FPM Convoys Roam Streets on Eve of 'Fateful' Day, Army Says Will Protect Peaceful Demos
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربيةVehicles packed with supporters of the Free Patriotic Movement roamed the streets in several regions Wednesday evening, as the FPM continued to prepare for Thursday's street action, which FPM chief Michel Aoun has described as a “fateful battle.”
“FPM supporters from all regions have started heading to the Nahr el-Mot area, where they will gather ahead of taking off in convoys” that will roam several streets, state-run National News Agency reported.
“Our protests are peaceful and are part of preparing for the protest movements demanding the restoration of the rights of Christians,” said Hisham Kanj of the FPM's Metn department.
“Wouldn't they do the same thing if their sect was aggrieved?” he asked.
From Jbeil's souks to the coastal highway between Nahr el-Mot, Jal el-Dib, Antelias and Dbaye, FPM supporters organized massive convoys, raising Lebanese and FPM flags and blasting FPM anthems from the speakers of their vehicles.
Protesters also gathered near the Mirna Chalouhi Center in Baouchrieh ahead of taking off in convoys that headed to the Tabaris area in downtown Beirut.
“We will make our voice heard in a civilized and democratic way. We must be real partners in this government and we haven't asked our allies to be with us on the ground,” Education Minister Elias Bou Saab told reporters at the Baouchrieh gathering.
NNA said FPM convoys also roamed the streets in the northern districts of Batroun and Koura and the Bekaa district of Zahle.
The FPM has held a series of organizational meetings from Koura in the North all the way to Jezzine in the South, distributing flyers urging the Christian community to participate in rallies, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.
The FPM has also held several meetings at its headquarters in Rabieh, and sources from the movement told the daily that the steps “will include specific targets that have a strategic painful effect.”
The movement's chief MP Michel Aoun has called on his supporters to prepare for rallies to regain the “Christians rights.” He is waiting for the outcome of Thursday's cabinet session to give the green light for street mobility.
His supporters began preparing to stage anti-government rallies after the cabinet failed to discuss the appointment of high-ranking security and military officials.
Flyers calling for the restoration of the Christians' rights and urging for the participation in the rallies have been distributed in universities and several regions, reports said.
FPM sources told al-Joumhouria that the mobilization will start on Wednesday in all of Lebanon's regions, warning that “it is only the beginning and we will not accept to be distanced from the equation.”
However, they stressed that the moves will be “peaceful, democratic and under the law,” keeping all options open for the shape that the demonstrations will take.
Later during the day, Aoun met with his son-in-law Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil who stated afterward that there is no specific time set for the street action and that all the options are on the table.
On the other hand, the army assured that it will protect “peaceful and civilized” rallies, acknowledging the civil rights to protest under the law, the newspaper said.
However it will not allow assaults against citizens or public property, attempts to disturb security, or clashes in the streets among citizens.
This madman wants to regain the “Christians rights”... but it is him who sold his soul to Ebola... he is a traitor to Lebanon and to Christians in particular!
You ought to listen to Gen. Fayez Karam saying that the caporal is very mentally ill and they had at one time to call a Dr from the AUB in emergency.
Ebola have chosen this man precisely because he is neurasthenic.
no matter how much you saudi slaves are paid to post hateful slandering comments about him, he remains the greatest lebanese christian leader with the greatest support. we won't have our choices dictated by some glorified camel wipers, choke on it.
@mowaten E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T. Still laughing since the day you declared you were not a shia but a secular atheist. Thank you
I also laughed more just now when you said " lol funny to hear this"
Thank You Thank You
momo ya momo..We have nothing to do with Saudi.
Saudis bring in some money to the game and are a necessary counter balance to Iranian funds. Saudis are one among many countries to bring financial aid and support to the ones who oppose the Iranians.
Ebola is something completely different. They fight, die, and bow to Iran unconditionally.
