Friday, December 27, 2013

God Bless Mohamad Chatah's Soul

By: Elias Bejjani*
 http://www.10452lccc.com
Once again the Iranian-Syrian Evil Of Axis Criminals brutally assassinate a patriotic, peaceful and intellectual Lebanese dignitary.  Today, in occupied and oppressed  Lebanon, the former Lebanese minister Mohamad Chatah was murdered in a massive car bomb blast that killed also and seriously injured tens of innocent citizens in Lebanon's capital, Beirut.
Mohamad Chatah, the courageous outspoken 62 years old moderate academic and noble political figure strongly believed in a free and sovereign Lebanon, dialogue, the language of reason, and in the right to different views and political stances.
Sadly, this morning, Chatah joined all the other patriotic and heroic Lebanese martyrs who with faith and devotion fell while struggling to reclaim Lebanon's confiscated independence, sovereignty and freedoms. 
There is no doubt that the Assad dictatorship intelligence and the terrorist Hezbollah Iranian militia are behind this horrible crime, as they were with evilness and shame accountable for all other similar crimes that occurred since 1960 and targeted Lebanese patriotic leaders, clergymen, officials and politicians.
It is worth mentioning that Chatah's assassination took place three weeks before the long-delayed opening of a trial of five Hezbollah suspects indicted for the 2005 bombing that killed former Lebanese PM Rafik al-Hariri with 21 other individuals.
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), trial is due to start next month in Hague. The suspects are all prominent Hezbollah military members. Meanwhile this terrorist Iranian organization has strongly refused to cooperate with the court, alleging it is politically motivated.
In my capacity as a Canadian - Lebanese Human Rights Activist and political commentator, I strongly and with the harshest terms condemn  this barbaric and terrorist crime and call on the free world countries to help the Lebanese people and its patriotic and peaceful leaders by all available means and resources to reclaim Lebanon's independence that is confiscated by Hezbollah,  the Iranian-Syrian Axis of Evil military proxy
Deepest sympathies are extended to the families and friends of those killed in today, and all wish for a speedy recovery to all the injured.
May the souls of all those innocent victims that were killed today rest in peace.

*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
Face Book
https://www.facebook.com/elias.y.bejjani
Twitter Elias Bejjani@phoeniciaelias

