By: Elias Bejjani*
Believe it or not, on May 25 each year since 2000 Lebanon has been celebrating a so-called "Liberation & Resistance Day." Sadly, this celebration commemorates a bogus event, and a phony heroism that did not actually take place.
On May 22, 2000 the Israeli Army unilaterally and for solely Israeli domestic reasons withdrew from the security zone of South Lebanon in accordance with UN Resolution 425. The withdrawal was a fatal Israeli decision that has inspired the Hamas terrorism acts and the on-going havoc in the Palestinian Gaza strip.
During the last 11 years many Israeli officials and politicians form all parties openly and harshly criticized Barak's Government (Barak was PM at that time) hasty and unwise decision through which Israel' abandoned its ally the South Lebanon Army (SLA) and gave Hezbollah all south Lebanon on a plate of sliver.
The unilateral Israeli withdrawal created a security vacuum in south Lebanon. The Syrians who were occupying Lebanon at that time and fully controlling its government, did not allow the Lebanese Army to deploy in the south and fill this vacuum after the Israeli withdrawal. Instead Syria helped the Hezbollah militia to militarily control the whole southern region, and even patrol the Israeli-Lebanese border.
It is worth mentioning that the Israeli army's withdrawal was executed without any military battles, or even minor skirmishes with Hezbollah, or the Lebanese and Syrian armies. The Syrian regime, in a bid to justify both its on going occupation of Lebanon and the avoidance of disarming Hezbollah, came up with the "Shabaa Farms occupation big lie" and declared Hezbollah a Liberator, alleging it had forced Israel to withdrawal from South Lebanon.
Syria, in the same camouflaging and devious context, dictated to both the Lebanese parliament and government to declare May 25th a National Day under the tag of "Liberation & Resistance Day".
In reality Hezbollah did not force the Israeli withdrawal, and did not play any role in the Liberation of the southern Lebanese region. In fact both Hezbollah and Syria deliberately hindered and delayed the Israeli withdrawal for more than 14 years.
Every time the Israelis called on the Lebanese government to engage in a joint, serious effort under the United Nations umbrella to ensure a safe and mutually organized withdrawal of its army from South Lebanon, the Lebanese government refused to cooperate, did not agree to deploy its army in the south, and accused the Israelis of plotting to divide and split the Syrian-Lebanese joint track. This approach to the Israeli calls was an official Syrian decision dictated to all the Lebanese puppet governments during the Syrian occupation era.
Since then, Hezbollah has been hijacking Lebanon and its people, refusing to disarm and advocating for the annihilation of Israel. This Iranian mullahs' terrorist army stationed in Lebanon, is viciously hiding behind labels of resistance, liberation and religion. Hezbollah has recklessly jeopardized the Lebanese peoples' lives, safety, security and livelihood. It has been growing bolder and bolder in the last four years and mercilessly taking the Lebanese state and the Lebanese people hostage through terrorism, force and organized crime.
Sadly, Hezbollah is systematically devouring Lebanon day after day, and piece by piece, while at the same time marginalizing all its governmental institutions in a bid to topple the Lebanese state and erect in its place a Shiite Muslim regime, a replica of the Iranian Shiite mullahs' fundamentalist republic. Meanwhile the free world and Arabic countries are totally silent, indifferent, and idly watching from far away the horrible crime unfolding without taking any practical or tangible measures to put an end to this anti-Lebanese Syria-Iranian scheme that is executed through their spearhead, the Hezbollah armed militia.
Who is to be blamed for Hezbollah's current odd and bizarre status? Definitely the Syrians who have occupied Lebanon for more than 28 years (1976-2005). During their bloody and criminal occupation, Syria helped the Iranian Hezbollah militia build a state within Lebanon and fully control the Lebanese Shiite community.
But also the majority of the Lebanese politicians, leaders, officials and clergymen share the responsibility because they were subservient and acted in a dire Dhimmitude, selfish and cowardly manner. If these so-called Lebanese leaders had been courageous and patriotic and had not appeased Hezbollah and turned a blind eye to all its vicious and human rights atrocities, intimidation tactics, crimes and expansionism schemes, this Iranian Shiite fundamentalist militia would not have been able to erect its own mini-state in the southern suburb of Beirut, and its numerous mini-cantons in the Bekaa Valley and the South; nor would Hezbollah have been able to build its mighty military power, with 70 thousand militiamen, or stockpile more than 50 thousand missiles and force the Iranian "Wilayat Al-Faqih" religious doctrine on the Lebanese Shiite community and confiscate its decision making process and freedoms.
Since Hezbollah's emergence in 1982, these politicians have been serving their own selfish interests and not the interests of the Lebanese people and the nation. They went along with Hezbollah's schemes, deluding themselves that its militia and weaponry would remain in South Lebanon and would not turn against them.
This failure to serve the people of Lebanon allowed Hezbollah to make many Lebanese and most of the Arab-Muslim countries through its terrorism propaganda to blindly swallow its big lie of theatrical, faked resistance and Liberation.
Hezbollah would not have been able refuse to disarm in 1991, like all the other Lebanese militias in accordance to the "Taef Accord," which called for the disarmament of all militias. Hezbollah would not have become a state inside the Lebanese state, and a world-wide terrorism Iranian-Syrian tool which turned against them all after its war with Israel in year 2006 and after the UN troops were deployed on the Lebanese - Israeli borders in accordance with the UN Resolution 1701.
