Moawad: How can we even speak of the elections and the election law when our borders are blurred, our state has lost its powers, and the very essence of our nation has been shaken?
Gemayel: New trespasses in the Metn area will not be tolerated
Michel Moawad, the head of the Independence Movement, received in his home in Baabda Parliament Member Samy Gemayel, the central committee coordinator in the Phalanges party. Mr. Gemayel headed a delegation comprised of the Phalanges party Secretary General Michel Khoury and other members of the party’s political bureau, namely: Dr. Maria Jude Al Bayeh and Mr. Serges Dagher, in addition to the official representative of the Phalanges party in the Zgharta province Mr. Michel Doueihy. The meeting was also attended by many officials and dignitaries from the Independence Movement including Mr. Nassri Moawad, Mr. Fady Kodaysi, and lawyers Edward Tayyoun and Youssef Moawad.
Following the meeting, Parliament Member Samy Gemayel and the head of the Independence Movement, Michel Moawad, made two public statements about the critical Lebanese circumstances.
Deputy Samy Gemayel
In his statement, Deputy Samy Gemayel said: “I would like to thank the head of the Independence Movement for receiving us. We truly cherish this visit and seize this opportunity to discuss key national matters especially that we have come to realize how similar are opinions regarding the latest national developments and debates. Our dialogue will remain ongoing during these hard times, and we will regularly meet to exchange ideas about possible solutions and initiatives that would help us overcome the prevailing political crisis in Lebanon. I personally believe this phase to be the toughest for Lebanon during the past 25 or 30 years; we are truly on the verge of breaking down.”
Gemayel added: “On this occasion, Michel Beik and myself as well as the Independence Movement agree on neutralizing Lebanon by parting the country from the neighboring regional conflicts, especially in what relates to the Syrian conflict. We also agree on the need to protect Lebanon from the expanding Syrian conflict to the inside of our nation, which is a strategic and crucial matter, and we truly hope that all leaders will be able to assume their full responsibilities under the circumstances.
However, we believe that the powers of the Cabinet are currently restricted noting its current status as caretaker Cabinet, while the Parliament remains inactive. The only pilot of our national ship is the President of the Republic who is shouldering tremendous responsibilities, and needs to rise to the ongoing challenges. As Commander of the Lebanese armed forces, the President should use his higher authority to immediately and firmly intervene whenever there’s a trespassing of the country’s borders, especially in North Lebanon, where the people of Tripoli have been living a nightmare for several months now, as no radical action has been taken to stop such events. Tripoli falls today outside the Lebanese state’s jurisdiction, which is shameful and unacceptable in a sovereign country. What is also shameful is to see the government keeping its silence in regards to Hezbollah’s ongoing interferences and trespasses by getting directly involved in battles in and outside Syria. A party that was showing off his countless achievements and victories which we, as Lebanese on the Lebanese territory – especially people in the Lebanese regions that are known for being Law and Constitution-obedient – fail to relate to.
Just yesterday, Jdeidet El Metn area witnessed a severe gun shooting and provocative behaviors by Hezbollah members in the region. I hold the Minister of Defense, the President of the Republic, the Minister of Interior, and the Prime Minister all accountable for this incident. I would also like to draw their attention that the Jdeidet El Metn area is a secure neighborhood with inhabitants that have been peacefully living there for more than 25 years; a peace fiercely broken by hostile gunshots. While inhabitants of other regions might have grown accustomed to hearing gunshots, we refuse to let the law-abiding tax-paying people of Jdeidet El Metn under the mercy of armed vigilantes who know no respect for their government and fire at others, creating a state of panic amongst the peaceful residents as if the Northern Metn area was at war”.
Gemayel said: “Yesterday’s incident – Hezbollah convoys wandering the streets of Dekwaneh and Jdeideh while firing at people – did not reap an aggressive reaction because the people of this region kept an open mind and did not want to aggravate the situation; but if such incidents happened again, things will not go as smoothly. Therefore, the Lebanese government has to assume its responsibilities towards the law-abiding people of this region or else things could get out of control. We can longer tolerate being treated as second-degree citizens; we are tired of people who disrespect the government and the Law, and act uncontrollably and unaccountably, with the aim of troubling those who are trying their best to survive in light of successive crisis. The people of Jdeidet El Metn are unwilling to hear threatening gunshots for 4 consecutive hours after midnight, without the internal security forces or the army being able to step in except to tell us not to react.”
Gemayel concluded: “we believe that such actions are dragging Lebanon into a civil war; a war that some of the Lebanese are trying to ignite internally. The leaders of this country are ought to rise to their obligations, because these are critical times. The current government’s silence towards what’s happening reminds us of its same silence in 1975, right before the civil war, when it refrained from officially condemning and controlling the armed Palestinian acts. Once again we stand witnesses of the neglect and deterioration of the state, which will eventually take us back to 1975 if no leader stepped in and rose up to the challenge. We hope that our cry for help will be heard, because next time, things will not go as smoothly.”
