FORMER LEBANESE PRESIDENT AL-JUMAYYIL DISCUSSES FORTHCOMING ELECTION
Al-Arabiya TV, Dubai
24 Aug 07
Al-Arabiya Television at 2008 gmt on 24 August carries a new 48-minute
recorded episode of its weekly "Frankly Speaking" programme, featuring
an interview with former Lebanese President Amin al-Jumayyil from his
house in Bikfayyah, Lebanon, by Elie Nakuzi. The topics of discussion
are the outcome of the Al-Matn by-elections and other Lebanese issues.
Nakuzi begins by asking the following questions: "Who won the
elections battle? What did this battle offer? Is it directly linked
with the requirements of the Lebanese presidency? How does Al-Jumayyil
assess the results, particularly since he received 39,116 votes in
his favour? What do these numbers mean? Do they mean nominating
and designating Al-Jumayyil as president? Had he decided not to
nominate himself for the presidency? How does he view the future
of Lebanon? Does he believe that the presidential elections will be
held at any price? Is there a chance for a consensus or has it been
blocked? How will the crisis end? And will Lebanon be partitioned
into two states, as is the case in Palestine, as a result of these
elections?"
Asked to assess the by-election results, Al-Jumayyil says that he
won the votes of Al-Matn’s genuine residents, while the opponent
received some votes that came from outside the area where voters were
raising slogans "contradicting Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence,
and higher interests."
He says: "I congratulate [General Awn’s candidate] him for winning the
battle with these votes," reiterating that "someone may have won the
Chamber of Deputies seat at any price, but we have won the sympathy
and support of the people."
Asked to confirm whether General Awn still holds the crucial
card in the Lebanese game, Al-Jumayyil says: "No, we should
remember that General Awn won by 70 per cent of votes in the recent
by-elections." Asked whether the by-election results have placed him
and Awn further away from the presidency, Al-Jumayyil says that he did
not dream of returning to the presidency and decided not to nominate
himself to any post, reiterating that "my candidacy for the Al-Matn
by-elections was sheer loyalty to the martyrdom of Pierre al-Jumayyil."
Asked what he has against Awn to disqualify him to be president,
Al-Jumayyil says: "The by-elections have uncovered some types of
behaviour by General Awn that are not really honourable," explaining
that competing against the house that lost a martyr is unethical. He
adds that Awn used non-diplomatic language during the electoral
campaign, inappropriate for a person who seeks to assume this high
post. Also, he says, his affiliation with some parties does not
qualify him for this post.
Comparing the results of the by-elections, Al-Jumayyil says: "In 2005,
General Awn obtained some 57,000 votes, while in the by-elections,
he obtained 49,000; that is, he lost some 17,000 votes of the Al-Matn
residents, taking into consideration that the votes of Armenians and
other partisan blocs remained unchanged. We gained a difference of
over 10,000 votes [compared to the 2005 elections.]" He adds that
this increase in the number of votes in his constituency represents
his victory, compared with Awn’s loss.
Asked why early Chamber of Deputies elections will not be held to
resolve the controversy over the majority and minority, and why the
14 March forces are cautious about the holding of such elections,
Al-Jumayyil says: "We are not cautious. From the beginning, General
Awn wanted the Al-Matn by-elections to be a referendum reflecting
the Christian community’s stand in general, away from the narrow
Christian or non-Christian considerations, but it so happened that the
constituency was Christian and the referendum was carried out within
this framework. The people cast their votes and the Christians, in
particular, gave confidence to Amin al-Jumayyil." He adds that it is
not possible to hold the Chamber of Deputies elections at present,
because the people are objecting to the old electoral law. He says
that issuing a new law and organizing new elections require at least
six months, while the presidential elections will be held in less
than a month.
Nakuzi notes that the 14 March forces appear to have closed all
doors in front of the other side by refusing the idea of a national
unity government or holding early Chamber of Deputies’ elections,
just focusing on the presidential elections and telling others
that they do not have any chance of winning. He asks Al-Jumayyil
to comment. Al-Jumayyil explains that the Constitution states that
the presidential elections should be conducted every six years,
and that now is the time for these elections. He says that in all
world countries there is a majority and an opposition, and normally
the majority rules. He adds that the new Chamber of Deputies elections
will be held next year and will result in a new majority, reiterating
that "whoever wins the majority should rule the country."
Asked whether the Constitutional requirement can be postponed
because there are more important issues to be addressed, such as the
Lebanese Shi’i sect, who is claiming that it has been ousted from
authority in Lebanon, Al-Jumayyil says "we want this honourable sect
to participate in the assumption of power and we feel annoyed for
its non-participation; however, it is this party that is currently
opposing participation." He adds that "we wish that the representatives
of the Shi’i sect, Hezbollah and Amal, would go back to playing the
Parliamentary democracy game," reiterating that "Hezbollah has been
setting very difficult conditions for a solution, and thus, we cannot
freeze all institutions and stop our constitutional life because
of the presence of a reluctant team." He clarifies that Hezbollah
represents a political party, not a sect.
Al-Jumayyil emphasizes that any postponement of the presidential
elections will push Lebanon towards chaos and infighting, which is
intolerable. He wonders: "Who guarantees that if the presidential
elections were postponed today, they would be held tomorrow." He
says: "They should admit that we did not impose our candidate
[for presidency] and stipulate that if he did not become president,
chaos would prevail. We have a group of candidates, but let us reach
an understanding on the candidate who is concerned about Lebanon’s
sovereignty, independence, and free decision-making." He reiterates
that it is illogical to impose General Awn as a sole candidate for
presidency, threatening to let chaos and vacuum prevail if he does
not become president. He describes such logic as "something that
cannot be implemented, will lead to explosion, and is negative,
and non-constructive."
He opposes this logic, and says: "First, we have a free constitutional
democratic system that has rules to which we are obliged to adhere;
and second, we invite others to cooperate with us to elect the most
ideal president who is capable of steering the ship in the coming
phase, which is full of disturbances and threats."
Nakuzi notes that the election of a president from the 14 March
forces is a US decision, rather than a forces’ decision, and David
Welch has said that the US gave the forces two presents: The Syrian
withdrawal and the international tribunal, and accordingly, these
forces should hold the presidential elections on schedule. He asks
Al-Jumayyil his opinion.
Al-Jumayyil says: "This means that we have to give them a present
in return.
Who will benefit from the presidential elections, the Americans
or the Lebanese people? You should ask me what I want, not what
Welch wants." He notes that Walid Junblatt, Nabih Birri, and others
should be asked what they want because they are part of the homeland,
emphasizing that the Syrian withdrawal and the international tribunal
are Lebanese demands that were realized through the UNSC.
Asked whether Lebanon is heading towards a situation similar to the
one that exists between Fatah and Hamas, Al-Jumayyil explains that
there are areas in Lebanon where an Al-Arabiya cameraman, for instance,
cannot shoot a film without the permission of non-governmental parties,
emphasizing that Lebanon is witnessing a partitioning situation. He
says: "We are asking for elections that can reunite the country and
a president who can fulfil that; however, those who are not helping
in this regard tend to consecrate this partitioning situation, which
is actually there on the ground." He adds that nobody should scare
us with the partitioning of the country, because it really exists.
Asked whether the 14 March forces can nominate one candidate and
support him for the presidential elections, Al-Jumayyil says:
"I can confirm that the 14 March forces will eventually reach an
understanding on one candidate from the very few candidates they
have, and will support him, and that he will consolidate with all
the components of these forces."
Asked whether the presidential elections will be held on schedule at
any price, Al-Jumayyil says: "Yes."