LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِSeptember
26/2011
Bible Quotation for today/Every
one is judged on his own acts
Ezekiel
18/19-32: "Why shouldn't the son
suffer because of his father's sins? The answer is that the son did what was
right and good. He kept my laws and followed them carefully, and so he will
certainly live. It is the one who sins who will die. A son is not to suffer
because of his father's sins, nor a father because of the sins of his son. Good
people will be rewarded for doing good, and evil people will suffer for the evil
they do. If someone evil stops sinning and keeps my laws, if he does what
is right and good, he will not die; he will certainly live. All his sins will be
forgiven, and he will live, because he did what is right. Do you think I enjoy
seeing evil people die? asks the Sovereign Lord. No, I would rather see
them repent and live. But if a righteous person stops doing good and starts
doing all the evil, disgusting things that evil people do, will he go on living?
No! None of the good he did will be remembered. He will die because of his
unfaithfulness and his sins. What the Lord does isn't right. Listen to me, you
Israelites. Do you think my way of doing things isn't right? It is your way that
isn't right. When a righteous person stops doing good and starts doing evil and
then dies, he dies because of the evil he has done. When someone evil stops
sinning and does what is right and good, he saves his life. He realizes what he
is doing and stops sinning, so he will certainly not die, but go on living. And
you Israelites say, What the Lord does isn't right. You think my way isn't
right, do you? It is your way that isn't right. Now I, the Sovereign Lord, am
telling you Israelites that I will judge each of you by what you have done. Turn
away from all the evil you are doing, and don't let your sin destroy you. Give
up all the evil you have been doing, and get yourselves new minds and hearts.
Why do you Israelites want to die? I do not want anyone to die, says the
Sovereign Lord. Turn away from your sins and live.
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources
for September 25/11
Christians should not be
bystanders to events in Syria: Dr. Samir Geagea
March 14 Lauds Geagea’s ‘Brave’
Speech
Future bloc MP Nidal Tohme commends
Geagea’s speech
Future bloc leader MP Fouad
Siniora: Muslims are not extremists
Lebanese Forces bloc MP Antoine
Zahra against bishop visit to Syria
Maronite Patriarch Beshara
Rai: Lebanon cannot bypass Security Council resolutions
Al-Rahi: Lebanon Can’t Overstep
Security Council
Residents flock to greet Rai on
historic visit to south
Report: Al-Rahi Cancels Visit to
Washington Over Paris Remarks Controversy
Al-Azhar sheikh says Christians
part of national fabric
Syria crisis means hard times for
Lebanon border towns
Syria's grand mufti says visit to
Lebanon in the works
Lebanon's Arabic press digest -
Sept. 25, 2011/The Daily Star
President Michel Sleiman
says he has urged Assad to pass reforms
Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP
Nawwaf Moussaw: Rai’s vision ‘serves’ Christians
Miqati in New York for Security
Council Sessions, Meetings with Top Officials
'Hizbullah Commander' Arrested in
Iraq Could Get Military Tribunal in U.S.
Interior Minister Marwan Charbel :
I'll Oppose Resistance Arms if Army Becomes Well-equipped
Bride Kidnapped, Groom Assaulted on
their Way to Hotel in Bekaa
Soaid Warns of Confederation of
Confessions
Qaddafi enlists new 12,000-strong
army of Tuareg tribal fighters
Spain recognizes Israel as Jewish
homeland, for first time
Lieberman warns of 'tough' Israeli
reaction if UN approves Palestinian statehood
Saudi king grants women right to
vote, run for political office
Erdogan: Assad Will be Ousted
Sooner or Later
Time ticking for Assad in Syria:
Erdogan
More summoned in Iran for BBC ties:
minister
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea
speech he delivered on annual “Martyrs Day of the Lebanese resistance” mass in
Jounieh:
September 25, 2011
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea gave a speech during his party’s annual
“Martyrs of the Lebanese resistance” mass in Jounieh:
“Where others dare not go…
Be reassured our Righteous Martyrs. As you were where others dared not be, we
will follow your steps where others dare not go.
Christians in the Middle East are indeed where others have never dared, and will
not dare be.
We are not afraid of anyone, we will never be afraid of anyone, we do not need
guarantees from anyone, we do not accept blackmail, we do not accept
intimidation, we will not accept menaces.
Our churches’ bells will always ring and our voices will always speak up, but
only for what is right and for the truth, no matter how hard the truth is and no
matter how much the price is.
We will not compromise, we will not beg for security or for safety. we are not
afraid of anyone and we know how to manage.
Either we live our values, principles and convictions, or we don’t [do not want
to live]. We will not accept that our history and identity be forged.
Our history is the truth; it is values, principles and convictions. Our identity
is a humane and civilized message that has no limits… Since Patriarch St John-Maroun
to Charles Malek (a human rights activist) and Gebran Khalil Gebran.
Our righteous martyrs, You who are the purest and the most aware… please tell
us:
Who attacked Christians in Lebanon? Who killed them? Who killed you?
Who destroyed our churches? Who destroyed the ‘Lady of Deliverance’ Church?
Who shelled [bombs] on Achrafieh, Zahle, Ain al-Remmaneh and Ouyoun al-Siman?
Who attacked the towns of Billa, Koor, Qnat, and Al-Qaa?
Who oppressed, detained and killed our men, monks, secularists, soldiers, and
politicians?
Please tell us,
Who had long oppressed, marginalized, persecuted, excluded, detained and exiled
Christians in the post-war period? Who contributed to their emigrations?
Please tell us,
Where are our [lost] detainees? Where is our comrade, the beloved Habib Boutros
Khawand?
Who killed [former President] Bashir Gemayel, [former Progressive Socialist
Party Leader MP] Kamal Jumblatt, [former President] Renee Moawad and [former PM]
Rafik Hariri?
Which [country] left behind it non-state weapons? Who kept Lebanese under
constant pressure and kept the Lebanese state a hostage?
We are not afraid of anyone, we will never be afraid of anyone, we know how to
manage, and we will always be faithful to our [identity], to our history… where
others would not dare be.
