SFEIR HOLDS OUT HOPE FOR CONSENSUS IN METN BY-ELECTION CLASHES BREAK OUT IN BURJ HAMMOUD
By Hani M. Bathish
Daily Star, Lebanon
Aug 3 2007
BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir on Thursday
said he hoped that his efforts during the coming days to avoid an
electoral battle in Metn would bear fruit, while supporters of Metn
candidates clashed in the streets of Burj Hammoud in the tense run-up
to Sunday’s voting. "If our efforts are not successful, then we hope
our people, especially in the Metn, carry out their electoral duties
in a democratic and proper manner, without tension and avoiding strife
between the people," Sfeir said.
No sooner had those words been uttered from Dimane than clashes erupted
in Burj Hammoud between dozens of supporters of former President Amin
Gemayel’s Phalange Party and those of Free Patriotic Movement (FPM)
leader MP Michel Aoun, according to witnesses. A Tashnag Party source
denied that any clashes of a political nature had taken place in the
mostly Armenian neighborhood.
Sfeir said there was a great need for calm, patience and wisdom. "The
Lebanese are brothers, and brotherly feelings and wisdom must overcome
ignorance and all things that harm the Lebanese, their future and
their children’s futures," Sfeir said after meeting Lebanese Labor
Party leader Maroun al-Khawli in Dimane on Thursday.
Aoun addressed supporters in Rabieh Thursday evening, urging them to
be ready and vote their consciences. He said the electoral battle
was being fought to assert the rights of the presidency, which he
said had been "sold" by the majority. President Emile Lahoud did not
sign the government decree calling for the by-election in the Metn
and Beirut’s second district.
"I don’t have to say much to convince you. You all know Sheikh Amin
[Gemayel] well – I am afraid of those who have been away and do
not know him," Aoun said, speaking of his political opponent in the
by-election. "Let the fathers and grandfathers who know him well tell
their children and grandchildren. They would be more convincing than
I would."
Aoun promised his supporters he would uncover during a televised
interview on OTV on Friday the lies and deceptions of his political
opponents, adding that he would be silent no longer. "Today there is
an attempt to take the country back to the mood of the 1970’s. We
will prevent this. You can prevent it by voting. You can do it. Do
not think you have little impact – your impact is great," Aoun told
his supporters.
Aoun slammed politicians in the ruling majority, saying they had
accused him of being anti-Syrian when they were bowing to Syria before
2005, while now that Syria has left Lebanon they were accusing him of
aligning himself with Syria. He dubbed those behind the accusations
"slippery politicians."
"They continue to say in the media that there is an initiative to
end this electoral battle," Aoun said in reference to his political
opponents.
"They are lying to you, so you are not ready to vote. Be ready,
elections are on Sunday as planned," he added.
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said the Metn by-election would
be an election for all of Lebanon, and he renewed his call for the
vote to be democratic and conducted in the spirit of sportsmanship.
He said that good sportsmanship was not achieved through violence in
the streets.
Liberal National Party (LNP) leader Dory Chamoun called for a strong
voter turnout Sunday, saying that Gemayel represented a certain
political path. Chamoun said all political differences that existed
between the LNP and the Phalange Party had been set aside and he
declared his support for Gemayel. He said if Aoun won the by-election,
"he will present the Metn as a bouquet of flowers to Syria and its
allies."
Former MP August Bakhous on Thursday also announced his support for
the former president in the upcoming by-election, "out of respect for
traditions." Speaking to the Now Lebanon Web site, Bakhous said it was
not possible for anyone to monopolize the Christian vote, insisting
that the FPM was split and that there was a lack of enthusiasm for the
electoral battle among FPM allies MP Michel Murr and the Tashnag Party.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Change and Reform Bloc MP Nabil
Nicholas refuted reports that Armenians in the Metn did not support
the FPM and that Murr was not keeping his word.
Nicholas said that Murr was "stubborn with his enemies and faithful to
his allies," adding that the Armenians in the Metn were faithful and
"do not stab anyone in the back."
He said the State Shura Council had been politicized, as had all other
institutions in Lebanon, and he said the by-elections were illegal
because Lahoud had not signed the decree. Nicholas said he considered
the elections a referendum and left it to Parliament Speaker Nabih
Berri to decide how to deal with the victorious candidates in the
by-elections.
Responding to talk about the anti-Syrian FPM garnering the support of
the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP), Nicholas said that the his
party would "represent any person who finds himself unrepresented, and
if the SSNP agrees with us concerning secularism, that is also good."
All pubs, cafes to close in metn Sunday
BEIRUT: Mount Lebanon Governor Antoine Suleiman issued a decree on
Thursday concerning the closure of certain establishments within the
Metn district, where a by-election is scheduled to be held this Sunday.
The decree orders the closure of all cafes, nightclubs, pubs and places
that serve alcoholic beverages, as well as all pigeon-hunting clubs,
from noon Saturday until 8 a.m. Monday.
The decree also orders the closure of all theaters and cinemas from
9 p.m. Saturday until 8 a.m. Monday. The decree also bans fireworks
within the Metn from noon Saturday until Monday morning.
The only public establishments exempt from the decree are restaurants
that serve only food.