LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
May 9/2007
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 14,27-31. Peace I leave with
you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not
let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you, 'I am going away
and I will come back to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going
to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this
before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe. I will no longer
speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over
me, but the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the
Father has commanded me. Get up, let us go.
Free Opinion
Rice: Tribunal is important for Lebanon to go back to normal.Ya
Libnan. May 9/07
Latest News Reports
From Miscellaneous Sources for May 9/07
Resigned Ministers may rejoin Lebanons
cabinet.Ya
Libnan
Security Council's patience with Lebanon is 'dropping' - Ban.Daily
Star - Lebanon
US might force setting up Lebanon tribunal: Rice.Reuters
Siniora discloses Lebanon losses during Israel Hezbollah war.Ya
Libnan
Hezbollah seeks Sarkozy balanced policy.PRESS
TV
Rival Lebanon leaders send mixed signals to Sarkozy.Ya
Libnan
Syria continues to arm Hizbullah.Infolive.tv
UN Chief in Syria to 'Post': Assad not preparing for war.Jerusalem
Post
Alleged Arms Smuggling May Deepen Lebanon Crisis: UN's Ban Mon.Asharq
Alawsat
Olmert Holds Army Back in Face of Imminent Hizballah, Hamas ...DEBKA
file
Alleged arms smuggling may deepen.France24
Israel eyes change from Sarkozy, Arabs more of the same.Middle
East Times
Security Council's patience with Lebanon is 'dropping' - Ban.Daily
Star
Harvards Twisted Report on Israels Invasion of Lebanon.Dissident
Voice
155 OFWs from Lebanon, Nigeria return home.GMA
news.tv
US using Syria as scapegoat says Assad.Ya
Libnan
Pelosi represented us well in Syria.Livingston
Daily
Lebanon camp clash kills two.Gulf
Times
Germany Asked to Prolong Lebanon Force Mandate.Deutsche
Welle
Assad: US-Syria talks no breakthrough.Jackson
News-Tribune
Syrians get along well outside Syria , NZ lady finds out.Ya
Libnan
Security
Council's patience with Lebanon is 'dropping' - Ban
Un chief offers to return for more mediation
By Hani M. Bathish
Daily Star staff
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned on Monday that the patience of UN
Security Council members was wearing thin over what he called continued
obstruction by the Lebanese opposition of the creation of special court to try
suspects in the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri. In an interview
with pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat, Ban said he may visit Lebanon for a second time if
he felt there was a need to do so, adding that he aims to play a bigger role in
efforts to end the political crisis in the country. The secretary general
visited Lebanon at the end of March.
"What I know is that the level of patience is dropping, because many [in the
Security Council] have concluded that the situation has reached a dead end," Ban
said, adding that council members would not allow him "months" to arrive at a
solution to the current impasse before resorting to establishing the tribunal
under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter. Chapter 7 status would open the way for the
tribunal to begin its work without the approval of the Lebanese Parliament.
The secretary general expressed his wish that additional efforts be made to
ratify the tribunal through Lebanese constitutional institutions. "It remains
vital that the Lebanese people focus on reaffirming national consensus," he
said. "I pledged, for my part, to help them to that end." Ban said he would have
to give his own report to the council on the matter of the tribunal but only
after conferring with regional leaders, among them Prime Minister Fouad Siniora
and Syrian President Bashar Assad. In a private meeting with US Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice, Ban said he revealed what steps he plans to take to help
the Lebanese achieve national reconciliation.
Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh, speaking to reporters after
receiving a delegation from the Future Women's Association Monday, said action
on the tribunal would come in a matter of weeks. Hamadeh warned opponents of the
draft plan for the court that "our commitment to the tribunal is constant and it
will see the light of day within a few weeks," but he added that he would prefer
that the tribunal be ratified by consensus. "We have undergone over the past 12
months constant political attacks, been subjected to terror campaigns and
movements both political and in the streets all aimed at suppressing the truth
and thwarting justice," Hamadeh said.
UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Geir Pedersen, speaking to reporters after
meeting Mufti Mohammad Rashid Qabbani on Monday, said conflict over the tribunal
must be resolved as quickly as possible. Pedersen said the best solution was for
the tribunal to be ratified in Lebanon, despite the difficulties of the task.
