March 14 Calls on Declaring 'Exceptional' State of Emergency in Sidon

The March 14 General Secretariat demanded on Wednesday President Michel Suleiman to intervene to maintain the state's national security, calling on declaring a state of emergency in the southern port city of Sidon over the recent incidents.

"The recent incidents are expected as illegal arms are spreading (across Lebanon), amid the security agencies' failure to carry out their tasks,” it said in a statement after its weekly meeting.

The General Secretariat called on Suleiman to exert his efforts to force the judicial authorities to carry out a swift investigation and detain the culprits.

“An exceptional state of emergency should be declared in the city as security forces should deploy heavily,” the statement pointed out.

Three people were killed in clashes between Hizbullah and supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in Sidon over the weekend.

The General Secretariat lashed out at Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, describing his remarks as “flagrant arrogance.”

“This logic is completely rejected,” the statement said.

The general secretariat wondered “who is fueling sedition, insulting martyrs, controlling the state under the power of arms and interfering in Syria?”

On Monday, Nasrallah accused “some of March 14's Christians” of “seeking a Sunni-Shiite conflict in Lebanon,” rejecting the formation of a neutral or technocrat cabinet and calling on the March 14 camp to engage in dialogue “if it wants a unity government.”

The March 14 general secretariat reiterated calls for the departure of Prime Minister Najib Miqati's government in the wake of the assassination of Intelligence Bureau chief Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan on October 19 and the formation of a neutral salvation cabinet.