Subject:             Human Rights Abuses in Lebanon    

The following report briefly summarizes the concerted campaign of Human Rights attacks and abuses perpetrated against the Christian population, particularly those belonging to the Lebanese Forces Party, by the regime in Lebanon from 1991 to 1998.

The Information Center, Human Rights Department issues this report.

  The Lebanese Forces:

“The Backbone and Mainstay of the Free Christian Existence”.  
A concentrated and deliberate campaign of Human Rights
Abuses and political persecution directed against the Lebanese Forces
Throughout the 1990’s by the current regime in Lebanon.

Foreword

INTRODUCTION

According to the internationally sponsored Taif Agreement of 1989 National Reconciliation and dialogue were adopted as the themes that would dominate the often conflict ridden relationship between the Christian community and the Moslem one which throughout the 1970s and 1980s resulted in often violent and armed confrontation and conflict.

The main aspects of the Agreement centered around the dissolution of all militias, Lebanese and non-Lebanese, the withdrawal of all foreign forces, the formation of a government of National Unity, free and democratic parliamentary elections, reform of the government constitution and institutions including army, internal security forces, judiciary, local government, General Amnesty for war crimes, etc.

In fact all of the points of agreement reached in the Taif Agreement (on this basis the Lebanese Forces laid down its arms and entered into the peace process and political dialogue) have been cast aside and National Reconciliation not implemented. The Harewi regime, in fact, utilised the presence of foreign forces in Lebanon to treat the Christian Community as vanquished and losers of the Lebanese War that actually ended in stalemate.

  In reality, the Christian militias were disbanded whilst the Islamic militias such as Hizbullah and the Ahbache Fundamentalist Movement, and non Lebanese militias such as Palestinian groups, Iranian Revolutionary Guards, the P.K.K. Kurdish Movement and others were maintained and legitimized by the Harewi Regime and foreign troops remained on Lebanese territory despite all the regional and international guarantees.

  The General Amnesty Law that was implemented in 1992 actually excluded the Christians and was used in 1994 to persecute them illegally. This attempt to subjugate the Christians began by marginalising the Church (the only Christian institution that remained relatively operational) and subduing the Lebanese Forces and all Christian political parties (which began in earnest in 1994 after the bombing of Sayidat Al Najjat/Our Lady of Deliverance Church).

  A flawed and unbalanced naturalisation decree was announced in 1994 by the Harewi regime where around 400,000 non-Lebanese, 90% of whom were Muslims from Arab countries were given citizenship in a wholesale and indiscriminant manner, hence, leading to a huge demographic change and altering the existing and delicate balance in Christian-Muslim numbers.

  Christian war refugees remained displaced and persecuted whilst other non-Christian refugees were compensated with large amounts of money to vacate government and some Christian properties. The primary reason for this discrimination against the Christian displaced was the fact that the person appointed to head the Ministry of the Displaced, Mr. Walid Jumblat, caused during the war the displacement of most of these Christians whom he refuses to repatriate to their homes.  Most of those Christians incidentally happen to have originally resided in Jumblat’s self declared fiefdom. Rather than use the budget for repatriating these Christians the money was dispensed to his followers most of who continue to occupy these Christian properties.

  The Harewi Regime also targeted Christian institutions including Media and educational institutions, health services, investment companies, etc. especially those owned by the Lebanese Forces party, members and supporters. Many of these institutions were confiscated, closed or economically and politically pressured into bankruptcy or forced to cede control to government supporters (E.g. Saint Anthony School for the needy, Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Free Lebanon, the Health Cooperative, Slia Printers, etc.). Institutions owned by the Catholic Church such as the Television station  (Tele Lumiere) and two radio stations have been continuously subjected to pressure and intimidation and the axe of closure held over their heads.

  Other Christian institutions such as AUXILIA, a Humanitarian Charitable organization that specializes in promoting and obtaining a monthly sponsorship for orphans and children of disabled parents for education and health purposes, was also recently subjected to a campaign of harassment and several of its offices closed.

  The Harewi Regime also issued a decree to shut down all branches of the Lebanese University and other government colleges in the Christian districts whilst the branches of these educational institutions remain open in non-Christian areas.

