LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِOctober
22/2011
Bible Quotation
for today/Jesus Has Pity for the People
Matthew 09/35-38: " Jesus went around
visiting all the towns and villages. He taught in the synagogues, preached the
Good News about the Kingdom, and healed people with every kind of disease and
sickness. As he saw the crowds, his heart was filled with pity for them, because
they were worried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. So he said to his
disciples, The harvest is large, but there are few workers to gather it in. Pray
to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his
harvest.
Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from
miscellaneous sources
After Qaddafi, every dictator will
want to get his hands on a nuclear weapon/By: Micah Zenko/October
21/11
U.S. Leadership Needed to Protect
the Syrian People from the Syrian Regime/By: Robert Satloff/October
21/11
What next with the Syrian
atrocities against Lebanon/Now Lebanon/October
21/11
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for October
21/11
Gadhafi Alive in Hands of Fighters
before Death: Video
Gadhafi Killed as Hometown Falls
Libyan rebels drag Qaddafi's body
through Misrata. More fighting ahead
Gadhafi's Death: The End of an
Eccentric Leader
Key Dates in Libya's History
West casts killing of Libyan
leader as opportunity
Canadian PM, Harper
hails dictator's death in Libya, as Canadian jets to
end mission early
Obama hails Qaddafi demise, warns
Arab regimes
Rival Lebanese leaders hail
Gadhafi’s death
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri:
Gadhafi’s Fate Inevitable End to All Dictators Who Reject People’s Will
Clinton Says 'Major Military
Operation' Ongoing against Haqqanis
U.S. indicts two men suspected of
plotting to kill Saudi ambassador to Washington
STL Trial Chamber Calls for
Submissions on in Absentia Proceedings
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan
Nasrallah says Hezbollah spies did not harm resistance: report
Gemayel: Christians Will Not be
Victims of Arab Revolts
FPM, PSP Ministers Rattle Sabers
over Controversial Issues
Suleiman, Miqati Vote for Jeita
Grotto
Slieman Franjieh: Hariri's Hatred
towards Assad Stems from Sectarian Feelings
Libyan
rebels drag Qaddafi's body through Misrata. More fighting ahead
DEBKAfile Special Report
October 20, 2011
Questions swirl around the death outside Sirte Thursday, Oct. 20, of Muammar
Qaddafi, who ruled Libya for 42 years until his overthrow in August 2011:
One theory holds that after his convoy was attacked by NATO warplanes outside
Sirte, he was seriously wounded in both legs, released that the game was up,
crawled into a nearby pipe and shot himself dead to escape capture. This theory
is borne out by the discovery by rebels of a gold-plated pistol near his body .
But some TV footage indicates he was shot dead after being abused by rebels. In
the eyes of his loyalists, and there are still many left in Libya, he is admired
for dying the death of a hero..
If the bullet or shell that injured or killed him is identified as belonging to
a NATO weapon, he may be acclaimed by his own people and the Muslim world as a
martyr like Osama bin Laden before him. This would be the pretext for the
outbreak of bloody guerrilla warfare between the dead ruler's following and his
opponents.
The third theory is that rebel forces found him dying from an attack on the
convoy carrying him and his party and made sure of his death by shooting him in
the head.
debkafile: Qaddafi's death may end NATO's military campaign in Libya, but it is
far from ending the Libyan war. The barbaric treatment of his body in Misrata is
a shocking omen of the bloody conflict to come. debkafile reported earlier
Thursday: Western sources confirm the NTC report that Muammar Qaddafi was
captured Thursday, Oct. 20 in or near Sirte. There were initially conflicting
reports of his condition. He was said wounded in two legs, according to an NTC
official. He now appears to have died of wounds sustained in a NATO air strike
against his convoy outside Sirte, one of his last strongholds. Rebel troops are
celebrating the end of the 42-year Libyan ruler. Earlier Thursday, the NTC
claimed to have achieved complete control of the city after long months of siege
against fierce resistance. As long as Qaddafi was at liberty, the interim
government was prevented from establishing its legitimacy and a stable
administration. For the rebel forces, Qaddafi's capture or death is a major
psychological and political triumph. However, Libya remains bitterly polarized
between pro- and anti-Qaddafi factions with scores of rival militias and
hundreds of tribes at each other's throats. Qaddafi's demise rather than
promoting unity and ending the conflict could trigger wider civil bloodshed
Gadhafi Alive in Hands of Fighters before Death: Video
Naharnet /A bloodied Moammar Gadhafi was seen alive and walking as he was being
manhandled by Libya's new regime fighters before the announcement of his death
Thursday, in a videotape aired on Arab satellite channels. National Transitional
Council fighters circled the 69-year-old ousted strongman, who was bloodied in
the head, face and shoulders, as he apparently tried to cry out. One fighter
appeared to hold a gun to his head but it was unclear if he fired before Gadhafi
was hauled onto the front of a vehicle, amid chaotic scenes in the video
broadcast on Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera television channels.Gadhafi was killed
when new regime forces launched a final assault on the last pocket of resistance
in his hometown Sirte, NTC spokesman Abdul Hafez Ghoga said earlier. "We
announce to the world that Gadhafi has died in the custody of the revolution,"
he said.*Source Agence France PresseNaharnet
Gadhafi Killed as Hometown Falls
Naharnet /New regime troops killed Moammar Gadhafi on Thursday as they overran
the last pocket of resistance from loyalists in his hometown Sirte, bringing
their seven-month uprising to a triumphant conclusion, the National Transitional
Council said. "We announce to the world that Gadhafi has been killed at the
hands of the revolution," NTC spokesman Abdul Hafez Ghoga said. "It is an
historic moment. It is the end of tyranny and dictatorship. Gadhafi has met his
fate," he added.
A video circulating among NTC fighters in Sirte showed mobile phone footage of
what appeared to be Gadhafi’s bloodied corpse.
In the grainy images seen by an Agence France Presse correspondent, a large
number of NTC fighters are seen yelling in chaotic scenes around a khaki-clad
body which has blood oozing from the face and neck. The body is then dragged off
by the fighters and loaded in the back of a pick-up truck. A stills photograph
taken on a mobile phone and obtained by AFP showed Gadhafi heavily bloodied but
it was not clear from the picture whether he was alive or dead at the time. In
the grainy image, Gadhafi is seen with blood-soaked clothing and blood daubed
across his face. Earlier on Thursday, celebrations erupted in towns across Libya
as news spread that the autocrat who ruled the country with an iron fist for 42
years was finally in custody.
"He has been captured," commander Mohamed Leith told Agence France Presse. "He
is badly wounded, but he is still breathing," Leith said, adding that he had
seen Gadhafi himself and that he was wearing a khaki uniform and a turban.
Libyan TV channel "Libya lil Ahrar" carried the same news but a pro-Gadhafi
television website insisted the strongman remained at liberty.
"The reports peddled by the lackeys of NATO about the capture or death of the
brother leader, Moammar Gadhafi, are baseless," said Al-Libiya television.
Gadhafi "is in good health," it insisted. Ali Errishi, who served as Gadhafi's
minister of immigration before defecting to the rebellion, said he was
"confident" the strongman was in custody.
"That is the end of a long ordeal of the Libyan people," he told the Al-Jazeera
news channel. NTC fighters who had fought in the bloody seven-month conflict
that toppled the veteran despot at a cost of more than 25,000 lives, were
jubilant at the news of his capture. Pick-up trucks blaring out patriotic music
crisscrossed the streets of Sirte, as fighters flashed V for victory signs and
chanted Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest). A lot of pickup trucks are playing the
new national anthem and other revolutionary songs.
"I am happy we have got revenge for our people who suffered for all these years
and for those who were killed in the revolution. Gadhafi is finished," said
fighter Talar al-Kashmi.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country took part in the NATO-led air
operation in Libya confirmed that Gadhafi was in custody.
"My assistant has just told me that Gadhafi really has been captured, " Rutte
said. "I am glad that he has been captured."
Gadhafi is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes
against humanity by Libyan leaders have said they want him to be put on trial in
his home country.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said: "The fate of Gadhafi should be decided
by the Libyan people."
