Hariri Launches Mustaqbal Political Document on Arab Spring: Democracy Helps us Face Intolerance
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri noted on Wednesday that the Arab Spring allows the Lebanese to “update” their democratic experience and eliminate the remnants of the sectarian wars.
He said: “Democracy protects us all and we must resort to dialogue to face intolerance.”
He made his statements during the launch of the Mustaqbal movement’s document on the Arab Spring, entitled “Al-Mustaqbal and the Perspectives of the Arab Spring.”
“The Lebanese are all required to take advantage of the Arab Spring to avoid misinterpreting the developments in the Arab world,” he told the gathering from a giant screen.
“The Lebanese have to choose between blindly following regimes and supporting peoples demanding freedom,” he declared.
Hariri voiced his certitude that the Lebanese will choose the latter, “which falls in the country’s interest.”
“Some regimes chose to govern their countries under the fake slogans of defiance against Israel, while some peoples have decided to confront oppression and take the path of democracy,” he added.
“Some sides have chosen to address the developments in Syria from its regime’s perspective,” he continued.
“The least that can be said of such an approach is that it is immoral as there is a killer called Bashar Assad who is committing murders on a daily basis,” said the former premier.
“The war being waged against the Syrian city of Homs is no less severe than the wars waged by Israel against Lebanon and Gaza,” he noted.
“Lebanon would not be honored to be represented by some leaders who have covered up the massacres committed against the Syrian people,” he stated.
“The friends of the Syrian regime must realize that violence will not turn back the hands of time because the regime may live for a few more weeks and months, but the Syrian people will live forever,” he remarked.
“The Lebanese are seeking to live in a country where all citizens and sects are treated equally,” Hariri said.
“Democracy protects us all and it is the guarantee for mutual coexistence between the country’s factions,” he continued.
He stated: “We reject the parliamentary majority's attempt to practice hegemony over the political life.”
“Lebanon seeks to recognize the other … The coexistence between Muslims and Christians is the product of humanitarian and intellectual efforts,” he remarked.
Furthermore, he noted: “Israeli wars and internal conflicts have served to alter Lebanon’s democratic character, which does not reflect Lebanon’s essence and history.”
-
07 March 2012, 16:39
Hariri: Our gathering today is a step towards reaching sound reasoning and responsible initiatives that meet the aspirations of the upcoming phase in the region.
-
07 March 2012, 16:35
Hariri: The initiatives that have been launched by some March 14 officials, such as Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel and LF chief Samir Geagea, will lead to justice. The Mustaqbal movement presents this document along with the others in order to launch serious dialogue in Lebanon.
-
07 March 2012, 16:34
Hariri: The Lebanese are required to repeat what they did in 2000 after the liberation of southern Lebanon and in 2005 when they forced Syrian troops to withdraw from the country.
-
07 March 2012, 16:32
Hariri: Lebanon had no choice but to resort to coexistence between Muslims and Christians. Israeli and internal wars have contributed to demographic changes in the country, which have unfortunately created a reality that does not reflect Lebanon’s essence.
-
07 March 2012, 16:28
Hariri: We refuse to have one faction alone guarantee the country’s stability as we oppose all forms of resorting to a popular majority that would impose a political view on others.
-
07 March 2012, 16:27
Hariri: Assad is waging a war against Homs, which is no less severe than the wars Israel waged against Lebanon and Gaza.
-
07 March 2012, 16:27
Hariri: Lebanon is the land of peace ad dialogue between Muslims and Christians. Democracy protects us all against intolerance. I hope that you would meet these expectations and present a moderate image of Lebanon.
-
07 March 2012, 16:26
Hariri: The friends of the Syrian regime in Lebanon must realize that violence will not turn back the hands of time. The regime may survive for a few more months, but the people will live forever.
-
07 March 2012, 16:24
Hariri: Where is Lebanon’s interest in supporting a regime that is drowning its country in death?
-
07 March 2012, 16:23
Hariri: Those turning a blind eye to the reality in Syria are not viewing its developments from a moral perspective because the country is being ruled by a murderer called Bashar Asasad who is committing massacres in several cities.
-
07 March 2012, 16:21
Hariri: Some peoples decided to break their silence and speak out against decades of oppression.
-
07 March 2012, 16:20
Hariri: The Arab Spring paved the way for the Lebanese to end their dependence on foreign developments.
-
07 March 2012, 16:20
Hariri: The challenges we are facing require bold initiatives that meet the expectations of the people given the changes in the region.
-
07 March 2012, 16:19
Hariri: The Muslims were never an entity onto themselves, but part of a partnership with Christians and our document today reflects this partnership.
-
07 March 2012, 16:18
Former PM Saad Hariri during Mustaqbal Movement Launch of Political Document on Arab Spring: I speak to you today in the spirit of the National Pact and the Taef Accord that helped Lebanon out of crises.
07 March 2012, 16:31
44
If you ask Syria not to interfere in Lebanon, don't interfere in Syria!
07 March 2012, 17:15
55
it looks like speeches of moderate people hurt some in lebanon: they prefer angry people shouting all the time, using bad language, and so on...
return to your humanity and common sense and realize that all the weapons in the world will not let you govern lebanon, as it is for all lebanese.
once you start realising this fact, maybe you will become lebanese once more, and not some puppet to the syro/iranians.