Background

Former Lebanese minister Mohamad Chatah, Anti-Assad Lebanese ex-minister killed in Beirut bomb
By Samia Nakhoul and Stephen Kalin | Reuters /December 27/13
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Former Lebanese minister Mohamad Chatah, who opposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, was killed in a massive bomb blast which one of his political allies blamed on Lebanon's Shi'ite Hezbollah militia. Friday's attack also killed five other people and threw Lebanon, which has been drawn into neighboring Syria's conflict, into further turmoil after a series of sectarian bombings aimed at Shi'ites and Sunnis over the past year. Former prime minister Saad al-Hariri accused Hezbollah of involvement in the killing of Chatah, his 62-year-old political adviser, saying it was "a new message of terrorism". "As far as we are concerned the suspects ... are those who are fleeing international justice and refusing to represent themselves before the international tribunal," Hariri said. Chatah's killing occurred three weeks before the long-delayed opening of a trial of five Hezbollah suspects indicted for the 2005 bombing which killed former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, Saad's father, and 21 other people. The trial is due to open in The Hague in January. The suspects are all fugitives and Hezbollah, which denies any role in the Hariri assassination, has refused to cooperate with the court, which it says is politically motivated. Preliminary U.N. investigations implicated Syrian officials. Chatah, a Sunni Muslim, was a vocal critic of Hezbollah. A message on his Twitter account less than an hour before the blast accused the group of trying to take control of the country. "Hezbollah is pressing hard to be granted similar powers in security and foreign policy matters that Syria exercised in Lebanon for 15 years," the tweet read. The conflict in Syria has polarized Lebanon and increased sectarian tensions. Hezbollah has sent fighters to Syria to fight alongside Assad, who is from the Alawite sect, a heterodox offshoot of Shi'ite Islam. Some of the Sunni Syrian rebel groups are linked to al Qaeda, which is also seeking to topple Assad. Former minister Marwan Hamadeh, who survived a car bomb in 2004, told Al Arabiya television: "Hezbollah will not be able to rule Lebanon, no matter how much destruction it causes or blood it spills."
CONDEMNATION
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Mikati and officials from across Lebanon's sectarian political divide condemned Chatah's killing. Mikati said the blast targeted "a moderate academic and noble political figure who believed in dialogue, the language of reason and the right to different views". Hezbollah parliamentarian Ali Ammar described the explosion as a crime. "We condemn this terrorist act," he told Hezbollah's Al Manar television. "It is part of a terrorist wave which the region and Lebanon are witnessing". While Chatah had no political power base of his own, his international experience, diplomatic contacts and academic analysis made him a key member of Hariri's circle of advisers. An economist and a diplomat, he worked for the International Monetary Fund in Washington and served as Lebanon's ambassador to the United States. He was also minister of finance from July 2008 to November 2009, after which he worked as a foreign policy adviser to the younger Hariri. Sources at the explosion site said Chatah was on his way to attend a meeting at Hariri's headquarters when the explosion tore through his car. Hariri himself has stayed away from Lebanon for more than two years, fearing for his safety. A Reuters witness said Chatah's car was "totally destroyed, it is a wreck." Chatah's identity card, torn and charred, was found at the scene. Iran, which backs Hezbollah, came under attack in Beirut last month. On November 19, two suicide bombings rocked the embassy compound, killing at least 25 people including an Iranian cultural attache. The sound of Friday's blast was heard across the city at around 9:40 a.m. (0740 GMT) and black smoke was seen rising in the chic downtown business and hotel district. It shattered glass in nearby apartment blocks and damaged cars, restaurants, coffee shops and offices. "I heard a huge explosion and saw a ball of fire and palls of black smoke. We ran out of our offices to the streets," said Hassan Akkawi, who works in a finance company nearby. "The explosion caught motorists driving in the morning rush hour here. There was terror and panic among residents. There was a big ball of fire and panic everywhere and then we learned that Chatah was the target," said Adel-Raouf Kneio.Much of Beirut went into lockdown following the explosion, with police blocking off roads across the city. After a series of explosions in the capital and in the northern city of Tripoli, the Lebanese army had stepped up security measures ahead of Christmas and New Year, fearing further attacks.
FEAR AND PANIC
The explosion shocked residents and emptied the streets in downtown Beirut, where people seeking a respite from recent turmoil had ventured out to enjoy the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
"I was on my way to open the store and then the explosion happened. For a while I was thinking, 'Am I still alive?' I didn't know what happened. I was just seeing the people running and holding their ears and eyes, and running," said Maya, manager of the Taten dress shop. The owner of a restaurant down the street from the blast site, whose windows were smashed, said: "The damage to the glass is not the problem. People won't want to come here now. We were fully booked for the next five days." Workers at luxury dress shops next to the site, where the entire glass facade was destroyed, were sweeping up glass, picking up damaged mannequins and counting the damage to the luxury dresses. "I consider all this terrorism, damaging the country and the people. What can we say more? God helps us, God help this country," said Lebanese citizen Jamal near the explosion scene.
(Additional reporting by Mariam Karouny, Leila Bassam and Dominic Evans; Editing by Giles Elgood
 

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

ميلاد السيد المسيح والبركات والعطايا الإلهية

ميلاد السيد المسيح والبركات والعطايا الإلهية
بقلم/الياس بجاني


مع الاحتفال بذكرى ولادة المخلص، وإطلالة السنة الجديدة، نتقدم من الجميع بأحر التهاني والتبريكات، طالبين من المولود الإلهي الفرج والسلام والطمأنينة لوطننا الأم لبنان، وعطايا الثبات والرجاء والإيمان للصامدين فيه من أهلنا بوجه الظلم، والهداية للمرتدين منهم والشاردين، والبصيرة للمُغرر بهم، والتوبة للإسخريوتيين، وصحوة الضمير لحاملي مباخر التبجيل والذمية والتقية والنفاق.

مع الذكرى المقدسة تمثِّلنا الكلمة الحرة الموضوعية الصارخة، الكلمة التي كانت في البدء، والتي هي الله، والتي صارت بشراً فسكنت بيننا ورأينا مجدها، فهي تنوب عنا بمفهومها الإنجيلي مُحلِقةً في الأثير، راحلةً لتدق أبواب وقلوب الأهل في وطن الأرز، وبلاد الانتشار حيث رفاق غربتنا والحنين، معايدينهم بها وعبرها، راغبين لهم جميعاً في ميلاد مجيد وعام سعيد تكللهما بركات ونِعم السماء. ثم نسأل الطفل الإله دفق المسرات عليهم وإغداق أنداء السلام والوئام والمحبة والاطمئنان.