Hid capture came as new regime troops overran the last redoubt of his loyalists
in Sirte, bringing to an end a two-month siege. Fighters moving in from east and
west overcame the last resistance in the city's Number Two residential
neighborhood where his diehard supporters had been holed up. The defense
minister in Gadhafi's ousted regime, Abu Bakr Younis, was killed in the last
battle, medics.
His body was identified at the field hospital where it was brought in a pick-up
truck on Thursday, Dr. Abdu Rauf told AFP. "Sirte is free. The whole of Libya is
free," said Khaled Ballam, field commander of the February 17 Brigade, which
took part in the final assault.
"We had some clashes but there was no fierce resistance as many Gadhafi fighters
were trying to escape rather than fight because they had no other option. The
game is over."
Abdul Matloub Saleh, a fighter from the February 17 Brigade, said: "Every inch
of the city is liberated. Our people are spread everywhere. There is no
fighting. The gunfire that you are hearing is all celebrations."An AFP
correspondent heard sporadic gunfire in the neighborhood during the morning as
NTC fighters went house to house to root out the snipers who have inflicted
heavy losses in their ranks in recent days.Medics said that at least three NTC
fighters were killed and 30 wounded on Thursday. Seven NTC fighters were killed
and 76 wounded on Wednesday, medics said. At least 11 NTC fighters were killed
and 95 wounded on Tuesday.
The capture of Gadhafi and the fall of Sirte a milestone. Libya's new rulers had
said that only once Sirte had fallen would they declare the country's liberation
and begin the transition to an elected government.In the end loyalist forces
were limited to a tiny enclave of less than a square kilometer (0.4 square
miles) which had been completely cut off by the besieging NTC forces who
controlled the entire seafront of the Mediterranean coastal city as well as all
of its landward sides. NTC chief Mustafa Abdul Jalil said Libya's new rulers
would compensate the wounded as well as the families of the more than 25,000
people killed during the eight-month uprising. "Families of the martyrs, the
wounded and the fighters themselves will be compensated," he said, urging
Libyans to be patient, however, because of lack of funds. Sirte once had 100,000
inhabitants, almost all of whom have fled. Fierce artillery battles and heavy
gunfire over the past month have not left a single building intact, while
looting has become commonplace as NTC fighters take their revenge on the Gadhafi
bastion.
Among the few natives of Sirte in NTC ranks, anger at the destruction wreaked on
their home city by their comrades runs deep."We are not happy about what has
been happening in our city. It is the only city that is getting so much
destruction," said Ibrahim Alazhry.*Source Agence France Presse
Gadhafi's Death: The End of an Eccentric Leader
Naharnet /Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi, who was killed when his hometown
Sirte fell on Thursday after refusing to surrender, ruled his North African
country for 42 years before being ousted in August. Renowned for his flamboyant
dress sense and rambling rhetoric, the embattled Libyan leader, 69, came up
against an unprecedented challenge to his rule after anti-regime protests
erupted on February 15. Even after National Transitional Council forces overran
his fortified Tripoli headquarters on August 23, Gadhafi evaded capture and
vowed to fight on against the NATO-backed rebels in defiant audio messages.
The NTC said Gadhafi had been captured when Sirte fell to its fighters and that
he was badly wounded, before later announcing he had "died in the custody of the
revolution."
As a young colonel, Gadhafi on September 1, 1969 led a coup overthrowing the
Western-backed elderly King Idriss and quickly established himself as a
belligerent and unpredictable leader. Reputedly born in a Bedouin tent in the
desert near Sirte on June 7, 1942, Gadhafi alienated the West soon after seizing
power, accusing it of launching a "new crusade" against the Arabs. His idol was
Egyptian president and fervent Arab nationalist Gamal Abdel Nasser, and he also
variously declared himself a fan of Stalin and Hitler.
For decades linked to a spate of international terror attacks, Gadhafi’s Libya
was accused of using its oil wealth to fund and arm rebel groups across Africa
and beyond.
Libya became an international pariah in the aftermath of the 1988 Lockerbie
plane bombing, but relations began to thaw when it agreed in 2003 to pay
compensation to the families of the 270 people killed. Gadhafi also renounced
terrorism and declared in 2003, the year of the U.S.-led invasion of Saddam
Hussein's Iraq, that he was giving up the pursuit of weapons of mass
destruction, prompting the lifting of U.N. sanctions.
The declaration also shored up dramatically Libya's ties with the West and was
crowned with a visit in September 2008 by then U.S. secretary of state
Condoleezza Rice.
In February 2009, Gadhafi was elected chairman of the African Union, after
having grown disillusioned with Arab unity and months after African tribal
dignitaries bestowed on him the title of "king of kings."
He was known for receiving world leaders in a Bedouin tent rather than in
palatial buildings, and dressed in colorful flowing robes, surrounded by an
entourage of female bodyguards.
Gadhafi’s Libya was often the focus of international attention. In 2007, Tripoli
released Bulgarian medics who had spent eight years in jail for allegedly
infecting hundreds of Libyan children with HIV-tainted blood. In 2008, the
festive homecoming of convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdul Baset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi,
who was released by Scottish authorities on compassionate grounds, triggered
fury in the United States.
And an apology to Libya the same year by Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz over
the 2007 arrest of one of Gadhafi’s sons, Hannibal, drew harsh criticism across
the Alpine nation.
But the Arab world's longest-serving leader still managed to rile the West and
Arab leaders with belligerent and provocative outbursts.
In July 2009, he blasted the U.N. Security Council as a form of "terrorism" in a
speech at a Non-Aligned Movement summit.
In March the same year, he hurled insults at now Saudi King Abdullah at an Arab
summit, telling him: "You are always lying and you're facing the grave and you
were made by Britain and protected by the United States." Gadhafi could be quick
to praise himself. "I am the leader of the Arab leaders, the king of kings of
Africa and the imam of the Muslims," he has said.
Having proclaimed Libya a Jamahiriya or "state of the masses" run by local
committees in March 1977, Gadhafi was officially known as "guide of the
revolution" as he has always shunned formal titles such as president. He donned
a white glove at an Arab summit to avoid "soiling his hand" by shaking with Arab
kings. Gadhafi’s revolutionary "Green Book," also published in 1977, offers "a
third theory of the world" between capitalism and socialism that he vaunts as
the only real solution for humanity.
*Source Agence France Presse
Key Dates in Libya's History
Naharnet
Here are the key dates in Libya's history over the past 100 years, after the
announcement of the death of deposed strongman Moammar Gadhafi on Thursday:
- 1911-1912: Italy conquers Libya, which had been under domination of the
Ottoman Empire since 1551.
- 1912-1932: Armed resistance to Italian rule under the leadership of the
Sanussi dynasty.
- 1934: Italy merges Libya's three historic regions -- Tripolitania, Fezzan and
Cyrenaica -- into one colony. It becomes an Italian province in 1939.
- 1943: The World War II Allies drive Italy from Libya. In the post-war period,
Tripolitania and Cyrenaica remain under British administration and the French
control Fezzan.
- 1951: Libya becomes independent on December 24 with King Idriss al-Senussi
head of state of a federal monarchy based on its three historic regions.
- 1958-1959: Oil discovered. Drilling starts in 1961.
- 1969: King Idriss deposed in a military coup led by Gadhafi.
- 1970-1971: Gadhafi introduces state socialism by nationalizing most economic
activity, including banks and oil companies.
- 1973: Libyan forces occupy the Aozou Strip in northern Chad until 1994. During
this time Libya intervenes several times in the conflict in its neighbor.
- 1977: Gadhafi declares a "people's revolution" and sets up revolutionary
committees.
- 1986: The United States bombs Libyan military facilities, killing 44, in
retaliation for alleged Libyan involvement in the bombing of a Berlin nightclub
frequented by U.S. military personnel. Washington severs economic ties with
Tripoli and calls on the world to treat Gadhafi as a pariah.
- 1992-1993: The United Nations imposes sanctions on Libya in a bid to force it
to hand over two Libyans suspected of the bombing over the Scottish town of
Lockerbie of a Pan Am airliner in December 1988, in which 270 were killed.
- 2003: The normalization of relations between Libya and the West, which began
in 1999, is marked by the lifting of sanctions and the announcement by Tripoli
that it is abandoning programs to develop weapons of mass destruction.