Ebola adopts their ideology whereas no one in Lebanon is interested in Saudi ideology, culture, or lifestyle. Ebola are Iranians, nothing less.
Mowaten, then you must also include your dear Sayed Hassan, nabih berri, Sleyman Frangieh and the Tashnak, because they all made their positions clear not to support Aoun in the street protests. Now Aoun is reduced just to make street marches, but before that he was aiming at everything that would break the peace. Try for once to keep some dignity to your posts, if things aren't going your ways, or if we write to protest Aoun's stupidities, it does not give you the right to insult people.
oh phoenix please keep your hypocrisy to yourself and save me your lectures on "insults". Your friends here constantly use the vilest language without it ever bothering you, yet you come and whine when i call you what you are: saudi slaves, bought & sold from ear to ear.
akh momo... no arguments, no brain, just the same tunes over and over again:
"-You are Saudi Slaves
- The zionists did it
- The STL is politicized
- It is a CIA conspiracy"
zzz......
Mowaten, you know why I love you people? It's because you spare us the brunt of the hard work to prove that in truth you people behave like thugs. You're quick on the trigger to call people by names, in my case you dressed in in borrowed robes again by calling me a hypocrite. People like you do make short-work of the bad reputation of M8 and Hezbollah adepts, thankfully it takes so little for you people to fly the lid, thus we need do so little work to expose your double standards as an M8 alliance working under the dictates of Hezbollah, Syria and Iran. If in a forum your behavior is so abject, I therefore thank God that you people do not lead the nation, and apparently you never will. The field of diatribes is all your brother, feel free to say what you wish, in that undesirable language again, the only one you really know.
You people are hypocrites. You bow down to America, Israel and Saudi Arabia without objection.
The Resistance are the last honor of Lebanon and the March 8 Allianve that follows it.
Gen. Aouns party is actually pretty huge inside Lebanon. Seems like this will be a big demonstration across Lebanon.
texas, why do you keep pressure on Phoenix? The party he supports are staunch U.S Allies and Israel aswell. If anyone denies Bachir Gemayels own words, then they are just complete liars.
Here is Bachir Gemayel with his own words -
"We fight for American values"
https://youtu.be/Jp0_NJaLhb4?t=1m11s
My link is verified journalism, so don't make up excuses that it is false.
I will give credit to Gemayel, atleast he was honest about his alliances with the American agendas.
Hezbollah is part of the Iranian revolution, that is no secret at all.
It was also the only people inside Lebanon that confronted American and Israeli aggression, something Lebanese Forces always feared, we are the reason Lebanon never became an American colony, as you wished it should be.
Since you are so concerned about my loyalty, I never denied that I follow Marja Ayatollah Khamenei.
Be it as it may, did the Resistance ever massacre thousands of civilian Christians or any other innocents? The answer is a big NO, and I would like to see you and the rest present me some evidence of that.
Ya phoenix you are a funny bird. What majes you think you can speak for all the Christians? Lebanese Forces murdered many innocent Christians during the war, so don't act like you are the victims.
You allied with the Syrians and Israel long before the Resistance emerged, the war against you back then was not against your sect, but your unlimited support to Israel and the West.
Now Syria, the Resistance are the ones helping the Christians overthere defend themselves against your so called "moderate rebels" Sure sure, the war is lost and the Resistance are finished - only in your dreams ya zalame.
Regarding Yemen, there is no Hezb overthere but the Yemeni people are fighting hard to reclaim their freedom from the Wahabis enslavement, those wars are far from over.
Between Mowaten and Mystic there must be a lot more trolls, the benefit of the doubt was given them, but the obvious is too obvious, the low gutter level of language and hatred remains unchanged even if the names change. Shameful behavior, something I could not believe in the past, now confirmed, so obvious, plus those banned ones too.