The head of the Independence Movement Michel Moawad
From his end, Michel Moawad, the head of the Independence Movement said: “the visit of Sheikh Samy alongside friends from the Phalanges party is the visit of allies, brothers and battle companions, and we welcome them in their own home. Our meeting today comes in line with our constant coordination with Sheikh Samy. The Independence Movement and the Phalanges party not only share an alliance but also blood ties, as we stand side by side in fighting for the same rightful cause: Lebanon and the sovereignty of its state. Today we meet under very harsh circumstances. The Lebanese people are once again getting used to the voice of missiles. They have grown accustomed to witnessing unfortunate events, ones we had wished we would never witness again: the sight of armed gangs in the streets, challenging and provoking the state and its sovereignty, which we find completely unacceptable.”
Moawad added: “As if conflicts were our inescapable destiny, and we have not learned from our past. As if the 15 years of war have not caused enough damages. What’s even worse is that we didn’t learn that intervening in external affairs and creating armed organizations that fight for bigger causes – even if such causes seem rightful, and they are certainly not – will harvest war between the Lebanese and will annihilate Lebanon’s assets be it its status as an independent state or its touristic, economic, social, humanitarian and existential constituents.”
Moawad continued: “Building on this point, we have agreed with Sheikh Samy that the time has come to overcome any differences that have emerged in the past within the 14th of March Alliance regarding matters like the election law or the parliamentary extension, noting our personal disapproval of the latter. Despite the importance of these topics, we can’t help but wonder how can we even speak of the elections and the election law when our borders are blurred, our state has lost its powers, and the very essence of our nation has been shaken? Currently, we see that there’s a necessity for us to move collectively against any kind of interference – from whichever party – in Syria, because allegations like “fighting in Syria would protect Lebanon” are misleading since Hezbollah’s interference in Syria for example brought nothing but destruction to Lebanon. Today, we’re constantly threatened, whether by gunshots in the Metn, clashes in Tripoli or missiles in Baalbeck, and we could easily cross our red lines by slipping into a civil war for the sake of others.”
Moawad added: “We need to work on creating a lobby that pushes for the neutralization of Lebanon as well as for the protection of the country and the state, the sole reference to all Lebanese parties. We need to change paths as imaginary victories will not build us a country. Together with the Phalanges party and Sheikh Samy Gemayel, we have and will continue to promote the neutralization of Lebanon. And by rallying people around this rightful cause, we will bring it back as a priority, to help safeguard the Lebanese state.”
On the latest’s developments in Tripoli, Moawad said: “As a leader, a Lebanese citizen, and an inhabitant of the northern Zgharta, I am directly concerned and affected by what’s happening in Tripoli. The city has become once again a battlefield for regional forces. Tripoli has paid the price during the Syrian custodianship over Lebanon; the same city that had a major role in the Cedar’s Revolution, and faced with courage the Salafi Fath Al-Islam phenomenon in the Nahr Al-Bared camp; Tripoli is the city that stood by the army while others were challenging it. Extremists who constitute no more than 5% of Tripoli’s inhabitants control the city today, because the security forces and the government have not taken a radical decision to resolve this issue yet. Security forces are not peacekeeping forces; they need to act upon their sovereign powers by reinforcing the Law, without exceptions, discrimination or discretion.”
To add: “From this standpoint, I once again call upon the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Army Commander as well as all the security forces to take a radical stand without making exceptions of any kind so that order prevails once again in Tripoli. This is not a no-man’s land or a secondary issue that we can postpone till later. Tripoli is a hub not only for its inhabitants but also for the residents of Zgharta, Koura, Bcharreh, Batroun and Donniyeh. It is the second capital of Lebanon and we can no longer accept having its stability and security taken lightly.”
Moawad assured that: “Security islands should no longer be tolerated. We have to hit firmly, flattery and adulation aside, starting with Jabal Mohsen up to Beb Al-Tabbene and other neighborhoods in Tripoli. I am confident that the people of Tripoli will offer nothing but their full support and cooperation to the army and the state”. He also underlined that “the saying “hit firmly with a hand of steel” is not a shiny slogan. We should draft a plan of how this statement can be put to action. We can start by imposing a daily curfew policy as of nightfall on the city; a suggestion I made a month ago, but there was no one to listen. We believe that a curfew would bring back a sense of security to Tripoli while reminding all inhabitants that the Lebanese state is still functional and strong.”
Statements made, Moawad invited Parliament Member Gemayel and his delegation to lunch.
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