On May 7, 2008 Hezbollah invaded Sunni Western Beirut killing and injuring in cold blood hundreds of its civilian citizens, and attempted to take over by force Mount Lebanon.
Hezbollah's General Secretary Sheik Hassan Nasrallah called that day (May 7, 2008) a great and glorious victory for his resistance, and keeps on threatening the Lebanese that a replicate of that day will take place if they do not succumb and obey his Iranian orders.
Hezbollah is a deadly dragon that the Lebanese politicians have been allowing him to feed on sacrifices from the southern Lebanese citizens, especially on those who were living in the "Security Zone" and who fled to Israel in May 2000 after the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon. This dragon who enjoyed devouring his southern sacrifices has now turned on all the Lebanese and if they do not stand for their rights and dignity, he will keep on devouring them all one after the other.
We call on the Lebanese government, the Lebanese Parliament and on all the free and patriotic Lebanese politicians and leaders to cancel the May 25 National Day, because it is not national at all, and also to stop calling Hezbollah a resistance, put an end for its mini-state, cantons and weaponry, and secure a dignified, honorable and safe return for all the Lebanese citizens who have been taking refuge in Israel since May 2000.
Click Here to read the updated Arabic version of the above editorial
http://www.10452lccc.com/elias.arabic09/elias.thrier25.5.11.htm
Click Here to listen to the updated version of the above editorial (Media player)
http://www.eliasbejjani.com/elias%20audio11/elias.tahrier24.5.11.wma
*Elias BejjaniCanadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/home.php?sk=group_128479277182033&ap=1
N.B: This editorial was first published on 25/05/2009. I an republishing it today with minor changes because the same problems that it addressed remain unsolved.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
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By: Elias Bejjani *
Medically proved scientific strategies teach us that treating any disease has to start first with an accurate diagnosis in accordance with recognizing a set of signs and symptoms. Once the diagnosis and the cause or causes are pinpointed and identified, the treatment is initiated through which the main cause of the disease is targeted. Meanwhile, treating only the diseases' signs and symptoms without identifying and treating the primary cause is a waste of time, effort and resources. Such a derailed strategy leads to the disease becoming worse and putting the patient’s life at dire risk.
Based on this scientific strategy and concept one can examine Lebanon's ongoing problems. Since the early seventies Lebanon's main and disastrous problem has been the confiscation of its independent, freedom, and sovereignty as a state. Sadly, the Arab states and Iran have turned this multicultural, democratic and deeply rooted country into an arena, a mail box and a battlefield for their deceit and a windmill of wars against the State of Israel.
The Arab regimes without any exception and the Iranian mullahs were able to achieve this evil ploy and turn Lebanon an into arena and a backyard for their fake wars and schemes because certain Lebanese communities have never recognized Lebanon since 1920 as an independent entity, and, accordingly, became Trojan horses for foreign and neighboring powers: the Egyptians, Syrians, Iranians, Libyans, Islamic terrorists, fundamentalists, etc.
To secure stability in their countries, safeguard their thrones, wealth and ruling power, and to conceal their corrupt nature and practices, these dictatorships, Stone Age and oppressive regimes aimed on destabilizing Lebanon through religious strife, bribery, fraud, terrorism, murder, assassinations, ministates, militias and division.
Sadly, these regimes with the help of Lebanese Trojans, fundamentalists, opportunists and mercenaries were able to dismantle the foundations of the Lebanese state and to turn the whole country into an arena for their destructive ploys. They used the Lebanese people as fuel in their camouflaging war against Israel under fake banners of resistance (Mukawama), obstruction (mumanaa) liberation, Arabism and fundamentalism; while in reality the majority of them have either officially signed peace accords with Israel or covertly have established very close and friendly relations with her government.
An independent Lebanon with democracy, freedom, openness, equality, respect of human rand a just judiciary is the worst enemy for all Arab regimes as for Iran because such a Lebanon exposes their oppressive and dictatorial regimes. They all continue hindering Lebanon from regaining its independence, unity and stability so they can keep on forcing their own people into intolerance, fanaticism, ignorance, illiteracy, rejection of others and fundamentalism.
The Syrian totalitarian Baathist regime is the most notorious in all schemes of deception, oppression, fundamentalism, ethnic cleansing, crime, assassinations, hatching and exporting terrorism, and in all matters of malicious interference in other countries' internal affairs. This regime has managed to remain in power since the early sixties because of the no peace, no war status in the Middle East that its rulers adopt, advocate and implement.
Under the camouflage of resisting Israel, the Syrian regime oppresses, impoverishes, humiliates, persecutes and kills its own people, while at the same time keeps on destabilizing neighboring Lebanon through all means, including murder, sectarian strife, fake resistance against Israel, terrorism and bloody abuse and manipulation of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian refugees in both Lebanon and Syria..
In this devilish context, the Syrian regime derives its life elixir from the false and deceptive support it allegedly provides to the Palestinian cause, while for the last 40 years has been aborting all peace initiatives between Israel and the Arab countries under the big lie of resistance. Peace with Israel is the number one enemy for the Syrian regime because once it happens, all its lies and deception will be unveiled and the Syrian people would revolt and eliminate it. The kind of brutality and massive slaughter that this regime has been using against the Syrian peoples' uprising for the last three months explains its evil and deceptive nature and mentality.