(1). Mystic, this is what you said, "Gen. Aouns party is actually pretty huge inside Lebanon. Seems like this will be a big demonstration across Lebanon.", end of quote. You know something my friend, even though I know that you will deny this, just as you would deny the very air you breathe, it's Thursday 9 July 2015, we've been observing them demos, to be perfectly correct, they are pitiful, unconcerned traffic is clogged and has been estimated to make up more than 80% of car presence on the roads the FPM is demoing. Then the FPM is cheating like always, posting old pictures of days when it was in Winter, cloudy and raining, saying it was yesterday. Hezbollah cars have been spotted infiltrating, as have been SPNP cars from the Metn and North Lebanon. D
(2). Mystic. Thursday 9 July 2015. Don't worry, our eyes on the roads are watching you, and the cheating is gaining you nothing. So far the ripple effect you people were hoping for hasn't happened. So much for that much anticipated Tsunami, not even a wave fit for surfing, sad, very sad for you people.
Sophia_angle. This is the trouble with you people, you still believe in that Tsunami thing of 10 years ago, now everything that the FPM wishes to do will amount to no further than a wave unfit even for surfing, and even worse, one has to wait for that right wave too. Now people like you are hedging their bets on numbers, car numbers, as if this ploy will provide your deranged leader Aoun with the show of force he is desperately looking for. You and I and in fact every single Lebanese that commutes daily to work in the GBA will know that dreaded effect of a small accident on the highways approaching Beirut, even as little as just two cars, you do know of the crippling effect this has on traffic. So if the FPM wants to send its partisans from every corner of Lebanon to pile up into a comparatively small area, then expect piling, but that is never enough to change the fate of a nation, especially not the way Aoun wants it for himself.
No one believed me when I was writing that this man is mareed.
Now everyone can witness it.
When the caporal says that Roukoz is one of the greatest officers known all around the Middle East...anyone can see the degree of madness.
do you ever get tired of trolling?! Who has the time to spare like you do? Who has the tenacity to be here 24 hours per day and make 500 aliases per day?
The supporters of the Caporal on Naharnet are Ebola supporters and they will always support him because he is their Khadim.
More and more Christians are realizing that the caporal works for himself and his family.
Christian rights = my rights, my families rights and the rights of the people of my village. 70% of whom voted for the FPM at the last elections. You can pretend we don't exist, but we do, and in big numbers and we will not be a displaced people within our own country. The Future movements apartheid against those it cannot buy has to stop.
rami.batroun
I am a Christian as well and I am not sure I understand who and why is trying to displace you or me in our own country. This propaganda is not even close to reality. The Future movement that you are indoctrinated to hate are the ones always calling for equal rights, election of a Christian president, etc. You Aounis have to have an enemy at all times. You chose Future movement i,e the sunnis as your enemy because you are part of the iranian scheme.
Yaaa Mowaten, are you with us? Look, you need to talk to this new troll that calls itself @barking.m14er. Truly speaking, this is so unfair to you and Mystic, it kind of taints you, speak to it and tell it to leave now, walaw, kirmelkoun, mish aktar. ba3den, the Naharnet Mod team is enjoying a nice sleep too!!
why should i talk to him? i dont know who he is and i dont see any of you saying a word about all the trolls on your side insulting us and making the most disgusting sectarian comments.
phoenix;;; you are asking the troll to stop trolling. It is him who has been making these accounts and insulting everybody yet he claims he is innocent. He just reported my comment perhaps 100 times and got it deleted which just proves my point.
Stop talking about the Sauds...your "General of Generals" went to Riyadh and kissed their hands to get their support...
For once: answer this question "Do you see that this man is mentally insane. Yes or No?"
Here is a good summary of what is happening. read this
https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/blogs/565550-the-fpm-revolution
don't worry, our side never relied on buying it's supporters, unlike geagea, hariri and their saudi masters
مصادر “الوطني الحر”: نحضر لضربات موجعة.. وحددنا أهدافا لها وقع إستراتيجي مؤلم
will they be using f-15s strike eagles or f-22 raptors. What a bunch of losers! They are now hated more than ever.