Pedersen said his talks with Qabbani focused on national unity.
Separately, political rhetoric over presidential elections scheduled for late
September continued to heat up. Reform and Change Bloc leader MP Michel Aoun
told a news conference Monday that in any democracy the people are sovereign,
and direct popular elections are the most refined means of electing a president.
"We saw how [the ruling coalition] responded to our suggestion of direct
election, as if it's a crime," he said. "Do they have to be rude about it, can't
they just simply say no?" The Lebanese Constitution calls for Parliament to
elect the country's president.
He assailed what he called "an improper and rude manner of political discourse"
by pro-government politicians. On the matter of the tribunal, Aoun said that
referring the proposal to the UN Security Council would be a grave violation and
constitute total disregard for the Constitution.
Aoun also congratulated the French people for electing Nicolas Sarkozy as their
next president and expressed hope that relations between France and Lebanon will
go back to what they were like in the past, which he characterized as "excellent
relations between two countries, not relations between individuals and families
based on personal interests" - a clear reference to incumbent Jacques Chirac's
close ties to the current Lebanese government. Former President Amin Gemayel
warned of the dangers of any solutions to the crisis "outside the framework of
the Constitution and its institutions."
Rice: Tribunal is important for Lebanon to go back to
normal
Tuesday, 8 May, 2007
Beirut - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Washington might seek to
force the setting up of a tribunal in the murder of a Lebanese former premier
under a chapter of the UN Charter which makes Security Council decisions
mandatory. "Absolutely. If we have to, we would push for setting up the tribunal
under Chapter 7 because it is extremely important that the court is set up so
that Lebanon goes back to normal," Rice ( R) told Al Arabiya television in
remarks aired on Monday. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sent special legal
counsel Nicolas Michel to Beirut last month to seek a way out of a domestic
impasse over the tribunal, but without success. Diplomats have said that Western
powers believe Lebanon's feuding politicians are unlikely to agree any time soon
to endorse the tribunal and that U.N. action is needed; but some other council
members, including Russia, disagree.
Central to the dispute is Lebanon's relationship with neighboring Syria, which
some Lebanese officials blame for the killing of Rafik al-Hariri, a close ally
of Damascus turned foe. Most opposition leaders are close to Damascus, which
denies any role in the bombing.
The world body had hoped Lebanon would agree on a law establishing the court
after it asked the council to approve the tribunal and investigate the killing
of Hariri and 22 others in a bombing in Beirut on February 14, 2005. "Setting up
the tribunal should take place despite the dead end it reached in Lebanon
because the killers of premier Hariri should face justice," Rice said in remarks
dubbed in Arabic.
The tribunal is a key issue of disagreement between the U.S.-backed government
of Fouad Siniora and its political opponents. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has
refused to call a session of the house to ratify the tribunal. "The
democratically elected government of Siniora should be supported. Lebanon and
the Lebanese people can count on the United States," said Rice. "I would like to
say to all in a very direct fashion that the democracy and sovereignty of
Lebanon are critical issues for the United State and that we see them as some of
our most prominent interests."
Many opposition politicians question U.S. backing to Lebanon especially after
Washington's support to Israel in its war with Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah
guerrilla group last year. About 1,200 Lebanese and 158 Israelis were killed in
the war in which Israeli air, land and sea bombardment destroyed wide areas of
south Lebanon and large sectors of the capital. Hezbollah rockets also inflicted
material damage in several parts of northern Israel.
Opposition politicians had said they would not discuss the tribunal until the
government was reconstituted to give them the blocking minority they have so far
lacked, he said. Some Security Council members such as Russia oppose the use of
Chapter 7 to impose a tribunal, a move Hezbollah, also a political party, has
said could plunge the country into strife.Sources: Reuters, Ya Libnan
UN: Illegal arms reach Lebanon from Syria on regular basis
Tuesday, 8 May, 2007 @ 4:59 AM
Beirut , UN - Illegal arms traffic into Lebanon across the Syrian border, mainly
to Hezbollah fighters, is reported to be taking place on a regular basis, U.N.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday. In a report to the U.N. Security
Council, Ban said news of arms shipments, including "detailed and substantial"
reports from Israel, and other nations, showed the need for a team he was
sending to propose ways of monitoring of the border.