Fellow comrades, dear participants, fellow Lebanese, the Christian presence in
Lebanon and the Middle East is not [demographic] or material. It is not a
populist lever to anyone.
It has above all spiritual and humane dimensions and holds in its essence a
message of interaction and real partnership [with others] in nationalistic,
cultural, political and social life of all the people of the region.
The Christians were present in the Middle East long before all regimes…
Christians have survived under the rule of many empires that were way more
[tyrant] than some of the current… Despite all this, Christians have never [had]
a complex of minority.
Christians remained in their land; and at the height of empires domination, they
succeeded to create in Lebanon a vast space of freedom.
Our right to be present in the region is an acquired right, and not a favor
given by anyone.
It is a right that we acquired with heroism, holiness, [hard work], blood,
interaction [with others] and by spreading a message of freedom and human
dignity… and when this lofty message falls , we will no longer have a reason to
stay in this land.
The [regime] that kills our brothers in Lebanon, in Syria or anywhere in the
region is not the right regime to be allied with, or to be friends with.
Being afraid of radicalism is legitimate but it does not justify [practicing]
prohibited [acts], it does not assume a radical coup against all Christian and
human values.
Overcoming radicalism should not happen through justifying more crimes committed
by regimes, who were the direct cause for the emergence of extremism.
We shall ask those who are afraid of emergence of more radical regimes: Is there
any extremism more dangerous that that [exercised by the Syrian regime] in
Lebanon for more than three decades?
I cannot but condemn the stance of the Lebanese government on the Syrian
developments. This stance does not reflect the image of Lebanon… it reflects a
dark image of Lebanon and contradicts with the Lebanese people’s aspirations.
The Palestinian spring is about to arrive when the United Nation accepts
Palestine as a full member state in the [Security Council].
No one should think that such acceptance is simulated or theoretical, because it
will become a reality sooner and later, and it will delight Palestinians as well
as all Arabs.
Lebanon is still suffering from non-state weapons that are confiscating the
decision of the state. Hezbollah members are being treated differently than all
other citizens, especially security wise.
[Hezbollah members] use heavy weapons before the eyes of the security forces
members, who do not [dare] intervene.
The non-state weapons are not only a burden for the Lebanese people; it is also
a burden for Hezbollah itself.
The state is trying to find a way to be saved from Hezbollah, instead of
succeeding to engage the weapons of Hezbollah.
The formula of the unity of ‘the army, people and resistance’ is gradually
becoming the formula of ‘resistance, resistance, resistance’ which means
‘Hezbollah, Hezbollah, and Hezbollah’. He who has ears let him hear.
The Lebanese state is recognized by Arab and international states, but there is
a party in Lebanon who insists on showing that it is paralyzed and deficient.
The Lebanese state has to [be in charge of] the Shebaa farms and Kfar Shouba
hills file and ask the Syrian government to admit, in written, that these areas
belong to Lebanon.
As for the oil and gas in the Lebanese waters, they belong to all the Lebanese
people and not to one party… this is why it is the obligation of the state and
all Lebanese people to defend them.
We will not allow anyone to steal the oil wealth of the Lebanese people under
the name of ‘resistance’ or any other name.
I would like to call on Hezbollah to take a bold decision and hand in its
weapons to the state.
The non-state weapons are no longer acceptable or justifiable.
The justice of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) [probing the 2005
assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri] is a justice that [serves]
all Lebanese; it even serves all the people of the region.”
Future bloc MP Nidal Tohme commends
Geagea’s speech
September 25, 2011/Future bloc MP Nidal Tohme commended on Sunday Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea’s speech held during the LF’s annual “Martyrs of the Lebanese Resistance” mass on Saturday. “It is good that Christians are [discussing] their role and their position in Lebanon and the bridge that links them to the Middle Eastern Christians amid the [the uprisings] that the people of the region are witnessing,” Tohme was quoted by the National News Agency as saying.
Tohme also praised the “liberation of Christians of the [minority] complex because they have the same rights and obligations as their [Muslims] partners.”
“We approve of many ideas stated in Geagea’s speech, especially when he said that the Christian presence in the Middle East is not a favor given by anyone … and we consider that these ideas are the principles of March 14 alliance .”Geagea on Saturday condemned the Lebanese government’s stance on the Syrian uprising, saying it “gives a dark image of Lebanon and contradicts the aspirations of the majority of its people.”Lebanon's political scene is split between supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, led by Hezbollah, and a pro-Western camp headed by former Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Assad’s troops have cracked down on protests against almost five decades of Baath Party rule which broke out mid-March, killing over 2,700 people, according to the UN Human Rights Council, and triggering a torrent of international condemnation.-NOW Lebanon
Future bloc leader MP Fouad Siniora: Muslims are not extremists
September 25, 2011 ظFuture bloc leader MP Fouad Siniora said on Sunday that “Muslims are not extremists, they want the injustice befalling on all Arab citizens to be lifted, whether in Tunisia, Libya, Syria, Egypt or Yemen.”“Not only Muslims were victim of injustice, but also Christians,” Siniora also said according to a statement issued from his office.
The MP added that “The Christians of Lebanon are a constituent part of the Lebanese people and have participated for long decades with Muslims and sacrificed a lot for independence.” Regarding the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), Siniora said that “it has become a reality and Lebanon has to cooperate with it and participate in its funding.” Hezbollah-led March 8 parties – which currently dominate Lebanon’s cabinet – have opposed a clause in the Lebanese annual state budget pertaining to the funding of the tribunal, which is investigating the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Lebanon contributes 49 percent of the STL’s annual funding. Four Hezbollah members have been indicted by the STL, which is investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. However, the Shia group strongly denied the charges and refuses to cooperate with the court. As for the upcoming electoral law, Siniora said that “the proposal that says citizens can vote for candidates of their sects leads to more divergence between the Lebanese people and to additional problems.”He also noted that “his bloc is still discussing the electoral law,” adding that “it is necessary to establish an independent committee to supervise the elections.” Siniora called “for giving Lebanese expatriates the right to participate in the elections and vote from their countries of residence.”
