tuesday/Now Lebanon
Ministerial statement before Adha Feast/Future News
Adwan: LF
backs state prevalence/Future News
'UNIFIL to control north part of Ghajar'/Future News
7th Committee Session on Monday,
Resistance Article Almost Similar to Previous Policy Statement/Naharnet
Lebanese Ambassador Holds
Ceremony in Damascus, Stresses Improvement of Ties/Naharnet
Report: Israel Working on Withdrawal from Ghajar Based on Graziano Plan/Naharnet
Shaaban: We Welcome Hariri's Visit but Assad Decides on Jumblat's Travel to
Syria/Naharnet
Egypt Advises Citizens to
Avoid Agents who Smuggle them to Lebanon/Naharnet
Four Car Thieves,
Including Top Criminal, Arrested/Naharnet
Lebanon Celebrates
Independence Day with Military Parade/Naharnet
Soaid: We Insist Hizbullah,
Iranian Arms be Under Legitimate Control/Naharnet
Qassem: Resistance Will
Remain. Pre-Agreement on it in Ministerial Statement/Naharnet
Abboud: Opposition conditionally
supports privatization
/Now Lebanon
Houri: Article six of 2008
Ministerial Statement should be adopted
/Now Lebanon
Kanaan sets framework for FPM-Sfeir dialogue /Now
Lebanon
Egypt calls on nationals
not to travel to Lebanon illegally
/Now Lebanon
Sfeir:
There's a Difference between Resistance and Army Weapons
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir said Sunday he does not oppose
President Michel Suleiman's views on the resistance, but added that there is a
difference between resistance and Lebanese army weapons. "We do not object to
remarks made by the President on the resistance during his speech on the eve of
Independence Day," Sfeir told reporters at Beirut airport. "I am not aware of
the existence of a regular army and the resistance in one country at the same
time," Sfeir pointed. "There are rules and general assumptions common all over
the world," Sfeir added before heading to the Vatican to take part in the
preparation for the work of Middle East Churches. "Lebanon is considered as a
small country by Israel and cannot curb attacks" carried out by the Jewish
state, he said. "The resistance has so far tried, but I don't know if it had
succeed or not," Sfeir added. In response to a question on Israel's continued
occupation of Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shouba Hills, Sfeir said: "This is a long
standing conflict. We hope Lebanon would spread its sovereignty over all its
territory." "Israel, however, and those backing it, prevent Lebanon from
achieving sovereignty," Sfeir believed Beirut, 22 Nov 09, 09:17
Al-Watan
says Ministerial Statement to be finalized on Tuesday
November 23, 2009 /Now Lebanon/Syrian newspaper Al-Watan reported on Monday that
the Lebanese Ministerial Statement will most probably be finalized by Tuesday.
The daily said that Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Progressive Socialist Party
leader MP Walid Jumblatt pushed for the re-adoption of the 2008 Ministerial
Statement, especially the clause pertaining to Hezbollah’s arms that allowed the
Resistance to defend Lebanon alongside its army and people. The daily added that
Social Affairs Minister Selim as-Sayegh and Labor Minister Boutros Harb – who
represent the Christian parties within the March 14 alliance – will express
“insignificant reservations” to the Ministerial Statement’s final version.
The economic section of the Ministerial Statement was “adequately managed,” Al-Watan
said, quoting an opposition source as saying that Hariri and Finance Minister
Rayya Hassan were “remarkably responsive” to Telecommunications Minister Charbel
Nahhas’ suggestions to be possibly included in the statement. The daily also
said that Interior Minister Ziad Baroud will participate in the committee’s
meeting on Monday after his absence on Friday due to his dispute with Internal
Security Forces (ISF) Director General Ashraf Rifi after the latter overstepped
his jurisdiction and suspended Police Brigadier Antoine Chakkour. -NOW Lebanon
Report: Israel Working on Withdrawal from Ghajar Based on Graziano Plan
Naharnet/Senior Israeli cabinet ministers, led by Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, have decided to work on the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the
northern part of the border village of Ghajar, Haaretz reported Monday. The
ministers of the cabinet's "forum of seven" are to recommend to the security
cabinet the adoption of UNIFIL commander Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano's plan to
have U.N. troops take responsibility over the area, the Israeli newspaper said.