  Another matter of note is the selective prohibition of the right to demonstrate. Demonstrations and even religious processions were banned in the Christian regions especially in Christian opposition strongholds. On the other hand, demonstrations of support for government figures and shooting in the air on a number of occasions were allowed by the Harewi Regime and the regime conveniently on several occasions allowed demonstrations including the public display of military weapons by Hizbullah and other non-Christian groups.

  The 1992 Parliamentary Elections were boycotted by 87% of all Lebanese including 94% of Christians due to the seriously flawed Election Law highlighted by its blatant gerrymandering which allowed Muslim voters to influence the election of Christian candidates whereas Christians were not allowed the same privilege. The result was an unrepresentative Parliament. Again in 1996, the Parliamentary Elections were dominated by gerrymandering and fraud in favour of the regime’s candidates, who resorted this time to the use of the votes of the illegally naturalised aliens and deceased voters.

THE PRELUDE: 1992-1994

The campaign of harassment by the Harewi Regime against the Christians in general and the Lebanese Forces Party in particular began to gather pace and intensify gradually from 1992. The main reason was the fact that Dr. Samir Geagea steadfastly refused to participate in successive unbalanced and corrupt governments whose members were primarily concerned with advancing their own narrow agendas and interests and who refused to abide by the terms of the Taif Agreement and implement its main features especially those relating to sovereignty, independence and the interests of the nation and the general public.

During 1992, the Harewi Regime’s security services commenced their direct attacks upon the Lebanese Forces and their supporters in order to force Dr. Geagea, the Leader of the Lebanese Forces Party to cooperate with the regime and withdraw his opposition to its unbalanced and corrupt policies. A number of Lebanese Forces officials including Elie Daw, Sami Abou Jawde, Nadim Abd El Nour and Joseph Akiki were assassinated and in September of 1992 a prominent supporter of Dr. Samir Geagea and member of the Kataeb Party, Mr. Boutros Khawand was kidnapped in broad daylight and his fate remains unknown until this very day. Also the security forces illegally stormed the head office of the Lebanese Forces Party Students Union arresting more than 40 students without warrants.

‎Throughout the period leading to 1994, most L.F. activities and functions were subjected to direct pressure from the Security Forces and in all instances these disruptions were illegal and unprovoked. On a number of occasions Lebanese Forces gatherings, social, cultural and political were fired upon or grenades thrown at their offices. The Lebanese Forces, despite all this harassment remained unwavering to ‎its commitment to a free and democratic pluralistic Lebanon.

Another major symbol of the Christian Resistance throughout the war was represented by the Headquarters of the Command in the Karantina District. However, negotiations at the time (1992) were in progress between Dr. Samir Geagea and government officials on plans for the Lebanese Forces. to abandon certain sections of the complex belonging to the government. The final touches were put together by the minister Shauki Fakhouri and Dr. Samir Geagea for a timetable that would have resulted in an orderly return of government owned sections to its rightful owner. However, only a few hours later despite all clear intentions that a peaceful evacuation would have taken place, thousands of Army Troops surrounded the L.F. complex and threatened to enter it by force. Dr. Geagea again intervened and proposed a peaceful settlement to the matter evacuating immediately the whole complex including the sections they were entitled to remain in legally, thus preventing an armed conflict that would have resulted in hundreds of casualties (other government establishments occupied during the war by Muslim militias such as Beit Ed Dein in the Chouf remain under the control of these militias without government interference). The motive of the regime was to intimidate the Lebanese Forces into an armed incident. By now the Regimes intentions had become quite clear. Their message to the L.F.; submit to the policies of the Harewi Regime or be prepared for further retribution.

THE BOMBING OF SAYDET AL NAJJAT CHURCH

(OUR LADY OF DELIVERANCE)

A pretext had to be created to dissolve and disband the powerful Lebanese Forces Party and its economic lifeline to the ever increasingly besieged Christian Community. Throughout 1993, the Christian Community, especially the L.F., continued to suffer at the hands of the Regime. Illegal and unprovoked attacks continued against political and economic targets of the L.F. Hundreds of personnel were, on a regular basis, arbitrarily arrested without warrants and subjected to beatings and torture. But this all failed to brake the Lebanese Forces’ resolve and its duty to its Christian Community. For it, only, remained as the last line of defense against a hostile and vicious Regime.

