Geagea Says Revolt in Syria Will Not End, Calls on Christians to Cling to their Land

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea called on Saturday the national community and Arab countries to sponsor a “sincere” referendum in Syria as “ending the revolution would be an illusion,” reiterating that safeguarding the Christians in the region isn’t by “throwing them in the hands of repressive regimes.”

“There will be many difficulties and obstacles ahead of us… but these difficulties will not deter us from reaching our goals,” Geagea said during a rally at Biel in Downtown Beirut.

The rally is held under the slogan “The Spring of the People, the Autumn of Eras,” marking the 1994 disbanding of the Lebanese Forces Party.

The most important thing is that the Arab Spring road is the righteous path for freedom and life,” Geagea stressed.

“Our duty is to encourage moderation instead of spreading the spirit of racist divisions,” he stressed.

He said that the Christians in Syria are “native inhabitants, as there is a moderate Muslim majority calling for freedom and democracy.

“Those who really care about the fate of Christians in the (Middle) East, shouldn’t make them feel desperate, hopeless and afraid thus throwing them in the hands of the repressive regimes under the pretext of protection them,” Geagea noted.

He called on Christians during the 18th anniversary of ending the LF party to hold onto their land and to face the events and the transformations in order to “defend their beliefs.”

The LF leader slammed the Syrian’s regime crackdown on protest hubs, saying: “Those who think that the diplomatic maneuvers would help gain time to put out the flame of the revolution are delusional.”

“The persistent use of violence in Syria will not weaken the revolution, but will strengthen the extremists.”

He stated that the “real solution for the Syrian crisis would be by setting a genuine popular referendum under the sponsorship of the Arab countries and the United Nations Security Council.”

“Democracy is the only solution,” Geagea added.

During Lebanon’s Civil War, the movement fought as the main Christian militia, and after the conflict ended,

The LF reinvented itself after the Lebanese Civil War as a political party under Geagea’s leadership. However, in 1994, while Lebanon was under Syrian tutelage, the party was banned, Geagea imprisoned and the activities of its members repressed.

The party returned as a political force after the Cedar Revolution in early 2005 that led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.

Soon after, Geagea was subsequently released from prison.

Concerning the local situation, he said that the change and reform in Lebanon carried by the cabinet is affecting the quality of political work in Lebanon and abusing the public affairs.

Geagea slammed the political parties affiliated in the cabinet saying that their words became “meaningless,” as it is only a “cheap propaganda aimed at staining the reputation of others.”

“They have been in power for almost a year now. Where are the reforms? And where is the change?”

Regarding the rights of the Christians in Lebanon, Geagae lashed out at the cabinet for not retrieving back the rights of Christians in the state.

He called on the supporters of the Free Patriotic Movement to cooperate in the change and reform process against “any attempts to tutelage Lebanon, against oppression, tyranny, underdevelopment, corruption, exile and political arrests.”

Geagea called “for a free, sovereign, independent Lebanon and a strong state where change and reform dominates” all disputes.

Timeline
  • 31 March 2012, 18:07

    Geagea: They disbanded the LF in 1994, they withdrew from Lebanon in 2005 and hopefully they will leave the power in Syria soon.

  • 31 March 2012, 18:02

    Geagea: The only change they made was changing former Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas, who was the only minister with reform and change ideas, even though we don’t agree on most of it.

  • 31 March 2012, 18:01

    Geagea: Change and reform attempts in Lebanon are affecting the quality of political work and abusing the public affairs.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:59

    Geagea: The real solution for the Syrian crisis would be by setting a genuine popular referendum under the sponsorship of the Arab countries and the United Nations Security Council.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:59

    Geagea: Those who think that the diplomatic maneuvers would help gain time to put out the flame of the revolution are delusional

  • 31 March 2012, 17:57

    Geagea: We shouldn't lose our values and beliefs.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:56

    Geagea: I call on Christians to cling to their land in the east and face the developments and dangers.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:56

    Geagea: Those who really care about the fate of Christians in the Middle East, shouldn’t make them feel desperate, hopeless and afraid thus throwing them in the hands of the repressive regimes under the pretext of protection them.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:55

    Geagea: A major Islamic population is moderate and calling for freedom and democracy.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:55

    Geagea: Christians in Syria are native inhabitants.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:53

    Geagea: The dictator regimes were the reason behind the Arab Spring.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:53

    Geagea: There will be many difficulties and obstacles ahead of us… but these difficulties will not deter us from reaching our goals.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:52

    Geagea: As long as there’s one human on earth is honest, just like we are in the LF, the March 14 forces, and the Arab Spring, then the right will prevail and the future will be bright.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:52

    Geagea: The history might have some dark moments, but this doesn’t mean that the future is black.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:49

    Geagea: Only the truth will prevail.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:48

    Geagea: Those who sacrificed thousands of martyrs’ can be trusted with the legacy of freedom, democracy.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:48

    Geagea: We are marching towards freedom and democracy with a modern party.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:47

    Geagea: It's the spring of LF concerning its ties with the Arab and International community.