The coming weeks will show whether or not the FPM has popular support in the Christian street. Post Taef situation is shocking for Christians. They are either "Mouajareen - hired help paid for by Saudis" or free peoples. The pay the most taxes by far yet are excluded from important positions. It is no longer acceptable that Christians are not treated as equal partners in the country. The Orange intifada has begun.
Rami, some things you said are correct, but first you need to address the root cause of whom started pushing us Christians into the corner. You forgot who decided on his own to start a war with Syria, when we were perfectly doing well containing them. You forgot who attacked the Christian resistance, yet you also ignored the reason as to why. yes, indeed as a Christian I want all my rights restored, bass hala2 ta fe2 Aoun? You haven't by any chance taken into consideration that is is just a ploy of opportunism for him? You will soon gauge for yourself if Aoun still has the popularity of before, then please ya akh, don't forget that here in Lebanon you can easily find 1000s of Syrians, clothe them in orange, shave them clean and let the cameras roll. About Roukouz, we all respect and admire him, like sami gemayel said, only a few will not want him to succeed Qahwaji, but can Roukoz remain impartial? That is what you need to ponder over.
who allied with syria against lebanon? who helped them invade baabda? and who after that sold himself to the highest bidders, making himself a serf of medieval kings?
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Jun-20/303082-leaks-reveal-geagea-pleaded-saudi-for-money-to-finance-bankrupt-party.ashx
Let me continue the Syrian series for you ya Mowaten: Who is smuggling everything from Syria? Who said labayka ya Bashar, labayka ya Soughya on March 8? Who started the July 2006 war with Israel hoping to bail Syria out from the STL? When then invaded West Beirut? Then before you commit pen to paper, try to watch the use of your words, in this case you used the word Allied, so Mowaten, who is now allied to the Syrian regime in the war? Mowaten, you need to grow up, for your sake and for the ideology you seem to espouse so blindly.
mowaten; your propaganda is getting old. So what if Geagea gets financial help from Saudia. Where does your nasrallah gets his money from or Aoun for this matter. All Lebanese parties are financed one way or the other by some foreign country. You speak like you and those who you represent are angels. At least Geagea does not have a sectarian militia.
Very simple really. Lebanons sextarian system means that the largest Christian bloc by far should have a say on army commander and president in the way other communities have a say in other positions. You may dislike FPM but you are cutting you own nose to spite your face. Next time it might be the Kateab with the biggest bloc by far and they will be blocked by those who want to dominate Christian positions. Namely harriri berry and jumblatt. You may dislike FPM but to cede Christian rights to spite them is self defeatist.
Shamel Roukouz is the commander of the Maghawir. He is a career soldier and well regarded. He fell in love with and married Gen. Aouns divorced daughter about 3 years ago. According to the logic of some, he is no longer suitable for a promotion. This is blatant discrimination and totally unacceptable.
You seem like a smart guy, LOL. Tell me rami, there are about 15 other generals ahead of Roukoz in the pecking order (some are younger than him); why aren't you fighting for one of those? Why skip 15 very capable generals to go and pick Roukoz? Will the Army disintegrate if someone other than Roukoz is put at its head?
Wake up, dude. It's all about appointing son-in-law 2. And the more fuss you make about it, the less chances he'll be nominated.
Canadian, thank you for making my life a little easier today, this is exactly what I wanted to tell Rami.
rami
shamel rouquz could well be a qualified candidate and no one is denying that. But there are also tens of other qualified Christian generals for the position. Why shouldn't they be considered for the position. You and your Aoun are trying to tell the Christians that unless a candidate is an Aouni christian he is not really a Christian. People are not naive anymore.
