LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِOctober
21/2010
Bible Of The
Day
Luke 19/11-26: "As they
heard these things, he went on and told a parable, because he was near
Jerusalem, and they supposed that the Kingdom of God would be revealed
immediately. 19:12 He said therefore, “A certain nobleman went into a far
country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 19:13 He called ten
servants of his, and gave them ten mina coins, and told them, ‘Conduct business
until I come.’ 19:14 But his citizens hated him, and sent an envoy after him,
saying, ‘We don’t want this man to reign over us.’ 19:15 “It happened when he
had come back again, having received the kingdom, that he commanded these
servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might
know what they had gained by conducting business. 19:16 The first came before
him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten more minas.’ 19:17 “He said to him,
‘Well done, you good servant! Because you were found faithful with very little,
you shall have authority over ten cities.’ 19:18 “The second came, saying, ‘Your
mina, Lord, has made five minas.’ 19:19 “So he said to him, ‘And you are to be
over five cities.’ 19:20 Another came, saying, ‘Lord, behold, your mina, which I
kept laid away in a handkerchief, 19:21 for I feared you, because you are an
exacting man. You take up that which you didn’t lay down, and reap that which
you didn’t sow.’ 19:22 “He said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth will I judge you,
you wicked servant! You knew that I am an exacting man, taking up that which I
didn’t lay down, and reaping that which I didn’t sow. 19:23 Then why didn’t you
deposit my money in the bank, and at my coming, I might have earned interest on
it?’ 19:24 He said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina away from him, and give
it to him who has the ten minas.’ 19:25 “They said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten
minas!’ 19:26 ‘For I tell you that to everyone who has, will more be given; but
from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.
19:27 But bring those enemies of mine who didn’t want me to reign over them
here, and kill them before me.’” 19:28 Having said these things, he went on
ahead, going up to Jerusalem".
Free
Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special Reports
BBC: Interview with Samir Geagea/October
20/10
Lebanon's Unfulfilled
Promise/Foreign Affairs/October
20/10
A culture of utter state neglect/By
Jamil K. Mroue/October
20/10
Nasrallah goes green/By: Sarah
Lynch/October
20/10
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for
October 20/10
Security Council members voice
opposition to interference in STL/Daily Star
Hizbullah Slams Ban, Says Report
'Political Meddling in STL Affairs'/Naharnet
Sami Gemayel: Stop submitting to
Syria/Now Lebanon
Syrian official: Time to replace
Hariri/Ynetnews
How can Ahmadinejad help Lebanon
with financial woes plaguing Iran?/Haaretz
Lebanon: the real story behind
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit/Belfast Telegraph
Hariri murder investigators carry
out test explosion/BBC News
March 14: We Call on Aoun to Lift
Bank Secrecy Off his Accounts and Those of his Family/Naharnet
US Embassy Denies Feltman Visited
Syria /Naharnet
Cassese
Sends Letter to Riachy, Disqualifies Himself from Considering Sayyed's Appeal/Naharnet
Court Action Begins in The Hague:
International Media Forum Accompanied by STL 'Explosive Experiment'/Naharnet
Hariri envisions prosperity, jobs
in next 10 years/Daily Star
Pietton
from Serail: We Should Not Just Focus on STL as People Cannot Live in a Constant
State of Tension ahead of Indictment/Naharnet
Hizbullah Slams Ban, Says
Report 'Political Meddling in STL Affairs'/Naharnet
Abboud: False Witnesses
Must be Held Accountable as All Regional Powers are Stuck in Lebanese Mire/Naharnet
Najjar: False Witnesses
File Will Never be Transferred to Justice Council/Naharnet
Berri in Damascus for
Talks with Assad, Syrian Officials/Naharnet
US Embassy Denies Feltman
Visited Syria/Naharnet
IC Closed in Mourning over
Student Killed by Car/Naharnet
Iran: Hariri in Tehran
before Year's End/Naharnet
Bellemare's Office
Conducts Controlled Explosive Experiment in France/Naharnet
Aoun: If Conflict Erupts,
It Won't Be Sectarian, But Rather for Reform/Naharnet
Mustaqbal Says Escalation
before Indictment 'Won't Yield Any Result'/Naharnet
Cassese Sends Letter to
Riachy, Disqualifies Himself from Considering Sayyed's Appeal/Naharnet
Hariri, Hizbullah Restore Contact
in Bid to Preserve Peace/Naharnet
Security Council members voice opposition to interference in STL
‘We are concerned about increasing rhetoric aimed at undermining court’
By Patrick Galey /Daily Star staff
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
BEIRUT: A host of UN Security Council members have voiced their opposition to
any external meddling in the court set up to try the killers of five-time
Premier Rafik Hariri.
Remarks made by UN envoys of the US, the UK and France came in addresses to the
15-member council late Monday, with Israel’s envoy in New York expressing
concerns that civil strife fomented by the debate surrounding the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) could spread as far as the Blue Line. “Efforts to
discredit, hinder or delay the tribunal’s work should not be tolerated, and
those who engage in them do not have interests of Lebanon or justice at heart,”
said Brooke Anderson, the US deputy ambassador to the United Nations. Anderson’s
comments came following the visit to Beirut by the US deputy secretary of State
for Near East Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, who, after meeting with President Michel
Sleiman, reiterated US support for the probe set up to try Hariri’s assassins.