Last Sunday, on the Palestinian Nakba Day, (anniversary of Israel’s founding in 1948), the Syrian rulers with their vicious Iranian allies instigated and orchestrated bloody confrontations on both Syrian and Lebanese borders with Israel. The victims and fuel for these futile confrontations were sadly the Palestinian refugees who by thousands were bused by Syrian and Iranian means of transportation, full supervision, facilitations and financing to Majdal Shams on the Golan Heights and the Maroun al-Rass in south Lebanon. The demonstrations ended with more than 13 Palestinians killed and hundreds injured when the Palestinian demonstrators tried to cross the border fences to attack the Israeli army.
According to a report published by Ken Timmerman on May 17/11( http://www.newsmax.com/KenTimmerman/iran-israel-syria-hamas/2011/05/17/id/396681)
"The Iranian regime called the political leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah to Tehran last month, to work out the details of an unprecedented series of protests they wanted them to launch along Israel’s border on the anniversary of Israel’s founding in 1948, according to Iranian dissidents. The meetings were an overwhelming success. Thousands of Palestinians participated in organized protests, storming across mine fields and border fences into Israel from the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and Syria."
Based on all of the above, we strongly believe that Lebanon will not know peace or stability before its borders with Syria are fully controlled, and not before forging a peace accord with Israel as Egypt and Jordan did years ago, and as is the case with most of the Arab countries which overtly or covertly has ended the war status with the Jewish state.
In conclusion, the Lebanese people and their leaders need to pinpoint the main problem of their country and accordingly look for an everlasting and curative solution. Lebanon's main problem lies in the "arena, battlefield and mailbox" status that has been forced on the country by Iran, Syria and their militant proxies and outlawed Syrian Iranian and Palestinian ministates. To finally put an end to this bizarre status, Lebanon needs to immediately close this "arena", end the war status, sign a peace accord with Israel, and then work hard to regain its independence, free decision making process, and sovereignty. All ministates erected in Lebanon by Syria, Iran, and the Palestinians must be dismantled and all militias disarmed. All other temporary endeavors that address only the symptoms of the problem and not the main cause will make things worse.
Click Here to read the Arabic version of the above editorial
http://www.10452lccc.com/elias.arabic09/elias.dawlat18.5.11.htm
Click Here to listen (Window Media Player) to the above editorial in Arabic
http://www.eliasbejjani.com/elias%20audio11/elias.peaceaccord20.5.1.wma
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
*Face Book group, http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/home.php?sk=group_128479277182033&ap=1
Medically proved scientific strategies teach us that treating any disease has to start first with an accurate diagnosis in accordance with recognizing a set of signs and symptoms. Once the diagnosis and the cause or causes are pinpointed and identified, the treatment is initiated through which the main cause of the disease is targeted. Meanwhile, treating only the diseases' signs and symptoms without identifying and treating the primary cause is a waste of time, effort and resources. Such a derailed strategy leads to the disease becoming worse and putting the patient’s life at dire risk.
Based on this scientific strategy and concept one can examine Lebanon's ongoing problems. Since the early seventies Lebanon's main and disastrous problem has been the confiscation of its independent, freedom, and sovereignty as a state. Sadly, the Arab states and Iran have turned this multicultural, democratic and deeply rooted country into an arena, a mail box and a battlefield for their deceit and a windmill of wars against the State of Israel.
The Arab regimes without any exception and the Iranian mullahs were able to achieve this evil ploy and turn Lebanon an into arena and a backyard for their fake wars and schemes because certain Lebanese communities have never recognized Lebanon since 1920 as an independent entity, and, accordingly, became Trojan horses for foreign and neighboring powers: the Egyptians, Syrians, Iranians, Libyans, Islamic terrorists, fundamentalists, etc.
To secure stability in their countries, safeguard their thrones, wealth and ruling power, and to conceal their corrupt nature and practices, these dictatorships, Stone Age and oppressive regimes aimed on destabilizing Lebanon through religious strife, bribery, fraud, terrorism, murder, assassinations, ministates, militias and division.
Sadly, these regimes with the help of Lebanese Trojans, fundamentalists, opportunists and mercenaries were able to dismantle the foundations of the Lebanese state and to turn the whole country into an arena for their destructive ploys. They used the Lebanese people as fuel in their camouflaging war against Israel under fake banners of resistance (Mukawama), obstruction (mumanaa) liberation, Arabism and fundamentalism; while in reality the majority of them have either officially signed peace accords with Israel or covertly have established very close and friendly relations with her government.
An independent Lebanon with democracy, freedom, openness, equality, respect of human rand a just judiciary is the worst enemy for all Arab regimes as for Iran because such a Lebanon exposes their oppressive and dictatorial regimes. They all continue hindering Lebanon from regaining its independence, unity and stability so they can keep on forcing their own people into intolerance, fanaticism, ignorance, illiteracy, rejection of others and fundamentalism.
