Preach Faith,
Not submissiveness
By: Elias Bejjani

Some blame us for continuing our open and daring opposition against the foreign occupation imposed on our country and people through an installed puppet regime. Our opposition is civilized, peaceful, intelligent, and based on the "Ghandian concept. Others allege our peaceful struggle has become obsolete; they want us to carry weapons and declare an armed revolution.

Meanwhile some advise us to follow a different opposition strategy. They want us to advise the Beirut regime, and its appointed president, General Lahoud, on matters that need change or amendment. They state the Lahoud regime is honest, working authentically to safeguard Lebanon’s interests, but within permissible boundaries. They also claim the Lahoud regime officials are not accountable for malpractice and defaults committed by officials who preceded them in office. In a "fatherly" tone they advise us to be realistic, taking into consideration a regional-international agreement to keep Lebanon currently under foreign custody.

A third group has declared war against us because we support our persecuted citizens in South Lebanon and consider them heroes not traitors. In fact we believe Southern Lebanese especially those living in the Security Zone under Israeli occupation are saints. These patriots refused bravely to abandon the land and flee, they remained in there and defended it bravely. They did not flee when the Palestinians controlled the area, and did not flee when the Israelis replaced the Palestinians. They will never flee no matter who is the foreign occupier because they love their Holy Land and refuse to abandon it under any given circumstances, no matter what the sacrifices are.

For all those who criticize, advise or fight us, we declare again that we adopt the "Ghandian" strategy opposition. Although our struggle is peaceful and civilized, the military alternative remains always a last resort option. Resistance is a civilized means to oppose an unacceptable stance, conduct or doctrine. We practice what we preach and believe military alternatives are not the only means of resistance. We practice resistance with honesty and integrity and honor a set of known national convictions and a code of principles we inherited from our ancestors. We believe in the right of free expression.

For those who suggest we should be realistic in our opposition and advise quietly the Beirut regime and its appointed president on defaults and wrong-doings we say: Thank you, we respect your advice but we do not see things eye to eye with you. We also do not agree on your national priorities or on your way of addressing the Syrian occupation. It is a waste of time to treat symptoms of a disease and ignore the main cause either it be a virus, bacteria or tumor. You are asking us to ignore the Syrian occupation, the main cause for all Lebanon’s problems, and to focus on secondary matters. We solidly believe that all General Lahoud’s theatrical camouflaged activities including judicial pursuit of corrupters and criminals, administrative reform, slogans of equality and justice etc, are all fake, not genuine and wholly orchestrated by Syria. The main objective of such camouflaged activities is to portray him as a hero and a saver, especially for the Christians. The bitter reality is that Lahoud as well as all the other officials are mere robots who execute exactly what their Syrian masters order them to do. It is true some judicial cases were opened, but very few criminals were charged. Not even one member of the different Mafiosi was arrested or even questioned. Meanwhile most of the officials who served since 1990 will end in jail including presidents, Ministers, MP’s, Judges, ambassadors if fair trials would take pace without any official and Syrian illegal interference.

We believe the imposed status quo has divided the people occupied Lebanon and Diaspora into four groups. One has accepted occupation and work as a slave to serve its interests. This group of people supports who ever is in power without any conscience, patriotism or self-respect. The second group comprises those who have lost faith, self-confidence and hope. They have alienated themselves from all national activities and abandoned all resistance responsibilities claiming they do not want any role in politics. They allege Lebanon’s leaders, especially the Maronites and the rightists have lead the country to its current status and blame them for that.

The third group calls for accepting the imposed status quo and for deal with it in a realistic strategy within permissible regional and international boundaries. The fourth group refuses the imposed status quo and all its subsidiaries. It rejects giving any legitimacy to all regimes appointed by Syria no matter what the sacrifices are.

We believe nobody except the Lebanese people will be able to liberate Lebanon. We are adamant the foreign occupation powers, Syrians. Israelis, Palestinians, etc are going to depart in defeat and all collaborators will pay for their treason. Lebanon, the great nation has successfully defeated all invaders and tyrants all though its 6000 years. It should be clearly understood that any citizen who intentionally or because of ignorance sides with the occupation and its puppet officials is committing a treasonous act and history nor the Lebanese will ever forgive him.

When Jesus Christ found the temple had been abused by merchants and other people he took the whip and forced them out. Jesus did not compromise on his faith or on his mission. He refused openly the bitter, sinful reality the Pharisees tried to impose on him. ThebSon of God accepted willingly and happily crucifixion and defeated Satan and the satanic people. Jesus’ disciples did the same thing with great faith although they were few and non-violent in their holy mission. They were capable of preaching the word of God and converting their enemies and persecutors to Christianity. They had no armies and no weapons, they had only their faith which was more then enough for their triumph.

We remind those who claim words can make no change in life that Christianity was founded on preaching the word of God. The Word of God became God himself when Jesus became a man and preached the holy message. In the same context slaves would have remained in bondage if they had accepted the slavery reality and did not fight to change it. France would have remained an occupied country if its people had accepted the Nazi occupation. South Africa would have not been liberated and apartheid would have still imposed on its people if Nelson Mandella had been submissive to his jailers’ wishes and accepted the reality of discrimination and slavery. In the same realm if the poor, oppressed, persecuted residents of East Timor had accepted the Indonesian occupation reality, the Free World would not have come to their rescue and they would not have enjoyed independence.

The Lebanese are descendents of Hannibal, king Hiram, Cadmos and Bachier. For 6000 years they fought bravely to maintain their identity, culture, roots independence and dignity. This great nation that was mentioned more then 75 times in the bible will never subdue to occupants and will never accept occupation as a reality that can not be challenged and change. Patriotic Lebanese refuse to accept any reality that infringes on their rights, independence or freedoms, and work hard to change it. They never gave up in any confrontation, they never lost hope and never compromised on their faith and convictions.

We call on the Lebanese who honor their identity, heritage, history, independence, freedom, human rights and dignity, especially politicians, religious leaders and Army officers to stand tall like the cedars of Lebanon and fight for their country, the great Lebanon. We call on them to be role models in advocating for liberation, not submissiveness, independence not occupation, democracy not dictatorship, integrity not treason, courage not cowardice, struggle and resistance not acceptance of the occupational imposed status quo. WE call on all the Lebanese to be courageous and fight for the liberation of their occupied country.

We are grateful for all those who read what we publish, advise us on national matters or criticize our stances. Meanwhile we are committed to Lebanon’s cause, maintain our faith and believe strongly Lebanon will be victorious and all occupiers will be forced to leave with defeat and humiliation.

All Lebanese must take a clear, open stance either pro Lebanon and its right in a dignified life, or pro occupation and its local puppets. Those who claim to be in the middle or neutral are deceiving only themselves, and in fact supporting occupation and its local puppets.
Long Live Free Lebanon
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