HARIRI TARGETS RESISTANCE’S ARMS IN ELECTIONS PLATFORM
By Mirella Hodeib
Daily Star
April 6 2009
Lebanon
BEIRUT: Parliamentary elections’ fever heightened over the weekend
with various parties holding rallies to announce candidates and
present platforms. Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri made a
series of fiery statements on Sunday, and reiterated that the June 7
parliamentary elections were "crucial and decisive." Hariri, however,
did not announce the names of any candidates.
Also on Sunday, Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader MP Walid
Jumblatt said he was "sad" to dump current MPs from his parliamentary
bloc for the sake of others from the Nationalist Liberal Party (NLP)
and the Phalange Party.
"It’s sad how non-partisan, independent Christians are not given a
chance to run in elections," he said.
Speaking during a rally on Saturday, Lebanese Forces boss Samir Geagea
meanwhile said a victory for his alliance in the elections would
"guarantee Lebanon’s sovereignty."
Also, in the next 48 hours, all eyes will be on Prime Minister Fouad
Siniora, who has yet to decide whether he will submit his candidacy
in southern port city of Sidon. Well-informed sources told The Daily
Star on Sunday that Siniora paid an "undercover visit to his hometown
Sunday evening."
The Future Movement
Addressing a huge crowd during a rally to launch his party’s political
charter, Hariri reiterated previous calls for the disarmament of
"Lebanese and non-Lebanese" groups.
"The arms of the Lebanese state should triumph over all other arms," he
said. "The dialogue table should tackle the issue of the resistance’s
arms, while discussing means by which Israeli offensives against
Lebanon can be countered."
Hariri called on "relevant authorities" to ensure that the spring
elections proceed "in a calm and clean environment."
He added that elections would be decisive, "as they decide Lebanon’s
future identity."
"We are committed to this nation, we want the Lebanese people’s dreams
to turn into a reality, we want to take Lebanon from being an open
arena to becoming a true sate," he told thousands of Future Movement
supporters who flocked to the Beirut International Exhibition and
Leisure Center (BIEL).
Contrary to expectations, Hariri did not reveal the names of Future
Movement candidates for the elections. Over the weekend, media reports
said Hariri was still deliberating with ally former Premier Najib
Mikati on the electoral tickets for the north Lebanon districts.
However, he called for massive participation in June 7 polls and urged
supporters to "flood ballot boxes." "Only nine weeks separate us from
the polls – let’s all vote in favor of a strong and democratic state,"
he said.
Hariri said his party was committed to the Palestinian cause, and added
that the Future Movement "strongly endorses the right of return and
rejects the naturalization of Palestinians [in their host countries]."
Hariri stressed coexistence among Lebanese, adding that "it should
be promoted on all levels." He also said that his party "will run
for elections alongside Walid Jumblatt."
Progressive Socialist Party
Meanwhile on Sunday, Jumblatt complained during a tour in Choueifat,
that he had "reluctantly" relinquished two parliamentary seats in Aley
and Baabda, "in order to preserve the unity of the March 14 Forces."
He said he "sadly" shelved MPs Antoine Andraous in Aley and Abdallah
Farhat in Baabda for candidates from the NLP and the Phalange
Party. "The inability of a non-partisan Christian to run for Parliament
in these two districts is a sad and disconcerting thing," he said.
Jumblatt also saluted MP Faysal al-Sayegh, saying he did not offer
his parliamentary seat to Sports and Youth Minister Talal Arslan as
a personal favor, but rather because the latter "has the right to be
represented in the Aley district." Jumblatt added that he was proud
to cooperate with Arslan.
Jumblatt also regretted his inability to nominate former MP Jean
Obeid in the North.
