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Speech of MP General Michel
Aoun Addressing protesters on Sunday
December 10, 2006
O great people of Lebanon
O greatest people of the world
We meet today in the greatest popular
rally ever to pursue our mission for change and to bring about a new
government that knows the principles of ruling a country and the true
meaning of democracy; one that understands the needs the Lebanese
people that should be met so that internal security and peace can be
achieved: these principles are security, prosperity and freedom. But we
have started to lose these principles under the current government.
When I returned to Lebanon on May 7th,
2005, I told you that we were about to face a three-faceted crisis that
will try to prevent us from carrying out the change we seek to achieve.
One aspect of this crisis is composed
by the remains of feudal politics that constitute an element of
political stagnation and continues to weaken society and to drain the
resources of the Lebanese people.
The second aspect is sectarian
fanaticism: every time we shake the current situation to make it shift
towards the better, sectarian fanaticism arises. This is an element of
self destruction that only yields disasters. It also creates stagnation
that paralyzes all fields of life, and in times of excitement, it
becomes an element of destabilization.
The third element is political money
that has entrenched corruption in the structure of the state.
Today, these three elements are all
gathered against us. And they are creating civil strife: feudal
politics, sectarian fanaticism and corruption money. They are
encouraged by foreign parties to create civil strife.
We are today at the last phase of our
struggle before we consolidate our independence, freedom, and
sovereignty because the government has proven to be a failure at all
levels. They (those in power) have failed to isolate the Lebanese
people from one another and we are here today to represent unity and we
are leading this struggle together. They have failed even with the help
of foreign interference; they have failed in the war and in the
pauperization of the Lebanese people, and in displacing the Lebanese
people. And today we stand strong and we will not let internal strife
win us over.
Today at this last phase, I can
congratulate you, and despite what it seems, this stage has come close
to its end. It is enough to win the battle against civil strife and
everything will change. I promise you that you will not gain the
guaranteeing third, i.e. the third plus one, but you’ll have the entire
power and you’ll give the guaranteeing third to whoever is afraid and
has concerns.
Why do they fear the term “change”?
Why are they afraid of reform? Those who are in power since 15 years
have been producing debts for Lebanon and are draining the resources of
the state and of the Lebanese people.
How do you expect them to give up on
their positions and accept that others replace them and prove that
Lebanon, despite its economic situation, is able to rise again even
without the resources that are available.
Why are they afraid of reform? It’s
because they are corrupt and corruption has proliferated in all aspects
of the state and has become like a metastatic cancer that has spread to
all the bodies of the state. Why are they corrupt and how is this
proven? They refuse to hear the term financial auditing. The financial
auditing will expose all the vices of the government starting 1992 in
each department and in each ministry and in each project where
squandering and embezzlement of public funds have proliferated. Of
course, this is a golden goose they will not kill. And they cannot
refuse to be replaced because their records are filled with corruption.
They claim they are the majority, but
they have stolen the majority and as such they cannot continue to rule
and build a new state. The state cannot be built except on noble
standards and clear commitment to laws and to the Constitution, while
they are sacrificing the laws and violating the constitution.
What we want today is for them to
understand that their era is gone and the request for participation in
the government with them was the last thing we would ask for and
actually accept.
For 18 months, we have been talking to
them in a moderate tone asking them for participation, but from now on,
it will be very difficult for us to accept the participation while
awaiting a new government to be produced by new legislative elections.
In a few days we might close this
phase and after that we will not accept less than new elections that
will produce respectable constitutional institutions that truly
represent the will of the people and that are not engendered by a law
issued by Ghazi Canaan. The latter created a fake majority. The regime
generated by this law has destroyed the Lebanese Constitution.
In the few coming days, we expect to
change the status quo we’re in. And this must be the last big rally
we’ll call for because in the next one there will be no room for all
the protesters. And the barbed wire will no longer protect the Grand
Serail because people will move there naturally and without any
instigation.
We are seeking peaceful means only
because we are committed to them. But other means are also legitimate:
we have seen what happened in Serbia as the world applauded and no one
considered actions of the people illegal back then as they marched on
the government. And we have also seen what happened in Ukraine when
protesters marched on the Parliament and this was not considered as
illegitimate. In the United States, the Declaration of Independence
gives the people the right to topple their government if the latter
does not meet their demands.
All these actions become legitimate
when the rulers start committing crime after crime and refuse to step
down, and find refuge in illegitimate actions. Legitimate actions are
for rulers who respect the legitimacy of the people not those who
violate it.
This state that produced nothing but
debts should not stay one more hour. Every family today has two
electricity bills to pay, one for the electricity power plant and one
for the generator electricity, and two water bills, one for the state
and the one of the private water tank; these households have double
expenses. All this is due to the manipulation of services and prices
and to the squandering of public funds and thus these service
institutions cannot be straightened because they are plagued with
corruption.
There is also a direct responsibility
laid on the shoulders of the government and in which the government has
largely failed: security.
They used to blame all security issues
on the remains of the “security state” under Syrian occupation. What is
their excuse today? Which remains are now in control of the country?
Ten days ago, a horrendous crime
occurred when Minister of Industry Pierre Gemayel was cold-bloodedly
murdered and now they have stopped talking about it as if the murder
never happened. One year ago, the late Gebran Tueni was assassinated
and today was the commemoration of his death, as if no murder has
happened. What is the government’s responsibility towards these
assassinations, or the responsibility of the interior ministry or that
of the state as a whole? What is the responsibility of the
international investigations? Are these assassinations just to be
exploited in politics and incite fear to people?
The government is using these
assassinations to exploit them in politics and to accuse the opponents
and the Lebanese, and to continuously frighten them and frighten us
also as politicians so that we make our own security. That is why we
are deprived from moving freely around the country.
The latest crime was crystal clear.
Why are they concealing its facts from the public? What are they
waiting for? What is the responsibility of the minister of interior? In
any other country in the world, the government would have resigned,
regardless of the issue of the participation.
The government proved to be a failure
in all its endeavors ever since it took power. None of the 15
assassinations was unveiled. We are demanding the formation of a
tribunal (international tribunal for the Hariri assassination)– an
agreed upon issue- and we do not yet have any suspect. And we are
creating problems because of it.
We want to know: what did the
government do from 18 months until now except talk about the tribunal?
Enough of evading responsibility!! No one cares to answer our concerns.
We will accept no more maneuvering: I ask the government to reveal its
achievements in the last 18 months. And I tell them: your achievement
record is blank, so are you political and security records. As for your
economy record, it is disastrous!!!
Thus your resignation has become a
necessity, even regardless of participation; you do not have the right
to remain in power.
If no solution is reached within a few
days from now, we will declare our refusal of this government and we
will demand the formation of an interim government to hold early
legislative elections to serve as a basis for the foundation of our
democratic institutions and the future rule of law that will build
Lebanon.
Long live Lebanon.
bravenet.com