- 2005: Major energy companies, notably from the United States, resume their
activities in Libya, which were broken off in 1986.
- June 2009: Gadhafi pays his first state visit to Italy after the signature of
a treaty resolving colonial-era disputes between the two countries.
- February 15, 2011: The start of the bloody uprising against Gadhafi’s regime.
On March 19, French, U.S. and British forces launch U.N.-mandated air attacks.
NATO takes over the operation on March 31.
The rebels' National Transitional Council (NTC) gradually takes over on the
international stage.
- August 23: Rebels overrun Gadhafi's headquarters in Tripoli after heavy
fighting. They find no trace of the strongman or his sons.
- October 20: The new ruling authorities announce that Gadhafi has been killed
in the final assault on the last pocket of resistance in his hometown Sirte,
which has been "totally liberated."
**Source Agence France Presse
Obama hails Qaddafi demise, warns Arab regimes
October 20, 2011
US President Barack Obama said Thursday the death of Moammar Qaddafi ended a
long, painful chapter for Libyans and warned "iron fist" regimes in the rest of
the Arab world they would inevitably fall. Speaking in the White House Rose
Garden, Obama said Qaddafi’s demise vindicated the collective military action of
the West and said Libyans now had a chance to build a "democratic" and "tolerant
nation." "Just one year ago, the notion of a free Libya seemed impossible, but
then the Libyan people rose up and demanded their rights."
"This is a momentous day in the history of Libya, the dark shadow of tyranny has
been lifted," Obama said, in his first reaction to the killing of Qaddafi near
his hometown of Sirte earlier Thursday. "With this enormous promise, the Libyan
people now have a great responsibility to build an inclusive and tolerant and
democratic Libya that stands as the ultimate rebuke to Qaddafi’s dictatorship."
Obama said that Washington looked forward to an official announcement of Libya's
liberation, which officials in Tripoli said could come as early as Friday.
The president, who was criticized by Republicans either for failing to take a
more proactive role in the NATO operation in Libya, or for intervening at all,
also had a warning for other dictatorial leaders in the Middle East. "Across the
Arab world, citizens have stood up to claim their rights. Youth are delivering a
powerful rebuke to dictatorship. And those leaders who try to deny their dignity
will not succeed," he said.
"For the region, today's events prove once more that the rule of an iron fist
inevitably comes to an end."
Obama did not mention any nations by name, but his remarks appeared to be a
clear reference to US foes Syria and Iran which have both violently put down
movements for change.
The president also called on the new Libyan authorities to cooperate with the
United States and its allies to track down munitions including surface-to-air
missiles which went missing amid the revolutionary chaos. The president also
remember those Americans who had been killed in terror attacks orchestrated by
Qaddafi’s Libya, perhaps thinking especially of those who died in Pan Am Flight
103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988. "We are reminded today of all those
Americans that we lost at the hands of Qaddafi’s terror, their families and
friends are in our thoughts and in our prayers," Obama said. "We recall their
bright smiles, their extraordinary lives, and their tragic deaths," he
said.Qaddafi, 69, governed Libya with an iron grip for almost 42 years until a
February 15 revolt challenged his rule and pushed the country into civil war. He
went into hiding after NATO-backed NTC fighters seized Tripoli in August
-AFP/NOW Lebanon
Harper hails dictator's death in Libya, as Canadian jets to
end mission early
By Stephanie Levitz and Mike Blanchfield, The Canadian Press
OTTAWA - Canada's military mission in Libya is expected to end by early November
following Thursday's death of Moammar Gadhafi.
The dictator's demise marked the end of four decades of erratic and brutal rule
that saw world leaders both engage and cast out the leader of the oil-rich
nation before he was finally driven from power by his own people.
NATO leaders were to decide Friday on a firm end date for its military support
of the rebels. The NATO-led mission, backed by a United Nations resolution,
intervened in Libya in March when Gadhafi refused to end a bloody crackdown on
the revolution that was part of a wave of uprisings across the Arab world.
Gadhafi's death means he'll never able to terrorize his own people or the world
again, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said.
"The Libyan people can finally turn the page on 42 years of vicious oppression
and continue their journey toward a better future," Harper said.
But their actions in the final moments of Gadhafi's life are now under scrutiny
with observers concerned revolutionaries may have meted out the same kind of
violent justice that characterized Gadhafi's reign.
Amnesty International said an independent and impartial inquiry was needed into
the circumstances surrounding Gadhafi's death. Rebels had earlier promised he
would be brought before the courts and Arab TV stations broadcast footage of him
being taken alive. Had he appeared in court it could have been very embarrassing
for countries that had been doing business with Libya before the revolution,
said Fen Hampson, director of the Norman Paterson School of International
Affairs at Carleton University.
"I think it would include Canada," he said.
"If Gadhafi had been in the docket he would have harangued his prosecutors and
done everything to embarrass the western allies. He knew where the trade secrets
were."
Gadhafi normalized Libya’s relations with the rest of the world in 2003 by
swearing off weapons of mass destruction. That pledge rehabilitated the
dictator’s image and, among other things, allowed him to meet regularly with
world leaders, including Canada’s former prime minister Paul Martin.
Canadian businesses subsequently did billions of dollars worth of business with
the country.
"Was the world right to try and re-engage Gadhafi so that Libya's isolation and
its people's isolation could come to and end? I think it was worth the effort,"
Martin said in an interview Thursday."Unfortunately, it didn't work."
But it did demonstrate that regime change can truly only come about if the
people themselves decide they want it, he said.
"A successful rebuilding of a country from chaos requires the people have the
initiative," Martin said. Political instability is expected to remain in the
coming weeks as the international mission winds down. The commander of NATO
operations in Libya is Canadian Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard, who oversaw the
coalition from a NATO base in Italy.
Canadian fighter jets flew 10 per cent of NATO's sorties on Libya, supporting
the rebels who had toppled Gadhafi's regime in August and forced him into
hiding. Their UN-sanctioned mission was to protect innocent civilians from
forces loyal to the dictator.
Canada's commitment to the mission, which also includes a navy warship and
surveillance planes, was due to end in December. "Gen. Bouchard has served our
country with great distinction," Harper said after speaking with him by
telephone. "Our government shall be speaking with our allies to prepare for the
end of our military mission in the next few days."
A spokesman for Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Canadian Forces assets were
not involved in air strikes in Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte on Thursday morning.
France said its planes had fired on a convoy of loyalists but didn't destroy it,
allowing revolutionary fighters to move in on the vehicle carrying Gadhafi
himself.
Opposition parties called on the Conservative government to maintain the same
commitment to Libya's future as it did to the campaign to oust Gadhafi. "We need
to be a country that takes civilian reconstruction and takes the long hard
slogging that it takes to build democratic institutions, that we take that every
bit as seriously as we take military intervention," Liberal Leader Bob Rae said.
Canada recently gave Libya's new provisional government, the National
Transitional Council, $10 million to clean up weapons of mass destruction and
help the country make the transition to democracy. Two visits to the country in
recent months by Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird suggest Canada will be
there over the long term, said Sufyan Maghur, the former NTC representative in
Canada. "This is what we heard from the Canadian government, that Canada will
assist, through the UN, in how to draft a constitution, how to build the voting
system, and certainly in infrastructure, building a transparency program. So
Canada has a lot to work in Libya, and from his (Baird's) visits I sense that he
and Canada is interested."
Canada has also given $10.6 million in humanitarian assistance. Canada has also
released about $2.2 billion in Gadhafi's seized assets, money that will help the
council run Libya. And Canada recently reopened its embassy in Tripoli after
closing it Feb. 26. A priority of Canada's newly functioning embassy will be
helping Canadian companies — including Alberta oil producer Suncor and Montreal
engineering firm SNC Lavalin — resume operations. Calgary-based energy firm
Suncor had been working with the state-owned National Oil Corp. and was
producing about 50,000 barrels of oil a day before the violence began. SNC
Lavalin is involved in several Libyan ventures, including building a prison and
part of a water-supply system.
Representatives from those companies and Pure Technologies of Calgary recently
accompanied Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird on his trip to Tripoli, his
second visit to Libya this year.