إن ما يواجهه وطننا المعذب وأهلنا من صعاب لا يمكن مقاربتها إلا بالإيمان والثقة المطلقة بالعناية الإلهية. إن سلاح الإيمان المبني على الرجاء لا يُقهر وهو الأقوى. تسلحنا به منذ 7000 آلاف سنة ولا زلنا، وهو لم، ولن يخذلنا بإذن الله. لنتذكر باستمرار أن فاقد الإيمان يجعل من نفسه عبداً لشهواته والأطماع، والقديس بولس الرسول يقول: "ألا تعلمون أنكم إذا جعلتم أنفسكم عبيداً في خدمة أحدٍ لتخضعوا له صرتم عبيداً لمن تخضعون؟ إما للخطيئة التي تقود إلى الموت، وإما إلى الطاعة التي تقود إلى البر" (رومة 6-15)

نطلب من طفل المغارة أن يقوي إيماننا لأن من له ذرة إيمان كحبة خردل يمكنه نقل الجبال، وقد وبخ السيد المسيح تلاميذه لضآلة إيمانهم يوم خافوا مرتبكين من هبوب رياح العاصفة على المراكب، قائلا لهم: "ما بالكم مضطربين يا قليلي الإيمان، ثم زجر الريح فسكن البحر وحدث هدوءُ تام" (متى 9-19-20)

ونحن نحتفل ونصلي، يجب أن لا ننسى أن سِيَّر القديسين والشهداء تُعلِمنا أن المؤمن لا يمكن أن تهزمه شدائد ولا تسحقه تجارب: "فالشدة تلد الصبر، والصبر يلد الاختبار، والاختبار يلد الرجاء، والرجاء لا يخيب صاحبه، لأن محبة الله أفيضت في قلوبنا بالروح القدس الذي وهب لنا" (رومة 5 - 4 و5).

 نداء من القلب نوجهه إلى كل الذين قتلتهم الأنانية، وغرقوا في أوحال وشباك وأفخاخ النفوذ والمال والسلطة، وإلى كل من يخبطون مهزومين في دواخلهم لقلة إيمانهم ونفاد رجائهم، أن يتعظوا بكلام السيد المسيح: "إن ثبتّم في كلامي، كنتم حقاً تلاميذي تعرفون الحقّ والحق يحرركم" (يوحنا 8-32)

مع كل المؤمنين والشرفاء وأصحاب الضمائر الحية نجدِّد العهد والقسَّم متابعين مسيرة النضال السلمي والحضاري الهادف للذود بإيمان وعزيمة ودون هوادة عن حق أهلنا في وطن الأرز بحياة حرة وكريمة. سنستمر بإذن إله العيد رافعين عالياً رايات الشهادة للحق دون خوف أو مسايرة، أو التفات لاحتياجات ذاتية آنية، أو مصالح لغير الوطن وناسه والهوية. فمن يشهد للحق، الحق يحرره.

 ونحن في خشعة غربتنا الصامتة دائماً، والقاتلة أحياناً، نرحل بالقلب والروح والفكر على أجنحة الكلمة إلى أجواء لبناننا المعذب وجباله والوديان، وإلى صوامع نساكه وكنائسه والأديرة، وإلى بكركي التي أعطي لها مجد لبنان، وإلى مُهج ذوينا الصابرين على الضيم والشقاء بإيمان وجلد القديسين، راجين معهم الخلاص مع مجيء إله الفداء سيدنا يسوع المسيح، له المجد سجوداً وإكراماً.

