The Independence Movement held its annual gathering in Australia with the participation of hundreds of Lebanese expatriates and a number of high ranking Australian officials. Speaking on behalf of Independence Movement leader Michel Moawad, Henry Moawad told attendees that the movement will remain committed to its principles but was open to dialogue with all Lebanese factions.

Here follows the full text of his speech.

Ladies and Gentleman,

My fellow Lebanese,

Good evening

On behalf of Independence Movement leader Michel Moawad, I would first like to salute you and to thank you for taking the time to join us.

I meet with you tonight to shed light on the latest development in Lebanon; and as always, we, in the Independence Movement, remain committed to speaking the truth.

Today, Lebanon is experiencing the hype of the municipal and mukhtar elections that will conclude on May 29.

Generally speaking, the Lebanese should be excited about the democratic electoral process particularly in the wake of the extension of our parliament’s term twice while it remains to be seen whether the upcoming parliamentary elections will take place within constitutional deadlines. Municipal elections represent a beacon of hope for many Lebanese who lament the failure of lawmakers to assume their constitutional duty over the past two years when it comes to the election of a president.

In the Independence Movement, we have and will continue to assume our responsibility in terms of preparations for the municipal elections in Zgharta-Zawya. We have sought consensus to advance a genuine development agenda and insisted on bringing all factions on board, including representatives of Christian parties and civil society groups.

We are proud of what we have achieved so far and are confident that our efforts over the past few weeks will come to fruition with the election of municipal officials who will work in harmony to implement a much-needed development agenda in each and every town across Zgharta.

However, let’s be clear. No matter how hard we work and regardless of who is elected, municipalities will fail to advance the right development agenda in the absence of administrative decentralization as stipulated in the Taef Accord.

Thus, we will continue to exercise political pressure and lobby for the implementation of administrative decentralization to empower and transform municipalities into functional local governments at the service of our people. Only administrative decentralization can breathe life into Lebanon and lay the ground work for much-needed development projects amid the failure of the centralized government.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Independence Movement is committed to three principles that guide our actions: sovereignty, partnership and transparency.

When it comes to sovereignty, we don’t believe in compromises as our late president Rene Moawad taught us. President Moawad paid in blood to defend our nation’s sovereignty and to empower our army to command its undisputed authority throughout Lebanon. He paid in blood to empower our constitutional institutions to take action for themselves rather than implement a foreign agenda.

Sovereignty cannot coexist with militias and illegitimate weapons. Sovereignty cannot coexist with constitutional institutions that yield to foreign actors and serve foreign agendas.

Sovereignty is absolute and will remain so in the eyes of the Independence Movement.

However, sovereignty cannot be accomplished without true partnership; a partnership that recently manifested itself in the intra-Christian reconciliation that ended 25 years of enmity. This reconciliation was not only a Christian necessity but a national one and the cornerstone of a true partnership that brings an end to the dominion of certain Lebanese factions over others.

A true Christian-Muslim partnership lays the foundations of a multicultural and diverse Lebanon as opposed to a state where corruption, political hegemony and security dominion prevails.

Lebanon has suffered from rampant corruption among the ruling class after the assassination of President Moawad. We refuse to succumb to this reality and insist on establishing an all-inclusive political and national partnership; a partnership that empowers us to build the future and fight corruption.

Corruption that manifested itself in the series of scandals that surfaced lately starting with the trash crisis, illegal internet providers, human trafficking networks, embezzlement within the ranks of the Internal Security Forces and public money squandering in Beirut municipality… and the list goes on.

Enough with corruption… enough with embezzlement…enough with the lack of accountability.

$800 million in public funds are being squandered each year, according to the estimates of a firm specialized in monitoring spending by government agencies. What about corruption and embezzlement?

Given what we witnessed over the past year, I tell you in all confidence that the fight against corruption has become a priority just as important as the fight to regain our sovereignty and independence.

A state cannot be sovereign and independent if corruption remains deep rooted in its system. We will no longer accept to surrender our future, that of our children and our nation to a corrupt ruling class.

Only by laying the foundations of a strong a state, can we confront this reality. A state that confines the possession of weapons to legitimate institutions and enforces the law indiscriminately; a state where one army commands undisputed authority and refuses to coexist with militias; A state that controls its borders and prevents the flow of weapons and fighters from and to Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Bulgaria and Argentina; a democratic state that doesn’t await orders from foreign powers to elect its president.

After two years of presidential vacuum, can anyone guarantee that the presidential elections will take place soon in the wake of Hezbollah’s deputy Secretary General Naim Qassem proclamation that “the time for compromise has not yet come”

We seek a democratic state that endorses a just parliamentary electoral law that truly represents all factions rather than a state where the electoral system is amended to suit the interests of the ruling political class; a democratic state where the majority rules and the opposition holds it accountable for its actions; a state that does not promote a false “national unity” government in violation of democratic principles under the pretext of protecting the national pact; a state where transparency and accountability prevails over embezzlement and corruption….even in handling trash!

It is our duty and responsibility to fight for our vision of Lebanon just like we fought to liberate Lebanon from Syrian occupation on March 14, 2005 and forced the withdrawal of Syrian troops on April 26, 2005!

Only by placing principles foremost, and not individual interest, can we accomplish all this. We must act like statesmen rather than businessmen. We must be willing to follow in the footsteps of Rene Moawad, Bashir Gemayel, Hassan Khaled, Kamal Jumblatt, Dani Chamoun, Rafik Hariri, Bassil Flaihan, Samir Kassir, George Hawi, Gebran Tueini, Walid Eido, Antoine Ghanem, Wissam Eid, Wissam Al Hassan and Mohammad Chatah.

As members of the Independence Movement, we vow to remain loyal to our principles and values but also open to dialogue in the interest of Lebanon.

Long live the Independence Movement.

Long live Lebanon.