07 March 2012, 17:24
23
we need an accord between lebanese in lebanon made by only lebanese
from cairo accord to lausanne, to ...., to taef all accord were made with a chaperon taef syria and saoudieh ,..now syria and saoudieh are at odds chou khassna nihna
so let it be an accord in dahye in saida in beirut , mouktarra , u name it and only lebanese its the only way
and as u said mr saadeldin only real democracy can guarantee a citizen
so hope you advise your gulf countries to embrace real demovracy cause as you said no turning back
07 March 2012, 18:03
34
As a Top Leader of Lebanese Sunni Community - He failed to address his speech to the Lebanese Shiite Community and ask them to abondon Hizbullah and embrace Lebanon and the Lebanese Army. He should have re-assured them if Hizbullah were to hand over its weapons to Army then tensions and spectre of secterian strife in Lebanon will subside. He should have re-assured the Shiite community that if they put their faith in the state/&army (like the rest of the communities) then they can count on all Lebanese(Sunnis, Druze & Christians) to rise up to their assistance - If Israel or Sunni extremist group attacked them. If Hizbullah is following an Iranian Agenda and doesn't want to heed the call to hand over its arms to the Lebanese army. Then Hariri & M14 should offer their hand of friendship to true lebanese Shiite patriots/Leaders, and bypass the Hizb. And when the majority of the Lebanese Shiite community turns away from the Hizb, then the Hizb will wither away.
08 March 2012, 07:55
20
the guys is too weak politically to tell the Shiites anything. I think they will care less about he says just like Mustaqbal people care less about what nasrallah says. Actually the latter has the better chance.
08 March 2012, 15:40
01
Weak Politically??? He the Head of the largest Sunni Parliamentary Block in Lebanon. I guess you might be counting political strengh by the number of rockets they possess...then yeah he is not strong in that field, because he chose to depend on the Lebanese army.
If the Shia care less about what M14 camp is saying now - and don't heed the call to hand over Hizbullah's arms to Lebanese Army, then it will not be long enough that M14 camp will also care less if/when Israel bombs/invades the South/Bekaa/Dahieh, or when Sunni Extremist fighters starts pouring into Lebanon from Syria once they finished off with Bashar.
07 March 2012, 18:45
34
no sheikh saad, u are very weak, zooran need zooran, come to beirut and CONFRONT.DONT LEAVE THE PLACE TO SALAFIS.
07 March 2012, 20:55
23
This man is too honest. Not a contender in the Lebanese political system. And to flamethrower talk of peace is what will save our country. You can throw speeches from underground with people watching on a big screen while they are positioned in rows 2 meters apart to give it the full house look, yet they are told when to clap, smile, breath. While their leader points his finger and promises them they are safe from m14 dark plans. While telling isreal to be ready to surrender. Promising isreal that just like in 2006 we will rebuild our bridges time and time again until isreal runs out of bombs and tge Palestinians will simply walk back to reclaim their old country from the weak isreali army!!!
07 March 2012, 20:55
32
Saad hariri your father has died because of this Iranian hizb operating in our country. With brainwashed supporters that's will send our country back another 30 years with a new war against isreal, a war they don't wish to try and win, only to disrupt our economy and democracy and free will to live in peace and harmony with all tge different sects.
Ya haram ya libnan!
07 March 2012, 22:26
23
M8 you better kiss Sheikh Saad hands and feet and deal with him honestly, if it wasn't for his Mustaqbal movement, most Sunnis of Lebanon would have been influenced to extremism and not acting like today as moderates.
08 March 2012, 07:59
10
wrong. Most sunnis in Lebanon are educated enough to not go for al-qaeda. No need for the saudi boy's influence.
09 March 2012, 18:51
00
nope, that's not what I am saying. but in reality whenever there is a void, someone always tries to fill it. Look what happened in Afghanistan, Iraq etc..what I am saying is that Sheikh Saad is the voice of the vast majority of moderate Sunnis in Lebanon regardless if you agree or disagree with him.
09 March 2012, 19:04
00
One more thing; Most Sunnis of Lebanon feel like they under attack from Hizb and M8. So yes, that can bring in extremism.
08 March 2012, 02:10
01
neon I prefer this clown he's funnier
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnm37baZfAk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYXyPownBVU
08 March 2012, 08:01
03
mfawaz now common about the talk that he killed his own father. That one is a fabrication allow me to say. They guy is saudi influenced and has his priorities mixed up but killing his father?
08 March 2012, 08:25
02
What Harriri is saying is rather logical and has a great degree of modernity. Lebanon is bound by the co-existence of Christians and Muslims but it's by no means bound by those who use this formula to ripp off the budgets and steal the money of the people which are supposed to be spent on enhancing the lives of the Lebanese and stops them from immigrating all the time. Lebanon could have been a great country had it not been governed by the extant families of the Christians and Muslims. We need a real Arab spring to rid us off these families so that we could build a modern country based on meritocracy not religious affiliation. Shame on us to be still so much backwards.
