Dear Mr. President,

Attached please find a letter addressed to your good self and meant to reach all members of the Lebanese Parliament, Prime Minister Mr. Hariri and all members of his Government, the Lebanese constitutional and supreme courts, the press and other Lebanese political and social organizations as well as the Spanish and European political personalities and institutions hoping that adequate measures would be taken to investigate the grave situation affecting my family and alleviate our sufferings. Attached you will also find the latest letter I sent to President Lahoud, via direct fax sent directly to him on Nov. 10th, 2000, at 20.06H, and via diplomatic bag of the Lebanese embassy in Madrid on Nov. 27, 2000. I would like to seize this opportunity to wish you and all the personalities and institutions mentioned above as well as the Lebanese people and the world community a Mubarak Ramadan and Eftar feast and a Merry Christmas and Happy, Peaceful and Prosperous New Year.

Yours truly
Ricardo Charamand

Tel: + 34- 646 48 53 99

Sant Cugat del Vallés, December, 18^th 2000-12-18
For the attention of the President of the Lebanese Parliament, Mr. Nabih Berri.

Mr. President.
Alarmed, though not surprised by the increasingly hostile attitude of the regime against the constitutionally protected liberty of speech and the press especially directed against AN- NAHAR and its founding family, that Lebanon in its totality should be proud of, and should feel deep gratitude to its enormous contribution to the defense of the Lebanese liberties, democracy, human rights and dignity. A firm declaration by the Parliament condemning such acts is getting increasingly necessary

The people of Lebanon expect from their recently elected Parliament a clear and laud message directed at the regime and its master demonstrating to the regional and international community their firm determination to defend at any cost the Lebanese public, civil and individual liberties, democracy and human rights, and shall tolerate no more transgression against the Lebanese Constitution.

Mr. Berri, while reaffirming the contends of my previous letters addressed to you or, to Mr. Ghassan Tueni, I believe that you agree with me that all significant events in the Lebanese political and social life, concerning liberty, democracy and human rights, are proving me right, and are the best proof that my knowledge of President Emile Lahoud, his regime and intentions is authentic and not imaginary.

Mr. Berri, the fierce reaction, of President Lahoud, (who manipulated and excersized pressure upon President Al-Assad ) against your patriotic initiative between Cardinal Sfeir and the Syrian regime, clearly illustrates the real and grave dangers facing the Lebanese political system and its democratic political leaders. Should your initiative have prospered and continued, it would have contributed to created better understanding between the Lebanese and the Syrians, thus, improving the confidence that is fundamental for the better relations between the two nations, and above all would have contributed to the unity among the Lebanese people (all the Lebanese people). This same unity was targeted and hammered by President Lahoud, as it is clearly consider undesirable by the regime and dangerous to the accomplishment of its goals.

Mr. Berri, in your capacity as President of the Lebanese Parliament, you have special and historical responsibility to lead the combat against all attempts to divide the Lebanese political forces and parties, and contribute to unite all the Lebanese without exceptions, and abort diabolic campaigns targeted against Lebanese democratic leaders. Mr. Jumblat must find warm and open support from all the Lebanese, especially his colleagues in the Parliament. President Lahoud and his loyalists, (not the Syrians) are the real planners behind the Syrian position of isolating Mr. Jumblat, and throwing ugly accusations against him. The Lebanese voter’s massive support to Mr. Jumblat and other Lebanese voices who favored reconciliation and unity among the Lebanese and bravely and openly defended democracy, liberty and human rights, should be translated to a warm and massive support of the Parliament, thus, reflecting the Lebanese national will. The Lebanese society as a whole with its political and social institutions should impede all attempts of isolations and embarrassments, prevent the intimidation and blackmails by the shameful use of the so called files (almost certainly fabricated), and at best belong to an epoch that all the Lebanese are determined to forget and get over with, thus, opening a new page full of hope and confidence in the future based on their national unity, democracy and universal values.

Mr. Berri, reconciliation and national unity among all the Lebanese without exception is the only factor capable of restoring real democracy, civil and public liberties and the respect to human rights issues and enable Lebanon to recover from the nightmare of Lahoud’s regime.

As a Spanish citizen of Lebanese origin, I feel proud of Prime Minister Hariri, for his frank open and unambiguous and unequivocal commitments to the defense of all liberties and the principles of democracy, as well as, for his support of national reconciliation and unity.

Prime Minister Mr. Hariri, has an exceptionally difficult task to compatibilize his democratic convictions and values with the needed wisdom that cohabitation with a President of military background and totalitarian convictions requires.

Flexibility is required to overcome personality differences in the interest of governing the country. Though intransigence in the defense of the Lebanese constitution, liberties and democracy is a must, and I am sure he shall find a massive support by the great majority of the Lebanese society, and its political and social leaders.

For reasons that I would like to keep for myself "at least for the time being", I would like to invite President Assad, President Moubarak and King Abdullah to, deal with the government of Lebanon, which is constitutionally in charge of running the country’s foreign and domestic affairs, according to the confidence given to it by the Lebanese Parliament, where the Lebanese people in turn has deposited its confidence by electing its members. Their very much appreciated support should be directed to the country and its democratic institutions and avoid the impression of directly or indirectly, explicitly or implicitly sustaining or supporting the regime to consolidate against the will of its people. The World must never forget that should the Lebanese knew the diabolic intentions of President Lahoud, they would never have favored his election. The recent parliamentary elections clearly dislegimate the election of President Lahoud two years ago and deprive him of democratic credibility.

Mr. Berri, last but not least, I would like to ask you to put the arbitrary death sentence that has been threatening innocent lives, for over ten months, with terrible traumatic consequences to its members, to a debate in the Parliament and submit the threats of President Lahoud that we are facing, to a transparent political and judicial in depth investigation. The extraordinary hardships and sufferings we are going through with my movements clearly restricted, for safety reasons, and the Spanish national police protection and surveillance to my home and car for almost eleven months, is just too grave an issue to stay over looked and neglected for so long.

I acknowledge the formidable political, social and security issues facing the Lebanese Republic and its people, but I sincerely believe that the issue of my family should be somewhere on the list.

Yours truly
Ricardo Charamand