American sentiment was echoed by British and French ambassadors to the UN. “We
are concerned about increasing rhetoric aimed at undermining the [STL],” said
British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant. “This tribunal should be allowed to
continue its work unimpeded,” he added. French Ambassador Gerart Araud added to
voices of consternation from permanent member states, saying Paris was
“concerned by the present tensions, in particular with respect to the [STL].”
Russia’s Vitaly Churkin added that there ought to be “no politicization” of the
investigation’s work while Israeli representative Maron Reuben told reporters
that Tel Aviv hoped to “avoid spillover of Lebanese politics into Israeli
territory.”
The Security Council discussion followed talks in Riyadh between Saudi King
Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar Assad, who reportedly discussed the fate of
the beleaguered court.
The STL, established to try those responsible for a deadly car bomb attack on
Hariri in 2005, has been plagued by accusations of politicization since its
inception and concerns abound that civil strife could shatter Lebanon’s fragile
calm should anticipated indictments involving Hizbullah members materialize.
The Syrian ambassador addressed the council but failed to comment on the STL. A
letter signed by STL President Antonio Cassese was released Tuesday to public
viewing in which the court chief indicated he would not immediately seek to
appeal the decision to block a request for the release of court files containing
information on the release of a former suspect in the case. Former General Jamil
al-Sayyed, who along with three other high-ranking security and military
officials, was detained for four years without charge after his arrest by an
initial investigation team, had commenced legal proceedings seeking to get the
court to relinquish personal data. The request was blocked by STL Prosecutor
Daniel Bellemare on the grounds that it failed to conform to legal guidelines.
Cassese, in the letter dated October 15, suggested an appeal against Bellemare’s
legal bar could constitute a waste of resources in a court already facing the
prospect of budgetary setbacks. “I believed it to be in my administrative
authority as president of the Tribunal and warranted by concerns for judicial
economy and expeditiousness to grant the prosecutor’s request for a stay until
the Appeals Chamber could take up the matter,” Cassese wrote. – With Reuters
Hizbullah
accuses UN of meddling in Lebanese affairs
By JPOST.COM STAFF AND ASSOCIATED PRESS
10/20/2010 12:41
"It would seem that Ban Ki-moon... failed to notice that Hizbullah... has been
at the heart of Lebanese politics," group says in statement after UN report
calls for disarmament in Lebanon.
Hizbullah on Wednesday accused the United Nations of meddling in Lebanese civil
affairs, according to an AFP report. The charges came two days after the UN
released a report on disarmament in Lebanon, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
warned of instability in the country. "The report released by UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Resolution 1559 ... marks interference in
internal Lebanese affairs as well as political interference in the affairs of
the international tribunal," Hizbullah said in a Wednesday statement.
"It would seem that Ban Ki-moon... failed to notice that Hizbullah, and for
quite some time, has been at the heart of Lebanese politics through its
representation in parliament and cabinet," read the statement quoted by AFP. On
Tuesday, meanwhile, a UN tribunal carried out a controlled explosion Tuesday at
a French military base as part of its investigation into the assassination of
former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri. The Special Tribunal for Lebanon
said in a statement that the explosion at the Captieux military base in
southwest France was watched by a team of international experts who will carry
out forensic tests. The court said their results will form part of the
investigation, but said Tuesday's blast was not intended to replicate the truck
bombing that killed Hariri and 22 other people on Beirut's Mediterranean
waterfront on February 14, 2005. "Neither in its method nor in its purpose can
the experiment be compared to a crime reconstruction," the statement said. A
billionaire businessman, Hariri was Lebanon's most prominent politician after
the country's devastating 15-year civil war ended in 1990. Speculation that it
could indict members of Hizbullah has fueled a political crisis in Lebanon, and
Hizbullah contends the tribunal has been poisoned by witnesses who have given
false information.
Hizbullah
Slams Ban, Says Report 'Political Meddling in STL Affairs'
Naharnet/Hizbullah on Wednesday criticized U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon, saying his
report on Resolution 1559 was meddling in the political affairs of the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon. Ban's report "written by staff member of the Zionist
entity, Terje Roed-Larsen, is interference in Lebanese internal affairs and
political interference in the affairs of the International Tribunal," said a
statement issued by Hizbullah. The report by the U.N. Secretary-General said
Lebanon has been hit by a new climate of "uncertainty" that could cause new
instability across the region.
Ban said Hizbullah's arsenal "remains distinct from and may exceed the
capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces, adding that Hizbullah's military
strength "creates an atmosphere of intimidation and poses a key challenge to the
safety of Lebanese civilians and to the government's monopoly on the legitimate
use of force." "It seems that Mr. Ban Ki-moon was in a deep sleep and he did not
realize that Hizbullah, since a long, has been at the heart of the Lebanese
political equation through its presence in Parliament and in Government "For
this reason, (Ban) apparently is unaware of the right of all peoples, including
the Lebanese people, to resist occupation. "It seems that he did not have time
to examine the ministerial statement which gives the right to Lebanese
Resistance," said the statement. Hizbullah said Ban also had "forgotten" the
position announced by President Michel Suleiman when he addressed the U.N.
