The following presents details of an interview that was conducted with General Michele Aoun by Elias Bejjani on May 26/1998 and focused on the Mount Lebanon Municipal and Mayoral election that took place on May 24/1998

Details of an interview conducted with:
His Excellency PM, General Michele Aoun
By: Elias Bejjani/Phoenician newsline voice

On May 26/1998, and focused on the Mount Lebanon Municipal and Mayoral election that took place on May 24/1998.

Elias Bejjani: It is always a pleasure to be your host, General Aoun what are your comments on the Mount Lebanon Governate municipal and mayoral election?

General Aoun: There was, and is still, a complete media blackout on the Free National Current news. This Stalinist-like siege includes also most of the big Lebanese newspapers that are owned by regime officials. Accordingly, we are not only facing power, money, oil and real estate Mafiosi, militias and occupation, but also a powerful media gang. The most notorious figure of this gang is Minister of the Interior Mr. Michele Murr, a man experienced in fraudulence, mockery of rules and regulations as well as infringements on human rights. Mr. Murr has proven time after time that nothing hinders him from committing all kinds of atrocities to achieve his personal goals and keep the occupation authorities happy. I believe it a miracle that some of our people still vote for this individual and his puppets in spite of all he has committed against them and Lebanon. Nonetheless, the five percent of the voting populace that supports Mr. Murr share with him all his anti-Lebanese, anti-ethical and anti-moral characteristics.

Mr. Murr, in a bid to help his family members, relatives and puppet nominees to win seats in last Sunday’s election, resorted to tactics of intimidation, oppression, money, personal and business threats, and used to his advantage the newly illegally naturalized block. These strangers were given, by Mr. Murr’s Ministry, untraceable identity documents they used to register themselves as legitimate voters. These people were shipped to Lebanon in hundreds of buses, one hour before polls closed. They voted as a block in all villages and towns where the regime nominees were losing. These strangers are without fixed addresses, no known identity, and not recognized by inhabitants of Mount Lebanon. They were used on Sunday in Sheyah town to help Murr’s son in law and his list to win, as well as in Jdayde, Jaleddieb, Ontelias and many other areas.

In other Mount Lebanon towns and villages, Mr. Murr, lost most of the seats, although the controlled media portrayed him as a big winner. Nominees from the Free National Current who won, were identified in the controlled media by their individual names only without mention to their affiliation to our Current. It is a big conspiracy in which the regime, its media and some of the big newspapers played a traitorous role against us. To correct this vicious media damage the Current is preparing detailed lists with names of all its successful and unsuccessful nominees. The lists will include data to show the world that the majority of the people support our policies in spite of the occupationally imposed status quo.

Our Current was a big winner in Mount Lebanon’s election although most of its leadership is living in exile, and in spite of all the fraudulence, pressure and intimidation used to deter the voters.

The regime was in a frantic and imbalanced state, its officials illegally banned a (LBC TV Station) TV show that was scheduled for airing on Saturday May 23/98, one day before the election. The regime officials were afraid to give just an hour on the air to our representative Mr. Paul Askar (Election Coordinator for the National Gathering) in a bid to address the people and make them aware of our election platform. Every known illegal atrocity in the regime’s book was used to sabotage our success but we relatively won, and won very well.

Elias Bejjani: General Aoun, what are your expectations for the North Lebanon governate second phase election scheduled on Sunday May 31/98?

General Aoun: We were informed by reliable Lebanese sources that the Syrians are personally forming the electoral tickets (lists) in most of the North Governate, especially in Tripoli and Akar areas. The prominent leaders in these areas, cooperating with the Syrian occupation, were asked to submit nominee names. No other role was granted to them, accordingly most of the municipal and mayoral councils in those areas will be imposed by the Syrians.

We have nominees in the Batroon and Bchery areas running in independent tickets, but everybody there is aware of their affiliation to our Current. Resorting to this tactic aims to lessen the kind of harassment the nominees and their supporters might be exposed to from the regime and the occupation authorities if they run openly in tickets under the auspices of the Free National Current. The head of the North Governate Free National Current Mr. Rene Khareh, is running as an independent in Zokarta because we don’t want to have any role in the familial feud there. The main objective behind his candidacy is to monitor the public support for our policies and the readiness of the people there to vote on national platforms instead of familial basis.

Elias Bejjani: Are there any new plans for Beirut in the context of the many appeals to neutralize it and form a consensual electoral ticket?

General Aoun: We are doing our best to handle Beirut’s election patriotically to protect it from the monopoly and hegemony of the money Mafia. The Current studied thoroughly and rationally all the proposals and appeals for a consensual ticket. It found that those who are behind this consensual track are calling for electoral alliance with the Head of the occupation cabinet, Mr. Rafic Hariri. We can’t take any part in any alliance with the regime figures, so we are going to form a ticket in cooperation with all those who oppose the money Mafia. Our potential allies are Mr. Naja Wakim, Mr. Kamal Chatela and many other leaders who share our beliefs in this election.

Beirut’s election is going to uncover all those who were disguised by opposition faces. It will show the people the genuine opposition and expose the transient opportunists claiming to be with the opposition for personal profits. Leaders’ national stances in Beirut’s election are crucial and decisive.

Dear fellow Lebanese: As Lebanon is currently controlled by different Mafias, our duty is to put an end to this mockery, so let us start in Beirut by electing patriotic a municipal and mayoral team, and free our capital from the money, real estate and reconstruction Mafia.
God bless you all...Long live Lebanon.

Elias Bejjani: Are there any new plans for Beirut in the context of the many appeals to neutralize it and form a consensual electoral ticket?