Gadhafi is the first strongman killed by his people in this year's uprisings in
the Arab world. President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the former leader of Tunisia,
fled to Saudi Arabia and was tried in absentia in his homeland. Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak is on trial now. Bashar Assad and Ali Abdullah Saleh are
still clinging to power in Syria and Yemen despite daily protests against their
regimes.with files from The Associated Press
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri: Gadhafi’s Fate
Inevitable End to All Dictators Who Reject People’s Will
Naharnet /Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri noted on Thursday that the death of
former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi marked the end of a dark period in the
Libyan people’s lives and the beginning of a new phase of freedom and democracy.
He said in a statement: “Gadhafi’s fate is the inevitable end of all dictators
who reject their people’s will for freedom and democracy.” “His death paves the
way for justice and the rule of law in Libya that focuses on meeting the
people’s expectations,” he added.“His death is also a clear lesson to regimes
that have adopted oppression in ruling the people,” Hariri continued. “Lebanon,
which has long been a pioneer of freedom and democracy, stands by all who
confront oppression, especially in Syria, despite the positions of the
government whom the will of the people is capable of overthrowing as the Libyan
people have demonstrated today,” he said. “The Syrians are another Arab people
who deserve freedom and democracy after decades of oppression,” the former
premier stated.“We hope they will be victorious in their quest against the
Syrian regime and praise the sacrifices of the Libyan people to rid their
country of the Gadhafi regime,” Hariri stressed.
STL Trial Chamber Calls for Submissions on in Absentia Proceedings
Naharnet /The Special Tribunal for Lebanon's Trial Chamber has issued a
scheduling order, which requests written submissions relating to in absentia
proceedings from the Office of the Prosecutor and each of the accused, said the
STL in a statement. “Since the accused have not yet appointed counsel the Trial
Chamber has also asked the STL’s Defense Office to file submissions,” it added.
The deadline for all written submissions is November 2, 2011, it continued. A
public hearing will be held by the Trial Chamber at 10:00 on November 11, 2011,
it stated. “Journalists will be sent details of the accreditation process for
that hearing in the coming days,” said the statement. The scheduling order
follows a request by Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen for the Trial Chamber to
make a determination whether in absentia proceedings should be initiated, it
concluded. On Thursday, General Prosecutor Saeed Mirza submitted a monthly
report to a STL delegation on efforts to search for the four suspects accused of
being involved the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. In
July, the STL issued arrest warrants against four Hizbullah members accusing
them of being involved in the assassination.Lebanese authorities had 30 days to
apprehend them, but they failed in their mission and the suspects remain at
large.
Gemayel: Christians Will Not be Victims of Arab Revolts
Naharnet /Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel rejected on Thursday that the
Christians in the East would be the victims of the revolutions taking place in
the Arab world.
He said during a press a conference: “It is time that we protect the Christians
through the establishment of a new bill that protects their existence in order
that they no longer remain victims.”
He held the conference to address the situation in the Arab world in light of
his recent trip to Egypt where he held talks with a number of prominent
officials. Gemayel continued: “The majority of the Arab revolutions have not
unified the ranks of their people or established a proper organized system.”“We
support the movement to achieve change in the region and we want it to be a
success,” he added. Furthermore, he warned that dictatorial systems could take
advantage of the current disorganization of the post-revolt reality in the
countries that have toppled the old regimes. “Lebanon’s role does not involve
selling weapons to countries witnessing revolts, but its experience in
establishing a democratic system should be used,” the Phalange Party chief
stressed.“We are therefore suggesting that a new bill that paves the way for a
new Arab system be devised,” Gemayel stated. The historic developments in the
Arab world grant the Arab League a new role in interfering in the revolts to put
an end to the violence and guarantee reform and the peaceful transition of
power, he noted.
The revolts should abide by certain principles to assure the people that they
are keen on reaching democracy and freedom, he continued. On this note, he said
that he had proposed to Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi, during his Egypt trip,
that a meeting of Arab academics be held in order for them to reach an agreement
on these principles.He also praised Arabi’s recent suggestion that Egypt’s al-Azhar
Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb call for a Muslim-Christian meeting. “Such an initiative
will bolster the Arab League’s role and grant the revolutions credibility in
their societies and the international community,” Gemayel stressed. “That way
the future of the Arab world will be made by Arabs themselves and not foreign
meddling,” he concluded.
Franjieh: Hariri's Hatred towards Assad Stems from Sectarian Feelings
Naharnet /Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh on Thursday announced his
rejection of a possible rise to power by Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood, saying “I
cannot accept those who believe that it is permissible to spill my blood.”In an
interview on LBC television, Franjieh revealed that ex-PM Saad Hariri had
allegedly told him Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was “totally innocent” of
his father’s 2005 assassination and that “the Iranians were behind the
assassination” of former premier Rafik Hariri.
“That’s why I say that his (Saad Hariri’s) hatred towards Assad stems from
sectarian feelings and that was demonstrated through his support for (ousted
Egyptian leader) Hosni Mubarak and others,” Franjieh charged. “The Hariri
dynasty has been trying to dominate the country and impose pro-Sunni policies,
but this is an impossible scheme,” he noted.
Asked about the possibility of Assad being ousted by the eight-month revolt
rocking his nation, Franjieh said: “On a personal level, and given my ties with
him, I would be losing a brother and a bet on a political alliance that dates
back to (former) president (Suleiman) Franjieh’s era.”“We respect the Syrian
people, but aren’t the residents of Aleppo and Damascus part of this people?” he
said, referring to the recent pro-Assad rallies in Syria’s largest two cities
and economic powerhouses. Franjieh added that Assad is being pressured in order
to “give up his support for Hizbullah, Iran and the Palestinian cause.”“Many
people believe that Syria will be fragmented, but President Assad totally
rejects such a hypothesis and he also rejects the stirring of sectarian
sentiments,” the MP went on to say. Addressing the domestic issues, Franjieh
voiced his satisfaction with Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s performance.
“He is practicing his political centrism,” the Marada leader added. Asked about
Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil’s policies, Franjieh said the latter
“has the right to discuss his projects in detail.” “But he is tiresome and he
has exhausted the country and the Lebanese,” Franjieh said of the energy
minister. “I’m not with tasking (Labor Minister) Charbel Nahhas with confronting
Harirism, because his approach is Marxist and I don’t believe that it is valid,”
Franjieh went on to say. He also declared his rejection of a VAT hike “as it
won’t solve the deficit problem.” Asked about the controversial issue of funding
the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Franjieh said: “We had deemed it
unconstitutional since the very beginning.”
*Source Naharnet
FPM, PSP Ministers Rattle Sabers over Controversial Issues
Naharnet /Ministers loyal to Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun and
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat clashed during a cabinet
session on Wednesday in what was seen as an attempt by the representatives of
the FPM to exact revenge on the PSP ministers for scrutinizing Energy Minister
Jebran Bassil’s electricity project.
During a lengthy session held at the Grand Serail, Bassil asked Public Works
Minister Ghazi Aridi, who is loyal to Jumblat, to unveil all projects carried
out by his ministry, ministerial sources told An Nahar daily on Thursday.
Bassil’s request angered Aridi and both ministers began shouting at each other.
The energy minister also accused Aridi of spending funds on infrastructure works
without the prior approval of the government. Another dispute took place between
Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour, who is from Jumblat’s party, and Labor
Minister Charbel Nahhas who hinted that Abou Faour’s program to support poor
families had political intentions. Nahhas requested the cabinet to be informed
about the deals made within the program, drawing a harsh retort from the PSP
minister. Last month, the cabinet approved an electricity project proposed by
Bassil. But the endorsement came following months of wrangling between FPM
ministers and mainly government members loyal to Jumblat who had asked for
transparency and a clear mechanism to control the $1.2 billion funds to generate
700 Megawatts of electricity. Wednesday’s arguments between the two sides were
the ramifications of the debate that had raged over the electricity plan.
