Kfardebian Residents Block Road to Prevent al-Asir from Reaching Faraya
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Around 50 protesters from Kfardebian briefly blocked the main road of the mountain town on Thursday to protest a visit to a ski resort by controversial Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir.
Kfardebian municipal chief Jean Aqiqi told Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) that the road was blocked “out of fears of the consequences that Sheikh al-Asir and his group could have on the tourism season.”
The cleric had announced that he would visit the Faraya ski resort along with scores of his supporters for recreation on the occasion of the Prophet's birthday.
Thursday is a national holiday in Lebanon.
The protesters first argued with soldiers, who reopened the door to pave way for several buses from al-Asir's Bilal bin Rabbah mosque in Sidon from reaching Faraya.
But the angry residents formed a human barricade and blocked the road again to stop the convoy that reportedly included some 200 of the cleric's supporters.
Several attempts by the army and security forces to allow the buses to cross the barricade left at least two people slightly injured.
Interior Minister Marwan Charbel hoped that the residents of Kesrouan would be pragmatic and urged the protesters to open the road.
“We don't want the problem to grow,” he told LBCI TV.
Former Minister Farid Haykal al-Khazen also rushed to the area to urge the protesters to clear the road.
The road was finally reopened after the more than two-hour protest.
Al-Khazen dubbed al-Asir's visit along with his supporters as suspicious, warning that he would “shove Kesrouan in unwanted conflicts.”
He also hoped that al-Asir would cut his visit short.
“We must praise the demonstrators for their brave stand, which was aimed at protecting the dignity of Christians,” he added.
“If al-Asir wanted to perform a tourist visit, he would not have advertised it in the media,” he said.
“I would have invited him for lunch at my house if it was a truly tourist trip,” he continued.
The Lebanese Forces later condemned in a statement the blocking of the Kfardebian road, saying: “The Lebanese people's rights, regardless of their religious affiliations and opinions, are sacred.”
“Kesrouan was and will always welcome all sons of Lebanon,” it said.
Moreover, it demanded that all concerned legal and security agencies arrest those linked to creating incitement.
Charbel later contacted Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, who stressed that all citizens have the right to head to any Lebanese region.
He also demanded that any FPM supporter present at the protest leave the scene.
The Movement's Kesrouan coordinator later denied that FPM supporters were present at the Kfardebian demonstration.
The Army Command issued a statement in the afternoon urging citizens to comply with the army's measures at the scene in order to maintain peace and the people's rights move freely throughout Lebanon.
It also hoped that media outlets would assume their responsibility in covering such events, saying: “They should not exaggerate the incident and instead help restore calm among the people.”
24 January 2013, 12:14
128
oh yeah...time to isolate filthy wahabi/salafi/zionist scum and to get them out of the news in lebanon.
if stupid journalists won't do it, people will
24 January 2013, 13:42
77
the filthy zionist scum do not understand the reaction of patriotic lebanese, whether shia or other sects
24 January 2013, 14:37
49
everyone should be allowed to go anywhere in Lebanon so long as they are not breaking the long. You can disagree with the person but you should not disagree with their freedom. 32bel ma the rest of the Lebanese will be able to go into the "morba3at el2amniye".
24 January 2013, 15:32
48
let's talk about respecting freedom...am I free to go into self designated "morba3at amniye" held by hizbocrap? Who deserves a jail cell now. If someone breaks the law, put him on a trial, don't do stupid things like "banning" people from passing through, it is just plain retarded.
24 January 2013, 16:53
37
your ghabaa2 comes out again, inta akho mara2i? I want to go wherever I want and last I checked hizbocrap was never elected or appointed by the government so NO they do NOT have the right to block off areas.
24 January 2013, 17:28
47
even more ghabaa2...people voted for those that are carrying weapons in hizbocrap? people voted for MPs and not for militants. Nor were these militants appointed by the government. You can only make your claim if there was a referendum for ALL Lebanese asking them if they agree in the presence of arms with a specific sect / group. Only then can you make your "54%" claim.
24 January 2013, 19:17
37
people voted for MPs from hizbocrap, amal and fpm, they did NOT vote for the presence of arms with one sect...if you can't see the difference then I am not surprised, keep acting and being the sheep nasrocrap wants you to be...
25 January 2013, 15:08
00
can you unequivocally claim that fpm MPs all support shias having exclusive access to arms?
24 January 2013, 16:49
55
the filthy zionist scum want to divert attention from their failed wahabi spy and insitgigator in lebanon, to our glorious resistance.
forget it.
24 January 2013, 12:15
104
The protesters briefly quarreled with soldiers, who reopened the door to pave way for (filthy wahabi/salafi/zionist scum)
WHY??????
remain neutral.
