Is it actually independence?
By: Elias Bejjani

Lebanese citizens who do not witness for the truth because of fear, ignorance or personal interest, should be ashamed of themselves and stop bragging about the righteousness of their political cowardice. They are chameleons, liars and deceivers who have no conscience or dignity. They are the people’s enemies and nobody should trust or believe them. Immam Ali Ben Abbi Taleeb described them by saying: " A liar is like a dead person because he loses trust and confidence of others. Once he loses these two God-given gifts he loses the purpose of his life."

It is disgusting and extremely sad to keep seeing some Diaspora Lebanese politicians, clergymen and dignitaries cajole and flatter Beirut’s regime officials and the Syrian occupier. These mercenary creatures preach shamelessly for the imposed occupational status quo prevailing in Lebanon since 1990. By adopting these treacherous approaches they betray their country and its history, identity, culture, independence, values and the sacrifices of all martyrs.

These mercenary miserable creatures have gone to the extreme in their treason quest. They act as if Lebanon is not occupied and as if its puppet officials do really represent the people’s ambitions and aspirations. Like chameleons they change the color of their skin at any time to match the taste of the puppet officials and the "Faramens" of the Syrian occupier. These opportunists have been celebrating Lebanon’s Independence Day every year since 1990, ignoring the fact that Lebanon is occupied and its people oppressed, humiliated and deprived of all their legitimate rights.

On October 13/1990 Syrian Army invaded and occupied free Lebanon. It committed horrible massacres and ousted Lebanon’s legitimate government headed by General Michel Aoun. The Syrian occupier then confiscated Lebanon’s independence, muffled its peoples’ free voices, detained patriots, killed, jailed or sent into exile patriotic Lebanese leaders, impoverished the country and installed a puppet robot-like regime.

We are fully aware that these mercenary politicians, dignitaries, clergymen and citizens have already sold themselves to the devil and that there is no hope for any positive change in their conduct or thinking. The aim of this article is to caution the Lebanese who because of fear or ignorance have become easy prey for the mercenaries’ venomous schemes. We call on all Diaspora community members to open their eyes and see what is happening in occupied Lebanon and how much their people are suffering. We call on each and every Lebanese in Diaspora to look thoroughly in the following questions before participating in any of the forged Independence Day celebrations. If after that they recognize Lebanon is actually independent we encourage them to go ahead and participate in the celebrations. At the same time if they learn that Lebanon is occupied, torn from its independence and its officials are Syrian puppets, we ask them to join our ranks and start struggling for reclaiming the confiscated independence. We ask them to pray on Independence Day for reclaiming Lebanon’s freedoms, dignity and liberty.

The following are the questions:
What you think actually remained from the independence besides memory?
Is it rational to ignore that Lebanon has been fully occupied by both Israel and Syria since 1990?
Do you know that two thirds of our people in occupied Lebanon live under the poverty line?
Do you know that in 1990, Lebanon’s debt was less then one billion dollars and currently it exceeds twenty-four billion dollars and that most of this money was embezzled and ended in Syrian officials’ pockets?
Are you aware that Lebanon’s free decision making process is confiscated completely by Syria?
Could any country in the world be considered independent when one third of its population have been forced to emigrate and not allowed to return?

Could any Lebanese say Lebanon is independent when half a million of its people are still displaced in their own country, not permitted to return to their houses and properties?
Have you read any of the hundreds of reports issued annually by international human rights organizations on atrocities inflicted on the Lebanese?
Have you read the USA Foreign Affairs annual reports related to infringements on human rights in occupied Lebanon?

Do you know that there are hundreds of Lebanese innocent citizens detained in the notorious Nazi-like Syrian jails without any trial or specific charges? Do you know that some of these unfortunate Lebanese have been in detention for more then 18 years and that their families know nothing about their whereabouts?

Do you know that the puppet Lebanese regime turns a blind eye on the Lebanese detainees in Syria and ignores their case completely?
Do you know that the Beirut regime infringes on the country’s constitution on daily basis when it hands over Lebanese citizens to the Syrian Intelligence Forces, who transfer them to Syrian jails?

Do you know that the President, the MP’s , the Ministers, the PM, the house speaker and the majority of the Lebanese officials are appointed directly by the Syrian regime?
Do you know that the two parliamentary elections that took place since 1990 were forged and merely orchestrated by Syria?
Do you know that the Beirut regime is not allowed to participate in the Arabic- Israeli peace negotiation process because Syria controls the whole process and has marginalized completely the Beirut regime?

Do you know that South Lebanon is the only frontier with Israel in the Middle East that is not tranquil and peaceful and that Syria is using Lebanon as a chip in its fight with Israel?
Do you know that Syria does not allow any resistance activity initiated from its Israeli-occupied Golan Heights while it masterminds all guerrilla actions in South Lebanon?
Do you know that all arms were confiscated from parties, militias and individuals who believe in the independence of Lebanon and fought for 17 years defending their country?

Do you know that all anti-Lebanon militias, guerrillas and groups including Palestinian and Kurdish guerrillas work freely in Lebanon, maintain their weapons, have their own territories, their own jails and their own police and intelligence forces?
Do you know that Lebanon’s media is fully run and controlled by the regime and its agents?
Do you know that Lebanese students who oppose Syrian occupation to their country are continuously arrested, beaten, intimidated and forced to sign affidavits stating they abstain from participating in any political activity?
Do you know that the Beirut regime tags South Lebanon residents as traitors because they remained in their land and refused to abandon their houses and properties? Do you know that hundreds of South Lebanon residents are sentenced in absentia up to death penalty terms in a bid to force them to emigrate and evacuate the area?

Do you know that there are one and a half million Syrian illegal workers in Lebanon competing with the Lebanese who are forced to look for work in other countries?
Do you know that there are two Syrian workers in Lebanon for every Lebanese between the age of 21 and 50 and that these Syrian workers are responsible for the majority of the crimes committed in Lebanon?
Do you know that the Hrawi-Hariri regime in 1992 granted haphazardly the Lebanese citizenship to half a million foreigners, mainly Syrians, without any legal reason?
Do you know that Syria under the disguise of its Beirut installed regime is planning to resettle half a million Palestinian refugees in Lebanon in a bid to destroy forever Lebanon’s delicate demography?

Do you know that the Lebanese security forces' number has exceeded seventy thousand and still the regime officials insist the Syrian Army must not withdraw from Lebanon?
Do you know that Lebanon’s patriotic leaders are either murdered, in jail or forced into exile?
Do you know that the majority of Lebanon’s factories are forced to close because they were unable to compete with the Syrian-smuggled merchandise they produce?
Do you know that Lebanon’s agriculture is almost dead because the farmers are unable to sell their products due to the Syrian-smuggled fruits, vegetables, olive, dairy products etc?
Do you know that parties, religions, denominations and even families are divided into numerous factions. Syria is using the imperialistic doctrine, "divide and conquer" to maintain its occupation and portray the Lebanese as awkward and unable to manage their own affairs without the presence of its occupational forces.

We strongly believe, Lebanese in occupied Lebanon and in Diaspora should abstain strongly from taking any part in the fake and camouflaged celebrations on the "Independence Day". We call on the Lebanese to spend the day praying for the liberation of their occupied country. Those who ignore the fact that Lebanon is occupied are betraying their people and distancing themselves from the painful reality and the horrible hardships the Lebanese people are encountering.

Long Live Free Lebanon.
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