The ministerial sources said that the heated debate went out of hand when
Premier Najib Miqati approved a proposal made by Ministers Mohammed Fneish and
Ali Hassan Khalil to form a ministerial committee headed by Deputy PM Samir
Moqbel on the implementation of the oil exploration law. Bassil, who is vying
for the post, rejected the proposal, drawing a condemnation by Miqati who
expressed regret at the differences inside the cabinet and told the energy
minister to either accept the suggestion or he would withdraw from discussion
his proposal on oil exploration. The cabinet later approved for Miqati to head
the committee and for Moqbel to become a member. But the deputy PM refused.
Despite the verbal clashes, the government approved among other things, plans to
start drilling for oil and gas on Lebanese soil after mapping the territories.
What next?
Now Lebanon
October 20, 2011
March 14 MP Ahmad Fatfat does not mince his words. “We believe that this
government is a partner in this crime. [It is a] government that downplays such
a case or does not comment about the [Syrian army’s incursions] taking place on
the northern borders, and one that does not follow up on the beating up of
demonstrators in front of the Syrian Embassy. [This means] the current
government is partner in what is taking place.”
The “crime” is the apparent abduction in Lebanon at the end of February 2011 of
four Syrian brothers—Jassem, Chedid, Ali and Ahmad al-Jassem—by Internal
Security Forces personnel acting on the instructions of the Syrian Embassy (and
by extension the Syrian government). The details, scant as they are, paint a
picture of a Syrian regime that appears to have a well-entrenched network of
operatives, not only within Lebanon’s borders, but also within its security
forces and army.
Since January 2011, when the democratically elected government of Prime Minister
Saad Hariri was deposed in what amounted to a bloodless coup, Lebanon, under the
pro-Syrian March 8 bloc, has gradually restored its old ties with Damascus to
the extent that Syrian troops can enter Lebanese territory at will to hunt down
anti-regime activists. Elsewhere, police have stood by as pro-regime thugs beat
up demonstrators outside the Syrian Embassy in Beirut. Now we learn that
Lebanese police are abducting the very people they are meant to protect, driving
them to the Syrian border and handing them over to the PFLP-GC, the radical
Palestinian group with ties to Damascus.
And all the while the government says nothing.
We are to commend ISF chief Ashraf Rifi for his brave revelations and his naming
and shaming of First Lieutenant Salah al-Hajj and his squad of policemen as
being accomplices to the alleged incident. The Lebanese Forces has requested a
full judicial enquiry into the matter, and the National Bloc has demanded that
the Syrian government replace Ambassador Ali Abdel Karim Ali, whose only comment
was that “such accusations affect coordination between the two countries as
concerns security issues.”
The Syrians still seem to look upon Lebanon as its 14th governorate, and the
Lebanese government is doing little to dispel the notion.
What is next? We call on the government to declare that those public servants
who are charged with our safety can guarantee the safety of Lebanese citizens,
including those who choose to protest the barbarity that is currently taking
place in Syria. We also call on the government to deal with those public
servants who place the interests of foreign powers, any foreign powers, before
their sworn duty to their own country.
The Lebanese government, if it is indeed a Lebanese government, should at the
very least demand a full explanation from Damascus and seek assurances that the
Jassem brothers are alive and well and that they will soon be reunited with
their family. They should demand the same for former Syrian Vice President and
Baath Party co-founder Shibli al-Aysami, who disappeared in May from his home in
the Lebanese mountain resort of Aley.
A country with full territorial and sovereign integrity would expel Ali Abdel
Karim Ali and sever diplomatic ties with Damascus. Unfortunately, such a move is
unlikely to happen. The current government is joined at the hip with Syria. It
is its lackey and will tolerate all violations and endure all humiliations, so
that the regional agenda of Iran is carried out and the longevity of the
murderous Syrian regime is ensured.
This is our shame.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah says Hezbollah spies did not harm
resistance: report
October 20, 2011/The Daily Star /BEIRUT: Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah
has reportedly said that Hezbollah members -recently found to be spying for
Israel - did not harm the group. “The discovery of spies within the party did
not cause significant harm to the resistance [Hezbollah],” Al-Akhbar newspaper
Thursday quoted Nasrallah as telling Hezbollah officials.
It said Nasrallah owed this to the “extreme secrecy surrounding the resistance
work.” Nasrallah cited the following story as an example: The rocket that was
fired by Hezbollah at an Israeli warship during the 2006 July-August war. Not
more than four individuals knew about the presence of such a rocket. Israeli
officials at the time accused elite Iranian troops of helping Hezbollah fire a
sophisticated radar-guided missile at an Israeli warship. Iran denies it has
troops in Lebanon. Last month, media reports surfaced that five Hezbollah
members were found to be cooperating with Israel after Hezbollah declared in
June that it had caught three of its members spying for foreign intelligence
agencies, two of whom for the Central Intelligence Agency
Fourteenth Semi -Annual Report of the Secretary -General to the Security Council
on the Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559 (2004)
Thursday 20 October 2011
Copy of the Fourteenth Semi- Annual Report of the
Secretary-General to the Security Council on the Implementation of Security
Council Resolution 1559 (2004) for the information of the members of the
Security Council.
This report will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the
symbol S/2011/648. 19 October 2011
Fourteenth Semi -Annual Report of the Secretary -General to the Security Council
on the Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559 (2004) 19 October 2011
I. Background
1. The current report is my fourteenth semi-annual report on the implementation
of Security Council resolution 1559 (2004). It reviews and assesses the process
of the implementation of the resolution since my previous report issued on 19
April 2011 (S/2011/258). It notes the absence of tangible progress on key
provisions of the resolution, and highlights concerns that continue to impede
efforts to strengthen Lebanon’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political
independence which is the main objective of the resolution.
2. Lebanon was in effect without a Government during the first half of 2011. In
the six months leading to the formation of the new Government by Prime Minister
Mikati, political polarisation deepened markedly and Lebanon grew increasingly
susceptible to the regional political tumult, especially in the neighbouring
Syrian Arab Republic. The absence of political authority generated institutional
paralysis and a deterioration of security conditions in the country. In addition
it halted processes that are fundamental for the implementation of this and
other Security Council resolutions pertaining to Lebanon.
3. On 13 June, then Prime Minister-Designate Najib Mikati announced the
formation of a new government. The new cabinet is composed of 30 ministers, the
majority of whom belong to the 8 March alliance.
4. On 7 July, following three days of intense debate in Parliament underlining
the deep division between the 8 March and 14 March alliances, Prime Minister
Mikati’s government won a vote of confidence. The 68 members of parliament out
of 128 who voted in favour represent the new majority, composed inter alia of
Hizbullah, the Amal movement, the Free Patriotic movement, the Progressive
Socialist party, the Marada party and some others. The 60 members of Parliament
of the 14 March alliance boycotted the vote of confidence to protest what they
termed a coup by Hizbullah to reverse the results of the 2009 parliamentary
elections that the 14 March alliance had won. In their opinion, Hizbullah and
Syria imposed the new government.
5. During the reporting period, the work of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)
has remained a major issue in the country. On 28 June, Pre-trial Judge Daniel
Fransen of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon confirmed an indictment relating to
the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and other Lebanese
citizens. The indictment and accompanying arrest warrants were transmitted to
the Lebanese authorities on 30 June 2011. On 9 August, the Lebanese authorities
reported to the STL on the measures that they have taken to search for, arrest
and transfer those accused in the 14th February 2005 attack. In his report, the
Lebanese Prosecutor General stated that so far none of the four people who are
accused has been detained. On 17 August, the Pre-trial Judge ordered that his
decision confirming the indictment, as well as the indictment itself, be made
public. Meanwhile, to date, the payment of the Lebanese Government’s
contribution to the STL’s budget remains pending. I have repeatedly expressed my
full support for the important work of the STL and reiterated my call for a full
cooperation from the Government of Lebanon, including for the STL’s funding.
6. Over the last six months, developments in the neighbouring Syrian Arab
Republic have taken a growing toll on Lebanon’s political dynamics and have
deepened political and sectarian divisions in the country. The political divide
between 8 March and 14 March has increasingly revolved around the question of
Syria, with demonstrations both in favor and against the Syrian regime taking
place in several Lebanese cities.
