It was a historical
disgrace that will forever taint all those who stood idly watching… and
a crime on the hands of all those who participated in the spilling of
innocents’ blood.
On that day, the long journey of our struggle started. It was a journey
marked by our strong will to persevere, resist and adapt to the new
situation. It shifted our activities from inside Lebanon to the vast
horizons of the world. The Lebanese Diaspora, everywhere it has a
presence, engaged itself in our struggle and mobilized all its
resources and, together, we completed what we had started at the Baabda
Palace.
Our presence here today, standing on Lebanon’s soil and under its free
skies, is but the culmination of this long struggle… it is also the
realization of a promise I made as I was leaving Lebanon when I told
you: “Today, as I am leaving Lebanon to France, I tell you after a long
silence that the work you started will not end until it is fully
realized... so, until we meet again.”
Here we are... We have met, and we will stand together.
Great people of Lebanon,
I address you today not to dig the wounds of the past but to strengthen
together our absolute belief that the human being is indeed a value,
and that our society cannot redress itself except on the basis of
self-evident virtues at the forefront of which are the values of
rightness, goodness and fairness.
I address you today to reaffirm our convictions and way-of-life, the
essence of which are honesty, integrity, transparency, courage and
loyalty; these convictions and way-of-life have formed the solid
foundation and the spotless sphere for our long struggle in defense of
Lebanon as a final country for all its people and its sacred right to
sovereignty, freedom, and independence.
I address you today, as always, after you have put your valuable trust
in me in the last parliamentary elections, to reaffirm one more time
our relentless endeavor in uniting the Lebanese, all of the Lebanese,
within the framework of a consensual democracy we are intent on
realizing after long years of separation, alienation, oppression,
arrests and banishment caused by three decades of Syrian occupation of
Lebanon. We will make this happen away from all aspects of
sectarianism, discrimination or anything that might set the people of
this country apart; this is indeed what hardened our positions on all
issues of national interest, always giving prevalence to dialogue over
tensions and to the Constitutional recourse over temperamental
decision-making as a means to resolve any dispute.
We had our strategic vision embodied in the principles enumerated in
the Charter of the Free Patriotic Movement Party and the inaugural
speech. It was also spelled out in the Memorandum of Understanding we
signed with Hizbullah which, while important and a worthwhile goal to
accomplish in itself, we intended it to be a springboard for the
serious and constructive dialogue we have long sought to have with all
the Lebanese parties, even before my return to Lebanon on May 7th 2005,
with the aim of seeking together final solutions to all disputed
issues.
Great people of Lebanon,
In celebrating this dear memorial today, we are recalling all what
sacrificing for one’s country and for humanity means. This remembrance
day is a solemn tribute of respect to the noble souls who fell on the
altar of the nation to preserve the unity of Lebanon and the honor of
its people. Today, our thoughts go especially to those we lost and
whose fate is still unknown due to the neglect and procrastination of
consecutive governments of Lebanon from 16 years ago to the present
day.
Today, we pay a solemn tribute to those who drenched our nation’s soil
with their blood in defense of their country’s sovereignty, honor and
dignity against the Syrian occupation.
We also pay tribute to the heroes who defended Lebanon against all
Israeli aggressions.
Do you know, dear compatriots, that some of those who monopolize power
and work on marginalizing you today are the same people who worked
against your will back then and endeavored to marginalize you and
humiliate you?
This is why I proudly declare, here in front of you, that owing to the
sacrifices of our martyrs whom we remember today and to your
perseverance in our struggle, Lebanon is finally free.
Yes, Lebanon is free indeed… We regained our sovereignty and our
independence… We regained our free decision-making; but this
decision-making ability we dread losing again because of the political
deviation we’re witnessing and because of political tourism in foreign
capitals.
Dear compatriots, now that the war has ended, how we long for working
together to rebuild our country; yes, we who believe in the will to
live and transcend all the negativities of the war and feelings of
revenge, grudge, and hatred. But unfortunately, we were surprised to
see that what we freed ourselves from in Anjar has reappeared somewhere
else… We see the Constitution being ignored and violated, as is all
that points to the existence and viability of the state… The
ministerial program declaration remains empty unimplemented words.