24 January 2013, 12:15
44
Kfardebian and its resorts of Oyoun El Siman and Faqra are open to all but not to fanatics and instigators of secterianism and divide
24 January 2013, 20:10
43
the filthy zionist scum spits on those christians and their leaders (big majority) who don't want to collaborate with them
24 January 2013, 20:10
43
the filthy zionist scum spits on those christians and their leaders (big majority) who don't want to collaborate with them
24 January 2013, 12:25
52
how are they not remaining neutral?!! by not allowing citizens of Lebanon to travel freely?
I'm not a big fan of the salafist but I believe that Lebanon should champion of freedom of religion and freedom of expression.
All of Lebanon should be open to all of its citizens.
24 January 2013, 13:43
03
All religionists should be kicked out. Anyone who makes a career out of sectarian ideology could never build a Nation.
Lebanon is so broken and infested from all sides by Divinely guided extremists that its Christians are wondering which monster is going to devour them first and their political leaders know well how to exploit this fact.
24 January 2013, 13:44
44
you are retard. and you are not lebanese since you ask such retarded question with retarded premise
24 January 2013, 14:08
17
Well we already saw him on a stunt bike, playing water polo, I bet you Assir snowboards-- not skis.
24 January 2013, 14:35
24
Watch out too many Bin Laden boys here. And they say no Al qaeda in Lebanon. LOL
24 January 2013, 14:34
54
lol! i thought christians were tolerant open minded people... aren t all lebanese free to go where they want in lebanon? that s what aoun said when geagea supporters protested when he visited a church, no?
they seem to be as extremists as assir lol!!!!
24 January 2013, 15:34
12
after reading all the orchestra comments.....i am asking myself,why not?
24 January 2013, 15:52
35
Assir and his followers are Lebanese and as such have every right to go wherever they want. this is not just my opinion, rather these are the words of your beloved Aoun.
Lebanon is for Lebanese after all.
while I have seen scores of filthy Iranians in Faraya, I have never heard anything like the above happening in our country.
we are a welcoming people, thus that should start by welcoming other Lebanese.
another matter that makes me accept Assir more than any other person is that he insisted on selling his house and land in Saida to Christians and not to Shia and he did.
albeit, I do not like the guy personally....
24 January 2013, 16:40
00
There's a thin line between freedom and provocation. Like am I allowed to go and have a beer in the streets of Saida? Guess not. As sir is more then welcome anywhere like any other Lebanese for that matter but the way he promoted and proceeded with the visit is considered provocative by many...
24 January 2013, 16:51
54
the filthy zionist scum hallucinated about "scores of iranians in Faraya"
you see iranians everywhere. did you take your medicine today?
24 January 2013, 17:22
24
FT
apparently you are the idiot! you have not read what I said once more: I do not like Assir and have always said he has a hidden agenda that is dangerous to the country. that is my belief.
btw, this is no reason to fall into any trap (as you say) he might have tried to create by his trip to faraya.
he is still a Lebanese and has every right to go wherever he wants, unless we are living in cantons? if we are then let us all act as such, otherwise my comment stands.
24 January 2013, 18:39
34
so what? he is forbidden to make political speeches wherever he wants? faraya is reserved to aounis? your ex MP who staged this protest also made it political as if assir hasn t got the right to go there! LOL!
did assir go there armed to fight? no, so why aounis prevent him if not by pure hatred...
aounists are the number one hypocrits...believing they can do whatever they want and forbid others to do the same...
24 January 2013, 18:41
34
aounists are the same religious extremists as assir... both provocative, both sectarian!
25 January 2013, 11:18
20
sissy boy : this article is about assir visit to faraya not about your idiotic aoun, i m commenting this article... reminding the words of your beloved one! if he complained that any lebanese can go wherever they want why don t you remind his speech? or does it only apply to your orangina? ya hypocrit sexual frustrated sissy boy...
but what applies to FPM does not apply to others in your twisted fascist FPM logic...
25 January 2013, 11:53
20
ya frustrated sissy boy: by reminding what your orangina said about freedom of circulation in lebanon i am clearly linking the two... but only your demented narrow mind cannot see that...sorry for you...
24 January 2013, 15:53
01
Already two got shot dead on that road just now. Is this the beginning of something big to happen.
24 January 2013, 17:19
24
this happened with hizbushaitan elements :) not Assir, thus irrelevant to this subject.
they happened in Lassa :)
24 January 2013, 20:12
32
the filthy zionist scum see our glorious resistance in everything, even when they are not even close
such is his paranoia
24 January 2013, 16:11
52
don't forget that Assir attacked the Shia because "NO ASHURA should take place in Saida". At the time, Hezbollah was already removing the Ashura banners upon request of the Salafists, so the aggression could have been avoided. Now, he's the one who is provoking (by celebrating a Muslim Day on the top of the Christian mountain, hundreds of Km distant from his headquarters in Saida). This Qatari-funded agent provocateur should be thrown in jail before he reaches his perverted goal to create sectarian strife in Lebanon. Let the sheikh stay in prison, with a piano to play with for a couple of years, he'll come back to his senses perhaps...