Security Council last month in which he affirmed Lebanon's and Lebanese right to
use all available means to liberate Lebanese territory and the right of
self-defense." Beirut, 20 Oct 10, 22:50
Bellemare's Office Conducts Controlled Explosive Experiment in France
Naharnet/The Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon
conducted Tuesday a "controlled explosive experiment" at the Captieux military
base in France as part of its probe into the Hariri murder, the office announced
in a communiqué. STL Prosecutor Danielle Bellemare's office said that the
experiment is part of its mandate, "which is to identify and prosecute those
responsible for the attack of 14 February 2005 in Beirut which claimed the life
of the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafik Hariri, as well as 22 other
victims, and injured over 230 people." "This investigative act was performed
under the authority of the Office of the Prosecutor and at its request, pursuant
to United Nations Security Council resolutions 1757 (2007) and 1852 (2008),"
added the communiqué. The OTP noted that the controlled explosion involved
replicating an explosion in order to carry out forensic tests. "Neither in its
method nor in its purpose can the experiment be compared to a crime
reconstruction," the OTP stressed. "An international college, made up of experts
appointed by the Office of the Prosecutor, was present at the explosion (site)
and will analyze the results obtained," the OTP added, noting that "the results
and analysis will be part of the investigation and, as such, remain
confidential." Beirut, 19 Oct 10, 20:37
Najjar: False Witnesses File Will Never be Transferred to Justice Council
Naharnet/Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar stressed on Wednesday that the false
witnesses file will never be transferred to the justice council because it is
not within its jurisdiction. He told the Saudi Okaz newspaper that the file
cannot hinder the Special Tribunal for Lebanon regardless of the tensions in
Lebanon. "This is a purely Lebanese file and it cannot impede or interfere in
the tribunal's functioning," the minister added. Beirut, 20 Oct 10, 13:28
US Embassy Denies Feltman Visited Syria
Naharnet/The U.S. embassy on Wednesday denied a report that said U.S. Assistant
Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman visited Syria after
a sudden trip to Lebanon. An-Nahar newspaper on Wednesday said Feltman stopped
in Syria on his way to Morocco and met with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid
Muallem. It said Feltman headed to Morocco following his brief trip to Damascus.
Feltman arrived on a sudden visit to Lebanon on Sunday where he met President
Michel Suleiman and Druze leader Walid Jumblat.
Beirut, 20 Oct 10, 09:42
Hariri, Hizbullah Restore Contact in Bid to Preserve Peace
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Hizbullah have restored contact in a bid
to preserve peace. Local media on Wednesday said Hariri met Hizbullah chief
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's political advisor Hussein Khalil at Center House. They
said the 90-minute meeting Tuesday afternoon tackled the latest developments.
Beirut, 20 Oct 10, 08:01
Court Action Begins in The Hague: International Media Forum Accompanied by STL
'Explosive Experiment'
Naharnet Special Report:
Special Tribunal for Lebanon action has begun. Key developments in the past few
hours suggested that field and technical preparations are underway for the
launch of Court work which is expected after issuance of the indictment in the
assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri. An Air France jet carrying 16
editors-in-chief, news directors and editors of the local and judicial sections
of Lebanon's leading media outlets left Beirut airport around 4:00 pm Tuesday to
take part in an International Media Forum on the STL to be held in The Hague
Oct. 20-22.
As the plane embarked on its destination, the Office of the STL Prosecutor
Daniel Bellemare said it conducted a "controlled explosive experiment" at the
Captieux military base in France as part of its probe into the Hariri murder.
The journalists were in The Hague at the invitation of the STL and the
Association of Foreign Journalists in the Netherlands. The first day of the
Forum will be held on Wednesday at the STL's International Media Center amid
tight security measures – No cell phones, cameras, audio recorders are allowed
in. Forum organizers, however, permitted journalists to bring their personal
computers, providing internet access that allows them to communicate with the
media they represent. The second day of the Forum includes visits to both the
International Tribunal for War Crimes in former Yugoslavia and the International
Criminal Court. On Day 3, the International Media Forum will be held at the
Media Center that belongs to the Foreign Journalists Association in the
Netherlands. The Forum brings together journalists from Lebanon and the world.
Media outlets from Lebanon include An-Nahar, As-Safir, al-Hayat, al-Mustaqbal,
The Daily Star, L'Orient le Jour, stat-run National News Agency, Tele Liban, al-Jadid,
OTV, Future TV, Voice of Lebanon, in addition to Naharnet and Now Lebanon. The
absence of Hizbulah and AMAL media outlets was obvious even though they were
invited. They did not respond to the invitation in line with Hizbullah's and
AMAL's rejection of the Tribunal. Beirut, 20 Oct 10, 09:13
Pietton from Serail: We Should Not Just Focus on STL
as People Cannot Live in a Constant State of Tension ahead of Indictment
Naharnet/ French ambassador Denis Pietton on Wednesday reiterated his country's
support for Lebanon's stability and for the International Tribunal. His remarks
came during a meeting with Prime Minister Saad Hariri at the Grand Serail. Asked
whether an STL indictment could spark unrest in Lebanon, Pietton said: "Dialogue
and mutual respect should prevail."