The ministers also decided that residents who are Alawites would retain their
Israeli identity cards. The newspaper said that the U.S. and U.N. have told
Israel that its pullout from Ghajar will help bring stability to the border area
following the formation of the Lebanese national unity government led by PM Saad
Hariri. Washington and the U.N. have also said that the withdrawal would
strengthen Hariri's moderate camp, according to Haaretz.Netanyahu reportedly
wants to bring the matter to a vote in the security cabinet on Wednesday.
According to Graziano's plan, presented a year ago, hundreds of UNIFIL troops
will be deployed in and around the village, along with a liaison officer from
the Lebanese army. The 40 to 60 UNIFIL soldiers to be stationed in the village
would respond in case of a security incident.
Beirut, 23 Nov 09, 10:40
7th Committee Session on Monday, Resistance Article Almost Similar to Previous
Policy Statement
Naharnet/The committee tasked with drafting the cabinet policy statement will
hold its seventh session on Monday afternoon amid ongoing differences between
bickering camps on the resistance article which is still facing objections from
March 14 Christians. Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said the committee is expected to
adopt an article on the resistance almost similar to the previous government's
ministerial statement. However, ministerial sources told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat
that March 14 representatives will seek for the adoption of a formula that does
not turn them into "false witnesses." The sources added that discussions during
the committee's meetings are mainly restricted to the March 8 and 14 Christian
parties whereby Change and Reform bloc representatives are defending Hizbullah
while the Shiite party's representative Minister Mohammed Fneish is trying to
keep dialogue calm. Labor Minister Boutros Harb told al-Hayat: "Our ambition is
to stress that all security decisions should be made by the state and its legal
institutions." "The resistance cannot be given a legal status apart from the
state," according to Harb. He said, however, that intensive contacts are being
made to find "the proper formula" although discussions during the seventh
committee meeting on Monday are not expected to focus on the resistance issue.
The ministerial committee is scheduled to discuss the policy statement's
economic and financial chapter. Al-Hayat said the political chapter would most
probably be discussed during a meeting on Tuesday. President Michel Suleiman has
also stressed that "there is consensus to adopt the formula of the previous
cabinet over the resistance." However, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea
rejected the inclusion in the policy statement of any reference to Hizbullah's
arms in defense of Lebanon. "What's the use of any state in any nation in which
it isn't the decision-maker of war and peace?" Geagea wondered. Beirut, 23 Nov
09, 07:56
Lebanese Ambassador Holds Ceremony in Damascus, Stresses Improvement of Ties
Naharnet/Lebanon's ambassador to Syria Michel Khoury held a reception on the
occasion of independence day and said relations between the two countries will
develop and improve in the future. "Family, cultural and historic relations, in
addition to common economic interests will develop and grow stronger in the
future based on the foundations laid by Presidents Michel Suleiman and Bashar
Assad," Khoury said during the ceremony on Sunday night. The event held at the
ambassador's home was the first of its kind since the inauguration of the
embassy in Damascus. Syrian officials, Arab and foreign diplomats, religious
figures and the Secretary-General of the Higher Lebanese-Syrian Council Nasri
Khoury attended the ceremony.
Khoury also hoped diplomatic representation between the two countries would
serve the causes of Syria and Lebanon and help them confront challenges,
including Israeli threats.
Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Meqdad, who attended the ceremony,
congratulated the Lebanese on the occasion of independence day and vowed his
country's commitment to have special relations with Lebanon. He also stressed
Syria's commitment to stand by Lebanon under all circumstances. Beirut, 23 Nov
09, 11:19
Shaaban: We Welcome Hariri's Visit but Assad Decides on Jumblat's Travel to
Syria
Naharnet/Syrian President Bashar Assad's political and media advisor Buthaina
Shaaban welcomed any possible visit by Lebanese Premier Saad Hariri to Damascus.