Thus is the current government, emanating from a fictitious majority,
legitimizing indifference toward the concerns and needs of the people,
spreading corruption and misusing and misappropriating public funds,
and taking the country back to the concept of polarization. This
government, in the way it is formed, falls quite short on comprehensive
representation of the Lebanese and thus does not instill confidence.
Many of this government’s decisions fall short of comprehensively
benefiting all sectors of society and thus it is selectively
denominational. Crucial decisions that relate to the fate of the
country are taken unilaterally, let alone that they paralyzed all
oversight, accountability and supervisory bodies that are, in
democratic systems, at the core of the state.
They tell you that there will be a constitutional vacuum if there is a
change in government but in reality you are living in such a vacuum
now, since no item in the ministerial program declaration has been
implemented and also because of the degradation in performance that
exceeds any logical explanation and which has reached levels of
intentional provocation. That’s why we have never hesitated nor will we
hesitate to hold this government accountable for every setback Lebanon
might go through.
This vacuum was evident when the government refrained from carrying out
its duties in the latest Israeli aggression against Lebanon and just
acted as a go-between between the resistance and the United Nations.
The government even evaded carrying out its humanitarian and relief
duties, and had it not been for the solidarity shown by the civil
society, a major catastrophe would have befallen us.
In this context, it was necessary to meet with you as always to get
inspired by your staunch will and unshakable determination. And as at
every crucial juncture in our national life, we make decisions that you
inspire, you the free people of Lebanon, not from masters and
custodians. We make these decisions away from personal interests and
temptations just as we refuse to yield to any pressure, no matter how
intense it might get, especially those pressures that might sow the
seeds of turmoil in the country.
Today, with your massive turnout to this rally and your unshakable
belief in the need to save Lebanon from its floggers, you have proven
to the entire world, once again, that the yearning for change and
reform has spread to every corner of the country and no obstacle of any
kind shall stop it.
Great nations are those that can couple their political discourse with
real application.
With this in mind, we affirm that change and reform will only find its
way to implementation according to the following principles and
beliefs:
- We believe in democracy as a system of governance and a way-of-life,
and we consider it to be the sole system that preserves the dignity of
man, empowers the individual and frees his abilities, and allows him to
be the master of his destiny.
- We declare that we adhere to human rights as stipulated in
international charters, and to public freedoms which constitute the
foundation of democracy, and ascertain that men and women are equal in
terms of rights and duties, and that the woman is a partner in building
society and in decision-making.
- We long to achieve a more comprehensively humane and fair society; a
society in which the concept of citizenship is given its true
dimension; a society that stands in solidarity with its weak and
marginalized groups; a society that does not sacrifice its youth for
its elderly.
- We pledge to preserve national unity, based on true partnership and
balance, as a guarantee to the survival of Lebanon as a nation and a
mission.
- We emphasize modern Arabism that is open to and interacting with all
cultures and to which Lebanon has contributed greatly.
- We consider that Lebanon, a land of dialogue and interaction, has a
prominent role in spreading the culture of peace in its environs and in
the world.
Building the state and reforming it cannot be implemented except by
strengthening the rule of law through the principle of separation of
powers which will institute checks and balances and effective oversight
and accountability mechanisms. As for sovereignty and independence,
they can be preserved by coupling national unity with the rule of law.
Thus we will no longer have powerful individuals who overpower a weak
state, but a strong state through its competent administration and
institutions and its recourse to the Constitution and laws.
As for effective democracy, it can be enabled through:
- The revival of the values and ethics that guide the right to dissent
and the freedom of opinion and speech.
- The purification of political practice from all kinds of vices and
abuses, which will put an end to media manipulation and misleading
promises.
- Adhering to and strengthening the principle of national consensus so
as to put an end to unilateral actions and decision-making and to the
domination of a ruling majority over an oppressed and marginalized
minority.