The Syrian totalitarian Baathist regime is the most notorious in all schemes of deception, oppression, fundamentalism, ethnic cleansing, crime, assassinations, hatching and exporting terrorism, and in all matters of malicious interference in other countries' internal affairs. This regime has managed to remain in power since the early sixties because of the no peace, no war status in the Middle East that its rulers adopt, advocate and implement.
Under the camouflage of resisting Israel, the Syrian regime oppresses, impoverishes, humiliates, persecutes and kills its own people, while at the same time keeps on destabilizing neighboring Lebanon through all means, including murder, sectarian strife, fake resistance against Israel, terrorism and bloody abuse and manipulation of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian refugees in both Lebanon and Syria..
In this devilish context, the Syrian regime derives its life elixir from the false and deceptive support it allegedly provides to the Palestinian cause, while for the last 40 years has been aborting all peace initiatives between Israel and the Arab countries under the big lie of resistance. Peace with Israel is the number one enemy for the Syrian regime because once it happens, all its lies and deception will be unveiled and the Syrian people would revolt and eliminate it. The kind of brutality and massive slaughter that this regime has been using against the Syrian peoples' uprising for the last three months explains its evil and deceptive nature and mentality.
Last Sunday, on the Palestinian Nakba Day, (anniversary of Israel’s founding in 1948), the Syrian rulers with their vicious Iranian allies instigated and orchestrated bloody confrontations on both Syrian and Lebanese borders with Israel. The victims and fuel for these futile confrontations were sadly the Palestinian refugees who by thousands were bused by Syrian and Iranian means of transportation, full supervision, facilitations and financing to Majdal Shams on the Golan Heights and the Maroun al-Rass in south Lebanon. The demonstrations ended with more than 13 Palestinians killed and hundreds injured when the Palestinian demonstrators tried to cross the border fences to attack the Israeli army.
According to a report published by Ken Timmerman on May 17/11( http://www.newsmax.com/KenTimmerman/iran-israel-syria-hamas/2011/05/17/id/396681)
"The Iranian regime called the political leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah to Tehran last month, to work out the details of an unprecedented series of protests they wanted them to launch along Israel’s border on the anniversary of Israel’s founding in 1948, according to Iranian dissidents. The meetings were an overwhelming success. Thousands of Palestinians participated in organized protests, storming across mine fields and border fences into Israel from the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and Syria."
Based on all of the above, we strongly believe that Lebanon will not know peace or stability before its borders with Syria are fully controlled, and not before forging a peace accord with Israel as Egypt and Jordan did years ago, and as is the case with most of the Arab countries which overtly or covertly has ended the war status with the Jewish state.
In conclusion, the Lebanese people and their leaders need to pinpoint the main problem of their country and accordingly look for an everlasting and curative solution. Lebanon's main problem lies in the "arena, battlefield and mailbox" status that has been forced on the country by Iran, Syria and their militant proxies and outlawed Syrian Iranian and Palestinian ministates. To finally put an end to this bizarre status, Lebanon needs to immediately close this "arena", end the war status, sign a peace accord with Israel, and then work hard to regain its independence, free decision making process, and sovereignty. All ministates erected in Lebanon by Syria, Iran, and the Palestinians must be dismantled and all militias disarmed. All other temporary endeavors that address only the symptoms of the problem and not the main cause will make things worse.
Click Here to read the Arabic version of the above editorial
http://www.10452lccc.com/elias.arabic09/elias.dawlat18.5.11.htm
Click Here to listen (Window Media Player) to the above editorial in Arabic
http://www.eliasbejjani.com/elias%20audio11/elias.peaceaccord20.5.1.wma
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
*Face Book group, http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/home.php?sk=group_128479277182033&ap=1
Friday, May 13, 2011
Egypt's New Rulers Must Protect the Copts, not Persecute them
By: Elias Bejjani*
Were we all fantasizing, naive and foolish when the recent peaceful and civilized Egyptian revolution led by the new youthful generation made us and the whole world believe that its prime objectives were stability, freedom, justice, peace, equality, democracy, openness, respect for human rights, a dignified life with no oppression, education about hatred and discrimination and a secular constitution that secures equality in rights and obligations for all Egyptians citizens of all religions?
Like many others, we are enraged, disappointed and sad because the "Higher Military Egyptian Council” that assumed power after the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak and his government, has badly covertly and overtly adopted all the previous Egyptian regimes' despicable inhuman practices, intolerance, discrimination, injustice and persecution of the Christian Copts. Not only that, but against all logic, patriotism, and obligations towards other Arab countries has embraced the Iranian mullahs' fundamentalist and terrorist regime, undeterred by its flagrant terrorism, hostility, and interference in the internal affairs of the Gulf Arab States, Lebanon and Iraq. One wonders if the only achievement of the Egyptian revolution was the replacement of one Pharaoh with another.
Sadly, so far, nothing substantial has changed in Egypt, except in the camouflaged firing, hiring and arrest of a number of high ranking officials, mainly ministers, army intelligence officers and governors.
The first and major failure and setback committed by the "Higher Military Egyptian Council" members was in their stubborn clinging to Article Two in the country's constitution that legalizes discrimination and apartheid. It states verbatim: "Islam is the religion of the state, Arabic is its official language, and the principles of Islamic Sharia are the main source of legislation".
In this realm of discrimination, the Council refused to appoint Christians and women in the judicial committee that was designated to study and propose constitutional amendments. The approved amendments were few, insubstantial and merely decorative and cosmetic.