The Lebanese parliament approved a bill in 2008 which allows Lebanese expatriates to vote in the 2013 parliamentary elections. The implementation of the law is facing barriers put in place by the Lebanese Foreign Ministry.
-NOW Lebanon
Lebanese Forces bloc MP Antoine Zahra against bishop visit to Syria
September 25, 2011 ظLebanese Forces bloc MP Antoine Zahra on Sunday commented on reports that a number of Lebanese bishops will make a visit to Syria.
“If true, [such a move] will place [the visiting bishops] in confrontation with the Syrian people,” he told Free Lebanon radio. Zahra also said that the visit would be “very wrong” and raises a lot of “dangerous questions.” Zahra added that LF leader Samir Geagea in his Saturday speech conveyed a message to allies of the Syrian regime that voiced their fears to Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai. The LF leader said that “being afraid of radicalism is legitimate but it does not justify taboos,” and asked if there is “any radicalism more violent than what we are witnessing in Syria’s cities and towns.” Earlier in September, the Patriarch voiced fear that a rise to power of radical Muslim groups in Syria could threaten Christians there. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s troops have cracked down on protests against almost five decades of Baath Party rule which broke out mid-March, killing over 2,700 people, according to the UN Human Rights Committee, and triggering a torrent of international condemnation.
-NOW Lebanon
March 14 Lauds Geagea’s ‘Brave’ Speech
Naharnet /The opposition has described Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea’s
words on Saturday as “brave” and a “March 14 speech par excellence.”
March 14 general-secretariat coordinator Fares Soaid told An Nahar daily on
Sunday that through the presence of former Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir in
the commemoration of the fallen members of the party, the “LF is now in the
stage that characterizes the moral and political responsibility taken by the LF
and the Maronite church to move Lebanon from civil war to civil peace in
1989.”Soaid said Geagea’s statement represents the speech of the March 14-led
opposition in all its aspects - political, party, sectarian and independent.
MP Nohad al-Mashnouq also told the newspaper that the ceremony was an occasion
to honor the patriarch as a person and for his political viewpoints.
He hailed Sfeir for his role in Lebanon’s independence and sovereignty, he said.
“As for Geagea, he was brave in his speech when he said that Christians don’t
need protection because they have principles,” al-Mashnouq added.
Al-Rahi Cancels Visit to Washington Over Paris Remarks Controversy
Naharnet /The trip of Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi
to the U.S. will be limited to a visit to the Lebanese community there after the
prelate held onto his stances made in France, Ad-Diyar daily reported Sunday.
The newspaper said that al-Rahi will not meet with top U.S. officials in
Washington after he told U.S. Ambassador Maura Connelly that he held onto his
remarks on Hizbullah’s arms and the situation in Syria. Connelly reportedly told
the patriarch that he needed to provide explanations on his statements before
setting dates with U.S President Barack Obama and other officials. But al-Rahi
snapped back by cancelling his visit to Washington. The patriarch might visit
New York for talks with U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon, Ad-Diyar said. Al-Rahi has
linked the fate of Hizbullah’s arms to the withdrawal of Israel from the
remaining occupied Lebanese territories. He has also expressed fears on the rise
of the Muslim Brotherhood to power in Syria saying President Bashar Assad should
be given the chance to introduce reform.
Ad-Diyar’s report came after a Western diplomatic source told Naharnet that the
U.S. administration believes it is al-Rahi’s right to express the concerns and
aspirations of his community during this period. “But it is looking forward to
understanding his vision and the vision of those he represents with regard to
addressing these concerns on the basis of a future perspective and common vision
with all those concerned domestically and internationally about helping the
peoples of the region to achieve freedom, democracy, stability and prosperity,”
the source clarified. “According to this approach, the U.S. administration
welcomes what it believes will be a primarily pastoral visit Patriarch al-Rahi
will make to the Maronites in the U.S., and welcomes a constructive dialogue on
how the Christian community can move forward in supporting the aspirations of
the peoples of the region,” the diplomat added.
Asked if al-Rahi may meet with high-ranking U.S. officials such as Obama or
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the source replied: “The United States looks
forward to constructive dialogue with the Patriarch.”
Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai: Lebanon cannot bypass Security Council
resolutions
September 25, 2011 /The Daily Star /BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai said
Lebanon cannot avoid U.N. Security Council resolutions and urged national
dialogue during the second day of his visit to south Lebanon Sunday. The
patriarch said that the region is undergoing a difficult and sensitive phase and
called for national dialogue and said “Lebanon cannot bypass U.N. Security
Council resolutions,” during a mass he headed in Sayidat church in Hasbayya,
according to El-Nashra. While in Hasbayya met with Social Affairs Minister Wael
Abou Faour, the National News Agency reported. Earlier Sunday the patriarch
travelled to Jdeidet Marjayoun and urged national dialogue outside of the media
spotlight. “Lebanon is facing large challenges in the Arab world… and we hope to
strengthen the fixtures between one another and to be aware of our
responsibilities in the region,” the patriarch said, adding that domestic
disagreements would “not go away if the dialogue remains through the media.”
Syria's grand mufti says visit to
Lebanon in the works
September 24, 2011/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Syria’s Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun said his planned trip to
Lebanon has become more essential in light of Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai’s
remarks that an alternative government in Syria could threaten the existence of
Christians there. “The idea of the visit has been repeatedly discussed, but it
became evident following Patriarch Beshara Rai’s remarks which he made in Paris
a while ago,” Hassoun told An Nahar newspaper in an interview published
Saturday.
“We recognized the importance of [Rai’s] position and the right direction he is
heading which showed his fear over the security and stability of the people in
the region,” Hassoun added.
During his visit to Paris two weeks ago, Rai expressed fear about Christians in
Syria should a popular uprising, now in its sixth month, succeed in toppling
President Bashar Assad.
The patriarch, whose comments stirred controversy in Lebanon, reportedly warned
France and the international community against supporting the uprising, voicing
fears the Muslim Brotherhood could fill the political void should it succeed. He
also urged France that Assad should be given a chance to carry out his promised
reform program.