  • 31 March 2012, 17:47

    Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea during a ceremony marking 18 years of the disbanding the LF: It is the spring of the Lebanese forces in Lebanon.

SourceNaharnet
Comments 27
Default-user-icon 4G (Guest) 31 March 2012, 18:20

Dr Geagea,you deliver us hope,we trust in you,Dr Geagea you lead by example,you are a man of your words.Dr you are the light on the hill for the true believers,you struggled against all odds and you prevailed.Thank you for keeping the dream alive,You are a true warrior,I salute you.

Default-user-icon Hassan Ali Hajj Akbar (Guest) 31 March 2012, 19:29

Doc where have you been dude the revolt in Syria ended back in November as predicted by inimitable General Michel Aoun entre deux Tuesdays.

As for Christian lands they should go look for them elsewhere, in Europe maybe, because as his Holiness Sayyed Hassan declared this is Muslim land and the Christian came to it as invaders to be a thorn in the side of the Muslims.

Default-user-icon Gaston Labashe (Guest) 31 March 2012, 20:00

Instead of wasting all this show-off money on stupidities, shouldn't the Lebanese Takfiri Forces help the poor among them, or more importantly, educate themselves to gain some smarts, as hopeless as this is for these brainwashed nobodies? But the what good do these have to show other than fake show-off masquerades?

Default-user-icon Milad (Guest) 31 March 2012, 20:15

This guy is a thief and a murdering criminal. Nobody has killed more people nor is anybody responsible for the death of more Christians Leaders during the War than Samir Geagea the false Dr. He agreed to the Taef & even after 4 years from 1990 to 1994 he was part of the Syrian tutelage. It was only after he barked so much he wanted the Presidency the only way they could shut him up was to put his 3 levels underground & disband his party. He is a pupper & a stooge. People are laughing at him and people are cursing him because he is the curse of all Christians in Lebanon.

Default-user-icon Hanna (Guest) 31 March 2012, 20:19

This guy is seriously talking about Change & Reform??? LOL. Is he talking about Christians??? Lol. This guy is certainly hilarious. When you listen to this guy you have two choice only: Either to Cry or to laugh. People should do both. Cry for his wife and laugh because this guy is a clown and delusional.

Missing karim_m 31 March 2012, 20:26

Go back to Riyadh, Wahabi terrorist. You are simply a Wahabi Christian mercenary at the behest of the family of Al Saud. You are a barbarian fanatic that needs to be caged and shipped back to Saudi Arabia.

No to Wahabism!

Missing roger@10452 31 March 2012, 22:30

wahabi christian!!! wow!!! very insightful!!!

you guys are really amazing!!! It is killing you that christians and muslims have argeed on Lebanon 1st, and all you can do is throw around bunch of stupid and meaningless accusations.

People wake up and be grateful that we now have leaders from various religious sects who have the same vision for a free Lebanon unlike the other shameless thugs...

Thumb falanges 01 April 2012, 10:17

hey karim your ip address does not match up to lebanon. Live here then open your mouth about my country. abroad traitor like your boss

Thumb jcamerican 31 March 2012, 20:46

He is beautiful.

Thumb jcamerican 31 March 2012, 20:50

Your meaningful comments here don't work. Look at witch up there. How shallow his comment is and what votes he got.

Default-user-icon correction (Guest) 31 March 2012, 20:53

witch is a she:)

Default-user-icon le phenicien (Guest) 31 March 2012, 21:17

FlameThrower , karim_m where's sophia_angle I bet she / he / it will be posting soon . /

Missing helicopter 31 March 2012, 21:18

to karim-m.
When will this fued end..... za3eemak aza3ar za3eemi edami. How about ship all of them to the countries that finance them or influence them after such financing or influence is proven. As of now, what is publicly and shamelessly admitted by the accused themselves, only the March 8 elements seem to not be ashamed of admitting their allegiance to Syria and Iran. So we should ship those to Syria and Iran first, then examine the cases of others suspected of such allegiances and if proven then also ship them to S.A. or wherever (but that has to be either proven or admitted by them). Would be nice to have open and fair investigations to indict every accomplice.