An-Nahar reported Saturday that the March 14 Forces list for the
Chouf district has been finalized. The list includes Jumblatt and MP
Marwan Hamadeh for the Druze seats, Dory Chamoun and MPs George Adwan
and Elie Aoun for the Maronite seats, Minister Nehmeh Tohme for the
Catholic seat, and MPs Alaeddine Terro and Mohammad al-Hajjar as the
two Sunni candidates on the same list.
Lebanese Forces
In a large rally Saturday, the LF announced its platform and the
names of candidates.
The event, held at BIEL, also marked the 15th anniversary of the LF’s
disbanding in 1994.
Geagea said Lebanon was "in dire need of a second Cedar Revolution
because our independence is not complete." Geagea was referring to
street protests following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri to demand Syria’s withdrawal from Lebanon.
"Our sovereignty remains lacking and strategic decision-making is
not made by constitutional institutions," he said.
Geagea announced the LF candidates as: Strida Geagea and Elie Keyrouz
for the Maronite seats in the northern district of Bsharre, Farid
Habib for the orthodox seat in Koura, Antoine Zahra for the Maronite
seat in Batroun, George Adwan for the Maronite seat in the Chouf,
Eddy Abillama for the Maronite seat in the Metn, Richard Kouyoumdjian
for the Armenian Catholic seat in the Beirut I district, Robert Khoury
for the Catholic seat in Zahrani, and Michel Salloun for the Catholic
seat in Baalbek.
The Armenian Ramgavar party has objected to the LF nomination of
Richard Kouyoumdjian for the Armenian Catholic seat in Beirut’s
first district.
In a meeting on Saturday, the party’s executive committee stressed
its "support and solidarity with MP Serge Torsarkissian as March
14’s candidate for the Armenian Catholic seat" in the district. In
previous elections, Ramgavar candidates have run on the lists of the
Future Movement.
Elections in Sidon
The shape of the electoral battle in the southern port city of Sidon
will become clearer as soon as Siniora issues a final decision about
his candidacy.
The deadline for submitting candidacies for the 2009 parliamentary
elections is at midnight on April 7.
If Siniora decides not to run in the elections, Hariri and MP Ousama
Saad will win uncontested. The port city will witness an unprecedented
showdown if the premier decides to run. On Saturday, Siniora said he
was still undecided. But he added that he was facing "a high demand"
to submit his candidacy."
For his part, Speaker Nabih Berri admitted that the battle in Sidon
was indeed "competitive, but the capital of the south will only have
equal representation."
"Since 1992, former Premier Rafik Hariri had long tried to convince
me that Sidon should be represented by a single [party]," Berri
said in an interview with Orange television on Saturday. "I always
opposed such an approach because of my belief that the gateway to
south Lebanon should not be restricted to one party," he added.
"Today, the same is being done with talk of Siniora’s nomination. My
opinion remains unchanged," he added.
Commenting on Berri’s stances on Siniora, MP Bahia Hariri told
reporters Saturday: "We are in the same bunker with Speaker Berri."
Syrian Social Nationalist Party
SSNP leader Asaad Hardan announced on Sunday the names of his party’s
candidates throughout various districts in Lebanon.
The SSNP leader named: Mahmoud al-Hassan in the Akkar district;
Salim Saadeh in Koura; Ghassan al-Achkar in the Metn; Marwan Fares
in Baalbek; and Hardan in Marjayoun-Hasbaya districts. He added
that his party would announce its candidates in the Aley district
within the coming 24 hours, after concluding discussions with their
allies. During the ceremony at the Coral Beach Hotel, Hardan said it
was crucial to carry out the vote in an atmosphere of security and
hoped they would lead "to a new period in Lebanon’s history."
Elections in the Metn
MP Michel Murr will announce his candidacy on Monday for one of the two
Orthodox seats in the northern Metn district. In a press conference to
be held next Monday, Murr will announce his parliamentary candidacy
and discuss his campaign platform. Lebanese press reports said over
the weekend that Murr met with Maronite Bishop of Jbeil, Bishara Rai,
to discuss election matters in the Metn.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