Shaaban also told Kuwait's al-Dar newspaper that her country was pleased over
the formation of the national unity cabinet in Lebanon. About Progressive
Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat's possible visit to Syria, Shaaban said:
"The Syrian president and leadership decide on this issue.""Syria always
welcomes the best of relations with Lebanon," she added. Beirut, 23 Nov 09,
08:53
Egypt Advises Citizens to Avoid Agents who Smuggle them to Lebanon
/Naharnet/The Egyptian foreign ministry has reportedly asked its citizens
wishing to travel to Syria to abide by the legal procedures and not to cross
illegally into Lebanon from Syrian territories. Al-Mustaqbal daily quoted
Egyptian foreign minister's deputy assistant for consular affairs, Mustafa Jundi,
as saying that such a decision came following repeated incidents of arrests of
Egyptian nationals crossing into Syria for illegal infiltration into Lebanon.
Jundi said Syrian authorities were closely examining the files of Egyptian
nationals before granting them entry permits at airports, sea and land ports. He
added that Syria has been arresting those who had violated entry regulations.
The Egyptian foreign ministry also urged its nationals not to fall in the trap
of agents who promise them job opportunities in Lebanon. Beirut, 23 Nov 09,
09:33
Four Car Thieves, Including Top Criminal, Arrested
Naharnet/Police have arrested four people involved in the theft of cars,
including a man wanted on several arrest warrants, the National News Agency
reported.
NNA said police raided an apartment in Beirut's Shiyyah neighborhood and
arrested M.J. 23, after he exchanged fire with security forces. M.J. is wanted
on several arrest warrants for involvement in the theft of cars. Security forces
also arrested L.Kh., 18, who was participating in the robberies with the wanted
criminal. The police force then entered the Bourj al-Barajneh district and
raided another apartment, arresting the owner R.M. and J.S, who was hiding at
the apartment. Both men are wanted for stealing cars, NNA said.
Beirut, 23 Nov 09, 10:10
Soaid: We Insist Hizbullah, Iranian Arms be Under Legitimate Control
Naharnet/March 14 Forces General Secretariat Fares Soaid said Sunday that
Christian leaders within the coalition insist that "Hizbullah and Iranian
weapons be under legitimate control."
In an interview with Future News TV, Soaid said it was "natural for March 14
forces to say outright 'No weapons outside the state control.'"
New Opinion: Go figure
November 23, 2009
Lebanon celebrated 66 years of independence Sunday.
(NOW Lebanon)
Maybe it was the six aging Hawker Hunters – the jet fighter equivalent of a
musket – or perhaps the equally vintage armor, or even the machismo carried so
unconvincingly on the faces of the soldiers. Whatever ‘it’ was, it’s a jolly
good thing that the Arab world is an irony-free zone. Because, quite how Lebanon
could take itself seriously on this Independence Day is anyone’s guess.
True; technically Lebanon is independent. We know this because in 1943 France
finally gave in and allowed the formation of the state as we know it.
Existentially though, we aren’t free, and the mini-Soviet-era show of ‘force’ by
an army that is the essence of how the state has been emasculated, was irony
writ large.
It is true that the army is currently on the receiving end of unprecedented
military support – both in material and training – from the West, while ‘our
boys’ did restore some of our pride by quelling the Nahr al-Bared uprising in
2007. But all this will come to naught if the big green and yellow Iranian
entity that is Hezbollah won’t go away.
Hezbollah, arguably the real force behind today’s Lebanon, was nowhere to be
seen in the downtown. The Resistance crows about its legitimacy but it couldn’t
even donate a company of its warriors to march alongside their state-sponsored
counterparts. The moqawama can march in its South Beirut enclave but not in
Martyr’s Square. Odd, you might think, for an organization that places such
stock on both patriotism and sacrifice.
But nothing is odd in Lebanon. Sunday’s celebrations must stick in the craw of
those who couldn’t get excited about celebrating Independence Day only weeks
after the final nail was hammered into the coffin of the movement that
represented Lebanon’s yearnings for full sovereignty. On March 14, 2005, Lebanon
threatened to do something glorious, and for a few months, most Lebanese
believed that they had the tools to map out their own future. Nearly five years
on from the day when more than a million Lebanese took to Martyrs’ Square, Syria
once again has a hefty say in our affairs.