Thumb thepatriot 31 March 2012, 22:14

The mentally challenged is the one who doesn't understand the difference between a gvt opposed from within (with a blocking minority...that resolves to weapons/resignations/threats/tents/burning tires/etc...) and a gvt with NO opposition...

Default-user-icon Hussam Hussam (Guest) 31 March 2012, 22:34

What does he mean by: the revolt in Syria will not end? I thought he predicted for the 6427th time that the regime has fallen already and that it might fall again in 2012! He, being the prominent doctor that we all know he is, he should self-administer a lobotomy.

Missing roger@10452 31 March 2012, 22:41

oh yeah, I do feel very stimulated when the general speaks (or mostly barks). At least this man has honor and does not lie to the people like your orange firend and lovely hassouni...

Get a grip will you!!!

Default-user-icon Enough (Guest) 31 March 2012, 22:59

Geagea makes valid statements.

"Change and Reform means first building a Lebanese state on the idea that Hezbollah remains armed and placing all strategic decisions in its hands and giving them rights of tutelage over this state,” he said... That is the truth, and the only people that agree with that scenario are the ones holding the guns and the ones selling out to them.

Thumb lebnanfirst 01 April 2012, 00:42

@thrower et al. Do not confuse political integration and religious freedom with religious dogma. If Christians are admitted to institutions of higher learning then it does not follow that said institution should be obliged to provide them with a church or a place to pray on its campus and vice versa. NO religious sect ever has the right to forcibly demand any religious 'rights' of ANY institution be it private or public.
What religion one chooses to espouse and it's active is strictly between the individual and his personal belief of a deity etc., it MUST NEVER become the purview of societal or state mandates. That my friend is what secularism is all about and from your writing one can surmise that your mentality is not yet ready to make a stride towards true secularism.

Thumb lebnanfirst 01 April 2012, 00:45

It's active == practice

Thumb lebnanfirst 01 April 2012, 00:53

Say what you will about Geagea's past and you might be right. All I know is that ever since his release from prison he has been doing and saying all the right things. The same things that we used to support Aoun when he said them. Alas, Aoun has since sold out to the Devil and the enemies of Lebanon. Ask yourselfs and see how much honesty you can muster, how long have the Christians dreamed of the Moslems espousing a Lebanon first philosophy? Now the Aounists can not stand it that the Sunnis came around. Why?

Default-user-icon MUSTAPHA O. GHALAYINI (Guest) 01 April 2012, 01:23

@ lebnanfirst,we all loved aoun in the bilad el arz time...but now he cannot reverse or he is killed with gibran bassil...i am sure general is crying from inside but he is in the trap he himself managed to create.
time is coming when hakim decides on his fate.

Thumb lebnanfirst 01 April 2012, 01:57

@neon
Seems I hit the mark ;-)

Default-user-icon Hombre Farandole (Guest) 01 April 2012, 03:34

So I have to say that once again Geagea is... right? when he says that the Syrian regime is the cause of Muslim (exclusively Sunni, though) extremism. The reason why I say that he is... right? is because Geagea reads history... very well? and bases all his ideas on... tangible facts? After all, it is very obvious that we have... seen? Sunni extremism throughout the 40 years of the Syrian regime rule since the days of Hafez (in whose arms Geagea trampolined while scheming against ebn balado and thereby against the whole country and more narrowly the Christians). Nobody knows this fact more than those who smile and clap like retards (who are unable to read and analyze and question) at every gesture and meaningless and baseless idea that happens to leave his twitching lips. min addak ya 7ak....awati?

Thumb falanges 01 April 2012, 10:14

get out of here gaza boy. this is no refugee site

Default-user-icon Snatch (Guest) 01 April 2012, 16:17

Mas tonto que Neon ?no hay

Default-user-icon The Truth (Guest) 01 April 2012, 18:21

“They have been in power for almost a year now. Where are the reforms? And where is the change?”

Good question.

Thumb kesrweneh 01 April 2012, 22:04

Reminds me of the Obamma "Yes we can" campaign: empty words for empty souls.
What did the FPM do? how about a faster and cheaper internet? How about 3.9G? How about a feasible plan for EDL? how about more rights for workers (local and foreign)? How about catching the rotten food Mafia (all Harriri btw)? and all that in less them a year!!! Come on I would like to c anyone pull that off
And what about Geagea Salafis friends what did they do in a few months:
Destroy Christian cemeteries, refuse to Pay respect to Patriarche Shnoda, allow polygamy in Libya (yes Kaddafi had banned it)...
so Mr Geagea