Protests calling for reforms and later the departure of Assad started in
mid-march, prompted by other uprisings in Arab countries like Egypt and Tunisia.
Rights groups and the U.N. say that over 2,600 people have been killed as a
result of a brutal crackdown launched by Syrian authorities. Damascus denies
targeting protesters, blaming “armed terrorists gangs” for the deaths. Assad
blames the unrest in Syria as part of a conspiracy targeting the country. In his
interview with An-Nahar, Hassoun also said that he had phoned Rai after the
latter returned from his Paris visit and congratulated him on his remarks. The
two also discussed a future meeting, Hassoun said, which he added would include
talks with all spiritual leaders in Lebanon in order to discuss ways of curbing
extremism in the region ways of preserving security, stability and coexistence
among its citizens.
Residents flock to greet Rai on historic visit to south
September 24, 2011/By Mohammad Zaatari The Daily Star
TYRE: Despite the heavy rain on Tyre, residents in their hundreds flocked to the
center of the city to greet Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai on his historic visit
to south Lebanon Saturday.
Students from the Imam Musa al-Sadr Foundation, members of civil organizations
and the city’s scouts – who sang and played the country’s national anthem – were
among the many to greet the influential Maronite leader. The patriarch’s visit
comes as part a nationwide pastoral tour to Christian communities throughout the
country after his appointment as the head of the influential Maronite Church in
March. During his visit Rai repeated the slogan of “partnership and love” and
spoke about the importance of coexistence in the country, saying: "If we lose
these two [features], Lebanon would lose one of its main characteristics."
"We are all invited to build a united and balanced society that combines the
Muslim crescent and the Christian cross,” Rai added.
He also praised the role of United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
and expressed his appreciation for their continued “sacrifices.”
Local MPs Mohammad Fneish, Ali Khreis and Abdel Majid Saleh accompanied Rai on
his tour in Tyre along with several religious leaders, including Tyre Mufti
Sheikh Midrar Al Habbal.
At the Sayadeen square, city officials like head of Tyre Municipality Hasan al-Dabouq,
presented Rai with the key to the city in honor of the patriarch.
The city’s fishermen expressed their joy at Rai’s visit by presenting him a
statue of a boat modeled on that of a Phoenician vessel.
During the honorary reception, Dabouq praised what he described as the historic
visit by Rai, saying: “Lebanon is a miniature example that brings all sects
together in one place.”
South Lebanon, which is predominantly Shiite and heartland of Hezbollah that
managed to free the area from Israeli occupation in 2000, also has a Christian
population nearing 40,000 who are spread across towns such as Hasbaya, Marjeoun,
and Qadaa Bin Jbeil.
Rai’s next stop was the village of Qana, the place where Christians believe
Jesus performed his first miracle.
In 1996, and while Israel still occupied much of the south, Qana was also the
site of a massacre after Israeli artillery hit a U.N. compound where civilians
had sought shelter in.
Accompanied by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s wife Randa, Rai made his way to
the graveyard where the 101 victims of the tragic incident were buried and paid
his respects.
The Qana grotto, where Christians believe Jesus turned water into wine, was also
among the several places visited by the influential Maronite leader.
In the southernmost coastal town of Naqoura, where UNIFIL is headquartered, Rai
praised the efforts of the U.N. peacekeepers in the south and thanked the
force’s head, Maj. Gen. Alberto Asarta.
Rai’s three-day tour will also include Bint Jbeil which he is scheduled to visit
on Sunday.
The patriarch’s tour to the south comes only weeks after he issued controversial
statements while on a visit to Paris. His comments, both on the situation in
Syria and Hezbollah’s weapons, sparked immediate debate in the country that
subsided after Rai said his comments had been taken out of context.
While in the French capital, Rai linked the fate of Lebanon with the issue of
Hezbollah’s weapons, saying the group could not be expected to disarm so long as
the Shebaa Farms were still occupied by Israel. The Maronite patriarch had also
urged the international community to pressure Israel to withdraw completely from
remaining occupied territories.
“As long as there is occupied Lebanese territory, Hezbollah will maintain that
it wants to carry arms in defense of its land. What will we say to it then?
Isn’t it [Hezbollah] right?”Rai said.
For his part, Hezbollah official Fneish praised Rai’s recent remarks and said
that the formula of the “people, army, resistance” was the only national defense
strategy able to protect the country from Israeli aggression.
Al-Azhar sheikh says Christians part
of national fabric
September 25, 2011/The Daily Star /BEIRUT: The grand sheikh of the highest Sunni
Islamic body weighed in on the recent debate over the role of Christians in the
Middle East sparked by the recent remarks of Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai by
stressing the region’s history of religious tolerance and co-existence.
“Christians in the Levant are part of the national fabric … because there is a
state of tolerance and coexistence between the two sides,” Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed
Al-Tayeb said during a meeting with Lebanon’s ambassador to Cairo Saturday,
according to United Press International news agency. His remarks follow the
controversial statements made by Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai earlier this
month in which he said Syrian President Bashar Assad should be given more time
to implement reforms and warned that the uprising in Syria could lead to the
rise of the Muslim Brotherhood and threaten Christians in the country. Tayeb has
recently criticized Arab countries for what he called their “silence” on Syria.
According to U.N. estimates, more than 2,700 civilians have died as a result of
the Syrian government crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.
Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Nawwaf Moussaw: Rai’s
vision ‘serves’ Christians
September 25, 2011 /Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Nawwaf Moussawi said on
Sunday that Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai has chosen a vision that
“serves” the Christians as well as Lebanon. During a reception for the Patriarch
held in Khiam in the South, Moussawi voiced his disappointment that disputes
erupted over Rai’s recent statements.
A heated debate arose in Lebanon after the Patriarch said in France that Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad is “open-minded” and should be given more chances “to
implement reforms.”
Rai also said that “the international community must help liberate the land
[occupied by Israel] and [achieve] the Palestinians’ right of return. Then, we
will tell Hezbollah to hand over its weapons because they will no longer be
needed.”-NOW Lebanon
Syria crisis means hard times for Lebanon border towns
September 25, 2011
By Khaled Soubeih
WADI KHALED, Lebanon: The Buqayaa smugglers' market on Lebanon's border with
Syria, once a hive of shoppers, has become a ghost street since the uprising
there, with most shops closed and not a customer in sight.