But back to the ‘celebrations’ and the declaration of the army commander,
General Jean Kahwaji: “True independence is not achieved if the state does not
impose its sovereignty over all Lebanese territories.”
It’s a nice idea, Jean. We could start with the thorny issue of demarcating
Lebanon’s shadowy border with Syria, but we had five years to do so and now it
appears that particular boat may have sailed. We could enter into international
negotiations on the Shebaa Farms, the disputed rocky outcrop occupied by Israel,
that could belong to Syria, but which Hezbollah would rather keep as the poster
boy for ‘occupation’. We could also work to gradually phase out the 14,000
UNIFIL troops sitting in South Lebanon, but then again they are there to ensure
that Hezbollah – who incidentally, according to its deputy leader Naim Qassem,
has no plans to disarm any time soon – and the Israelis don’t scrap.
The army can’t, and probably wouldn’t, disarm Hezbollah, while Lebanon’s elected
government isn’t allowed to talk to Israel, even though everyone else is. If
General Kahwaji’s declaration was a statement of intent, he has his work cut
out.
So to sum up: On Sunday, a country that turned back the independence clock
celebrated by parading an army that can’t fight. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s other
‘army’, whose activities – war, civil insurrection and obstructionism – between
2005 and the present did so much to reverse the gains of March 14 on behalf of
Iran and Syria, and whose continued presence means that all-out conflict with
Israel sits on a hair trigger, waits in the wings.Go figure.
Elias al-Murr
November 20, 2009
On November 19, the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) carried the following
report:
Defense Minister Elias Murr met with Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel at the
former’s house in Rabieh. Following the sit-down, Murr said, “Firstly, I would
like to thank the president [Amin Gemayel] for his visit on the eve of the
anniversary of the martyrdom of my brother and friend, the martyr of Lebanon,
the Lebanese youth, the Phalange Party, Northern Metn and each house that loves
Lebanon, Minister Pierre Gemayel. As the president said, we have more than one
thing in common and that is true. What I would like to corroborate today is that
the government was formed and that Prime Minister Saad Hariri has many
challenges ahead of him, and is facing a stage featuring numerous events,
difficulties and key choices on the security level, as well as on the regional,
economic and social levels.
We are certain he is more than up to the responsibility and are sure of his
success. At the same time, we know that in order to succeed, one person cannot
do it alone. In this context, the Phalange Party and the president constitute a
main pillar of support for the government and its head, as well as for Lebanon.
This party has been playing a key role since Lebanon’s independence and has
offered martyrs from each house and from all of Lebanon. Therefore, the
sacrifice offered by the party lately, is a drop in the sea of sacrifices made
by the Phalange Party, the youths of the party and the Gemayel family in
particular. I am certain that the upcoming stage will witness a completely
different picture than the one seen in regard to the size and representational
rights of the Phalange, and I hope that in the next few weeks and after the
government earns the vote of confidence, there will be many things to talk about
and will result in a positive outcome.”
There is talk about logistic problems hindering the arrival of the MIG Aircrafts
to the Lebanese army, namely problems related to the airports. Is that true?
There are no technical obstructions. The Russian team arrived yesterday and is
touring the airports to check their equipment and the locations where the
aircrafts will be placed. They are checking the airports in Beirut and in
Qoleiat and will provide us with a report detailing the improvements that should
be made. As for the Lebanese officers, they have started undergoing training
sessions in Lebanon to study the techniques. They are all pilots and it is known
that in aviation, the technical part is more important than the flying part. On
the practical level, we have come a long way and are waiting for the Russian
delegation to provide us with the technical details. As I understood so far
there will not be anything major at the level of equipping the airports,
including the Qoleiat airport which is only missing lighting and a few minor
apparatuses. With God’s will, we will receive the aircrafts this year as was
officially stated by the Russians in the media today. Moreover, the Emirates
offered us 10 PUMA aircraft which should start arriving during the upcoming
weeks, following the visit where I accompanied the President to the Emirates. I
thus believe that in 2010, the air force of the Lebanese army will be a
respectable one that is fit for the army and the country.
The divergence currently affecting the drafting of the Ministerial Statement is
revolving around the defense strategy and Hezbollah’s arms. As Defense Minister,
how do you perceive this point?