II. Implementation of Resolution 1559 (2004)
7. Since the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1559 on 2 September 2004,
several of its provisions have been implemented. Presidential and parliamentary
elections took place in a free and fair manner. Syria withdrew its troops and
military assets from Lebanon in April 2005. Lebanon and Syria established full
diplomatic relations in 2009.
8. Yet, other provisions remain to be implemented. The delineation of the
Syrian-Lebanese border, which was strongly encouraged by the Security Council in
its resolution 1680 (2006), has not yet taken place. More importantly, the
existence and activities of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias continue to pose
a threat to the stability of the country and the region, and highlight the need
for the Government of Lebanon and the Lebanese Armed Forces to increase their
efforts to exercise a full monopoly on the use of force throughout Lebanon. More
needs to be done to achieve the full implementation of resolution 1559 (2004),
and to maintain the achievements already accomplished.
9. I took careful note that in his address to the General Debate of General
Assembly at its sixty-sixth session on 21 September, President Sleiman renewed
Lebanon’s commitment to respecting resolutions of international legitimacy. I
also took note that Prime Minister Mikati in his address to the Security Council
on 27 September affirmed Lebanon’s full respect for all UN resolutions. Since he
took office last July, Prime Minister Mikati has repeatedly renewed this
commitment in public pronouncements.
10. Over the last six months, there has been no concrete progress towards the
implementation of the remaining provisions of the resolution, in particular in
the context of growing political tensions in Lebanon and the escalating crisis
in Syria.
11. My representatives and I have remained in regular contact with all parties
in Lebanon over the reporting period, as well as with relevant regional and
international leaders. I met President Michel Sleiman in New York on 22
September, and Prime Minister Najib Mikati on 27 September. On both occasions I
expressed my disappointment for the lack of progress in the implementation of
this resolution and renewed my call on the Lebanese leaders for the full
implementation of the resolution.
A. Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity, Unity, and Political Independence of
Lebanon
12. Resolution 1559 (2004) aims at strengthening the sovereignty, territorial
integrity, unity, and political independence of Lebanon under the sole and
exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon throughout Lebanon, in line
with the Taif Agreement of 1989 to which all the political parties in Lebanon
have committed themselves. This objective has remained the highest priority of
my efforts to facilitate the implementation of all resolutions pertaining to
Lebanon.
13. In its resolution 1680 (2006), the Security Council strongly encouraged the
Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to respond positively to the request by
the Government of Lebanon to delineate their common border. I have maintained my
efforts to encourage Syria and Lebanon to achieve the full delineation of their
common border. The delineation and demarcation of Lebanon’s boundaries remains
an essential element to guarantee the country’s sovereignty and territorial
integrity. It is also an essential step to allow for proper border control. No
progress was achieved during the reporting period towards the delineation and
demarcation of the border between Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic, despite
commitments made in several summits meetings between Syria and Lebanon since
August 2008. The joint Lebanese-Syrian border committee that is tasked with this
matter has never convened. So far, only Lebanon designated its participants to
this committee. While acknowledging the bilateral nature of border delineation,
progress on this matter remains an obligation of the two countries under
Security Council resolution 1680 (2006), derived from 1559 (2006).
14. At the backdrop of the political and human rights crisis in Syria, which
resulted in the killing of at least 3,000 people since March, several thousands
Syrian nationals have crossed the border into Lebanon to seek refuge from
repression. In this context, on several instances, the Syrian army opened fire
across the border, carried out incursions into Lebanon and raided houses to
capture fleeing nationals and army deserters. These incursions have become more
frequent over the last few weeks. On 6 October, Syrian troops penetrated
Lebanese territory and killed a Syrian national on Lebanese soil.
15. The continued occupation by the Israel Defense Forces of the northern part
of the village of Ghajar and an adjacent area north of the Blue Line stands in
violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, and resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006).
My representatives and I have continued to engage closely with both parties to
facilitate the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area, as detailed in my
last report to the Security Council on the implementation of 1701 (2006)
(S/2011/406).
16. Efforts in relation to the issue of the Shab’a Farms area have not recorded
any progress, as I have still not received any responses from either the Syrian
Arab Republic or Israel to the provisional definition of the area contained in
my report on the implementation of resolution 1701 (2006), issued on 30 October
2007 (S/2007/641).
17. During the reporting period, intrusions into Lebanese airspace by Israeli
aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles continued on a regular basis, constituting
violations of Lebanese sovereignty and resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006).
The Government of Lebanon has repeatedly protested these violations. I have
deplored these violations and demanded that they cease immediately. Israeli
authorities claim in turn that these overflights are carried out for security
reasons, citing alleged breaches to the arms embargo enforced pursuant to
resolution 1701 (2006).
B. Extension of Lebanese Government Control over All Lebanese Territory
18. The Government of Lebanon has reaffirmed in its ministerial declaration its
intention to extend the State’s authority over all Lebanese territory as called
for by resolution 1559 (2004) and the 1989 Taif Agreement. The Lebanese Armed
Forces and the Internal Security Forces play a crucial role in implementing this
commitment. Over the reporting period, several incidents have demonstrated the
need for the Government of Lebanon to do more in order to reach this important
objective.
19. As I have reported elsewhere (S/2011/406), on 27 May 2011, a UNIFIL convoy
was struck by a roadside bomb in the main north-south coastal road to the North
of Saida wounding six UNIFIL peacekeepers serving with the Italian contingent.
The circumstances surrounding this direct terrorist attack against UNIFIL
personnel are still under investigation by the LAF. On 26 July, another convoy
from UNIFIL was struck by a roadside bomb near a southern entrance to Saida. As
a result, six UNIFIL peacekeepers serving with the French contingent were
wounded and one vehicle damaged. This was the second time in less than two
months, in the same area, that the UN was directly targeted. I strongly
condemned both attacks and urged the Government of Lebanon to take all the
necessary measures to protect UN personnel in the country and to undertake a
thorough and transparent investigation of both incidents. In this context, I
welcomed the statement by the Lebanese Higher Defence council of 12 August 2011
in which it committed to bring to justice the perpetrators of these attacks and
to protect the UN Force.
20. Over the reporting period, on some instances, UNIFIL was again denied its
freedom of movement in its area of operations, which endangered the safety and
security of the UN Peacekeepers. The freedom of movement of UNIFIL and the
security and safety of its personnel are integral to the effective execution of
the Force’s mandate. The primary responsibility for ensuring the freedom of
movement to UNIFIL in its area of operations, and to protect its personnel, lies
with the Lebanese Authorities.
21. Several security incidents involving the use of weapons and explosives in
populated areas have continued to occur during the reporting period. In early
June, two bomb hoaxes were reported, one in Beirut and the other in Zahle. Two
additional explosions took place in Beirut on 29 July and 11 August in
circumstances that remain unclear. The latter killed two people who were
reportedly handling an explosive device and injured two others. On 13 August,
there was a shooting directed at the property of Member of Parliament Suleiman
Franjieh. On 16 September two Internal Security Forces personnel were injured
when armed men opened fire on their patrol in the western Bekaa area. On 1
October, a woman and her two daughters were injured in Tripoli as a result of
the explosion of a hand grenade. These events are indicative of growing security
threats in the country.
22. The reporting period has been also marked by demonstrations of solidarity or
protests in relation to the evolving situation in Syria. Some such gatherings
involved the use of weapons as demonstrated by the clashes in Tripoli in the
areas of Bab El-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen on 17 June 2011. Other violent
incidents took place elsewhere in the country during the reporting period.
23. All these occurrences confirm yet again the possession of lethal weapons by
non-state actors. They are also a stark reminder that the Lebanese authorities
must do more to impose law and order throughout the country.
24. Security sources in Lebanon have continued to report shootings and
explosions in and around para-military infrastructures in the Eastern Beka’a
Valley belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General
Command and Fatah al-Intifadah, confirming that para¬military training occur in
these facilities. The permanent presence of such bases along the Syrian-Lebanese
border adds to the general porosity of parts of the land border and poses a
challenge for the control of the border by the Lebanese security forces. It also
makes the delineation of the border more difficult.