"Such transfers are alleged to be taking place on a regular basis," Ban wrote.
"I am deeply worried that the political crisis in Lebanon may be deepened and
exacerbated" by arms smuggling, most of which are reported to reach the
opposition Shi'ite Muslim Hezbollah movement.The secretary-general was reporting
on resolution 1559, adopted in 2004 that called for all foreign forces to
withdraw from Lebanon and for the Beirut government to assert its control
throughout the country. Two years ago all Syrian troops left Lebanon.
Syria has repeatedly denied any involvement in arms trafficking and told Ban,
during his April 24 trip to Damascus, that it would work with the United Nations
toward "peace and stability" in the region.
Ban also singled out Israel's military jets and unmanned aerial overflights and
said again he had asked the government to "cease fully" these "violations of
Lebanon sovereignty."Lebanon is going through its worst political crisis since
the 1975-90 civil war, marked by a series of murders of anti-Syrian figures,
which many in the government blame on Damascus. Syria has denied involvement.
Hezbollah, backed by Iran and Syria, says it gained strength when Israel invaded
last summer in retaliation for the abduction of two Israeli soldiers in a
cross-border raid. Hezbollah and other pro-Syrian political figures call the
current parliament backed government illegal. Ban noted that the prolonged
political crisis has paralyzed Lebanon, raising fears that agreements in the
aftermath of the civil war "may unravel, lead to widespread rearming and thus
raise the specter of renewed confrontation" among Lebanese.
"I am concerned that the existing public and media discourse -- whether based on
evidence or speculative -- may in fact accelerate, if not prompt, a domestic
arms race in Lebanon, with unforeseeable consequences," Ban warned. Ban, in his
report, stressed the necessity of demarcating the Lebanese-Syrian border and for
diplomatic relations to be established between Beirut and Damascus as an
"important measure to affirm strict respect for Lebanon's sovereignty,
territorial integrity and political independence." He also said that there was a
growing threat from armed "extremist Islamist groups" who have found safe haven
in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.Sources: Reuters, Ya Libnan
Lebanon has so far spent $318 million on post-war
rebuilding
Tuesday, 8 May, 2007 @ 4:26 AM
Reuters - The Lebanese government has spent so far $318 million on rebuilding
after last year's war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas, Prime Minister
Fouad Siniora said on Monday. Figures released by Siniora at a news conference
showed that Lebanon had received $707 million in reconstruction aid out of $1.3
billion pledged by donor countries, mainly Arab governments, after the end of
the 34-day war last August. The government has so far paid $181 million as
compensation to the owners and tenants of homes destroyed or damaged by Israeli
bombardment, the figures showed. It has spent $54 million on infrastructure,
mainly repairing damaged roads and bridges and the power and water networks.
Around $42 million was spent on civilians displaced by the conflict.
Israeli air, land and sea bombardment destroyed wide areas of south Lebanon and
large sectors of Beirut's southern suburbs, Hezbollah strongholds. Hezbollah
rockets also inflicted material damage in several parts of northern Israel.
Some 1,200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and 158 Israelis mainly soldiers
were killed in the conflict.
Siniora is locked in a power struggle with Hezbollah which, along with its
allies, wants more say in government. The Shi'ite Muslim group, which has
already spent more than $300 million on compensation and reconstruction work,
accuses Siniora of dragging his feet in the rebuilding process to punish
Hezbollah supporters. Hezbollah says the money it spent came as donations from
religious authorities in Iran. Iran did not pledge any funds to the Lebanese
government.
"Any delay, if it had occurred, was unintentional and due to the enormity of the
disaster," Siniora said. "The steps that we've taken are undoubtedly ... very,
very big although they remain less than what we aim for." The war erupted last
July when Hezbollah crossed the borders and kidnapped 2 Israeli soldiers and
killed three . The war left Lebanon in ruins ...its infrastructure was
devastated ...91 of the best bridges in Lebanon were totally destroyed.