Constitutions in all free and democratic countries are secular and not based on any religion because a free and democratic state does not require the protection of any one religion, but its institutions assume the responsibility of protecting and facilitating the religious rights and freedom for all citizens. Religion must be a free personal choice and should not by any means be forced on any individual no matter what, while no one legally or morally has the right to impose any religious lifestyle or beliefs on others.
Article Two preaches, fosters and fortifies racism and discriminates between the citizens of Egypt according to their religious beliefs. It cultivates and nurtures par excellence feelings of hostility, grudges, inequality and a sense of superiority for Muslims and inferiority among Christians.
The Council refused to amend this discriminating article without giving any justifications; and while the majority of the Egyptians are Sunni Muslims, there are more than 15 million Christians, more than one million Shiite Muslims, as well Baha'is, Jews and even atheists.
The racist Article Two has been for many, many years encouraging the Egyptian Muslim Salafists and other Islamic fundamentalists to deal with their fellow Christian citizens with superiority, contempt, humiliation, hostility, intolerance, ongoing bloody violent infringements on the Coptic faith, rituals, everyday lifestyle, property, freedom of work, residence, movement, family affairs, and churches.
In reality, Egyptian authorities have always turned a blind eye on the fanatical assailants and perpetrators, protected their violent acts and ignored enforcing the law on them. Earlier this month (08.05.11), Coptic Christians in the area of Embaba (Cairo) were massively attacked by 3,000 Muslim Salafists continuously for 14 hours without any police or army intervention. The attackers fired guns and rifles and hurled Molotov cocktails at Coptic churches, houses and businesses. Twelve Copts were killed and 232 wounded. The Higher Military Egyptian Council did not assume its national duties, declined from protecting the Copts and just passively watched while the Copts were being slaughtered.
The Free World countries and UN have a moral obligation to intervene by all available means and on all levels in a bid to protect the Egyptian Copts and to condemn the stance of dire indifference that the actual new military rulers of Egypt are taking, while the fanatical Muslim Salafists are attacking the Copts, invading their homes, killing them, burning their churches and threatening to kill their clergy including the Coptic Pope Shenouda.
Apparently, the Council has abandoned its security obligations and it is either not interfering at all or succumbing to the Salafist fundementalists’ threats. Last month, the Salafists challenged the Council when it appointed a Christian Governor and through violent demonstrations it was forced to retreat and rescind the appointment.
It's really a huge insult to the new Egyptian rulers and to all the Arab countries when the persecuted, threatened, scared and abandoned Copts need to call on the UN and Free World countries to step in and protect them from their own rulers, army and people.
In conclusion, it’s the national duty of the Egyptian state and people to produce an effective legal, social and security apparatus through which the safety, freedom, faith, churches and property of the Copts are safeguarded from the savagery of the Salafists and other fanatics. Meanwhile, all Copts' rights as equal Egyptian citizens should be fully honored without racism, discrimination or injustice. And most importantly, both Article Two of the Egyptian constitution and the "Hamayoni Decree" (a clause in the Egyptian law, dating back from Ottoman rule, February 1856, that regulates Church construction and maintenance), MUST be abolished.
Click Here to read the Arabic version of the above editorial
http://www.10452lccc.com/elias.arabic09/elias.akbat13.05.11.htm
Click Here to listen (Window Media Player) to above editorial in Arabic
http://www.eliasbejjani.com/elias%20audio11/elias.akbat13.5.11.wma
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
*Face Book group, http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/home.php?sk=group_128479277182033&ap=1
Were we all fantasizing, naive and foolish when the recent peaceful and civilized Egyptian revolution led by the new youthful generation made us and the whole world believe that its prime objectives were stability, freedom, justice, peace, equality, democracy, openness, respect for human rights, a dignified life with no oppression, education about hatred and discrimination and a secular constitution that secures equality in rights and obligations for all Egyptians citizens of all religions?
Like many others, we are enraged, disappointed and sad because the "Higher Military Egyptian Council” that assumed power after the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak and his government, has badly covertly and overtly adopted all the previous Egyptian regimes' despicable inhuman practices, intolerance, discrimination, injustice and persecution of the Christian Copts. Not only that, but against all logic, patriotism, and obligations towards other Arab countries has embraced the Iranian mullahs' fundamentalist and terrorist regime, undeterred by its flagrant terrorism, hostility, and interference in the internal affairs of the Gulf Arab States, Lebanon and Iraq. One wonders if the only achievement of the Egyptian revolution was the replacement of one Pharaoh with another.
Sadly, so far, nothing substantial has changed in Egypt, except in the camouflaged firing, hiring and arrest of a number of high ranking officials, mainly ministers, army intelligence officers and governors.
The first and major failure and setback committed by the "Higher Military Egyptian Council" members was in their stubborn clinging to Article Two in the country's constitution that legalizes discrimination and apartheid. It states verbatim: "Islam is the religion of the state, Arabic is its official language, and the principles of Islamic Sharia are the main source of legislation".
In this realm of discrimination, the Council refused to appoint Christians and women in the judicial committee that was designated to study and propose constitutional amendments. The approved amendments were few, insubstantial and merely decorative and cosmetic.