- The enactment of a modern electoral law that guarantees a true and
just representation of the people, curbs the influence of political
money and sectarian fanaticism, provides equal media opportunities,
boosts political and party activism, establishes a mechanism to renew
the political life, and guarantees the participation of the Lebanese
Diaspora. Thus passing this law and its implementation mechanisms have
become of utmost urgency to correct the actual flaws.
It is impossible to build a state on corruption and bribery. Thus it is
our duty to make all efforts in view of separating money from
authority, so that money turns into a productive economy and authority
into a state where justice prevails.
It is also our duty to fight corruption and bribery through the revival
of oversight and inspection bodies, financial and administrative
auditing, passing all necessary laws, and applying the principle of
accountability.
There will be no modern and competent administration without restoring
respect to the civil service, modernizing it, improving its standards,
and regaining the lost confidence between the Lebanese people and their
state by putting an end to politicizing the administration and
eradicating the practice of dividing spoils amongst politicians; and
this will not happen without adopting the concept of citizenship,
competence and qualifications in appointing and hiring public servants,
and respecting the law and the authority of relevant institutions when
it comes to appointment, promotion, and accountability.
True security is one that is based on proper relations between the
components of Lebanese society. True security is not selectively
denominational, as some depict it today; such security can only lead to
collective confrontation and cannot inspire confidence and peace.
The security forces have the duty to fight crime, which is an anomaly
in society. But what is more dangerous is the organized crime of
terrorism which threatens all societies, crosses borders and breaks
down all defenses; any leniency in dealing with terrorism, or any
neglect in forestalling it, represents in fact, a cover for it.
The armed security apparatus that must be established and spread
throughout Lebanese territory is one which will guarantee stability,
protect our citizens, abide by the rule of law, and respect the rights
and freedoms of the individual. This type of security apparatus is what
can, at the same time, meet the challenges of fighting terrorism and
crime, the formation of illegal armed groups and the practice of
self-protection. This can only be accomplished by restoring the
credibility of the Lebanese security apparatus by separating it from
politics, and putting qualified and disciplined personnel in charge.
Moreover, the security forces must be sheltered from external
influence, from, sectarianism and from favoritism. They must be
provided with modern and advanced weaponry so that they will be able to
defend the country, and the dignity of our people.
A fair, incorruptible, and independent judiciary can be established
only by divorcing the judiciary from political disputes and subjective
affiliations, enabling it to implement justice ensure the respect of
the law, and safeguard public and private rights and freedoms.
We must strengthen the judiciary as an independent constitutional
institution, boost its immunity, activate its oversight bodies and
improve the professional qualifications of the judges. We should look
to the day when we no longer resort to special and exceptional courts,
and we should revive the constitutional council to rule, once again,
upon the constitutionality of laws and the legitimacy of the electoral
process.
As to economic growth and social justice, we consider that these issues
are not political ones or merely technical ones to be dealt with by
technocrats, no matter how well-qualified they are; rather, they are
core issues of life with regard to which major decisions should be
taken with careful consideration of costs and benefits. These decisions
should reflect the image of the society and state for which the
Lebanese people long.
The Lebanese economy is ailing under the burden of ever-increasing
debt, and economic recession, which has triggered massive emigration
and has severely impacted our international trade balance. Thus the
national economy is faced today with two major challenges: stalled
growth, and a huge financial burden. These two challenges are not
equally important, as the national economy must achieve three main
things: growth, justice, and planning.
Achieving growth requires an improvement in the financial,
technological, and marketing capacities of our productive sector, and
on the serious management of the privatization process. It also hinges
on fighting monopolies and centers of favoritism, no matter where they
are, be it in the private or the public sector.
The main criterion for establishing economic justice is equality and
balance between obligations and opportunities among all of our people.
We can achieve this by re-writing our tax laws, by austerity in public
spending, and by revisiting the meaning of balanced development
throughout all areas of the country.