The once flourishing smuggling operations that supplied the souk have all but
halted as Syria boosts security at the border as part of its crackdown on more
than six months of anti-regime protests, in which thousands of Syrians have fled
violence at home to seek refuge in Lebanon.
"Before the Syrian revolution began this was the busiest souk in all of northern
Lebanon and maybe even the whole country," said merchant Rateb al-Ali.
"Buqayaa was a beehive of business between Lebanon and Syria," added the
40-year-old. "But that's not the case any more."
Located by the illegal Buqayaa border crossing on the Kabir River separating
Lebanon from Syria, the market of around 4,000 shops selling everything from
women's accessories to spare car parts and fuel was once called the "golden
souk."
Most goods were smuggled from Syria into north Lebanon's Akkar area, an
impoverished mountain region famed for its scenic natural beauty.
Illegal crossings between Lebanon and Syria have long been a vital lifeline for
the Lebanese of northern regions such as Wadi Khaled in Akkar, most making a
living off cross-border "trade."
Cross-border merchants – or smugglers – have for years carried goods like soap
and shampoo from Lebanon to sell in Syria daily, bringing back food staples and
cigarettes.
Seated in the garden of his three-story home, Ali explained that the uprising in
Syria had stripped many residents of Wadi Khaled of their livelihood.
"Authorities on either side of the border have long known that goods go in and
out of Lebanon without passing through customs," said the sharply dressed father
of four.
"But business today is down 90 percent. Many people in our towns have lost their
source of income."
Outside his shop, Mohammed Hamadeh swatted flies while patiently waiting for a
customer.
His kiosk, stocked with chocolates, fruit juice and cigarettes, once generated
enough income to provide for his 13 children, but today he is lucky if he makes
$3 by sunset.
"Around 2,000 Syrian laborers used to cross the Kabir to work in Lebanon every
day, and they'd stop by my shop to buy a cup of coffee or some refreshments,"
said the 40-year-old.
"Now, if it's a good day, a neighbor or relative will come buy a bottle of
water."
Across the river from Hamadeh's shop, Syrian soldiers patrol the border, eyeing
the crossing for any activity.
"Syrian laborers used to cross the river all the time to come work here,"
Hamadeh said. "Today no one dares cross because they're afraid they'll get
shot."
The United Nations estimates close to 3,800 Syrians have fled into Lebanon since
the protests against President Bashar al-Assad broke out in March.
More than 2,600 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the conflict,
according to the U.N..
Movement at official crossings in north Lebanon has also slowed in recent days,
amid unconfirmed reports Syrian troops are combing the border for anyone trying
to leave the crisis-hit country. "Currency exchange here at the border has
dropped 80 percent since the Syrian revolution began," said Amer, who runs an
exchange service near the official Arida crossing point, a stone's throw from
the souk. "I used to exchange five million Syrian pounds [$105,000 dollars]
daily but now the average is 400,000 pounds [$8,200 dollars] per day."
It is not just businessmen who are suffering: residents of Wadi Khaled who can
no longer cross into Syria for their food shopping are now struggling to meet
rising prices in Lebanon.
"Consumer goods in Syria are significantly cheaper than Lebanon," said Ali
Ramadan, mayor of the border village of Mashta Hammoud.
"A butane gas cylinder for a household cooker sells for 15 dollars in Lebanon
but would cost no more than eight dollars in Tal Kalakh," he added of the Syrian
border town where protests have been met with deadly fire. Many Syrians have
left their homes in Syrian border towns like Tal Kalakh and Heet and resettled
in abandoned schools rehabilitated by the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) or with
relatives in north Lebanon -- relatives who themselves are now struggling to get
by.
"People from towns on either side of the border are inter-married, so family has
helped family during this time of crisis in Syria," Ramadan said. "They are
sharing everything they own. Unfortunately, in light of rampant unemployment and
the decline in trade here, there is not much to share
Time ticking for Assad in Syria: Erdogan
September 24, 2011/By Jasmin Melvin
WASHINGTON: Syrian President Bashar Assad will be ousted “sooner or later” by
his own people as the time of dictatorial rule fades around the world, Turkish
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said.
Erdogan, in an interview on CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS” to be aired Sunday,
maintained his stern tone toward Israel and warned relations may “never become
normal again” but he had warm words for U.S. President Barack Obama as Turkey
rises as a diplomatic power in the Middle East.
“You can never remain in power through cruelty. You can never stand before the
will of the people,” Erdogan said in a transcript released by CNN Saturday.
“This process might be extended a little bit more but sooner or later in Syria,
if people take a different decision, that decision is going to be catered to.
Such as in Egypt, such as in Tunisia, such as in Libya. People want to be free.”
Democracy is overtaking autocracy, he said, and “dictatorial systems are burning
down to the ground.”
Turkey, a NATO member and aspirant to join the European Union, is viewed as a
bridge between the Western and Islamic worlds. Erdogan has had unprecedented
access to Obama, holding nine phone calls with the U.S. president this year.
“Personally, Barack Obama is someone I really like. And vis-a-vis his policies
and his implementations, I want him to be much more successful,” Erdogan said,
wishing him luck in the November 2012 elections.
But the United States and Turkey differ greatly on the conflict between Israel
and the Palestinians as a showdown looms over Palestinian statehood at the
United Nations.
Ankara’s once-friendly ties with Israel crumbled over the killing of Turkish
activists on a Gaza-bound aid convoy by Israeli forces last year.
“In this situation, no matter who we are speaking about, democracy, rights and
freedom should be defended,” Erdogan said.
“We gave our warnings to Israel. This is the reason for war. This is something
you cannot do in international waters. But as a great state, we have been very
forgiving. That’s why we have been very patient.”
Turkey has demanded Israel apologize, pay compensation and lift the Gaza
embargo.
“If these demands are not met, the relations between Turkey and Israel will
never become normal again. We have got nothing against the people of Israel but
against the attitude adopted by the administration of Israel,” Erdogan said.