  In June 1993, a Ecumenical Seminar at the Balamand Monastery in North Lebanon became the target of a terrorist attack. The perpetrators turned out to be Islamic Extremists who had planned to decimate a gathering of Bishops and Priests from all the Christian denominations in Lebanon, so as to prevent and damage a process of dialogue and cooperation between all the Christian Churches, which in effect would lead to a stronger and united Christian Front (later, in 1996 President Harewi pardoned these terrorists). In nearby Tripoli an active ban on Christmas Celebrations was implemented by fundamentalists and several Christian owned businesses were burnt or bombed and Christian churches and cemeteries were desecrated.

  The Harewi Regime, after exhausting all means at its disposal to crush the Christian resistance, resorted to the final card in its grasp. The next chapter was the bombing of the Catholic Maronite Church in Zouk Mikhael on 27 February 1994 in which the regime hoped to bring the Christians, especially the Lebanese Forces, to their knees and also turn Christian upon Christian, and to deter Pope John Paul II from visiting Lebanon. The Lebanese Regime now stepped up its campaign of terror against the Christian Districts. It silenced the Media (TV, Radio, and Press) and banned all news broadcasts and political programs. For most totalitarian Dictatorships, the concept of the “Free Media” is an unfortunate circumstance, especially one which is uncensored and not under government control. To cover its illegal activities the Regime had to achieve a total news blackout, which it in effect maintained for a number of months.

  Once the Media was controlled, the Army and Security Forces laid siege to a number of Christian Districts including the political headquarters of the Lebanese Forces in Ghadras falsely accusing Dr. Samir Geagea and the L.F. of planning the bombing. In April Dr. Geagea was arrested along (a few weeks after his second in command Fouad Malek was detained) with several other L.F. members. Of those initially accused, some had been dead for some years whilst others had left Lebanon several months earlier i.e. in 1992 and 1993. Fouad Malek who had visited the Maronite Patriarch in relation to the church bombing was illegally seized only hours later from his home and taken to the Ministry of Defense (released in 1997).

  On 13/3/1994, the Lebanese Forces Party was illegally dissolved before any formal charges were laid. Their properties and bank accounts were illegally seized and confiscated. Dr. Samir Geagea (after rejecting requests to leave Lebanon) and his fellow comrades were detained in the Ministry of Defense, all without arrest warrants (Lebanese Law declares that detention without warrant is illegal after 48 hours) and held in a non-legal prison. Many of the detainees were blindfolded and thrown into the trunks of military vehicles and were forced under continuous torture to incriminate themselves and their comrades in the church massacre only to be released days later with no charges being filed, while lawyers were denied the right to see them for the duration of their detention. At that time the Ministry of Defense prison was neither a legal nor an official prison nor was it under the Jurisdiction of the Justice Ministry. But to the Harewi Regime, the Constitution and Law of the Land became irrelevant.

  In the days following the church bombing, the Christians Districts were subjected to an Army siege whilst the Secret Police set about house to house searches seizing hundreds of Christians among them Georges El Khoury who was to be used as the centerpiece of their false charges and fabrications. Georges El Khoury, the Regime alleged, under orders from the L.F. command and in collaboration with the Israeli’s, meticulously planned and carried out the terrorist attack along with Tony Obeid, Jean Chahine, and Rushdi Raad. Later when he appeared in Court for the beginning of the trials, Georges El Khoury, claimed that all confessions he allegedly signed were forced upon him by means of torture and beatings. Also members of his family were threatened including his brother who was allegedly tortured in front of him, in order that he sign the fabricated confessions. Obeid, Chahine (Chahine’s sister, Antoinette, was also held by the Authorities to put pressure on him to return), and Raad, left Lebanon prior to 1994. The Australian, Cypriot, and Canadian Foreign Affairs Departments subsequently confirmed their presence in those respective Countries at the time the Harewi Regime alleged they were in Lebanon planning and carrying out the bombing operation. 

  Meanwhile, Dr. Geagea was held in prison illegally in solitary confinement in direct contravention of Lebanese Law which states that no prisoner shall be held in solitary confinement for more than 10 days (in fact Dr. Geagea has been in solitary confinement for more than 1700 successive days).