I believe that the inclination within the drafting committee headed by Prime
Minister Hariri is to put this strategic issue forward on the dialogue table in
which all the parties, political forces and political entities are represented.
What is important is for this committee to complete its task as soon as possible
and for the government to ratify this statement so that it is sent to parliament
and so that the government earns the vote of confidence on its basis, in order
to be able to start our work. This is why, any talk about this issue right now
is outside of the context of what is expected from the people to ensure the
revival of the country and the economy.
The people have had enough of quarrels and insults. You have not heard my voice
in months because I do not like quarrels. The people are tired and just want to
see the country standing on its own two feet, the official institutions working,
the politicians reconciling instead of fighting and the army defending the
country, fighting terrorism, protecting its border and confronting Israel. All I
can say at the level of the Defense Ministry is that we have a vision for the
defense strategy and that the army is working on it. At the same time, we have
prepared a project during the last few years and started implementing it with
President Michel Sleiman. Today, we will proceed with it alongside General
Kahwaji because at the end of the day, the authority is about continuity. Our
project is to enhance and equip the Lebanese army.
Will there be spare parts for the MIG aircraft and will their planes not need an
arsenal?
There are two sides that do not want the army in Lebanon to acquire fighter
aircraft, and I am not only talking about the MIG. The first side is Israel of
course. It has fought the Lebanese army and the Lebanese state for years to
prevent this issue. This position is known to all. As for the second time, it
includes several teams which are unfortunately active on the domestic arena.
They ask, why him not me? Why is so-and-so seeking it not me? Yes, this is
unfortunately the prevailing idea in Lebanon and not only at the level of the
Defense Ministry. I heard criticisms saying, ‘Where will they get the money for
the maintenance of these aircraft and to provide them with fuel? Where will they
get spare parts? But I never heard anyone in Lebanon saying that the army will
have aircraft to defend the country.’
At least if I fought in the air and lost a plane, I would have flown with honor
and put up a fight. I have a terrorist camp like Nahr al-Bared and I no longer
have to lose 200 martyrs from the Lebanese army because I do not have aircraft.
If we had aircraft, we would not have lost one martyr from the army. Therefore,
I would like to reassure you that we will not bring anything in without a
five-year guarantee to get spare parts included in the donation, and fuel for
400 hours of flying time for each aircraft and for five years as well in order
to conduct training and military maneuvers without digging into the state
treasury which should be directed to social issues among others. I did not want
to talk about that during the government formation period, because I did not
want it to appear as though we were promoting ourselves. Now however the
government was formed and I can talk. You may ask about the price of all that.
The price is work, effort and international contacts and relations. More
importantly, I could not have done it had the army not lost 200 martyrs and
assumed losses in the face of Israel. I was therefore not speaking on my own
behalf, but rather on behalf of those who raised Lebanon’s name and appointed me
to speak in their name.
'UNIFIL to control north part of Ghajar'
Date: November 23rd, 2009/Source: Jerusalem Post
Israel has agreed to a plan to turn over control of half of the northern village
of Ghajar to UNIFIL, Israel Radio reported on Sunday night. According to the
report, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu held a meeting earlier in the
day and it was decided that Israel would leave the northern half of the village,
and UNIFIL would take its place. No barrier would be built between the northern
and southern parts of the village, according to the plan, but rather UNIFIL
would patrol both the northern half and the perimeter. In the summer Netanyahu
passed the issue to Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and asked for the
ministry's recommendation. Ghajar has some 2,000 residents. When the IDF pulled
out of Lebanon in 2000, the UN determined that the border ran through the middle
of the town. Following the Second Lebanon War in 2006, Israel maintained a
military presence in the northern part of the town and built a security fence
around it. UN, European and American officials have long urged Israel to move
out of northern Ghajar, to bolster the moderates in Lebanon, arguing that an
Israeli withdrawal would be in line with commitments it made as part of UN
Security Council Resolution 1701. Lieberman visited the town in August, amid
reports that he favored building a physical barrier on the international border
that divides the community, and turning the northern part over to UNIFIL
control.