“And if you are insistent on creating a source of unrest, you are bound to
become lonelier and lonelier. They used to be great friends of ours. And this
solitude is Israel’s fate under these circumstances.”
Turkey has embraced Palestine’s position for statehood, while Obama has said he
would block any Palestinian bid for full recognition at the U.N. Security
Council.
Erdogan sought to address perceptions that Turkey is moving toward a more
Islamic foreign policy, abandoning a history of pro-Western sentiment.
“We seek out knowledge from whichever part of the world that is most advanced,”
he said.
“We don’t want to see the clash of civilizations in this world. We want to see
the alliance of civilizations. The world is so fed up with wars.”
The prime minister tried to calm concerns over plans for a missile defense base
in Turkey, saying the installation is a NATO concept and not a factor in Iran’s
tensions with Israel.
“We don’t think Iran should get offended when there’s no reason. We don’t want
to see Israel coming up with different interpretations from what is actually the
reality,” he said.
He questioned why Iran should be banned from having nuclear technology while
Israel is allowed to be the only country in the region with nuclear weapons.
“Iran says that its only purpose is to generate affordable energy through
nuclear power. We do not want to act on presumptions, and no sanctions based on
presumptions are acceptable by Turkey,” Erdogan said.
He also addressed reports he had taken holidays with Assad, whose crackdown on
protests in Syria has led to U.S. calls for the long-time leader to step aside.
Erdogan said Assad was invited to a popular holiday locale but it was to discuss
relations between the two countries and the two leaders never took a vacation
together.
He said he finally lost patience with Assad.
“If you’re going to act against the fundamental rights, liberties and the law,
you will lose your position in my heart as my brother and my friend,” Erdogan
said. “I was very patient. Patience, patience, patience. And then I cracked.”
More summoned in Iran for BBC ties: minister
September 25, 2011 /Daily Star
TEHRAN: Iran said Sunday it has summoned "more people" for their alleged links
to the BBC's Farsi service, more than a week after it said six were arrested
suspected of gathering information for the channel. "Important information has
been obtained about those cooperating with and linked to BBC Farsi, and the
ministry has summoned more people linked to this so-called media," Intelligence
Minister Heydar Moslehi was quoted by the state television website as saying.
There was no mention of how many people were called in. "The British
intelligence services have started new destructive and anti-Iranian activities
under cover of BBC Farsi," Moslehi added, repeating that "any direct or indirect
collaboration is prohibited" with the channel.
On September 17, media announced the arrests of five men and a woman for
allegedly gathering information for the BBC's Farsi service, but identified them
only by their initials.
They were reported as having been detained for "providing the BBC Farsi
[service] with information, films and secret reports to paint a black picture of
Iran and Iranians."
Iranian opposition websites named the six as Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, co-director of
banned film-maker Jafar Panahi's latest film, Nasser Saffarian, Hadi Afariden,
Shahnama Bazdar, Katayoun Shahabi and Mohsen Shahnazdar.
"Iranian documentary film-makers are not allowed to sell their films to channels
hostile to the Islamic republic," a ministry official in charge of supervising
cinematic work was quoted by Fars news agency as saying on Sunday. Iran's House
of Cinema, the country's motion pictures guild, has criticised the arrests,
issuing a statement carried by some local media that "there was no law to
prohibit the sale of film to foreign television" stations. The BBC Farsi
service, accused by the regime of fuelling unrest following the disputed 2009
re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, does not have an office in Iran.
Tehran prohibits cooperation with Farsi broadcasters that and are not controlled
by the regime, including the BBC and the Voice of America which are very popular
in Iran. Satellite channels are also routinely scrambled by the authorities.
Lebanon's Arabic press digest - Sept. 25, 2011 The Daily
Star
Following are summaries of some of the main stories in a selection of Lebanese
and pan-Arab newspapers Sunday. The Daily Star cannot vouch for the accuracy of
these reports.
An-Nahar: Rai in the south
Domestic alignments that have resulted from the Arab Spring in Syria continue to
manifest themselves strongly. Recently this has been shown on two separate
occasions: Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai’s visit to the south and the “Mass of
the martyrs of the Lebanese Forces” and the speech given by party leader Samir
Geagea.
This comes amid diplomatic activity at the United Nations. Michel Sleiman
returned from New York yesterday after chairing the Lebanese delegation to the
regular session of the 66th General Assembly of the U.N. and the General Council
session on the subject of preventive diplomacy.
At the same time, Prime Minister Najib Mikati left for New York in a private jet
to follow the activities of Lebanon as the president of the Security Council.
Yesterday, Patriarch Rai began his three day tour of the south, starting with
Qana. He made a point to distance himself from politics. He said: “We confirm
from this point on the friendship and love among all Christians and Muslims … We
do not interfere in politics. Politics is the prerogative of politicians.”
During a dinner held in honor of Rai, Hezbollah representative Mohammed Fneish
praised the patriarch’s remarks. He said, “We appreciate this attitude, and we
consider it solid ground to re-engage and build a unified national position.”
Al-Mustaqbal: Geagea responds to Rai: We will not accept the falsification of
history
Yesterday attention was turned to Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea at Fouad
Chehab stadium in Jounieh, where he paid tribute to the martyrs of the Lebanese
forces. He spoke about Christians in the Middle East and the importance of the
protection of minorities.
There, he received Telecoms Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui and his predecessor
Charbel Nahhas.
At the ceremony, Geagea denounced the Lebanese government’s support for Syrian
government policy in light of the ongoing uprising.
He said that when a government "kills our brothers at home, or in Syria or in
the region, or in the world, without mercy or pity, it is not a party to the
common good …”
Geagea added that the attitude of the current Lebanese government does not
reflect the image of Lebanese freedom. Turning to Palestine, he said, “Our joy
in the Arab Spring would not be complete until the completion of the Lebanese
and Palestinian springs. The Palestinian spring is on the verge of blooming,
asking for recognition by the United Nations for full membership.”