The economy of planning and prevention should ensure that tomorrow’s
resources are not consumed today, and that the consequences of the past
are not transferred carelessly to the future. This economy will require
rational management with awareness of financial burdens and risks; it
must be based upon the capacity of the Lebanese people, and the support
of friendly-states, and international financial institutions. This
economy’s main priority should be the support of institutions which
promote social solidarity, especially those which deal with health,
retirement, and the protection of the Lebanese peoples’ assets from any
kind of threat or abuse. It should also preserve Lebanon’s natural,
environmental, and cultural resources, and it should build strong ties
with the Lebanese Diaspora and put its intellectual and economic
capacity to good use.
National sovereignty and external challenges have proved that
preserving independence is no less difficult than gaining it. Lebanon,
which has regained its sovereignty, freedom and independence, has the
right to use all means to face any aggression against its territory and
people and any interference in its internal affairs.
Lebanon faces today numerous challenges, the most important of which is
the July war and what it revealed.
Undoubtedly, what the Lebanese people have accomplished through
resistance in all its forms, both military and civil, is a real victory
that made the Lebanese cause regain worldwide importance. Thus Lebanon
is no longer a consolation prize, and it is no longer a site for, or an
easy victim of, conspiracies and compromises and deals cut at the
expense its sovereignty, independence, and the dignity of its people.
One of our big challenges is to refrain from isolating Lebanon from its
environs and from the world, because Lebanon is a country that has
always enjoyed international credibility, has always abided by the
decisions of the international community regarding the preservation of
its sovereignty and regaining its independence, and was a founding
member of the United Nations and the Arab league. In this context, we
must be clear in our political relationships with the international
community that our right to sovereignty and independence is
indivisible, inalienable, and non-negotiable in all circumstances.
Those are the main principles of international policy that draw our
approach to all thorny issues.
As for the relationship between Lebanon and Syria, we look forward to
having natural and normal relations with Syria by reviewing the past,
drawing lessons from it, by refusing its repetition, and by rejecting
any kind of mandate. This relationship should be based on national
sovereignty and independence, mutual respect, friendship, and the
preservation of legal and mutual interests. To achieve this, Syria must
acknowledge that the Shebaa farms are Lebanese, the borders between the
two countries must be redrawn, and the fate of the Lebanese prisoners
in Syrian jails must be revealed and they must be freed. Moreover,
diplomatic representation between the two countries must be
established, and the bilateral relations between Lebanon and Syria must
be removed from the sphere of individual relationships and be placed
within the official framework. It would then be possible to review
bilateral treaties on the basis of balanced interests between the two
countries.
As for the relationship between Lebanon and the Palestinians, it is our
position that the failure of the international community to find a
solution allowing the Palestinian refugees to return to their land will
not cause Lebanon to transform their temporary status in Lebanon into a
permanent one. We are determined to launch a serious and prompt
dialogue with the Palestinian Authority and its representatives in
Lebanon to find a final and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian
issue with the aim of:
- Ensuring decent living conditions inside the camps and adopting
necessary measures to allow free movement of Palestinians inside and
outside of Lebanon in such a way that guarantees their return to their
home land and which rejects categorically their settlement in Lebanon.
- Solving the issue of Palestinian arms since they are not justified
and have actually become a national concern so as to eliminate these
weapons, to straighten security issues inside the camps to impose the
control of the state and guarantee the respect of Lebanese laws.
As for the conflict with Israel and the issue of the protection of
Lebanon, we believe that Lebanon longs for real peace which goes beyond
the cessation of hostilities and which lays the foundations for
comprehensive justice acceptable by all people of the region. This
peace is attainable by adopting the recommendations of the Beirut
Summit. Lebanon has long suffered from occupations that cost us human
sacrifices and material losses, and which required political and
military resistance. Resistance is a sacred and legal right that the
Lebanese people have exercised for the purpose of liberating their
country relying in conformance with international law. This was proven
in the last July war.