Beirut, 20 Oct 10, 14:05
March 14: We Call on Aoun to Lift Bank Secrecy Off his Accounts and Those of his
Family
Naharnet/The March 14 General Secretariat called on Wednesday Free Patriotic
Movement leader MP Michel Aoun to lift bank secrecy off his accounts and those
of his family.
It noted in a statement after its weekly meeting "Aoun's obvious confusion
during Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Lebanon and his attempts
today to ease this confusion through coming up with illusory battles under the
pretext of reform." It also stressed the need to address local matters with
dialogue and calm, repeating its support for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon
and Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar's efforts in tackling the false witnesses
file. It also condemned the way in which Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
was welcomed upon his arrival to Beirut's airport during his visit to the
country last week, saying: "The Lebanese state was not allowed to welcome him in
a proper official manner and the scenes at the airport and outside it differed
from all other official welcomes in that it appeared as if the guest were
greeting himself." Furthermore, the general secretariat pointed out to the
discrepancies in Ahmadinejad's speeches in that while he was at the presidential
palace, he discussed respecting Lebanon's sovereignty and then he contradicted
these statements when he attended the popular gathering at Dahiyeh during which
he said that the Islamic resistance in Lebanon would liberate Palestine. Beirut,
20 Oct 10, 14:15
Abboud: False Witnesses Must be Held Accountable as All Regional Powers are
Stuck in Lebanese Mire
Naharnet/Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud stressed on Wednesday the need to hold the
false witnesses accountable for their actions, calling for seriously tackling
the issue. He told Future News however that solutions for problems in Lebanon
are not devised locally, adding that regional powers have "become embroiled in
the Lebanese swamp."Furthermore, the minister said that it doesn't matter if the
false witnesses are tried through the regular judiciary or through the justice
council, but what matters is that they at least be held accountable.
Beirut, 20 Oct 10, 14:21
IC Closed in Mourning over Student Killed by Car
Naharnet/The International College closed Wednesday in mourning over the death
of a teenage student killed after a car struck him while crossing a Beirut
street.
An IC statement posted on the school's website said secondary school student
Talal Qassem was killed Tuesday morning after being struck by a car while
crossing a street. The statement said Qassem was on his way to school when he
was hit by a car. News reports on Tuesday said Qassem was hit by a BMW in
Beirut's Raouche neighborhood.
"We are all devastated by the news and our secondary school students are in
shock and mourning. Talal had 3 brothers and sisters and many cousins and other
relatives in our school," said IC President John Johnson. Beirut, 20 Oct 10,
08:06
Cassese Sends Letter to Riachy, Disqualifies Himself from Considering Sayyed's
Appeal
Naharnet/Following the appeal of Maj. Gen. Jamil Sayyed of Oct. 11 against my
order of Oct. 1, I would like to disqualify myself from the consideration of
such appeal, Judge Antonio Cassese, President of the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon, said in a letter addressed to STL Vice-President Judge Ralph Riachy. In
the same letter, Cassese clarified the reasons behind his order of Oct. 1, 2010.
"In this order I referred to Article 17 of the Annex to the U.N. Security
Council Resolution 1757, which provided that the Judges of the Tribunal would
not take office immediately, but would for the time being convene on an ad hoc
basis when their services were required," added Cassese. "As the Appeals Chamber
had not been convened, and since the Prosecutor's Appeal of Sep. 29, 2010,
related to a matter not explicitly addressed by the Tribunal's Rules of
Procedure and Evidence, I believed it to be within my administrative authority
as President of the Tribunal and warranted by concerns for judicial economy and
expeditiousness to grant the Prosecutor's request for a stay until the Appeals
Chamber could take up the matter." Beirut, 19 Oct 10, 20:23
Mustaqbal Says Escalation before Indictment 'Won't Yield Any
Result'
Naharnet/The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc has noted that the stances of
President Michel Suleiman and Premier Saad Hariri during Iranian leader Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad's visit contributed to "clarifying and stressing the basis for
developing the relation between the two countries … especially regarding
commitment to U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701."