Turning to Lebanon, Geagea said that “the Lebanese spring has continued to
suffer since the [2005] Cedar Revolution, under the weight of illegal weapons…
The survival of the illegal weapons in Lebanon, is no longer justified, or
acceptable.”
Al-Hayat: Rai receives a full welcome in the south
Yesterday saw two scenes of Christian leaders on opposite ends of the political
spectrum making statements. Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai visited the south
following controversial remarks he made in France earlier this month in which he
indicated support for Syrian government policy regarding civilian protesters in
the ongoing uprising. Meanwhile Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea denounced
the Lebanese government’s support for Syrian government policy.
Rai’s tour of the south began yesterday, with a visit to the coastal city of
Tyre and the town of Qana, where he paid his respects at the tombs of the
martyrs of the 1996 massacre. He then went to Marjayoun. He praised the people
for their sacrifices. He said, “How beautiful it would be if Christianity and
Islam met.”
At the same time, at the Fouad Chehad stadium, Geagea called on Christians in
the Middle East to “engage in the heart of the suffering peoples of the region
without fear.” And he emphasized that the need for this can be seen in the
suffering of Syrian villages every day.
'Hizbullah Commander' Arrested in Iraq Could Get Military
Tribunal in U.S
Naharnet /The Obama administration is considering a military trial in the United
States for a Hizbullah commander now detained in Iraq, U.S. counterterrorism
officials said, previewing a potential prosecution strategy that has failed
before but may offer a solution to a difficult legal problem for the government.
While the U.S. hasn't made a decision, officials said a tribunal at a U.S.
military base may be the best way to deal with Ali Mussa Daqduq, who was
captured in Iraq in 2007. He has been linked to the Iranian government and a
brazen raid in which four American soldiers were abducted and killed in the
Iraqi holy city of Karbala in 2007. No military commission has been held on U.S.
soil since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. President George Bush tried
holding a few suspected terrorists at military bases inside the U.S., but each
detainee ultimately was released or transferred to civilian courts. President
Barack Obama has said that, because of changes to the military commissions that
give prisoners more rights, he supports them as an option in the fight against
terrorism.
But a tribunal for Daqduq probably would draw criticism from both liberals, who
say a civilian court should be used, and conservatives, who don't want suspected
terrorists brought to the U.S. regardless of the venue. The Bush administration
had planned to prosecute Daqduq in an American civilian court. To prepare for
that, intelligence officials questioned Daqduq, then had the FBI restart the
interrogation from scratch so his answers would be admissible in court. In a
twist of political irony, however, that plan has been effectively scuttled
because of opposition from Bush's own Republican Party. A decision must be made
soon. Daqduq is among a few of the remaining U.S. prisoners who, under a 2008
agreement between Washington and Baghdad, must be transferred to Iraqi custody
by the end of 2011. U.S. officials fear that if he is turned over to Iraq, he
will simply walk free.Source Associated Press
Interior Minister Marwan Charbel : I'll Oppose Resistance Arms if Army Becomes
Well-equipped
Naharnet /Interior Minister Marwan Charbel on Sunday said “Hizbullah’s arms
won’t be a problem anymore if we lay out a (national) defense strategy.”
In an interview with Radio Orient, Charbel added that Lebanon could benefit from
these weapons within the framework of such a strategy.
“If you want to remove Hizbullah’s arms, you have two choices: force or
consensus. Should it be taken away by force, a problem will erupt in Lebanon,
that’s why we should discuss the issue around the dialogue table, in line with
President Michel Suleiman’s call,” the minister noted. “I will oppose the
Resistance’s arms if I feel that the Lebanese army has become properly equipped,
and if we manage to provide it with all the ammunition and weapons needed to
protect all the Lebanese,” Charbel stressed. Separately, the minister said
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea’s latest remarks on the security situation
in the country contained “a lot of exaggeration,” noting that “political
division is behind all the remarks we’re hearing nowadays.”
President Michel Sleiman says he has urged Assad to pass
reforms
September 24, 2011/By Hussein Dakroub The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Expressing his worry about the unrest in Syria, President Michel Sleiman
said Friday he has encouraged Syrian President Bashar Assad to proceed with
democratic reforms as the only way to put an end to a six-month-long popular
revolt that has posed the gravest challenge to his 11-year rule. Sleiman also
reassured the Lebanese, worried about the repercussions of the current popular
upheavals in the Arab world for their country’s security and stability, that
Lebanon had less to fear than other Arab countries.
“Lebanon is in a less danger than other regional states. Its national unity and
internal consensus can protect it,” he said, when asked if the turmoil in the
Arab world, particularly in neighboring Syria, would spill over to Lebanon. In a
wide-ranging interview aired by MTV Friday night, Sleiman said: “The internal
Syrian situation must not reflect on the Lebanese situation. However, he warned
that if the Lebanese tried to undermine security in Syria, this would reflect
negatively on Lebanon. Asked whether he was worried about the situation in
Syria, he said: “Yes… the unrest there upsets all the Lebanese. We are against
violence to solve problems. We support dialogue to solve problems.”
“Lebanon supports democracy and a democratic change [in Syria]. We prefer that
this happen calmly without fighting,” he added.
The interview was conducted in New York, where Sleiman addressed the opening
session of the U.N. Security Council Thursday. Lebanon holds the rotating
presidency of the Security Council throughout September. Sleiman said he was in
contact with Assad and has always encouraged him to carry out political reforms
to quell the protesters who are now publicly calling for the Syrian president to
leave office.
“I’ve always encouraged him [Assad] to [carry out] democracy. He has launched
some reforms which were not sufficient for the people’s demands. I encourage him
to proceed with reforms because all states want to pre-empt [popular] demands,”
he said. Asked if he thinks that it was too late for Assad now to launch
reforms, Sleiman said he did not know. He said that during his meetings with
Arab and foreign leaders at the United Nations no one had expressed the view
that Assad’s government would fall.
Sleiman boasted that Lebanon was immune to the wave of popular upheavals
sweeping the Arab world, demanding political reforms and democratic change to
replace authoritarian governments, due to its status as a democratic,
parliamentary republic. Sleiman scoffed at the argument that U.N. resolutions,
particularly the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is probing the
2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, posed a danger to
Lebanon.