Constitutions in all free and democratic countries are secular and not based on any religion because a free and democratic state does not require the protection of any one religion, but its institutions assume the responsibility of protecting and facilitating the religious rights and freedom for all citizens. Religion must be a free personal choice and should not by any means be forced on any individual no matter what, while no one legally or morally has the right to impose any religious lifestyle or beliefs on others.
Article Two preaches, fosters and fortifies racism and discriminates between the citizens of Egypt according to their religious beliefs. It cultivates and nurtures par excellence feelings of hostility, grudges, inequality and a sense of superiority for Muslims and inferiority among Christians.
The Council refused to amend this discriminating article without giving any justifications; and while the majority of the Egyptians are Sunni Muslims, there are more than 15 million Christians, more than one million Shiite Muslims, as well Baha'is, Jews and even atheists.
The racist Article Two has been for many, many years encouraging the Egyptian Muslim Salafists and other Islamic fundamentalists to deal with their fellow Christian citizens with superiority, contempt, humiliation, hostility, intolerance, ongoing bloody violent infringements on the Coptic faith, rituals, everyday lifestyle, property, freedom of work, residence, movement, family affairs, and churches.
In reality, Egyptian authorities have always turned a blind eye on the fanatical assailants and perpetrators, protected their violent acts and ignored enforcing the law on them. Earlier this month (08.05.11), Coptic Christians in the area of Embaba (Cairo) were massively attacked by 3,000 Muslim Salafists continuously for 14 hours without any police or army intervention. The attackers fired guns and rifles and hurled Molotov cocktails at Coptic churches, houses and businesses. Twelve Copts were killed and 232 wounded. The Higher Military Egyptian Council did not assume its national duties, declined from protecting the Copts and just passively watched while the Copts were being slaughtered.
The Free World countries and UN have a moral obligation to intervene by all available means and on all levels in a bid to protect the Egyptian Copts and to condemn the stance of dire indifference that the actual new military rulers of Egypt are taking, while the fanatical Muslim Salafists are attacking the Copts, invading their homes, killing them, burning their churches and threatening to kill their clergy including the Coptic Pope Shenouda.
Apparently, the Council has abandoned its security obligations and it is either not interfering at all or succumbing to the Salafist fundementalists’ threats. Last month, the Salafists challenged the Council when it appointed a Christian Governor and through violent demonstrations it was forced to retreat and rescind the appointment.
It's really a huge insult to the new Egyptian rulers and to all the Arab countries when the persecuted, threatened, scared and abandoned Copts need to call on the UN and Free World countries to step in and protect them from their own rulers, army and people.
In conclusion, it’s the national duty of the Egyptian state and people to produce an effective legal, social and security apparatus through which the safety, freedom, faith, churches and property of the Copts are safeguarded from the savagery of the Salafists and other fanatics. Meanwhile, all Copts' rights as equal Egyptian citizens should be fully honored without racism, discrimination or injustice. And most importantly, both Article Two of the Egyptian constitution and the "Hamayoni Decree" (a clause in the Egyptian law, dating back from Ottoman rule, February 1856, that regulates Church construction and maintenance), MUST be abolished.
Click Here to read the Arabic version of the above editorial
http://www.10452lccc.com/elias.arabic09/elias.akbat13.05.11.htm
Click Here to listen (Window Media Player) to above editorial in Arabic
http://www.eliasbejjani.com/elias%20audio11/elias.akbat13.5.11.wma
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
*Face Book group, http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/home.php?sk=group_128479277182033&ap=1
Friday, May 6, 2011
The need to topple regimes that sponsor terrorism
By: Elias Bejjani*
Isaiah 33/1: "Woe to you who destroy, but you weren’t destroyed; and who betray, but nobody betrayed you! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed; and when you have made an end of betrayal, you will be betrayed."
Faithful people who strongly believe in the Day Of Judgment and in God's sole authority of revenge do not hail, rejoice, encourage, or commit the act of killing humans under any given circumstances, no matter what are the justifications or reasons. The two pillars of Faith are love and forgiveness, and not hatred or revenge as per the Bible teaching. (Saint Paul's Letter to the Romans 12/18-20: "If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men. Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.”)
Murderers at the intellectual, academic, and leadership level, like the late terrorist Bin Laden, choose their evil lifestyle of hostility, corruption and crime. They distance themselves from God and faith, cowardly disregard all human rights' covenants, disrespect and breaks laws, lack the spirit of accountability and responsibility, and openly despise all values and morals. By walking this awkward and dangerous life path of rebellion against all society and faith norms they put themselves in a very vulnerable position where others, be individuals or authorities, are forced to deal with them in the same manner of force, deterrence and elimination.
In this context Osama bin Laden's acts of massive murder, terrorism and crime has brought on him the fatal end that he asked for and ultimately received. USA military forces haunted and killed him for the horrible massacre that he committed against the American people on the11th of September/2001, in which more than 3000 innocent individuals were murdered, mostly Americans, including 24 Canadians. He planned, financed and ordered this terrorist unprecedented bloody massacre, the biggest against the American people since the surprising air raid carried out by the Japanese Imperial Navy on December 07/1941 on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor.
