Kanaan Says FPM-LF Alliance Aims to Prevent 'Encroachment on Christian Rights'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
MP Ibrahim Kanaan of the Free Patriotic Movement has stressed the importance of the reconciliation between the FPM and the Lebanese Forces, noting that it aims to prevent “encroachment on the rights of Christians.”
“A lot of people thought that we forged an agreement only to secure the election of a president or to split power shares, but we agreed so that no one thinks from now on that they can overlook us or violate our rights,” Kanaan said at a dinner banquet honoring him and outgoing LF media officer Melhem Riachi.
Kanaan and Riachi had played a key role in the rapprochement talks between the two parties.
“We have forged an agreement in order to create real partnership in this country. We will not reject anyone, but we won't accept that they treat us the same as they did in the past 30 years,” Kanaan stressed.
“We have agreed because we have realized, through our experiences in exile and prison, that without our unity we cannot achieve anything, and now we're seeing how we can achieve a lot through coming together,” the lawmaker added.
“We have achieved what was considered impossible in the past and all the confusion and the media campaigns that we are witnessing regarding the cabinet formation process are the result of the surprise of all parties, who had not expected that we might reach an agreement,” Kanaan went on to say.
“We are the ones who will unite Lebanon and make it strong so that it can be a message to the region and the Levant and a hub of strength for all Christians of the Levant,” the MP emphasized, reassuring that the two parties “will not use this strength to eliminate anyone.”
He added: “We will not put a veto on anyone, but we won't accept vetoes on our (LF) allies.”
27 November 2016, 17:26
40
Article 24 of the Lebanese Constitution, which reserves half of Parliament's seats to Christians, is a "right" of Christians? I just glanced at the portions about amending the Lebanese Constitution. There is no way for the people to gain full voting rights, no referendum, no provinicial democratic institution (no thirteen colonies sending delegates to a constitutional convention). The present regime must decide to give up that monopoly, that privileged position that Article 24 gives it, or, as Thomas Jefferson would say, risk losing the entire governing structure.
28 November 2016, 02:23
00
Actually Chapter 2 article 22 of Taef stipulate that the senate was supposed to equally represent the different sects while the chamber of deputies was supposed to be secular. Instead in 1992 the Syrian occupation increased the number of deputies from 108 to 128 and scraped the creation of the senate. It also put Berri in charge of threatening everyone with the creation of the senate whenever someone, usually from the Christian community, complained about the heavy handedness of the Syrian occupation. Since 2005 the internal bickering made sure no senate was created, while Berri maintained his empty senate threat. During his inaugural address Aoun promised to implement Taef fully, we'll see.
28 November 2016, 16:58
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Article 24
(As amended by the Constitutional Law of October 17, 1927
And by order 129 of march 18, 1943,
And by the constitutional law of January 21, 1947,
And by the constitutional law September 21,1990)
The Chamber of Deputies shall be composed of elected members; their number and
the method of their election shall be determined by the electoral laws in effect. Until such
time as the Chamber enacts new electoral laws on a non-confessional basis, the distribution
of seats shall be according to the following principles: [cont.]
28 November 2016, 16:59
00
[cont] a. Equal representation between Christians and Muslims.
b. Proportional representation among the confessional groups within each of the two religious
communities.
c. Proportional representation among geographic regions.
Exceptionally, and for one time only, the seats that are currently vacant, as well as the
new seats that have been established by law, shall be filled by appointment, all at once, and
by a two thirds majority of the Government of National Unity. This is to establish equality
between Christians and Muslims as stipulated in the Document of National Accord. The
electoral laws shall specify the details regarding the implementation of this clause.
http://www.presidency.gov.lb/English/LebaneseSystem/Documents/Lebanese%20Constitution.pdf
28 November 2016, 17:03
00
THE LEBANESE
CONSTITUTION
PROMULGATED MAY 23, 1926
WITH ITS AMENDMENTS
1995
http://www.presidency.gov.lb/English/LebaneseSystem/Documents/Lebanese%20Constitution.pdf
28 November 2016, 02:17
20
I think I've met oompa.loompa before, yesterday in fact, here at Naharhnet but he had a different name. I was in Iraq, slightly blown up on FOB Marez in Mosul on December 21, 2004. Shrapnel "on, not in, the heart". The man with me is Nathir ("vow, promise"), a casual laborer on Marez. I supervised them since Halliburton was feeding us: I was a cook. The point you identify is crucial: why doesn't Hezbullah lead the Muslims into the streets to demand emancipation from Article 24? Jefferson said about slavery, "make no mistake, it depends on intimidation." What is Hezbullah afraid of? As for Trump/Clinton, the rules can't be changed in the middle of the game. And Lebanon should be glad Clinton lost: you want to be like Libya?
28 November 2016, 02:26
01
Are you having a stroke tric.port? Come to think of it this is more coherent than and a marked improvement on your usual comments, keep up the good work.