The protests haven't even begun and you are making absurb claims (racist) about Hezbollah participating. Propaganda at its finest. I can assure you that the Christian street will be the ones protesting. Your guys want to eat the egg, the shell and the chicken that laid it. you don't want partners in the country - just paid workers like Fares Saeid.
phoenix and anonyme, please decide:
It's either "Sayed Hassan, nabih berri, Sleyman Frangieh and the Tashnak, because they all made their positions clear not to support Aoun in the street protests." (phoenix)
or
"predominantly Hezbollah thugs participating in those so called FPM street protests" (anonyme)
Rami, up until now, I never saw you or your likes to voice such an opinion, until Aoun spoke yesterday. Says a lot about the FPM doesn't it? Take to the streets if you wish, I wish you guys good fortune.
@barking.m14er, trolling this way is so unfair to people like Mowaten and Mystic, 3an jad, it's really not nice of you. yalla, go away
The political system Aoun wants to bring down is one based on a gerrymandering election law that was introduced during the Syrian occupation to keep Christians from any meaningful results in elections to the benefit on their the. allies. Syrians allies are now their enemies yet they retained the election law for the same purpose. Under this law Christians barely elect 30 of their 64 representatives. The future movement is the second biggest Christian bloc in parliament thanks to this law. Is this truly representative of the Christians? It also effects March 14 Christians but they don't care as long as FPM is kept in check. Cutting off their own nose to spite their face. This is the political system that needs to be brought down.
this was embarrassingly small, even the kataeb convoy that descended a few days ago to Saifi to congratulate Sami on his election was larger.
Ahh jealousy, envy and spite! I suggest you all haters call all the 1986-BMW-With-cardboard-spoiler-and-LF-odorizer owners to counter-demonstrate.
Uranus did you see the size of this convoy, jealousy isn't a word anyone would think about. All the "odorizers" in the world could mask the stench of desperation emanating from this demo.
Ahh jealousy, envy and spite! Obvious by the number of comments. Bothers you haters, doesn't it, by the ton? :) Good, Good.
why don't they wear the black masks like their allies and tour the streets of Beirut
This government that he is protesting, Is the coup government that his ally Hezbollah, engineered and leads with FPM. So, he is protesting himself. If he wats more .christian rights, why doesn't he just ask Hezbollah for some??
Mistic, MOwaten stop trolling, it's cheap. Haaaa, then the banned ones, tsk... cheap, very cheap.
Why ask, I only hope that it will not set off rounds of counter protests and of who fills squares more, Aoun provokes then chickens away, usual, but it's the reactions that everyone fears, his allies included.
“FPM supporters from all regions have started heading to the Nahr el-Mot area, where they will gather ahead of taking off in convoys” that will roam several streets, state-run National News Agency reported". Isn't it what the article said? When you bring supporters of the FPM from all the regions of Lebanon and pack them into the Nahr El Mot area, don't you think they'll cause traffic jams? Nahr El Mot, isn't it easy to jam it? If this is what you call numbers, then do a recount.
(1). Some minutes ago: LBCI: The army has called in additional reinforcements to the Banks street.
8 minutes ago VDL (100.5): Prime Minister Tammam reiterated adherence to his jurisdictions.
20 minutes ago One person was wounded in the scuffle, accusing the army of beating him on his head as the protesters were attempting to head to Grand Serail.
23 minutes ago A scuffle broke out between the FPM supporters and army at Banks street.
23 minutes ago VDL (93.3): The FPM supporters breached the army barrier at the Banks street and are trying to make their way to the Grand Serail.
23 minutes ago MTV: The FPM decided to kick off mobilizations in Mount Lebanon and Beirut in the afternoon targeting specific positions.
28 minutes ago VDL (93.3): MP Michel Aoun will make a statement following the cabinet session.
30 minutes ago VDL (100.5): Security Forces freed FPM Toni Orion activist after a brief arrest.
34 minutes ago VDL (93.3): A verbal dispute broke out between Health
(2). Minister Wael Abou Faour and Bassil during the cabinet session.