  Human Rights conditions continued to deteriorate with the Security Forces continuing to use excessive force and torturing detainees, specifically members of the Lebanese Forces who continued to oppose the tyrannical policies of the Harewi Regime. Arbitrary arrests continued and hundreds of L.F. members were seized and forced to sign statements declaring that they will no longer enter political life or be involved in any political activity in direct contravention of Lebanon’s Constitution. The Regime’s Intelligence Units infringed upon the citizens right of privacy. Telephones were bugged and mail opened including that of the Maronite Patriarch. Bkerki, the See of the Maronite Catholic Patriarch, was sealed off by government troops and Christians prevented from entering and carrying their complaints of mistreatment to the Patriarch and later after the siege was lifted people visiting there regularly were quite often arrested and interrogated. Bans were imposed upon assemblies and demonstrations. Gatherings outside churches were prohibited and religious processions banned. The Economic Viability of the Christian Regions, which was previously upheld by the Lebanese Forces, was severely undermined by the Regime.

  The Church bombing case was but a catalyst for further fabricated charges against the Lebanese Forces and amazingly as such trials were taking place, the President Mr. Harewi passed a decree declaring amnesty to all drug traffickers and dealers (more than 40,000).

  In May 1998, municipal elections took place for the first time in over 30 years. Surprisingly, but possibly due to International pressures, the elections were relatively democratic for that part of the world. As expected and because of limited interference by the Harewi regime’s security forces, government candidates were annihilated and the victors were from predominantly opposition parties and groups. In the Christian districts the majority of victorious candidates were pro Lebanese Forces.

  Due to the overwhelming victory in these elections it was expected that the Lebanese regime would retaliate against the Lebanese Forces. And so they did with the assassination of a former Lebanese Forces officer and his friend in a car bomb in the Dora District of Beirut. The Harewi regime with its usual cunning took advantage of the Dora car bomb incident to initiate a new crackdown and a fresh round of arbitrary arrests and a new wave of persecution against the L.F. in retaliation for their election victories. In order to implicate the L.F. once again, they decided to proceed with a new plot to discredit the Lebanese Forces both in Lebanon and abroad. Hence, the‎y fabricated the tale of the L.F. office in Australia, with the backing of the Israelis, allegedly masterminding and plotting a wave of terrorist attacks in Lebanon. Since the Australian office of the L.F. has been one of the most vocal and active proponents of Human Rights issues in Lebanon, the Harewi regime decided it was essential to discredit the Australian office specifically and hence, deter members from Australia from returning to Lebanon. In the words of the regime, the Lebanese Forces Australian office was damaging the image of Lebanon internationally.

   Mr. Steve Stanton, an Australian barrister was black listed and prevented from entering Lebanon because of his defense of Dr. Samir Geagea. Also, Mr. Tony Chidiac, executive member of the L.F. Political Council was twice convicted of political crimes against the Lebanese State whilst residing in Australia and sentenced in absentia to 30 years jail with hard labor.

  Currently, Dr. Geagea and the Lebanese Forces are facing an ongoing trial for the alleged assassination of former Prime Minister Rachid Karami again with the same scenario of previously fabricated cases. It is to be noted here that the brother of the late Mr. Karami, Omar, appointed Dr. Samir Geagea as a Minister to his government in 1992. Would Mr. Omar Karami have appointed Dr. Geagea to his cabinet if he indeed believed Dr. Geagea was responsible for his brother’s assassination in 1987?!

CONCLUSION

As many countries around the World made progress towards Human Rights reforms and improvements, Lebanon appears to have plunged deeper into the Dark Ages of Human rights standards in the nine years of rule by the Harewi Regime. What we in the civilised World perceive to be as basic Human Rights and take for granted, in countries such as Lebanon such rights have been deemed to be a privilege, reserved for the few of the ruling elite of a backward feudal society.

It would take but a few words to sum up the disease that has racked Lebanon’s ruling regime throughout the previous nine years of President Harewi’s rule: “ preservation of the self”. These elements, it seems, were prepared to reach out to the devil in order to preserve their feudal and tyrannical powers and their ill-together wealth. This coupled with the intolerant fundamentalist Islamic tide sweeping the region has put the innocent and victimized Christian community at a sword’s edge.

