The head of the Independence Movement Michel Moawad emphasized on the need for Lebanon to regain its free decision in order to reaffirm its national interests, protect its stability, and regain everyone’s trust. He explained that stability necessitates first that everyone gathers again under the State’s umbrella, respects the political and constitutional institutions, and respects the country’s free parliamentary democratic regime. “There can be no stability outside the State’s umbrella, the Constitution, and the public institutions”, he said, noting that stability necessitates also dissociating Lebanon from the regional conflicts and supporting all common Arab causes.

He stressed that Lebanon’s interest is to have a strong and effective State, not a crippled one. “A State that holds the exclusivity on arms, and collects the arms from the various groups with no exceptions, like it is stated in the Taëf Accord”, he said. And he added: “Any arms outside the State’s sole control drag us into regional power games, which leads to disastrous consequences like what we are witnessing today”

He also said: “It is in Lebanon’s interest to maintain the best relations with the Arab countries and all the countries in the world, and dissociate itself from regional power games. Not doing so would lead to financial and economic sanctions, with consequences not sparing anyone.” The leader of the Independence Movement refused turning Lebanon into an open land for settling regional conflicts, and counted on the President of the Republic’s role and his wisdom to avoid this.

Moawad’s words game on the occasion of the 28^th anniversary of President René Moawad’s assassination and that of his companions, after the commemoration mass that was held at the St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Zgharta, under the auspices of President Michel Aoun. President Moawad’s family and the families of his martyr-companions had called for the celebration, which this year was under the slogan ‘The Martyr of Lebanon’s free decision’.

The full text of Moawad’s address:

“28 years have gone by since the René Moawad’s martyrdom. Approximately 28 years too, since the ending of the Lebanese war period.
And what was the result? Around 150,000 people killed, hundreds of thousands injured, tens of thousands handicapped… and a huge destruction that we still are paying for till this day. The war left us with a dislocated nation, a divided society, and weakened our national immunity.

“28 years ago, President René Moawad was martyred. He was murdered as he was trying to eliminate the separation between the various parts of the country, to stitch back all the links that had been cut between the various regions… and to rebuild a nation that would provide protection to all, and reunite what was broken.
Today, 28 years later, even though physically the country is reunited, the psychological divisions between the Lebanese are still present. The reason for this is that not all the parties have gone back under the State’s umbrella. In fact, some groups still have their own projects outside the State’s legitimacy… and even outside the country’s borders.

“28 years have gone by and we have not succeeded in building a State; a State capable of imposing its authority on the 10,452 km2, of offering security and safety to all the Lebanese, of enforcing its law on everyone, and of providing public services to the citizens free from favoritism and corruption.

“28 years ago, President René Moawad was martyred because he insisted on regaining Lebanon’s free decision; the free decision of an independent state that enjoys proper sovereignty. Whereas during these 28 years and till this day, we have been continuously witnessing numerous foreign interferences in Lebanon’s internal affairs, from all directions.

“But should we blame the outside? No. It is Iran’s right to act according to its interests. And it is Saudi Arabia’s right according to its interests. The same applies for the USA, Russia, France, Turkey, Qatar and any other country… It is their right to act as per their interests. But isn’t it time that Lebanon as a state and we as Lebanese nationals start working too according to our interest, and in ways that serve Lebanon’s interests?

“It is Lebanon’s interest to have a strong State, not a crippled one; a State that holds the exclusivity on arms, and collects the arms from the various groups with no exceptions, like the Taëf Accord states. We have learned from the past that any arms outside the State’s sole control divides us and drags us into regional power games, which leads to disastrous consequences like what we are once more witnessing today.

“Lebanon’s interest is in stability; political, security, economic, financial and social stability.

“Stability necessitates first of all that everyone gathers again under the State’s umbrella, respects the political and constitutional institutions, and respects the country’s free parliamentary democratic regime. There can be no stability, outside the State’s umbrella, the Constitution, and the public institutions.

“Stability necessitates also dissociating Lebanon from the regional conflicts and abiding to all the common Arab causes. This dissociation must be a real act applied strictly, fully and in a final way: The commitment to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of any foreign country, whether it is an Arab country or any other country in the world. This is how Lebanon becomes again ‘The Switzerland of the Middle East’, instead of being an open land where all regional conflicts are settled… Isn’t it time that we learn from what we endured in the past and what others are suffering from? We are counting today on the President of the Republic’s role and his wisdom to stay on the right path and avoid drifting the wrong away.

“As a founding member of the UN and of the Arab League, Lebanon’s interest is to respect international resolutions and the Arab League’s resolutions. The personal and economic interests of all the Lebanese nationals living and working in Arab countries and around the world, depend deeply on the Lebanese State’s relations with these countries. Therefore, it is in Lebanon’s interest to maintain the best relations with the Arab countries and all the countries of the world, and dissociate itself from regional power games. Not doing so would lead to financial and economic sanctions, with consequences that won’t spare anyone.”

“It is in Lebanon’s interest to be amongst the top 25 countries in the world for individual creativity, like it is today. And not to be, like it unfortunately also is today, ranked 138 out of 150 countries fighting corruption… Lebanon’s interest is that we build a state that resembles the creativity and success of the majority of its people, not the corruption of some of its officials.

“Lebanon’s interest is that every Lebanese is proud to hold his (her) passport with the cedar on it wherever he goes, and not that he is embarrassed when showing it and dreams of getting a foreign passport.

“In order to make all this a reality, be able to achieve Lebanon’s interest, succeed in rebuilding the State’s institutions, protect Lebanon’s stability, regain everyone’s trust in Lebanon, be able to rebuild our economy and our children’s future, we need first of all to regain Lebanon’s free decision.

“Our salutations to President René Moawad, the martyr of Lebanon’s free decision!”