And I believe that the FPM promised that it would be a peaceful demo. Ya ness, doesn't this remind you decades ago when Aoun the claoun told his partisans to invade Bkerke? have we forgotten what they did to that holiest of sites? Blind people following a blind idiot as usual, our Lebanese Hitler.
Latest reports: FPM cars in Beirut, estimated at about 700 cars. Estimated car occupancy, 3 passengers, total estimated participants, 2100 people. Ya 3ammeh, 4000 people, 10,000 people, is this what the FPM wanted? In Jezzin, less than 25 cars. In the Banks Street, maximum, 400 people right now. Brahim Kanaan, attacking the amry and its command. Shamel Roukouz now put in a very difficult situation because of the FPM, FPM partisans now threatening the very army, saying that it is their army only so long as Roukouz is in it, otherwise the army is not their army. Now they are threatening the very capital. shameful day for the FPM.
Right now at 2:26PM, FPM partisans are attacking the Lebanese Army in Banks Street. M14 partisans are now threatening to attack the FPM partisans and M14 is calling for everyone to stay indoors and not to take to the streets. Bravo ya Aoun, you want to put the nation on fire. Watch your TVs and see how FPM partisans are attacking the army with sticks, these are the people who accused Daesh of attacking the army, orange sheep. Tfeh.
Hezbollah and other M8 are now threatening to join their FPM supporters in the streets. M14 is calling to abstain from mobilizing but people are preparing to face off with the FPM. 7 wounded taken to hospitals in the area.
Ministers Bassil and Saab now joining FPM partisans in banks street, the list of shame is growing. Shamel Roukoz, I Phoenix and others am calling on you to make your stand, either you are a soldier and officer of the Lebanese Army, or you are another Deserter, decide now!!
General Shamel Roukoz, More people are joining my voice, today, Thursday 9 July 2015, make your stand known, tell the people, either you are a loyal Officer and soldier of the noble Lebanese Army, or you are a deserter like your father-in-law, Michel Aoun. Your officers, your soldiers are not expected to die and be martyred in the face of terrorism when your father in law and his partisans are using your name. make it on public TV, where you stand, now!!
Our eyes on the roads are confirming that a good number of the FPM partisans are heading back home, on the Metn roads, leading to Dhour, Beyt Chabeb, all the way to Zahle, to the South in Jezzin, to the North in Amioun, and the stupid thing is this: instead of going back home discretely, they're still branding their orange flags. So, where is that big showdown they promised us? Where is that Tsunami, wlak ya 3ammeh, give us at least a wave on which we can surf! If anyone doubted that Aoun is now seriously broke on all fronts, today is the proof. FPMers were full of poison just 24 hours ago, today they are quite mum, and good for them.
The Daily Star. 4:20 PM
BEIRUT: Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun declared that his party came out victorious from Thursday's Cabinet session, saying the body would no longer pass any bill without his ministers’ approval.
“We achieved what we wanted from the Cabinet session today,” Aoun said in a news conference after the end of a turbulent Cabinet session that was accompanied by violent scuffles between his party’s supporters and the Army outside the Grand Serail.
"No decision will be made [in the Cabinet] without our approval."
He said the decree passed by Cabinet concerning contracts with hospitals was approved by his ministers.
Commenting on the protest, which the military said left seven Army soldiers and a number of FPM activists wounded, Aoun saluted his supporters saying they were “assaulted” by security forces.
"No one attacked the Army," Aoun said, expressing doubt that seven soldiers were wounded.
So this is it, the Claoun is now licking his wounds, just like his mentors at Hezbollah after it lost the 2006, after Hassan Nasrallah admitted, "Law a3lam", after brining Lebanon to its knees once again, declares a heavenly victory. Aoun today has no other choice, the army which he promoted so much has today shown him that he is not above the law. What a pitiful way to finish a career, Aoun's net worth now is a lot smaller.