Lebanon's economy suffered greatly; Instead of showing 6 % growth in 2006 it
ended the year at 2% in the red. Picture: A Shiite lady walks amongst the rubble
in south Beirut. This residential area was bombarded by Israel sources: Reuters,
Ya Libnan
Rival Lebanon leaders send mixed signals to Sarkozy
Monday, 7 May, 2007 @ 11:36 PM
Beirut The pro-Government supporters were extremely happy with Chirac and
wanted the French support to continue as is , while pro-Syrian opposition wanted
Sarkozy to change to more balanced French approach to Lebanon political
crises. Mixed signals therefore were sent to French president-elect Nicolas
Sarkozy
Hezbollah welcomed the election results and urged the new leader to make policy
decisions that "are more appropriate with French national interests, and
consequently less biased toward one party against the other." "We hope that the
French president will have the vision for a more influential role through being
more balanced" in his policies, Nawaf Moussawi, head of international relations
at Hezbollah, said in a statement.
Similarly, Syria, which is at odds with Chirac over his Lebanon policy,
congratulated Sarkozy. President Bashar Assad in a telegram expressed hopes that
relations between Syria and France, which have been marred for the past two
years, "would develop for the two countries' interests," Syria's state-run news
agency reported.
Within minutes of the results, legislator Saad Hariri sent a message of
congratulations to Sarkozy, expressing confidence that historic ties will
continue to develop.
Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was a very close friend of Chirac who is
leading the efforts to create an international tribunal to try the slain
premier's suspected assassins. Outgoing French president Jacques Chirac has
staunchly supported Premier Fouad Siniora's government against Syria and its
local allies in the Lebanese opposition, including Hezbollah, drawing their
criticism.
Chirac organized in January the Paris 3 donors' conference that raised more than
$7 billion in soft loans and grants for Lebanon. In addition, he sent French
troops as peacekeepers to southern Lebanon to monitor a cease-fire that ended
the fighting last summer between Israel and Hezbollah. Chirac's involvement in
Lebanon caused a stir last year when President Emile Lahoud, a pro-Syrian,
publicly criticized the French president. Lahoud has urged Chirac to stop
intervening in Lebanon's internal affairs, accusing him of siding with the
anti-Syrian March 14 alliance. He even blamed Chirac for excluding the Lebanese
leader from the Francophonie summit in Romania in September. Chirac has rejected
the charges. Understandably, Lebanon's anti-Syrian governing coalition hoped
Sarkozy's presidency would mean continued French support. The country's
parliamentary majority has been extremely concerned that once Chirac leaves
office , Lebanon will lose that personal French hands- on involvement . The
governing coalition in Beirut needs French backing, particularly in the U.N.
Security Council, which discussed the tribunal last week and could adopt it
under chapter seven of the U.N. charter because of a deadlock between the
government and opposition over its formation.
Sarkozy , who met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Paris 3 weeks ago ,
pledged continued French support for Lebanon's independence if elected..
"There will be continuity in this policy, which is a balanced policy," Sarkozy,
said Im Rafik
Prior to former PM Rafik Hariri's era , the Lebanese used to refer to France
jokingly as the 'caring and affectionate mother' ( in Arabic Im el Hanouneh ).
But following the election of Chirac , who was a staunch supporter of Hariri the
name of France changed jokingly to Im Rafik ( in Arabic the mother of Rafik).
Lebanon and France enjoy a very special relationship. Many Lebanese consider
French their second language and France their second home . During the good old
days Beirut used to be called 'Paris of the east'.Picture: French right-wing
presidential candidate of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) Nicolas Sarkozy
is applauded by the crowd as he arrives to deliver his victory speech in Paris,
06 May 2007. Sources: Naharnet, Ya Libnan
Colombian hermit finds paradise on Lebanon trail
Monday, 7 May, 2007 @ 2:37 PM
Qadisha Valley - For a Colombian hermit thousands of miles from home, Lebanon's
Qadisha valley is a heaven on earth where he hopes to end his days.
Yet Father Dario Escobar may lose some of his solitude when hikers learn about a
fledgling national trail that passes near his cliffside hermitage as it meanders
nearly 400 km over Lebanon's mountain spine from the far north to the south. The
creators of the Lebanon Mountain Trail see the Qadisha valley, with its
limestone crags, waterfalls, rich vegetation and ancient monasteries, as a
showcase of what can attract Lebanese and foreigners willing to explore the
country on foot.
Fortunately, Escobar does not seem to mind when hikers test-walking a section of
the trail intrude on his privacy.