In a statement issued after its weekly meeting on Tuesday under ex-PM Fouad
Saniora, the bloc also tackled "the so-called false witnesses issue," noting
that the "escalation and daily intimidation campaigns … will not yield any
result." Beirut, 19 Oct 10, 21:34
Aoun: If Conflict Erupts, It Won't Be Sectarian, But Rather for Reform
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday stressed that
any potential conflict in Lebanon would not be of "sectarian" nature, "but it
would rather be for change and reform, which are more important than the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon." Aoun noted that all parties should be concerned with
change and reform. Speaking to reporters after the weekly meeting of the Change
and Reform parliamentary bloc, Aoun noted that "there has been a financial coup
since 1993, the year the 'Haririst school' assumed power." "As to the security
coup, it started in 2005," the FPM leader added. Commenting on Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent visit to Lebanon, Aoun said: "The Lebanese people
is hospitable and we delightfully welcomed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
because he has always stood by Lebanon." On the other hand, he stressed that
"Israel controls the decision of war and peace," noting that "the Lebanese will
be divided about it between those who will surrender to Israel and those who
will resist it." Aoun reminisced that "ten nations rejected to cooperate with
international investigation commission," criticizing the latest U.S. call for
supporting the U.N.-backed tribunal. On Sunday, Jeffrey Feltman, U.S. Assistant
Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, said that U.S. President Barack
Obama "firmly supports the work of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, as does the
rest of the international community." "There won't be stability in Lebanon
without justice, and justice begins with trying the false witnesses," Aoun
reiterated. Beirut, 19 Oct 10, 18:46
Gemayel in US raises issue of military aid to Lebanon
By The Daily Star
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
BEIRUT: Weapons for the Lebanese Army were the focus of talks in the US by Metn
MP Sami Gemayel and Representative Howard Berman, a Democrat and chairman of the
House Foreign Affairs Committee. The National News Agency said that Gemayel, a
Phalange Party official, paid a visit to Berman’s Los Angeles office, where he
raised the issue of US opposition to granting the Lebanese Army military aid.
Berman requested placing a hold on US military aid to the Lebanese Army
following Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s recent visit to Lebanon and
had earlier called for a halt of a $100 million dollar aid program, following a
deadly clash in the village of Adaysseh in August between the Lebanese and
Israeli armies. Gemayel said the Lebanese Army should be fully equipped in order
to defend Lebanese territory, whereas Berman praised how Gemayel has safeguarded
the principles of the March 14 coalition. – The Daily Star
Hariri envisions prosperity, jobs in next 10 years
By Tamara Qiblawi
Special to The Daily Star
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
BEIRUT: Prime Minister Saad Hariri envisioned Friday a prosperous Lebanon in the
next 10 years with more job opportunities for the Lebanese youth.
“I envision a prosperous Lebanon. I see our national economy creating employment
opportunities for the youth, and the private sector taking initiative to achieve
various economic successes, so that all of Lebanon can enjoy the benefits of a
prosperous economy,” Hariri said in a recorded video clip that was broadcast to
the participants in a three-day conference, entitled “A New Generation of
Economic Leaderships” organized by Lebanon Opportunities at the Convention
Center in Dbayyeh.
Hariri spoke about propelling the country to the forefront of the international
arena by achieving ambitious standards in the areas of business, environment,
education, agriculture and health. Hariri said that he aimed to provide 24-hour
electricity to all Lebanese residents, and to ensure every household has a
personal computer.
Following the televised address by Hariri, Finance Minister Raya Haffar Hassan
warned that Lebanon’s impressive economic growth spurt this year has been
largely due to external factors, namely oil-price spikes. She added that
although a vibrant tourism industry and sage Central Bank policies played an
important role in shielding the economy from the shambles of an international
credit crisis, the positive economic figures that Lebanon has experienced does
not reflect an overall improvement in economic structures.
“What’s important to me is how we take advantage of this opportunity,” said
Hassan on increased capital flows from the Gulf countries. “We’re not always
going to be able to get out of the vicious cycle that has been so difficult for
us to get out of.” Hassan said that capital flows must be used to finance
Lebanon’s large debt and budget burdens.
Lebanon relies heavily on large remittances and capital inflows from both
Lebanese expatriates and Gulf investors who always seek a safe haven for their
cash, amid a financial crisis that has gripped the US, Europe and many Asian
countries over the past three years.
Remittances represent close to 25 percent of Lebanon’s GDP but experts said that
the flow of capital into the country dropped by 8 percent in the first eight
months of 2010.
A discussion on the agenda for Hariri’s 10-year-vision ensued between Hassan;
Mohammad Choucair, the president of Beirut Chambers of Commerce; Neemat Frem,
the president of of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists; and Nicolas
Chammas of the Beirut Traders Association.
The three representatives pitched to Hassan what they believed should be
prioritized during her tenure. Choucair argued that without ensuring “the two Ss
– security and stability,” no economic goals could be achieved, stressing that
disputes between the Parliamentary majority and the opposition camp must be
resolved before the government could proceed with economic initiatives.
Choucair’s counterparts argued for other areas of focus. Frem believed that
enhancing the country’s infrastructure should top the agenda, whereas Chammas
implored Hassan to revise taxation on offshore companies and shipping that he
believed were significantly repressing trading activities.
Hassan stressed that changes to tax rates on the private sector that have been
enacted in recent years have not changed as radically as has been perceived by
some traders. She argued that the Wealth Tax which the government has introduced
exists in all of the developed world and that the private sector should not
resist this change. She also said it is not an increase in taxation but rather a
restructuring of taxation that will change the private sector’s notions of
taxation.