It is an incontestable fact that killing bin Laden is a superb success in the global war against terrorism for military, legal and psychological reasons. Meanwhile his physical liquidation does not mean by any way that the evil education of terrorism, suicide and homicide, fundamentalist zealotry, and the culture of hatred that he has cultivated and spread were buried in the Arabian Sea along with his body. No, the death of the Saudi-born, wealthy fundamentalist and terrorist has not made the world terrorism-free. The impact of Osama Bin Laden as a symbol will most likely keep inspiring affiliated groups and individuals for some time, a fact that calls for an on going global vigilance and a need to continue all joint international efforts to contain, prevent and fight terrorism.
For achieving ultimate success and triumph in the global fight against terrorism, the main focus in this very costly and highly sophisticated war must be on the regimes that harbor, breed, and export it, and not only on organizations and individuals. There is no doubt that global fundamentalism and terrorism will continue to be a dire threat to world peace and stability after the physical absence of bin Laden as long as there are rogue regimes left alone without any kind of deterrence to use terrorism in their expansionism, sectarianism, hostility and destructive schemes. At the forefront of regimes that sponsor terrorism are the countries of Syria, Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Gaza Strip, Egypt, Iraq and the mini-state of Hezbollah, the Palestinian refugee camps and the Syrian military bases in Lebanon.
Bin Laden could not have escaped his deadly fate since 2001, if Pakistan and other countries were not providing him and his top notch terrorist aids with a safe haven. In this realm the American military and intelligence sources disclosed that Abbottabad, where Bin Laden was shot dead Sunday night on May 2, is a Pakistani garrison town where a large military base is located. His mansion was just 100 meters away from Pakistan's military academy and 120 kilometers from the capital of Islamabad and Pakistani intelligence headquarters. These sobering facts indicate that the Pakistani military and its intelligence must have known who was living in the exceptionally large, heavily guarded mansion in their midst and in plain sight and kept this knowledge from the Americans. The mansion was encircled by 12-15 meter high walls topped by 7 foot privacy wall and barbed wire accessed through two steel, electrically-operated security gates. The Pakistani authorities could not have missed it when it was built in 2005 and more buildings were added later.
Bin Laden's hypocrisy was unveiled and plainly exposed in the kind of life style that he was enjoying in the midst of a semi-urban Pakistani area. While he was sending men and women to their deaths, he was not hiding in a hole, in a jungle, or in a remote mountainous cave. No, he was residing comfortably in a million-dollar three-storey mansion with his wives, children, close family members and aids, while getting the best of the latest telecommunication and leisure technology.
It is so frustrating, and extremely sad that since the mid-fifties our peace-loving Lebanese people have been and still are victims for all forms of terrorism. Syria is fully behind all the terrorists that have been inflicting all sorts of terrorism on the Lebanese. Syria has instigated in Lebanon endless futile wars, chaos, instability, exodus, corruption, crime and the confiscation of the country's independence, freedom and sovereignty. Syria, jointly with its Iranian mullah allies, completely embraces both Hezbollah and Hamas as well as a score of radical and Islamic fundamentalist organizations. Syria and Iran breed, cultivate, recruit, train, finance and use the majority of terrorism organizations
Autocratic and oppressive regimes in both Syria and Iran are the sole godfathers for most of the terrorist groups and individuals all over the world. They are creating chaos and instability in Arab and Middle Eastern countries under camouflaged and deceptive religious slogans. Meanwhile, the free world up till now not only doing nothing but is, instead, cajoling and appeasing both rogue regimes.
To globally eliminate and eradicate all forms of terrorism, regimes that harbor terrorists must be contained militarily or toppled. The Syrian and Iranian regimes should be at the top of the list for this effort. Meanwhile, all politicians, academics and clergy who advocate or sponsor terrorism must be arrested and put on trial through international tribunals
In conclusion, the majority of the terrorist organizations all over the world including Hezbollah, and Hamas are mere military tools and proxies that are found, financed, and sponsored by the two rogue regimes of Iran and Syria. Therefore, an effective global war against terrorism can not by any means be successful if the regimes that breed terrorism are not dealt with first. Fighting only fundamentalist and terrorist organizations will not put an end to global terrorism. What is required foremost is the eradication of the regimes that foster, produce, protect and export terrorism.
Click Here to the Arabic version of the above editorial
http://www.10452lccc.com/elias.arabic09/elias.benladen%206.5.11.htm
Click Here to listen to the above editorial/Lebanese dialogue
http://www.eliasbejjani.com/elias%20audio11/elias6.5.11.wma
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
Isaiah 33/1: "Woe to you who destroy, but you weren’t destroyed; and who betray, but nobody betrayed you! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed; and when you have made an end of betrayal, you will be betrayed."
Faithful people who strongly believe in the Day Of Judgment and in God's sole authority of revenge do not hail, rejoice, encourage, or commit the act of killing humans under any given circumstances, no matter what are the justifications or reasons. The two pillars of Faith are love and forgiveness, and not hatred or revenge as per the Bible teaching. (Saint Paul's Letter to the Romans 12/18-20: "If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men. Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.”)
Murderers at the intellectual, academic, and leadership level, like the late terrorist Bin Laden, choose their evil lifestyle of hostility, corruption and crime. They distance themselves from God and faith, cowardly disregard all human rights' covenants, disrespect and breaks laws, lack the spirit of accountability and responsibility, and openly despise all values and morals. By walking this awkward and dangerous life path of rebellion against all society and faith norms they put themselves in a very vulnerable position where others, be individuals or authorities, are forced to deal with them in the same manner of force, deterrence and elimination.