"Usually I speak to nobody, but I speak with you because someone knocked on my
door," laughed the black-cowled monk as he emerged from his cave cell near a
rock-cut chapel. "This is paradise," the 72-year-old greybeard said, looking out
at a verdant, steep-sided valley from the tiny 13th-century monastery of Our
Lady of Hawka. "I am here for good." The calm beauty of the spot where Escobar
spends his time in prayer and contemplation is a far cry from Lebanon's image as
a tinderbox for Middle Eastern conflict -- an image that the trail organizers
say tells only part of the story. "Despite all the trouble Lebanon is going
through, this is a different universe," said Karim El-Jisr, the project's deputy
manager. "Hopefully the Lebanon Mountain Trail will bring people together ...
and appeal to people in Lebanon from all walks of life, religions, confessions
and political affiliations."
SHADOW OF WAR
The project itself, funded by a $3.3 million grant from the United States,
suffered a few delays due to last year's July-August war between Israel and
Hezbollah guerrillas.
But ECODIT, a U.S.-based consultancy which has a two-year contract to set up the
trail, hopes to have the route mapped, marked and ready to hand over to a
non-governmental association by the end of the year. A guide book in English,
maps and a website (www.lebanontrail.org) are also in the works.
"It's all about connecting dots, linking things up," said Jisr, explaining how
the trail will take walkers to nature reserves, archaeological sites, holy
places and villages at altitudes from 800 to 2,000 metres.
The idea is also to promote ecotourism, a relatively new concept in Lebanon,
where tourism has long relied on attractions such as the temples of Baalbek, the
ancient port of Byblos and the Cedars, along with the shops and nightlife of
Beirut. Unlike wilderness routes popular in North America the Lebanon trail
includes many villages, with money spent on guides and accommodation intended to
stimulate the rural economy. It uses centuries-old paths, some disfigured by
litter -- careless dumping, hunting, tree-cutting and illegal building are among
many threats to Lebanon's landscape and wildlife.
TRAMPING THE TRAIL
The 20-km stretch between the towns of Ehden and Bsherri via the Qadisha valley
proves exhilarating, if strenuous.
The little stone church of Mart Moura on the outskirts of Ehden, where the walk
begins, is an immediate plunge into the arcane but bloody Christian quarrels of
the Byzantine era. "It's one of a series of churches built by the Jacobites
until they were pushed out of the area or killed by the (Maronite) people of
Ehden in the 1400s because they were Monophysites," says Paul Khawaja, a climber
and cave explorer who advises ECODIT's environmentalist team on mapping issues.
The feud was rooted in a theological conflict over the divine nature of Christ.
The narrow path leads past a ruined water mill to Ain Tourin village and then
winds steeply down, crossing and recrossing a cascading stream. In the woods,
botanist Nizar Hani points out clumps of thyme and other edible, medicinal or
aromatic plants."People collect wild plants like oregano or cress and offer them
to customers in restaurants. They are delicious," he says.
In the valley lies the St Anthony monastery of Qozhaya, dating to the 7th
century or earlier, where visitors are welcomed with sweet wine in tiny glasses
as bells toll.
The Maronite monastery houses a 17th-century printing press, one of the oldest
in the Middle East.
After a steady climb to Hawka village comes a knee-punishing descent down
hundreds of man-made steps to Escobar's eyrie. The path then winds past more
monasteries, chapels and caves to a river rushing through a gorge alongside
Qannoubin, the only permanently inhabited village in Lebanon without road
access.
Finally the trail ascends sharply from the Qadisha valley floor to the apple
orchards on the edge of Bsherri, the birthplace of Lebanese-American poet Gibran
Khalil Gibran. By that time, weary hikers racing nightfall might need Gibran's
exhortation: "March on. Do not tarry...March on and fear not the thorns or the
sharp stones on life's path." Picture: Father Dario Escobar, a Colombian hermit,
stands outside his cave cell on the route of a 400 km (250 miles) hiking trail
in the Qadisha Gorge north of the Lebanon Mountain Trail for hikers, April 26,
2007. The creators of the Lebanon Mountain Trail see the Qadisha valley, with
its limestone crags, waterfalls, rich vegetation and ancient monasteries, as a
showcase of what can attract Lebanese and foreigners willing to explore the
country on foot.