25. Given the above mentioned concerns and continued existence and activities of
militias in Lebanon, improving the management and control of Lebanon’s land
borders is critical to prevent the illegal flow of weapons to armed groups. A
comprehensive border management strategy is needed. Government of Lebanon
officials acknowledge the porous nature of the border and the possibility that
arms smuggling occurs. The Government of Lebanon has so far taken limited steps
to confront the issue. The effective management of the border between Lebanon
and the Syrian Arab Republic also continues to be adversely affected by the
absence of a delineation of the border.
26. Several Member States have continued to express deep concern over the
illegal transfer of weapons across the land borders. I take these reports very
seriously but the United Nations does not have the means to verify them
independently. I have raised this matter with Lebanese officials and urged them
to increase efforts in a more systematic way to ensure a strict control along
the border. In addition, all states must take the necessary measures in order to
prevent the transfer of arms to groups outside the control of the Government of
Lebanon. This is a critical factor for stability in Lebanon and the region.
C. Disbanding and Disarmament of Lebanese and non-Lebanese Militias
27. In its resolution 1559 (2004), the Security Council calls for the disarming
and disbanding of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias. This key remaining
provision of the resolution is yet to be implemented. It merely reflects and
re-affirms a decision that all Lebanese committed themselves to in the Taif
Accord in 1989, in the aftermath of the civil war. This agreement led at the
time to Lebanese militias -with the exception of Hizbullah -giving up their
weapons. This agreement must be preserved and implemented by all in order to
avoid the spectre of a renewed confrontation amongst the Lebanese.
28. Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias continue to operate in the country
outside of the Government’s control in serious violation of resolution 1559
(2004). While several groups across the political spectrum in Lebanon possess
weapons outside Government control, the armed component of Hizbullah is the most
significant and most heavily armed Lebanese militia in the country, reaching
almost the capacities of a regular army. The leadership of Hizbullah itself
continues to acknowledge that it maintains a substantial military arsenal. In
addition, there are a series of Palestinian armed groups operating in the
country inside and outside the refugee camps.
29. Over the reporting period, there has been yet again no tangible progress
towards the disbanding and disarming of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias as
called for in the Taif Accord and resolution 1559 (2004). Since the adoption of
the resolution in 2004, with the exception of the National Dialogue of 2006 that
took some preliminary decisions on this matter, no concrete steps have been
taken to address this crucial issue which stands at the heart of the sovereignty
and the political independence of the country. Meanwhile, since the passing of
the resolution, several Lebanese groups and individuals have expressed their
dismay at the presence of militias in the country. The continued existence of
Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias undermines the rights of every Lebanese
citizen to live without fear of physical harm and the consolidation of Lebanon
as a democratic state and the stability of the country and the region.
30. The issue of Hizbullah’s arms is at the forefront of the political debate in
Lebanon, as manifested during the parliamentary debate around the ministerial
declaration. The previous tenuous consensus on the legitimacy of the arms of
Hizbullah in Lebanon has broken down. Opposition figures are singling out
Hizbullah’s weapons as the single most destabilizing factor in the country. On
12 July, former Prime Minister and opposition leader Saad Hariri launched an
attack against Hizballah’s weapons which he deemed Lebanon’s main problem and a
tool to paralyze the political life and threaten people. On the International
Day of Democracy on 15 September, Hariri qualified the threat of arms as
“democracy’s greatest enemy”. On its part, Hizbullah rejected those statements
and claims that its arsenal separate from that of the Lebanese state is for
defensive purposes against Israel.
31. On several occasions, I have stated my firm conviction that the disarmament
of Hizbullah and other militias can best be achieved through a Lebanese-led
political process, that will achieve the ultimate goal that there are no weapons
or armed forces in Lebanon other than those of the Lebanese State. For that
purpose, I recall that the National Dialogue, whose main mandate is to develop a
national defense strategy that would address the critical issue of weapons
outside the control of the state, had reconvened after the May 2008 events, but
has not met since 4 November 2010
32. Regrettably, the National Dialogue has fallen short of expectations in terms
of the development of a national defense strategy. While President Sleiman has
expressed on numerous occasions his intention to reconvene the National
Dialogue, there is no indication at this stage that it will happen soon given
that the 14 March alliance participants have announced they would only attend if
the forum discusses Hizbullah’s weapons as the first item on its agenda. The
latter proposition was rejected by Hizbullah and its allies which would not
oppose the reconvening of the National Dialogue, provided it sticks to the
generic formula of the development of a “national defence strategy”.
33. With respect to the situation of Palestinians in Lebanon, I am glad to
report that the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has
reiterated its call upon all Palestinians in Lebanon to respect the sovereignty
and political independence of Lebanon and adhere to Lebanese law and security
requirements. The President of the Palestinian Authority and Chairman of the
PLO, Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, visited Lebanon from 16 to 19 August. During his visit,
he stated unequivocally his position that the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon do
not need arms to defend themselves because “the Lebanese state, represented in
its government, army and parliament would protect them”.
34. This declaration came in the context of heightened tension in the Ain al
Hilweh refugee camp. On 5 and 6 August heavy clashes erupted in the camp
following an assassination attempt on a senior Fatah figure, Col. Mahmoud Issa.
The following day, two suspects from the Jund al Sham militia were apprehended
and handed over to the Lebanese authorities, which prompted armed clashes
between the group and Fatah militia members. A ceasefire was agreed upon after
hours of fighting that had left a number of people injured. Considerable
material damage was also caused by the heavy fighting. One of UNRWA’s schools
was hit by a rocket-propelled-grenade resulting in material damage to two
classrooms. Refugees voiced their anger and demanded compensations from the
responsible parties for their financial loss.
35. The situation in most of the 12 Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon has
remained relatively stable, although a few shooting incidents and explosions
have been registered in some of the camps, in particular in Ain al-Hilweh, as
mentioned above. The threat of internal violence that could potentially spill
over into surrounding areas still exists in a number of camps as some of them
continue to provide safe haven for those who seek to escape the authority of the
State.
36. During his visit, President Abbas also discussed the dire humanitarian
conditions of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Prime Minister Mikati pledged
that his government would do its best to improve living conditions. In this
context, the labour reforms for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon that was agreed
to by the Parliament last year are yet to be properly implemented. The United
Nations continues to urge the Lebanese authorities to improve the conditions in
which Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon, without prejudice to the eventual
resolution of the Palestinian refugee question in the context of a comprehensive
peace agreement in the region, in particular given the detrimental effects of
dismal living conditions on the wider security situation.
37. Lebanese authorities have acknowledged the existence of good cooperation
between the Lebanese Armed Forces and Palestinian security officials in the
camps. However, with the exception of the Nahr Al-Bared camp, Lebanese
authorities do not maintain a permanent presence inside the camps, despite the
fact that the Cairo agreement of 1969 – which permitted the presence of
Palestinian armed forces in the refugees’ camps -was annulled by the Lebanese
parliament in 1987. More will need to be done to contain tensions and potential
violence in the camps.
38. The presence of Palestinian armed groups outside the camps continues to
challenge the ability of Lebanon to exercise full sovereignty over its
territory. I have called upon the Government of Lebanon to dismantle the
Damascus-headquartered PFLP-GC and Fatah Al-Intifada military bases in the
country, and on the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to cooperate with
these efforts. Regrettably, there has been no progress during the reporting
period towards the disarming of such groups, as called for and agreed upon by
Lebanese leaders at the National Dialogue session of 2006 and reaffirmed in
subsequent sessions of the National Dialogue since 2008.
IV. Observations
39. On the basis of what I have detailed above, I am disappointed that I cannot
report on any further progress in the implementation of resolution 1559 (2004)
over the last six months. The process of the implementation of the resolution
has reached a status of quasi standstill for more than two years. Much work lies
ahead for Lebanon in the implementation of resolution 1559 (2004).
40. I am mindful that the remaining provisions of the resolution to be
implemented are indeed the thorniest and that Lebanon has been affected by
recent events in the region, particularly the violent repression of popular
protests against the regime and the profound political crisis in Syria. However,
I am firmly convinced that it is in the interest of Lebanon and the Lebanese to
make progress towards the full implementation of the resolution for the
long-term stability of the country and the region.