“U.N. resolutions are a source of reassurance if we knew how to implement them.
But the danger lies in Israel’s failure to implement them, particularly
Resolution 1701,” he said, referring to the resolution that ended the 2006
Israeli war on Lebanon. Sleiman said Resolution 1757, which established the STL,
did not pose a danger to Lebanon. He said even the STL’s indictment, which
accused four Hezbollah members of involvement in Hariri’s assassination, did not
threaten the country’s stability and security as it was widely feared.
The president also said Lebanon was committed to pay its $32 million share to
fund the STL, a divisive issue within Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s 30-member
Cabinet, which is dominated by Hezbollah and its March 8 allies. Mikati has
signaled that his government would pay Lebanon’s due to the STL’s funding.
Hezbollah and its March 8 allies, which describe the tribunal as an
“American-Israeli court,” are staunchly opposed to funding the STL. Asked
whether the tribunal’s funding would cause a split within the Cabinet, Sleiman
said: “Successive governments have been committed to funding the tribunal. It
must not cause a problem. We’ll work to make sure it doesn’t cause a problem.”
Qaddafi enlists new 12,000-strong army of Tuareg tribal
fighters
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report September 24, 2011,
Muammar Qaddafi and his sons have raised a new army of 12,000 soldiers - all
fighters of loyal Tuareg tribes of the Sahara, debkafile’s military sources
report.
Hundreds of kilometers to the north, Libyan rebel troops clashed with Qaddafi
loyalists in his home town of Sirte after reportedly entering the town from the
west. Although rebel ranks are seriously divided, they derived encouragement
from NATO's decision to extend its naval and air campaign in Libya by another 90
days to help them dislodge Qaddafi's troops from the cities they are still
holding.
Saturday, Sept. 24, his daughter Aisha said in an audio recording that her
father was in high spirits and fighting alongside his supporters. Last week, our
sources report, a Tuareg tribal council convened in Niger extended full
protection to Qaddafi, his sons, his military chiefs and the still-loyal members
of the ousted regime. Members of the rebel National Transitional Council were
proclaimed enemies of the tribes.
Three days earlier, the NTC claimed the capture of the southern desert town of
Sabha, even though they only reached its outskirts.
debkafile's military sources report that the nomadic Touareg roam freely through
the Saharan regions which cover all of eastern Algeria, eastern Mali, western
Niger, northern Burkina Faso and southern Libya, fiercely independent of all
five governments. They are renowned as crack desert special operations fighters
with extraordinary stamina, who can subsist on 100 grams of dried dates and a
half liter of water for 24 hours while covering 100 kilometers on foot. They
don't need to carry water because of their hereditary knowledge of the Sahara's
hidden springs.
By recruiting them, Qaddafi has assured his forces and top officials safety of
movement through all five African countries, out of range of NATO air strikes
and rebel attacks.
Indeed, the Tuareg tribal council sent warnings to the rulers of Niger, where
some of Qaddafi's generals and troops have gone to ground, that if any harm
comes to them or if they are arrested, the tribes will turn their guns on the
Niamey government and its forces.
Taking advantage of their new freedom, the ousted ruler's son Saadi Qaddafi and
his personal security director Gen. Mansour Daw, who arrived in Niger in early
September at the head of a 200-truck military convoy, crossed back into Libya
this week for an unknown destination. There were earlier reports of their
detention in Niger.
On Sept. 7, debkafile’s intelligence sources located Qaddafi, his sons and
several thousand fighters, at the Saharan oasis of Targan, a few hundred
kilometers southwest of the Libyan oasis city of Jiffra. He is presumed to have
moved on to a new hideout since then, closely guarded by his Tuareg allies.
Another Qaddafi son, Khamis, commander of the 32nd Libyan Brigade whom the
rebels and Western media reported killed, is said by our sources to be still in
action against rebel forces at the head of this 3,000-strong elite unit.
Prevented by NATO air strikes and oversight from large-scale military movements
among rebel strongholds, he has split them up into units of 20-30 fighters and
scattered them around various battle zones for forays against rebel military and
strategic key points. They have begun hit-and-run strikes in the towns of Brega,
Ras Lanouf and Zawiya, unreported by NATO or rebel spokesmen.
Bride Kidnapped, Groom Assaulted on their Way to Hotel in
Bekaa
Naharnet /Three
unknown assailants have assaulted a groom and briefly kidnapped his bride in
eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, the National News Agency reported Sunday.
NNA said that around 3:00 am three men riding a Mercedes assaulted the
newlyweds, who were heading in their Kia to Monte Alberto Hotel in Dhour Zahle
to spend their honeymoon there. The assailants hit the groom in his head, took
the keys of his car and cell phone, NNA said. He was taken to Tal Shiha
hospital. The three men also kidnapped the bride but returned her to al-Manara
square in Zahle a few hours after the adduction, NNA added. Voice of Lebanon
radio station (93.3) said the groom is a Lebanese army corporal. It identified
him as Maroun Shatbawi and said the bride is named Caroline.
Soaid Warns of Confederation of Confessions
Naharnet /March 14
General Secretariat Coordinator Fares Soaid has hinted that the meetings of
Maronite political leaders in Bkirki consolidate “the confederation of
confessions.”
In remarks to al-Mustaqbal daily published Sunday, Soaid said the meetings held
at the seat of the Maronite church have no interest in showing sects as
political spheres that inform other confessions about their decisions. “As if
the civil state has become a registration department through which agreements
are reached at a time when the confessions are the major components that
practice political life at the expense of institutions,” he said. Soaid warned
that Lebanon would turn from its status of Islamic-Christian national unity into
a confederation of sects that targets coexistence. Asked about a
Christian-Islamic summit that will be held on Tuesday, the March 14 official
said: “If an Islamic-Christian statement is issued to deal with real issues such
as the tribunal (STL), the arms and Lebanon’s united point of view on the Arab
spring, then this summit would be valuable.” “But if it was held only for
appearances, then I don’t think it would be useful,” he added.