By Alistair Lyon Sources: Reuters
Resigned Ministers may rejoin Lebanons cabinet
Tuesday, 8 May, 2007
Beirut- The six pro-Syrian Opposition cabinet ministers on Tuesday were
reportedly considering rejoining Prime Minister Fouad Siniora 's government as
caretakers, a move aimed at curtailing the ruling majority's continuity in
power. As Safir, citing one unnamed resigned Opposition cabinet minister, said
the oppositions' move also aimed at making people's lives easier. "We don't want
the country's destiny to be in the hands of the ruling team," the resigned
minister said.
The front page article in the daily As Safir said the issue has been under
"serious" debate among Opposition leaders during the past several days.
It said the shift in the opposition's stance, however, did not change the
anti-government camp position towards Siniora's "illegitimate and
unconstitutional" cabinet.
Officials close to House Speaker Nabih Berri declined to comment on the report,
As Safir said.
Berri, a Hezbollah ally and a key opposition figure, has also termed the
government illegitimate after Hezbollah and allied ministers pulled out from the
cabinet in November . This took pace after Siniora called for a cabinet session
to discuss and approve the international tribunal to try the suspects in the
assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri and related crimes.
It is not clear yet what caretaker role the resigned ministers will be able to
play in the government , considering the fact that they will remain a minority
and will not therefore be able to influence the cabinet decisions one way or the
other. It is also not clear under what condition they will be allowed to rejoin
and what will happen to the sit-in protest . Analysts say there are too many
question marks that need answers .
Sources: Naharnet, Ya Libnan
Siniora discloses Lebanon losses during Israel Hezbollah
war
Monday, 7 May, 2007 @ 7:59 PM
Beirut- Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said Monday last summer's 34-day war
between Israel and Hezbollah has claimed 1 200 lives, and wounded 4400. Most of
the Lebanese people that were killed and wounded were civilians. During a news
conference Siniora provided the first official estimate of casualties sustained
during the July-August war between Hezbollah and Israel. He said 7500 fishermen
also sustained damage to their boats, nets and equipment due to heavy Israeli
bombardment. During the confrontation, Siniora said, 862 schools were damaged
and 22 schools were completely destroyed. Sappers from the Lebanese Army, the
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
have defused 114,000 cluster bombs and 468 other types of bombs dropped by
Israeli forces during the war, according to Siniora. The Israeli offensive also
damaged and destroyed 91 bridges throughout Lebanon as well as runways in
Lebanon's three airports, according to Siniora. He said most of the damage
inflicted by the infra structure also has been repaired by government teams.
International donors provided Lebanon with 707 million dollars in aid, Siniora
said. Picture: This is how Sourh Beirut looked at the end of the 34 day war .
Sources: Naharnet, Ya Libnan
U.N. Chief Warns of Consequences of Alleged Arms Smuggling
Alleged arms smuggling into Lebanon and the possible arming of various groups
may deepen the country's political crisis, U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said in a
report released in New York. "I am deeply worried that the political crisis in
Lebanon may be deepened and exacerbated by allegations" regarding "illegal arms
trafficking and the possible arming" of various Lebanese and non-Lebanese
groups, he said Monday. He said the allegations of illegal arms smuggling across
the Syrian-Lebanese border needed to be addressed and urged "all relevant
parties, in particular the governments of Syria and Iran, to ensure full
implementation of Security Council resolutions 1559 and 1701."Last month, the
15-member Security Council asked Ban to send an independent mission to
investigate reports of illegal arms movements across the Lebanese-Syrian
border.Syria has denied that arms are making their way over the border into
Lebanon.
Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the 34-day war between Israel and
Hizbullah in August, called for the prevention of illegal arms sales and
smuggling operations in Lebanon. Resolution 1559, adopted in 2004, called for
the withdrawal of foreign troops from Lebanon and the disbanding of all Lebanese
and non-Lebanese militias. Syria withdrew its troops from Lebanon in 2005 after
29 years of military and political domination of its smaller neighbor, in line
with that resolution. Ban's report, the fifth such semi-annual study since
resolution 1559 was adopted, also stated that Hizbullah's arms "continue to pose
a key challenge to the (Lebanese) government's monopoly on the legitimate use of
force and all efforts to reassert Lebanon's sovereignty, territorial integrity
and political independence."