41. I have repeatedly cautioned that the widespread proliferation of weapons
outside of the State’s control, combined with the continued existence of
heavily-armed militias are altogether ominous for domestic peace and the
prosperity of Lebanon. Armed groups defying the control of the State are
incompatible with the objective of strengthening Lebanon’s sovereignty and
political independence and with the protection of Lebanon’s unique pluralistic
system and the rights of Lebanese citizens. I condemn the possession and the use
of illegal weapons wherever they occur in Lebanon, in particular in populated
areas. For this reason, I appeal to all parties and States to immediately halt
all efforts to transfer and acquire weapons, and build para-military capacities
outside the authority of the State. All foreign financial and material support
for Lebanon must be channelled transparently through the Government of Lebanon
only.
42. The issue of Hizbullah’s weapons has become a central bone of contention in
the political debate in Lebanon with confessional overtones, but with
implications for all Lebanese. Hizbullah’s arsenal 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. I call yet again
upon the leaders of Hizbullah to immediately disarm and transform the group into
a Lebanese political party, consistent with the requirements of the Taif
Agreement and Resolution 1559 (2004). In a democratic State, a political party
cannot maintain its own militia. This is a fundamental anomaly that is
incompatible with Lebanon’s high ideals of the protection of human rights and
democracy.
43. As Hizbullah maintains close ties with regional states, I call upon these
States to support and assist in the transformation of the armed group into a
solely political party and its disarmament, consistent with the requirements of
the Taif Agreement and resolution 1559 (2004), in the best interests of regional
peace and stability. This requirement has become even more urgent against the
backdrop of the ongoing political upheavals across the region.
44. I remain convinced that the disarmament of armed groups in Lebanon,
particularly Hizbullah, can best be achieved through a Lebanese-led political
process, though this process cannot make headway until external actors cease
their military support to Hizbullah and the group itself accepts to discuss its
arsenal in good faith. I regret that the National Dialogue has not reconvened in
almost a year. The end result of such a process should be no weapons or
authority in Lebanon other than those of the Lebanese state. To this end, I note
the ongoing progress made by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in developing their
operational capabilities.
45. The absence of progress on the disarming and disbanding of Lebanese and
non-Lebanese militias puts Lebanon in violation of its international
obligations. Lebanon can and must revitalise the efforts to address the
challenge posed by the continued presence of arms outside the authority of the
Lebanese State. Such arms inherently jeopardize and undermine the ability of the
State to exercise full sovereignty and control over its territory, as called for
by the Taif Agreement and resolution 1559 (2004). This applies in particular to
the considerable military capabilities that Hizbullah continues to maintain.
Irrespective of the particular composition of the government, the authority of
the Lebanese State can only be consolidated through progress on the issue of
arms beyond its control. I therefore call upon President Sleiman and Prime
Minister Mikati to take tangible measures in this regard without delay.
46. I also encourage President Sleiman and the Government of Prime Minister
Mikati to implement decisions taken in the past by the National Dialogue, such
as the dismantling of Palestinian military bases maintained by the
Damascus-Headquartered PFLP-GC and Fatah al-Intifada outside the refugee camps.
Under three Prime Ministers and two Presidents, there has regrettably been no
progress on this issue. The commitment of the new government policy platform to
the implementation of previous National Dialogue decisions must be materialized.
These bases, most of which straddle the border between Lebanon and Syria,
undermine Lebanese sovereignty and challenge the country’s ability to manage its
land borders. Mindful that these two militias maintain close regional ties, I
renew my call upon the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to assist in this
process.
47. I also urge donors to continue their support for UNRWA, which faces funding
shortfalls in its regular programmes and for the reconstruction of the Nahr
al-Bared camp. I recall that two-thirds of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon live
in dire poverty. I therefore call upon the government of Prime Minister Mikati
to implement amendments to the Lebanese Labour Code and Social Security Law
adopted in August 2010, so as to improve the employment prospects of Palestinian
refugees. I am convinced that addressing the difficult conditions of Palestinian
refugees will have a positive impact on the coexistence of Lebanese and
Palestinians and hence, on national security and stability. Improving the living
conditions and human rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon does not
prejudice the resolution of the Palestinian refugee question in the context of a
comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace.
48. The profound political crisis in Syria has further hindered progress towards
the delineation and demarcation of the border between Lebanon and Syria. I
regret the absence of progress and urge the two countries to move forward on
this issue without further delay, which has a critical impact on enhancing
border control.
49. I urge the Government of Lebanon to move forward and adopt and implement a
comprehensive border management strategy in the coming period. Doing so would
enable better control of Lebanon’s international borders and prevent the illegal
transfers of arms.
50. I am deeply concerned at the impact of developments in Syria on the
political and security situation in Lebanon. I strongly deplore the violent
incursions and raids into Lebanese towns and villages by Syrian Security Forces
that resulted in death and injury. I call upon the Government of the Syrian Arab
Republic immediately to cease all such incursions, and to respect Lebanon’s
sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with Security Council
resolution 1559 (2004). These incursions and the ongoing crisis in Syria carry
the potential of igniting further tensions inside Lebanon and beyond.
51. Security incidents during the reporting period highlight the need for
Lebanese security forces to do more to prevent and respond to acts of violence.
In this context, increased support for the Lebanese Armed Forces and the
Internal Security Forces remains critical. They have continued to act with
resolve, and their capacity had been gradually strengthened with the assistance
of international donors. I am grateful to those countries that are helping to
equip and to train the LAF and the ISF, and I urge the international community
to continue this critically required support. This is essential to enable the
LAF and the ISF to assume effectively its responsibility under relevant Security
Council resolutions.
52. I deplore the continued Israeli violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty and
territorial integrity. I call upon Israel to adhere to its obligations under
relevant Security Council resolutions and withdraw its forces from the northern
part of the village of Ghajar and an adjacent area north of the Blue Line, and
cease its overflights of Lebanese airspace that raise tension, undermine the
credibility of Lebanese security services, increase the risk of unintended
conflict and generate anxiety among the civilian population.
53. Momentous events underway across the Middle East bear tremendous
opportunities for change but also pose challenges of prolonged uncertainty and
potential instability. Developments in Syria inevitably impact Lebanon. At the
same time, this should not detract from the full implementation of this and all
other Security Council resolutions pertaining to Lebanon, which remain the best
way to ensure Lebanon’s long-term prosperity and stability as a democratic
state.
54. It is imperative that the spirit of cooperation and respect for the
principles of co-existence and security in Lebanon prevail as must domestic
peace without intimidation by armed groups. I remain concerned that the
combination of mistrust among the parties and the continued presence of militias
could lead to tensions and possible insecurity and instability in Lebanon and
beyond. I urge all political leaders to transcend sectarian and individual
interests and genuinely promote the future and the interests of the State. They
must preserve the comprehensive political framework of co-existence in mutual
respect, as set out in the Taif Agreement.
55. More than three months after he assumed office, Prime Minister Mikati has
managed to contain growing tensions in the country and, to some extent,
revitalized national governance and legislative processes that were paralyzed in
the absence of a functioning Government during the first half of 2011. I was
heartened when he visited the LAF and UNIFIL in southern Lebanon just a few days
after his Government was sworn-in. This was a tangible sign of support to the
work of the United Nations in Lebanon. I also welcome Prime Minister Mikati’s
pledge to provide humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees in Lebanon. I
remain however keenly aware of the challenges ahead and the political
polarization revolving around the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the weapons of
Hizbullah and the unrest in neighbouring Syria. While I commend the Prime
Minister for his repeated public pronouncement calling for Lebanon’s full
adherence to its international obligations without selectivity, I look forward
to the Government of Lebanon translating this commitment into tangible action
and I stand ready to assist it to reach this crucial objective.
56. In conclusion, I share the opinion of President Sleiman as outlined in his
address to the Security Council on 27 September where he stated that the
implementation of Security Council resolutions is the best guarantee to ensure
peace and security and prevent conflicts. I remain firmly committed to the
implementation of resolution 1559 (2004) for the sake of regional peace and
stability, in a particularly difficult and challenging time. I, therefore, call
on all parties and actors to fully abide by resolutions 1559 (2004), 1680 (2006)
and 1701 (2006). I will continue my efforts for the purpose of the full
implementation of these and all other Security Council resolutions pertaining to
Lebanon.