Harb: No legal status to Resistance apart from the state
Date: November 23rd, 2009/Future News
Labor Minister Boutros Harb said Monday that the main goal of the committee
tasked to draft the policy statement is to ensure that the cabinet gets the sole
authority over security-related decisions as the Resistance does not have a
legal entity, Pan-Arab newspaper al-Hayat reported. "Our ambition is to
stress that all security decisions should be made by the state and its legal
institutions,” Harb, who is a member of the 13-man committee, told the daily.
“The resistance cannot be given a legal status apart from the state,” he added,
noting a positive atmosphere prevailing at the meetings that facilitate reaching
“an appropriate formula” for the policy statement suitable for all parties. The
committee tasked with drafting the cabinet policy statement will hold its
seventh session on Monday afternoon amid ongoing differences between bickering
camps on the resistance issue. The ministerial committee is scheduled to discuss
the policy statement's economic and financial chapter. Al-Hayat added that the
political chapter would most probably be discussed during a meeting on Tuesday.
Ministerial statement before Adha Feast
Date: November 22nd, 2009/Source: An-Nahar \ Sada Al-Ballad \ Al-Hayat
Lebanese newspaper reported Sunday that the ministerial policy statement would
be finalized before the Adha Feast after the controversial issues in the
political and the economic sections have been resolved. The An-Nahar newspaper
quoted an unnamed ministerial source as saying “the Christian factions in the
majority are most likely to voice reserve on the item related to resistance arms
in the ministerial statement.”“The contacts and meetings held in the past few
days on the sidelines of the commission in charge of drafting the ministerial
statement had a positive effect on resolving some differences between the March
14 alliance factions during cabinet formation,” the source added. The Sada
Alballad newspaper quoted a source from the Free Patriotic Movement who also
spoke on the condition of anonymity as saying “the ministerial statement is
likely to be declared next Tuesday,” adding “the thorny issues in the economic
section were resolved during the meeting held on Saturday and we detected a
great understanding on behalf of Premier Saad Hariri and Finance Minister Raya
Hassan.”The pan-Arab Al-Hayat newspaper quoted another ministerial source as
saying “Contacts are being held to find a compromise on the issue of resistance.
The interlocutors are likely to adopt a formula similar to that endorsed in the
ministerial statement of the previous government and Minister of Labor Boutros
Harb and that of Social Affairs Salim Sayegh are expected to voice reserve on
the item during confidence vote session,” he added.
Adwan: LF backs state prevalence
Date: November 22nd, 2009/Source: Kuwaiti Annahar paper
Majority MP George Adwan said Sunday that the Lebanese Forces Party preferred
that the government reflects the results of the parliamentary elections, Kuwaiti
Annahar newspaper published. In an interview to the daily, Adwan asserted that
the LF party is determined to the achievement of the ministerial statement
according to adequate considerations and to the prevalence of the government.
Adwan, member of the LF party, stressed the commitment of the party to the
establishment of the state and will refuse the ministerial statement if it is
not drafted on solid basis. The postponement of the ministerial statement,
according to Adwan, is caused by the article related to the arms of Hizbullah
which discussion must be transferred to the national dialogue table. “There is a
difference between Hizbullah the political party and Hizbullah that possesses
arms,” noted Adwan. MP Adwan said that the United States of America is on the
side of the Israeli enemy in many issues and that “we are in the same ditch with
Syria against Israel,” as Lebanon supports the Arab World for the Palestinian
cause.
Abu Jamra: I demanded the return of order
Date: November 22nd, 2009/Source: as-Sharq al-Awsat daily
Former deputy Prime Minister Issam Abu Jamra assured that calling for a Free
Patriotic Movement conference aims at restoring internal order, reported the
pan-Arab as-Sharq al-Awsat daily on Sunday.“I demanded head of the Change and
Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun to restore internal balance and it is not possible
for provocative discussion to take place through the media,” explained Lt. Gen.
Abu Jamra. Abu Jamra indicated that “all I asked for is the return of order
through asking the Movement’s founding body to convene.”
“I love the Free Patriotic Movement and am its cofounder,” added Abu Jamra and
asserted “I know General Aoun will understand and do what’s best for the
Movement.”
Meanwhile, Okaz daily reported that Abu Jamra is leading an insurgence to be
officially declared soon.