Ban also called for free and fair elections to choose a successor to pro-Syrian
President Emile Lahoud, whose term expires in November.
He stressed that the electoral process should be "conducted according to
Lebanese constitutional rules devised without foreign interference or influence,
in accordance to resolution 1559."Lahoud's mandate was controversially extended
by three years in September 2004 after parliament, under pressure from Syria,
adopted a constitutional amendment to that effect. Ban also called for the
demarcation of the Lebanese-Syrian border and for the establishment of
diplomatic ties between Beirut and Damascus.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 08 May 07,
07:29
Lebanese Red Cross Urges Action against Israel
Lebanese Red Cross President Sami Dahdah urged world powers to take action
against Israel for violating "all ethics and human rights treaties" during last
summer's offensive on Lebanon. Dahdah, speaking on the occasion of World Red
Cross and Red Crescent Day which is celebrated on May 8, expressed gratitude to
all those who supported the LRC during Israel's "dreadful" war.The Lebanese Red
Cross has launched its 2007 campaign, titled: "Together for Humanity."
Beirut, 08 May 07, 13:19
Wahhab: Aoun Opposition's Only Presidential Candidate
Wiam Wahhab, a staunch pro-Syrian former minister and Druze leader Walid
Jumblat's main rival, said that Hizbullah ally Gen. Michel Aoun was the
opposition's only presidential candidate. Wahhab also attacked U.S. President
George Bush's administration, asking it to "sacrifice" Prime Minister Fouad
Saniora so it won't be defeated in Lebanon. He called on "America to allow its
allies in Lebanon to suggest compromises, the first being the stepping down of
Saniora."
"We no longer accept Fouad Saniora," Wahhab said in remarks published by the
daily As Safir on Tuesday. He welcomed Aoun's proposal in which he suggested
that the next president be elected directly by the people. "Gen. Michel Aoun's
proposal . is reasonable since the ruling team has closed all doors for a
(Lebanon) settlement," Wahhab said from his Jahlieh hometown in Mount Lebanon.
"We support Gen. Michel Aoun's nomination for presidency. He became the
opposition's key candidate, if not the only one," Wahhab stressed. Beirut, 08
May 07, 10:26
Syria: Stop the Persecution of Human Rights Defenders and Advocates of Reform.
Take Action Now!
From: eastmed@amnesty.org Add to Address Book
Date: Tue, 8 May 2007 18:59:05 +0100
Syria: Stop the Persecution of Human Rights Defenders and Advocates of Reform
The Syrian authorities continue to harass and detain human rights defenders and
government critics. The unfair trial and harsh five -year sentence handed down
to human rights lawyer Anwar al-Bunni constitutes yet another blow to human
rights and human rights activists in Syria. Anwar al-Bunni was convicted of “spreading
false information harmful to the state on 24 April 2007.
In the light of this harsh sentence, there is an increased fear for the fate of
others whose trials are nearing completion. Hundreds of political prisoners are
imprisoned in Syria including scores of prisoners of conscience. At least 12 are
on trial in Damascus.
Three of these are writer Michel Kilo, Mahmoud Issa as well as the medical
doctor Kamal al-Labwani. All three, like Anwar al-Bunni, are being tried before
the Criminal Court, and are not permitted adequate access to their lawyers.
Like Anwar al-Bunni, both Michel Kilo and Mahmoud Issa have been in detention
since their arrest in May 2006, in connection with their involvement in the
Beirut-Damascus Declaration, a petition signed by some 300 Syrian and Lebanese
nationals calling for the normalization of relations between their two
countries.
They face charges including weakening nationalist sentiments (article 285 of the
Penal Code) and inciting sectarian strife (article 307), which carry maximum
sentences of 15 years imprisonment. The next session of their trial before the
Criminal Court will be on 13 May 2007.
Kamal al-Labwani was arrested upon arrival at Damascus airport on 8 November
2005. He was returning from a trip to Europe and the USA where he met human
rights organizations and government officials and called for democratic reform
in Syria.
He is facing charges of any Syrian who plots or schemes with a foreign country,
or who communicates with one with the aim of causing it to attack Syria, is
punishable by life imprisonment (article264) and could face life imprisonment.