24 January 2013, 18:44
23
the christian mountain is reserved to christians only? lol... even if he does this to provoke, the protesters fell in the trap... just like assir wanted!
so both parties are equally stupid...
24 January 2013, 20:13
33
the filthy zionist scum want to equal the right minded christians in lebanon to wahabi scum
24 January 2013, 18:42
23
When will Lebanese people ever learn to disagree, dislike and even outright hate someone without infringing on their rights as a human being and as a Lebanese citizen. This comment applies to ALL and not just this incident. ALL of lebanon and ALL of the Lebanese.
24 January 2013, 18:45
23
"As for his visit, yes Assir and his followers should be free of going up there, as long as he is not disrupting business, disturbing the peace or breaking any law."
exactly, as long as he is not against the laws
24 January 2013, 19:16
03
If the guy really wanted to enjoy a day trip to Faraya, he would have taken his wife, his kids and two bodyguards with him to go up there but it is obvious that the entire stint was to provoke Christians and instill fear in them. He went up their with a premeditated goal. The guy has been everything but an example of a good Lebanese civilian. He blocked routes leading to the south, burned tires for weeks in a row, took upon himself to create his own millitia and defied the state of entering his territory etc etc etc and now all the blame is on keserouanis for not being welcoming and for allowing further division between Lebanese. Smart move. He's like Materazzi who kept provoking Zidane in the final of the worldcup in 2006 until Zidane unleashed his fury on him. Red card: Zidane. Loser: France
24 January 2013, 19:24
32
"blocked routes leading to the south,burned tires for weeks in a row,"= hezbollah did the same...
"took upon himself to create his own millitia"= hezbollah is allowed to, so others can do the same! why blame assir and not hezbis?
"and defied the state of entering his territory" = hezbollah does the same in dahiye...
so if you blame assir you should also blame hezbollah= they are both muslims extremists! assir copy pasted hezbollah! why praise one party and blame another for being the same?
"and now all the blame is on keserouanis for not being welcoming and for allowing further division between Lebanese. Smart move."
yes it was a smart move. peaceful just to provoke even if it is stupid!
that s why they shouldn t have blocked the roads to show they didn t fall into assir s trap! but they proved only the contrary by doing so!!!
24 January 2013, 20:14
52
the filthy zionist scum mentiones our glorious resistance again
24 January 2013, 21:53
25
There is nothing glorious about devil worshipers twisting the message of the Qur'an to do their evil bidding of terrorism and oppression at gunpoint. You and everyone like you including your glorious resistance and all who twist any religion to do harm are tache noir on Lebanon.
24 January 2013, 19:31
12
Peace i agree with you but my comment is about this article. I do not deny the others are the same but people always presume that if you're talking about one thing then you should mention all the other and if you do not that means you are defending them. Not true. The article is about Al Assir and my comment was realted to the incident that occurred today.
24 January 2013, 20:54
32
the filthy zionist scum agree with himself but want to show his more moderate face
24 January 2013, 21:55
24
the filthy jihad scum spoke and as usual nobody listened to his manufactured garbage.
24 January 2013, 19:36
12
Slash that would be the ideal world but you really have to work with reality on the ground and reality on the ground states otherwise and if you want to tell me we can help change the situation i agree with you. it starts by educating our kids right now. This will however take time because unfortunately even with education some societies in the country put their faith in their religion first and this will allow disruption among communities.
24 January 2013, 21:15
02
I had a neutral point of view to this point, but asir accompanied by 500 people going to a ski resort in the heart of a christian dominated area, performing prayers in a ski resort... WTF, is this a show of power, a show that we can do whatever we want whenever we want to? This is an act that will certainly stir some sectarian and religious tensions! THIS IS A JOKE!!!
24 January 2013, 21:57
22
If the lebanese are this divided over a visit, let alone when they find the oil in the sea. Surely we will go to war over that.
24 January 2013, 22:04
25
Who's the animal now? the Kfardebian resident that blocked the road or the Sheikh Assir? The Kfardebian that tries to create a strife... whilst Assir and his 200 followers were going to spend their money in Faraya. Stupid people.
24 January 2013, 22:07
21
you're absolumente right. The people are brainwashed... or they're bought by politicians that only care about becoming more powerful and richer. God is in the middle, and is being hijacked by all of them... false Cristians, false Muslims and so on...
24 January 2013, 22:39
04
A prefer a Lebanese Asir skies in his country rather than the filthy dish dash Saudi in sandles and headscarf.
25 January 2013, 21:07
00
how he will find a beard for the snow man he will make?!! because it is haram to do ti without a bread
25 January 2013, 21:07
01
how he will find a beard for the snow man he will make?!! because it is haram to do ti without a bread