Hassan also said she believed Lebanon is inherently resilient and the country
has “been through much worse” than the political turmoil it is currently
experiencing.
A culture of utter state neglect
By Jamil K. Mroue/Daily Star
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Once in a while, a story comes along that both delights and disheartens. This
week, an inmate serving an 18-year sentence for murder at the notoriously
overcrowded Roumieh Prison was able to earn a degree in international relations
and history from his cell. The lack of institutional programs to achieve such a
feat meant that this man enlisted the help of a local NGO, the Association of
Justice and Mercy (AJEM), together with Saint Joseph University (USJ), which
awarded the degree.
That these institutions went to such lengths to help this person to reform is
commendable, but the absence of the Lebanese government in this arena is surely
a matter of concern.
Worryingly, it is not just our prisons where the government is conspicuously
absent. A culture of neglect permeates our country’s political establishment in
numerous other, less controversial, areas than criminal reform. The victims of
this neglect can be found in all the places where a government is supposed to be
active, such as our schools and hospitals. The growing number of casualties on
our roads is but one in a long list of symptoms of a general disregard for the
wellbeing of the population. Instead of performing their duty in diffusing
tensions, and thus limiting the likelihood of violence in the streets, our
politicians actively encourage and engage in ratcheting up the pressure, the end
result of such a path this country knows too well.
Issues such as health care, education, justice, and even the safety of Lebanese
citizens all take a backseat while the same tired arguments are played out every
night on the news. To have an idea of the priorities of the political class, one
needs only look at the amount of time our politicians spend denouncing rival
parties in comparison to the time spent talking about these issues.
Yet despite this neglect, the citizens of this country are continually finding
ways to provide for themselves. It is an admirable trait of the Lebanese people,
and a damning indictment of the politicians, that so many organizations exist to
fill the gap where government should be. The people behind organizations like
AJEM – noble though their cause may be – are providing services that are the
responsibility of the state.
It is this ingenuity, initiative and compassion coming from ordinary citizens
which we will be forced to rely on for the foreseeable future. We can only hope
that those in whom we put our trust to represent us might one day stop bickering
for long enough to learn from the people they serve. Perhaps then this country
will get the leaders it deserves.
**Jamil K. Mroue, Editor-in-Chief of THE DAILY STAR, can be reached at
jamil.mroue@dailystar.com.lb
Israel Demands 'Real Reform' of UN Human Rights Council
by Chana Ya'ar/Arutz Sheva
Israel is demanding the United Nations implement “real reform” of its
Geneva-based Human Rights Council, which singles out Israel in its permanent
agenda. The demand came in context of a mandated review by the Council, which is
required to report to the U.N. General Assembly on its “work and functioning” at
the end of its first five years of operation. In June 2007, the Council adopted
the Institution Building package which identifies the “Human Rights Situation in
Palestine and other occupied Arab Territories” as the seventh agenda item of the
Council at every meeting, while ignoring human rights abuses of its member
states. In a document submitted Monday to the U.N. Human Rights Council, the
State of Israel listed its own contribution to the “first open-ended working
group on the Human Rights Council Review.” The statement, published on the Eye
on the UN website, offered a scathing assessment of the entity’s performance.
“After almost four years of operation, it has become clear that the Council has
failed to live up to the expectations which accompanied its establishment,
having too quickly followed in the footsteps of its discredited predecessor, the
Commission on Human Rights,” the four-page document stated.
“Israel welcomes the review of the ‘working and functioning’ of the Council and
considers the review process as a genuine opportunity warranted to bring about
substantive changes in the working methods, function and composition of the
Council. A real reform is needed in order to enable the Council to fulfill its
mandate and play a leading role in promoting and protecting human rights around
the globe. “The principles that are meant to guide the work of the Council
include ‘universality, impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity… with a
view to enhancing the promotion and protection of all human rights.’
Unfortunately, these principles are not present within many aspects of work and
functioning of the Council.
“If the Council continues to be seen as a cynical tool for [some] States, rather
than a mean to advancing a responsible human rights agenda, it will undoubtedly
continue to fail.”
(IsraelNationalNews.com)
Samir Geagea
October 20, 2010
On October 19, the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) carried the following
report:
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said in an interview with BBC Arabic that it
was unfortunate to see “the importance granted by the media outlets and the
politicians in Lebanon to the Saudi-Syrian summit, considering that the Lebanese
file is a domestic affair. Our positions toward all issues are clear, regardless
of the states that have convened, considering that these positions are based on
clear convictions and stable grounds. In the end, the time has come for Lebanese
affairs and domestic policy to be defined by the Lebanese parties solely. Sadly,
many among them have commitments to foreign sides.
The Saudi-Syrian summit related to Lebanon ended up with nothing, considering
that the positions of the parties in regard to the international tribunal and
everything related to it are clearly defined. The tripartite summit held in
Lebanon aimed at consecrating stability in it, owing to the influence that Syria
enjoys over the parties that can undermine the situation on the ground. On the
sidelines of this summit, the Syrian president proposed the postponement of the
international tribunal’s indictment on his own behalf and on behalf of his
allies in Lebanon, while the Saudi King merely told him that if this fell in the
context of the tribunal’s [work] and the laws, why not. Later on, it turned out
that the postponement did not fall in the normal context of things, which is why
nothing happened at this level.”