Kamal al-Labwani's next hearing is on 10 May 2007, when a final verdict is
expected.
Amnesty International considers the three men to be prisoners of conscience
detained solely for the peaceful expression of their opinions and calls for
their immediate and unconditional release.
We are launching an urgent solidarity action to urge the Syrian authorities to
immediately and unconditionally release Anwar al-Bunni, Michel Kilo, Mahmoud
Issa, Kamal al-Labwani and all other prisoners of conscience.
Your support is needed to end the persecution of Syrian prisoners of conscience.
Join us!
Take Action:
On 9 May the eve of Kamal al-Labwani's final session of his trial, by publicly
expressing solidarity with Kamal al-Labwani, Michel Kilo, Mahmoud Issa, Anwar
al-Bunni and other prisoners of conscience in Syria Amnesty International will
be sending a clear message to the Syrian authorities and the international
community that the persecution of Syrian critics who dare to speak out must
stop. You will symbolize the silencing of dissent in Syria by covering your
mouth, with a tape or gag in demonstrations or vigils. More information about
these events will soon be placed on this site. You can also take action by
taking photos of yourself holding a message (for example Stop the Persecution of
Syrian Human Rights Defenders and Advocates of Reform and send it to us: menaweb@amnesty.org.
Your picture will be added to our gallery of activities supporting Syrian
prisoners of conscience.
Write to the Syrian authorities to stop the persecution of Syrian prisoners of
conscience. See model letter:
Your Excellency,
I am writing to express my grave concern about the human rights situation in
Syria following the harsh sentence handed down today on human rights lawyer
Anwar al-Bunni, following an unfair trial that took place on 24 April that
appears to be politically driven, during which he was not given full access to
his lawyers.
Hundreds of political prisoners including scores of prisoners of conscience are
imprisoned; at least 12 of them are on trial. Three of these are former prisoner
of conscience and writer Michel Kilo, Mahmoud Issa and the medical doctor Kamal
al-Labwani. All three, like Anwar al-Bunni, are being tried before the Criminal
Court, and are not permitted to adequate access to their
lawyers.
I appeal to you to ensure that Anwar al-Bunni, Michel Kilo, Mahmoud Issa and
Kamal al-Labwani are immediately and unconditionally released and that all the
charges against them to be dropped, as they are prisoners of conscience, held
solely for the peaceful expression of their legitimately held beliefs.
Yours Sincerely,
For further information, see:
Syria: New crackdown on government opponents (AI Index: MDE 24/031/2006), 3
April 2006
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE240312006?open&of=ENG-SYR
Syria: Dismissal of state employees for expressing opinions violates
international human rights (AI Index: MDE 24/045/2006), 21 June 2006
Syria: Another wave of arrests of human rights defenders and civil society
activists (AI Index: MDE 24/038/2006), 17 May 2006 http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE240452006?open&of=ENG-SYR;
Syria: Another wave of arrests of human rights defenders and civil society
activist (AI Index: MDE 24/038/2006), 17 May 2006
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE240382006?open&of=ENG-SYR
World Wide Appeal: http://web.amnesty.org/appeals/index/syr-010207-wwa-eng;
Syria: Beatings of PoCs must end, officials who have perpetrated or facilitated
abuses must be prosecuted (AI Index: MDE 24/008/2007), 15 February 2007
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE240082007?open&of=ENG-SYR;
Syria: Unfair trials and ill-treatment in detention of peaceful “Beirut-Damascus
Declaration” petitioners (AI Index: MDE 24/022/2007), 11 April 2007
Syria: Release and drop charges against human rights lawyer Anwar al-Bunni, (AI
Index: MDE 24/025/2007), 23 April 2007
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE240252007?open&of=ENG-SYR
Syria: Sentence against Anwar al-Bunni deals another blow to human Rights in
Syria, (AI Index: MDE 24/026/2007), 24 April 2007
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE240262007?open&of=ENG-SYR;
East Mediterranean Team
Amnesty International, International Secretariat
Peter Benenson House, 1 Easton Street
London WC1X 0DW
United Kingdom
E-mail: Eastmed@amnesty.org
Tel: +44 (0)20 7413 5500
Fax: +44 (0)20 7413 5719
Working to protect human rights worldwide
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