Souaid: To discuss Hizbullah’s arms on dialogue table
Date: November 22nd, 2009/Source: Future News
Coordinator of March 14’s general secretariat Fares Souaid asserted Sunday that
Premier Saad Hariri is rounding the corners of the issue of the arms of
Hizbullah in the cabinet as the only legitimate arms are those of the Lebanese
Army. In an interview to the Future News television, Souaid noted that Hariri is
discussing the ministerial statement article related to Hizbullah’s arms with
his allies in the March 14 coalition. “If the ministerial statement drafting
committee does not reach a consensual solution to this issue, it must be dealt
with on the national dialogue table by restricting its discussions to the
defense strategy,” added Souaid. Souaid, a former member of the Parliament, said
that everybody wants to undermine the achievements of the March 14 alliance the
unity of the army and of the Lebanese decision, noting that the Christians of
March 14 believe “the Iranian arms and the arms of Hizbullah in Lebanon have to
be subject to the authority of the Lebanese State.”
For immediate release
Lebanon: Heed UN Call to Reveal Detainee’s Fate
Syrian Opposition Figure “Disappeared" Following Detention by Lebanon’s Military
Intelligence
(Beirut, November 23, 2009) – Lebanese authorities should investigate the
circumstances surrounding the detention and disappearance of Nawar `Abboud,
Human Rights Watch and the Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) said today. A
UN panel declared on November 10, 2009, that Lebanese authorities had
arbitrarily detained him a year ago and then failed to provide convincing
answers concerning his disappearance,
`Abboud, a Syrian who lived in Lebanon, is a member of the United National
Alliance, a political group affiliated with Ref`at al-Asad, a Syrian opposition
figure and uncle of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Asad. The Lebanese
government acknowledges that Lebanese military intelligence detained `Abboud on
December 24, 2008, but maintains that they freed him 24 hours later. `Abboud has
not been seen since he was taken into custody. His family and lawyer fear that
he may have been forcibly transferred to Syria.
“The UN has reminded Lebanon of its obligation to protect individuals detained
by its security services,” said Marie Daunay, president of the Lebanese Center
for Human Rights. “The only way to do that is to open a real and transparent
investigation into the events surrounding `Abboud’s detention.”
On November 10, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD), the body
mandated to investigate complaints of arbitrary deprivation of liberty, declared
`Abboud’s detention by Lebanese military intelligence to have been arbitrary,
and thus unlawful. The Working Group said the Lebanese government’s answer to
its queries on `Abboud’s whereabouts had been “brief and imprecise” and urged
the government to “show with precision the proof that he was liberated.”
On December 24, 2008, plain-clothes members of the Lebanese Military
Intelligence came to Abboud’s office in Tripoli and took him, along with two
Lebanese employees, to al-Qubbeh military base for interrogation. Lebanese
Military Intelligence released the two Lebanese – one on December 24 and the
other on December 26. They also said later that they had released Mr. `Abboud at
2:20 p.m. on December 25 and that they returned possessions of his that Military
Intelligence had seized, including his two cars.
However, `Abboud’s family and colleagues have not seen him or located his cars
despite extensive efforts to find him. According to a letter dated January 14,
2009 from General Security (the security agency responsible for foreigners and
border crossings in Lebanon) to the Mount Lebanon public prosecutor’s office,
there is no record of `Abboud leaving Lebanon through an official border
crossing.
“Lebanon celebrated its independence yesterday, but it hasn’t been able to turn
the page on the painful legacy of enforced disappearance,” said Nadim Houry,
senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. “If people are going to regain faith
that the government will protect them, security services need to operate in a
transparent and accountable way.”
On March 5, Human Rights Watch sent a letter to the ministers of defense,
interior and justice to request details about `Abboud’s whereabouts. No reply
has been received.
For more background:
See the joint news release on March 24, 2009 by Human Rights Watch and CLDH
calling for a proper investigation:
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/03/24/lebanon-investigate-syrian-opposition-figure-s-fate
For more information, please contact:
For Human Rights Watch, Nadim Houry: +961-3-639244
For CLDH, Marie Daunay: +961-1-240023