Asked about what some in Lebanon are saying regarding the fact that the issuance
of the indictment will detonate the situation in the country, Geagea considered
that “this ready [made accusation] is false because the indictment should be
faced with the logic of the indictment. What does the content of the indictment
have to do with the citizens in the streets of Beirut? Why would it detonate the
situation in Lebanon? The confrontation of the indictment would be by presenting
a series of clues, pieces of evidence and facts that would undermine the clues,
evidence and facts featured in the indictment... What was said means that these
forces are threatening the others and assuring that in case the indictment is
issued, even if it were to condemn Israel, the situation will explode. This talk
is irresponsible and unacceptable.”
Asked if the Saudi efforts to ensure calm were focusing on a settlement that
would include the indictment, Geagea stated, “This is out of the question
because the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia never interfered at the level of the details
or the decisions adopted by the Lebanese. All the sides in the March 14 team
adopted a decision in regard to all that is related to the international
tribunal. Our stand is clear and public and our actions are based on that.
Therefore, the Kingdom’s interference is out of the question.”
Regarding Saudi Arabia’s intervention with Prime Minister Saad Hariri, thus
prompting him to issue a position that was close to an apology to Syria in which
he recognized that the false witnesses misled the investigations, Geagea said,
“The prime minister’s position was a media position that has no practical or
legal consequences. He is working to ensure stability as a goal in itself,
without linking it to the indictment, the international tribunal or anything
else… When the indictment is issued, we will all read it. The other team will
not be the only one to look into it and discuss it in details with a critical
view. We will do so as well because we will not tolerate any tampering with it,
if there is room for such tampering to begin with. The issue is not just related
to the indictment. It is about getting rid of the international tribunal
altogether and the proof of that is the case of the false witnesses which they
keep bringing up although there is no such case for the time being. This is due
to the fact that the issue in queston can only be settled after the issuance of
the indictment or rather the final rulings.
No one can talk about false testimonies, or rather about testimonies whose
credibility is questioned as Bellemare said, before the issuance of the
indictment. For example, if we were to take the testimony of Mohammad Zuhair al-Siddiq,
it was seen in the media that he is a very shady person. But legally, we can
only wait for the issuance of the indictment to compare what Al-Siddiq said to
the facts that were featured in the tribunal’s decision. The March 14 team did
not recognize the false witnesses file. A team of ministers believed that this
was an issue, which is why the minister of justice presented a study in this
regard. This file cannot be transferred to the Judicial Council because it is a
court with limited prerogatives only affecting articles 270 to 336 of the
Lebanese Penal Code, while the false witnesses issues falls under article 408.”
Regarding the topics tackled during the phone call with US Assistant Secretary
of State for Near East Affairs Jeffery Feltman, Geagea said, “I did not talk
politics with him. He told me that his visit to Lebanon was not programmed and
that he was asked by the White House to convey a message to President of the
Republic General Michel Sleiman. He just called to say hello. I asked him about
the climate in Saudi Arabia and he told me it was good and that the Kingdom’s
position was clear in regard to the fact that there will be no settlement over
the international tribunal. With all due respect to all the Arab states and to
France, America and all the other countries, if they all want a settlement, I
can confirm that no settlement will be made at the level of the international
tribunal unless the five member states of the Security Council convene and
decide to annul it.”
Asked whether or not Feltman’s visit to Lebanon was prompted by fears raised by
the visit of the Iranian president, Geagea said, “Of course there are fears over
seeing Lebanon led into the heart of the great confrontation in the region
between Iran and its allies on one hand and the West, the moderate Arabs and
their allies on the other. I made the same reading into the situation. I
consider that President Ahmadinejad conducted two simultaneous visits to
Lebanon. The first was an official visit which respected the parameters of
international relations, while the second was seen in Al-Raya Stadium and in the
South and conveyed the visit of the head of a party to his party and his
regions.” Geagea then concluded by hoping that “any upcoming confrontation will
not be made at Lebanon’s expense and on Lebanese soil, especially since the
confrontations that could erupt in the Middle East, God Forbids, will be
destructive.”
March 14: Aoun trying to hide his frustration
October 20, 2010 /Following its weekly meeting on Wednesday, the March 14
General Secretariat issued a statement that Change and Reform bloc leader MP
Michel Aoun “is trying to hide his political frustration by [claiming] that he
wants change and reform.” Aoun said on Tuesday that there will be “change and
reform if a clash were to break out [in Lebanon],” adding that such a
transformation is more important than the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL). He
also said last month that the Finance Ministry looks like “Ali Baba’s cave,” and
people are working there illegally. March 14 called on Aoun to waive his bank
secrecy. The secretariat also criticized Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s
last week visit to Lebanon, saying that the latter “granted himself the right to
add Lebanon to the resistance front led by Iran.”“[Ahmadinejad’s] positions went
beyond [the framework] of his official visit [to Lebanon],” March 14 said. The
Iranian president arrived in Beirut last Wednesday in an official visit that
took him to Lebanon’s border with Israel. He left Lebanon on Thursday night.