 ننتهزها سانحة لنتضرع إلى طفل المغارة، جاعلين من صُدُرنا مذوداً ليحل فيه، وبصوت عالٍ وخشوع نسأله قائلين:
اجعل صولجان القيادة عندنا قادراً، وتاج الرعاية مشرَّفاً لاستكمال استقلال وطني سيِّد ومُصان أساسه العدل والقانون حجر زاويته والمساواة قاعدته وشرعته الحقوق الدولية والسواعد حماته وأبعد عنا خطايا ولوثات القنوط والإحباط والجبن، وثبت الرجاء بقلوبنا وعقولنا والوجدان.
أشرق على لبناننا وعلى وسع مساحته شمس الحرية. صُنْ أطفاله ببراءتك، وأعضد أيتامه بيمينك، وساعد فقراءه.أطلق السجناء والمعتقلين اعتباطاً من شبابه والجنود والرهبان القابعين في غياهب السجون السورية النازية، وردهم إلى أهلهم ومحبيهم.
ردَّ أهلنا اللاجئين في إسرائيل والمبعدين قسراً وظلماً وعدواناً عن جنوبهم الغالي وعن أهلهم وأرضهم المقدسة المسقية عرقاً ودماءً وتضحيات. ردهم إلى بيوتهم وعيالهم سالمين ومرفوعي الرأس، ومصاني الكرامة والحقوق.
أَعِنْ المقهورين من أهلنا بلطفك، واشف مرضاهم بحنانك، ورد مَن مِنهم ضل الطريق. أُنصُفْ المظلومين والمضطهدين برفقك، وأفرِّج عن المتضايقين برأفتك. دبِّر أهلنا بعطفك، وأدفء الباردين منهم بحرارة إحسانك، وأدفق على فراغهم نعمك والبركات. اجمع شمل أهلنا تحت أفياء ألوهتك ومتِّعهم بضياء وجهك المُسرمد.
نجِنا من كفر وبطش جلاَّدين وقادة وسياسيين ومسؤولين لا رحمة في قلوبهم ولا إشفاق. استبدل الظلام الذي يكتنف نفوس وخواطر ووجدان غالبية الممسكين بقرارنا والمصير بعطايا المحبة والإيمان والرجاء، وأردم فجوة العدم المرعبة في ضمائرهم، وأنر قلوبهم والعقول، ليعملوا بمشيئتك وحسب تعاليمك والشرائع.
أعطينا الشجاعة ليصارح بصدق كل امرءٍ منا ذاته، ويدرك بالعقل والقلب وعن قناعة راسخة وكاملة أنه المسؤول وحده عن وزناته فكراً وعملاً وتعاملاً أمام منبرك عندما يجيء بنا إليك ابنك الوحيد والملائكة يوم الحساب الأخير، حيث إما الفرح اللامتناهي، أو الثواب والعقاب، والبكاء وصريف الأسنان.
اجعل كل منا مولوداً جديدا بروحك القدوس، وقياميًّاً بقوة انتصارك المظفر.
 أحرق فسادنا المُدَنَّس بنار طهرك الرائف، وأغمر موتانا بأنوارك وأسكن أرواحهم فسيح جناتك.
أنشر برحمتك السلام في ربوع لبناننا الحبيب، بلد السلام وفي العالم كله، وأطفئ نارِ الحروب والظلم بمحبتك المقدسة.
ميلاد مجيد وعام سعيد


الكاتب معلق سياسي وناشط لبناني اغترابي
عنوان الكاتب الالكتروني
تورنتو/كندا في 25 كانون الأول/13





Oppressed Lebanon and the Christmas Spirit

Oppressed Lebanon and the Christmas Spirit
By: Elias Bejjani
http://www.10452lccc.com/elias%20english09/elias.christmas13.htm

December 25/13
Thinking of the great fatherhood love that Almighty God carries for us, we His children, helps in appreciating and understanding the actual meanings of Christmas. God for the sake of our salvation and freedom from the original sin, He sent His only son, Jesus Christ, to be incarnated, live on earth like each one of us, endure all kinds of torture, pain, humiliation and  to be crucified. Jesus made us His own and called us to carry His holy message and preach it.

Hand in hand with all those who believe in righteousness and in the ultimate prevalence of good over evil, let us ask Jesus Christ, the incarnated God, to grant peace and stability to the whole world. and to shower all our oppressed Lebanese people with the graces of faith, perseverance, patience, and to bestow them the power of endurance to face the hardships inflicted on them by the Evil of Axis, the Syrian-Iranian occupation.
Despite all the sufferings, our faithful and patriotic people will always hold on to the hope of Lebanon's resurrection and to its eventual  mere liberation from occupation, traitors and all evil. History always repeats itself, and victory shall inevitably be for those Lebanese who courageously and faithfully carry Lebanon's torch of freedom, dignity, and human rights, as has always been for the past 7,000 years.
All wishes to everyone of you, in occupied Lebanon, and in the Diaspora, to enjoy with your beloved ones a holy and glorious Christmas, and a very Happy New year.
Our great happiness as patriotic Lebanese will reach its prime when, and only when, our beloved Lebanon, home and land of our great fathers and ancestors reclaims its confiscated independence, redeems its marginalized sovereignty, restores its oppressed freedoms, and regains its hijacked free decision-making process.