In this context Osama bin Laden's acts of massive murder, terrorism and crime has brought on him the fatal end that he asked for and ultimately received. USA military forces haunted and killed him for the horrible massacre that he committed against the American people on the11th of September/2001, in which more than 3000 innocent individuals were murdered, mostly Americans, including 24 Canadians. He planned, financed and ordered this terrorist unprecedented bloody massacre, the biggest against the American people since the surprising air raid carried out by the Japanese Imperial Navy on December 07/1941 on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor.
It is an incontestable fact that killing bin Laden is a superb success in the global war against terrorism for military, legal and psychological reasons. Meanwhile his physical liquidation does not mean by any way that the evil education of terrorism, suicide and homicide, fundamentalist zealotry, and the culture of hatred that he has cultivated and spread were buried in the Arabian Sea along with his body. No, the death of the Saudi-born, wealthy fundamentalist and terrorist has not made the world terrorism-free. The impact of Osama Bin Laden as a symbol will most likely keep inspiring affiliated groups and individuals for some time, a fact that calls for an on going global vigilance and a need to continue all joint international efforts to contain, prevent and fight terrorism.
For achieving ultimate success and triumph in the global fight against terrorism, the main focus in this very costly and highly sophisticated war must be on the regimes that harbor, breed, and export it, and not only on organizations and individuals. There is no doubt that global fundamentalism and terrorism will continue to be a dire threat to world peace and stability after the physical absence of bin Laden as long as there are rogue regimes left alone without any kind of deterrence to use terrorism in their expansionism, sectarianism, hostility and destructive schemes. At the forefront of regimes that sponsor terrorism are the countries of Syria, Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Gaza Strip, Egypt, Iraq and the mini-state of Hezbollah, the Palestinian refugee camps and the Syrian military bases in Lebanon.
Bin Laden could not have escaped his deadly fate since 2001, if Pakistan and other countries were not providing him and his top notch terrorist aids with a safe haven. In this realm the American military and intelligence sources disclosed that Abbottabad, where Bin Laden was shot dead Sunday night on May 2, is a Pakistani garrison town where a large military base is located. His mansion was just 100 meters away from Pakistan's military academy and 120 kilometers from the capital of Islamabad and Pakistani intelligence headquarters. These sobering facts indicate that the Pakistani military and its intelligence must have known who was living in the exceptionally large, heavily guarded mansion in their midst and in plain sight and kept this knowledge from the Americans. The mansion was encircled by 12-15 meter high walls topped by 7 foot privacy wall and barbed wire accessed through two steel, electrically-operated security gates. The Pakistani authorities could not have missed it when it was built in 2005 and more buildings were added later.
Bin Laden's hypocrisy was unveiled and plainly exposed in the kind of life style that he was enjoying in the midst of a semi-urban Pakistani area. While he was sending men and women to their deaths, he was not hiding in a hole, in a jungle, or in a remote mountainous cave. No, he was residing comfortably in a million-dollar three-storey mansion with his wives, children, close family members and aids, while getting the best of the latest telecommunication and leisure technology.
It is so frustrating, and extremely sad that since the mid-fifties our peace-loving Lebanese people have been and still are victims for all forms of terrorism. Syria is fully behind all the terrorists that have been inflicting all sorts of terrorism on the Lebanese. Syria has instigated in Lebanon endless futile wars, chaos, instability, exodus, corruption, crime and the confiscation of the country's independence, freedom and sovereignty. Syria, jointly with its Iranian mullah allies, completely embraces both Hezbollah and Hamas as well as a score of radical and Islamic fundamentalist organizations. Syria and Iran breed, cultivate, recruit, train, finance and use the majority of terrorism organizations
Autocratic and oppressive regimes in both Syria and Iran are the sole godfathers for most of the terrorist groups and individuals all over the world. They are creating chaos and instability in Arab and Middle Eastern countries under camouflaged and deceptive religious slogans. Meanwhile, the free world up till now not only doing nothing but is, instead, cajoling and appeasing both rogue regimes.
To globally eliminate and eradicate all forms of terrorism, regimes that harbor terrorists must be contained militarily or toppled. The Syrian and Iranian regimes should be at the top of the list for this effort. Meanwhile, all politicians, academics and clergy who advocate or sponsor terrorism must be arrested and put on trial through international tribunals
In conclusion, the majority of the terrorist organizations all over the world including Hezbollah, and Hamas are mere military tools and proxies that are found, financed, and sponsored by the two rogue regimes of Iran and Syria. Therefore, an effective global war against terrorism can not by any means be successful if the regimes that breed terrorism are not dealt with first. Fighting only fundamentalist and terrorist organizations will not put an end to global terrorism. What is required foremost is the eradication of the regimes that foster, produce, protect and export terrorism.
Click Here to the Arabic version of the above editorial
http://www.10452lccc.com/elias.arabic09/elias.benladen%206.5.11.htm
Click Here to listen to the above editorial/Lebanese dialogue
http://www.eliasbejjani.com/elias%20audio11/elias6.5.11.wma
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
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