Ahmadinejad said during his Lebanon visit that “there is no power in the world
that can defeat [the Lebanese] Resistance,” referring to Hezbollah. He also said
that Palestine will be liberated from Israeli occupation.-NOW Lebanon
Sami Gemayel: Stop submitting to Syria
October 20, 2010 /Kataeb bloc MP Sami Gemayel told New TV on Wednesday that “we
feel as if we are obliged to apologize to Syria [even though] it occupied
Lebanon and humiliated its people.” “People, like [Progressive Socialist Party
leader MP] Walid Jumblatt, should stop submitting to Syria,” he added. Jumblatt
split from the March 14 alliance in 2009, after which he reconciled with past
political rivals, including Syria and Hezbollah. Gemayel said that unresolved
matters between Lebanon and Syria, including border-demarcation and Lebanese
detainees in Syrian prisons, can be settled in parallel to the probe of the
Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL). He also said that the Kataeb is not accusing
any party of assassinating former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005. Tension
ran high in Lebanon after reports said that the STL will soon issue its
indictment in the Rafik Hariri murder. March 8 figures are calling for the
abolition of the tribunal. There are fears that, should the court indict
Hezbollah members, it could lead to clashes similar to those of the 2008 May
Events.-NOW Lebanon
Nasrallah goes green
Sarah Lynch , October 20, 2010
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah rarely sees the light of day.
But he made an exception several weeks ago when he came out of hiding. It wasn’t
to speak live in front of crowds who gathered to welcome Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Instead, it was to plant a tree. Nasrallah’s outdoor
excursion, seen in still images that aired during a televised speech on October
9, was part of an ongoing campaign by Hezbollah to urge the Lebanese to “go
green.” Environmentalists say any attempt to help reforest the country is
greatly welcomed, but that it should come in parallel with other efforts in
order to be effective.
Over the past several months, Hezbollah, with the help of its reconstruction
organization Jihad al-Binaa, has been trying to plant one million trees in
Lebanon. The tree planted by Nasrallah was allegedly the one millionth. “If
every Lebanese plants a tree next to his house and pledges to take care of it,
imagine what our country would look like,” Nasrallah said in his speech.
In addition to its aesthetic benefits, the campaign was designed to help tackle
environmental issues. “The climate threat today is among the biggest threats
faced by mankind in terms of peace, security, stability and existence” Nasrallah
said. Photos released by the Hezbollah Media Relations office show Nasrallah in
the presence of Agriculture Minister Hussein Hajj Hassan and MP Ali Ammar, among
others, as he digs up soil near his Haret Hreik home. Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad also planted a tree when he visited Lebanon last week. He planted it
in the Baabda Presidential Palace garden to symbolize Lebanese-Iranian
friendship.
Many environmentalists, regardless of their political affiliations, are glad to
see a politician speaking about environmental matters. “This is something that
is highly welcome,” said Dr. Ali Darwish, general secretary of the Lebanese NGO
Green Line. “If two institutions, the church and the mosque we can say, could
unite on greening Lebanon, we would be much better off.”
The effort, however, will take years to produce results. Any trees that are
planted now will take fifteen to twenty years to grow, Darwish said. He also
said that for the campaign to help quell the threat of climate change, it needs
to be in parallel with other efforts.
“Planting trees is one step, but it needs to come within a context where we
reduce emissions, reduce traffic and reduce the amount of trees we are cutting
[down],” he said.
Hezbollah’s tree campaign did not come without political cause. Nasrallah made
it clear that planting trees is a way to resist Israel. Greenery provides
protection for guerilla fighters, who have historically been posted in the
forested landscape of Lebanon’s South. From 1978-2000, they fought against
Israeli forces from the mountain tops of places like Mlita, where trees and
greenery provide strategic cover for underground bunkers and positions for
firing.
Regardless of the motive, however, environmentalists are eager to see people act
on efforts that help Lebanon’s less-than-cared-for green space. Due to rapid and
irresponsible urban development, forests now cover only 13 percent of the
country, according to the Ministry of the Environment. The ministry estimates
that number used to be as high as 20 percent.
“I believe he has charisma, so if he plants trees, everyone who follows him
might plant a tree,” said Nada Zaarour, vice president of Lebanon’s Green Party,
which is dedicated to democracy, secularism and environmental protection. “It’s
a good cause, so why not? Let him plant.”
But the effort to urge his supporters to consider the environment in their
day-to-day actions will seemingly need more work. In the wake of Ahmadinejad’s
and Nasrallah’s fiery speeches made at last week’s rally in Dahiyeh,supporters
must have forgotten that just days earlier, Nasrallah urged them to go green.
The streets surrounding the suburb’s celebratory square were a littered
wasteland of broken bottles, crushed cans and paper posters. There were no trash
bins to be seen. Trees, new or old, were even harder to come by.