Our joy and happiness in celebrating Christmas will be at peak the day:

When hundreds of our country's arbitrarily held detainees are released from the fascist Syrian jails and horrible detention centers, where they have been deprived for more then 30 years of all their basic human rights.

When our free and patriotic comrades, individuals, leaders and dignitaries are no longer prisoners of conscience inside Lebanon, and not exposed to intimidation, fear, terrorism and assassinations

When our exiled people from South Lebanon who are taking refugee in Israel are welcomed back in Lebanon, officially and publicly with open arms.

When Lebanon's fertile fields are again green, ploughed, sowed, guarded and harvested by our men and women.

When our factories are re-opened, productive, and run only by Lebanese hands.

When our borders are patrolled solely by the Lebanese army and security forces,
When all militias, Lebanese and non-Lebanese, are disarmed and dismantled,
When the law of the land and the legitimate authority of a sovereign Lebanese people are fully and independently applied and enforced on all Lebanon's soil.

When conscientious and patriotic Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected freely by the people who deserve MPs who, in turn, understand that they have the obligation and the privilege to represent the people's hopes, aspirations and wishes.

When Lebanon's markets are open for the country's products with no foreign hegemony or unfair and arbitrary competition.

When Lebanon's judiciary is fair, unbiased and non-politicized, and when the judiciary and judges fully respect the constitution and abide by the law of the land and the Charter of Human Rights.

When Lebanese identity is honored and hailed by all the Lebanese communities, and is placed above all other political, regional, ethnic and religious affiliations.

Then, and only then, we can rest our case for the struggle.
Let us all pray that the birth of Our Lord Jesus will coincide this year with the re-birth of a new Lebanon that is free, independent and sovereign.

By God's will, all the Lebanese will be able next year to celebrate Christmas and the New Year in a liberated Lebanon that is run by the Lebanese and only by them.

Best wishes for our people for A Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year.

Elias BejjaniCanadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email
phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Face Book
https://www.facebook.com/elias.y.bejjani
Twitter Elias Bejjani@phoeniciaelias





مقالة الياس بجاني الميلادية
ميلاد السيد المسيح والبركات والعطايا الإلهية/الياس بجاني/25 كانون الأول/13
http://www.10452lccc.com/elias%20arabic11/elias%2025.12.13.htm

بالصوت/ميلاد السيد المسيح والبركات والعطايا الإلهية/الياس بجاني/25 كانون الأول/13
http://www.clhrf.com/elias.editorials13/elias.christmas.13.wma
مقدمة/مع الاحتفال بذكرى ولادة المخلص، وإطلالة السنة الجديدة، نتقدم من الجميع بأحر التهاني والتبريكات، طالبين من المولود الإلهي الفرج والسلام والطمأنينة لوطننا الأم لبنان، وعطايا الثبات والرجاء والإيمان للصامدين فيه من أهلنا بوجه الظلم، والهداية للمرتدين منهم والشاردين، والبصيرة للمُغرر بهم، والتوبة للإسخريوتيين، وصحوة الضمير لحاملي مباخر التبجيل والذمية والتقية والنفاق. مع الذكرى المقدسة تمثِّلنا الكلمة الحرة الموضوعية الصارخة، الكلمة التي كانت في البدء، والتي هي الله، والتي صارت بشراً فسكنت بيننا ورأينا مجدها، فهي تنوب عنا بمفهومها الإنجيلي مُحلِقةً في الأثير، راحلةً لتدق أبواب وقلوب الأهل في وطن الأرز، وبلاد الانتشار حيث رفاق غربتنا والحنين، معايدينهم بها وعبرها، راغبين لهم جميعاً في ميلاد مجيد وعام سعيد تكللهما بركات ونِعم السماء. ثم نسأل الطفل الإله دفق المسرات عليهم وإغداق أنداء السلام والوئام والمحبة والاطمئنان.