Since all the Lebanese people have contributed to the cost of
liberation, all are invited today to protect Lebanon and to safeguard
its sovereignty and its existence. They must together endeavor to
maintain peace on the border and to restore control of the state over
Lebanon in accordance with UN Resolution 1701 and thus by:
- Liberating Shebaa farms, the Kfarshouba Hills and the village of
Ghajar.
- Liberating the Lebanese prisoners from Israeli jails.
- Demanding the cessation of Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace
and territorial waters.
It goes without saying that the protection of Lebanon is a national
responsibility which rests on the shoulders of all of the Lebanese
people, and which should be agreed upon through national dialogue in
which the parties develop a diplomatic plan and a strategic defense to
be implemented by the state’s institutions. The weapons of Hizbullah
must be included in this framework. These weapons, which have the sole
aim of defending Lebanon, are temporary. We have endeavored to find the
right framework and circumstances that would solve the weapons issue,
which requires the establishment of a robust and righteous state. These
principles were developed in our Memorandum of Understanding with
Hizbullah and are at the core of our national beliefs and needs. Any
assertions that do not fall under this umbrella are only attempts to
dominate and to provoke tensions; allegations about the rise of an
Islamic state and talk about coup d’etats and about the use of force
and weapons are intended to promote fears and spread horror in the
country, in order to keep the Lebanese people imprisoned in their
cocoons, dreading peace, and content with isolation.
Therefore, we call for the establishment of a modern, democratic and
just state that serves the interests of all the Lebanese people in
terms of achieving justice and democracy.
We also look forward to establishing international relations which
guarantee Lebanon’s independence and sovereignty, and we, along with
all the Lebanon people, long to unveil the truth about the terrorist
crimes that have shaken the lives of the Lebanese people and
jeopardized their security.
We also call for the implementation of what remains of the Taef
agreement, the return of the displaced to their villages and the return
of the Lebanese refugees in Israel.
To emerge from the current crisis, we must begin building a national
authority based on fair representation; this can only be done through
the adoption of democratic processes that naturally bring about
constitutional institutions.
And since in Lebanon, sovereignty can only be implemented by the people
and entrusted to the parliament through free and honest elections under
an electoral law that ensures accurate representation, then the natural
starting point for building national consensus and a strong national
authority is the formation of a government of national unity which will
establish a new electoral law according to the criteria we mentioned
today, and revive the constitutional council.
Then, the new parliament would elect a President of the Republic and
the president-elect would form a new government.
It is absurd to give in to the legality of the current authority simply
because it is supported by the international community comprised of
countries that have always dealt with and are still dealing with de
facto regimes without giving them any legitimacy. The legitimacy of a
government’s authority cannot be given except by the people, and it is
not yielded but from the will of the people. We will deal with
reservation with all external powers that do not respect the principle
of a just democracy, and which tries to cover up political tricks. We
have explained to them thoroughly the painful and harsh reality that
has prevented Lebanon from having a correct start for democracy; it is
about time that everybody knows that we will not accept any violation
of our rights.
Great people of Lebanon,
In the past, and while I was still abroad, I invited all parties to a
table of dialogue on the eve of Independence Day in 2004. But my
invitation was refused despite the fact that I warned them against
rejecting my call because the responsibilities we face are crucial;
what I feared the most happened and the stability of Lebanon received a
major blow. But they lack any sense of responsibility.
Then, we engaged in the table of dialogue under the umbrella of the
parliament, but that dialogue failed because they refused to deal with
issues in such a way that would correct what the elections damaged in
terms of building a free state; instead, they used the dialogue to
cover up for the failure of the government.
Today I fear that they are losing the last chance they have to build
the nation which can only be achieved through the formation of a
government of national unity.
In the past, after the Syrian troops withdrew from Lebanon, we asked
them not to refuse our call; we call on them today and again ask them
not to reject our call.
Great people of Lebanon,
This is our vision and these are our principles for building the state.
It is with your determination and your resolve that nations are built,
and dreams are realized.
Long live Lebanon
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