What could not be achieved against the Christians in war was revived through a new phoney war, not unlike Hitler’s campaign prior to the official outbreak of World War II where his armies had seized near to half of Europe before the rest of the World awoke from its slumber and became alerted to the danger. The Christian community of Lebanon is today facing a three-edged sword, an unholy alliance of Feudalists, Fundamentalists, and foreign occupiers, who are hell bent on removing the only obstacle to their ambitious claims in Lebanon. The spearhead of this obstacle is obviously Dr. Samir Geagea, leader of the Christian Lebanese Forces Party.

Dr. Samir Geagea, leader of this Free Christian Movement, remains in captivity today, as a prisoner of conscience, a political prisoner in solitary confinement, several metres underground in a tiny cell isolated from natural air and light where he has spent many a sleepless night listening to the cries of pain from his tortured Christian comrades in nearby torture chambers. Only his powerful Christian Faith has kept him alive in such a degrading and inhumane environment up until this day, for any other normal human being would have either perished or become detached from sanity.

Perhaps if this faithful Christian man –faithful to his community, faithful to the thousands of Christian martyrs and faithful to his country- had succumbed to the temptations of greed and treachery he might have bore false witness and compromised the freedom of his people, the independence and sovereignty of his country, the principles of democracy. He, however, rejected this path of dishonor and remained true to his pledge maintaining his loyalty to his fellow Christians and to his country. For this he was made the scapegoat and primary target of persecution. He, along with his fellow Christian comrades, were falsely accused and unfairly judged. They were made to pay for the sins and crimes of others. They were paraded before mock courts and judged by a biased and controlled judiciary in trials reminiscent of the farces of the KGB controlled courts of the former Communist Bloc in East Europe.

Dr. Geagea, along with his comrades, were put through this mockery of a judicial system and falsely charged and imprisonment for their persistence in demanding an independent and sovereign Lebanon, and for demanding true National Reconciliation after the devastating war of 1970’s and 1980’s, for democracy, for freedom of the Media, independence of the Judiciary, for equality of all before a just Law, an end to the deeply embedded and systematic corruption, fraud, nepotism and cronyism associated with an outdated feudal system overshadowing Lebanon since the Middle Ages. But perhaps the severest reprimand was for his daring to acknowledge the reality of the make-up of Lebanon’s society and the need for proper dialogue between the Christian and Muslim communities and the need to establish a system of government which facilitates co-existence between two widely different communities and accommodates their wishes, hopes and beliefs without either community infringing upon the rights of the other.

It is as if those who control the key of Dr. Geagea’s political imprisonment desire to see Lebanon in a state of continuous conflict by crushing anyone who dares to propose an everlasting grassroots solution to Lebanon’s history of sectarian and political strife.

The newly elected President of the Republic of Lebanon, Mr. Emil Lahoud in his acceptance speech after being sworn in as Lebanon’s 10^th Head of State on the 14^th of November emphasized the need to respect the Law and implement the Law since “the language of the Law is often absent and often purposely ignored”. “There will be no future for anyone… without the rise of the State of Laws and Institutions within a democratic parliamentary system”. “People are yearning for change and their reasons are both known and legitimate”. “They the people are rightfully seeking an honest judiciary, independent of all forms of intervention or influence on its members or rulings…”,“People, and especially youth, want attention paid to humanitarian issues…”.

These comments by President Lahoud further consolidate our legitimate claims that the former regime of President Harewi persecuted the Lebanese Forces and its leader Dr. Samir Geagea for political motives and committed abhorrent Human Rights abuses against innocent law abiding Christians as a means to suppress and subdue all legitimate political opposition to Harewi’s dictatorial rule.

President Lahoud has indeed acknowledged the need for reform within Lebanon and we the Lebanese Forces Party call upon the UN-HCR to add its voice to ours and address the following issues by lobbying President Lahoud to redress the miscarriage of justice and wholesale Human Rights abuses committed against our fellow Christians by the newly departed Harewi Regime:

           ·          The release of Dr. Samir Geagea from prison.

        ·          Reverse the Presidential Decree that banned the Lebanese Forces Party from participating in the political process

        ·          Allow all exiles to return to Lebanon without fear of retribution (Lebanese Forces officials and other Christians).

        ·          Reduce the involvement of the Military Courts, especially in judicial cases that should legally be dealt with by the Civilian Courts (as per International Law) and induct a new and independent judiciary.

Finally, on this 50^th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights we hope that Lebanon, will embark upon a new dawn of reforms that will see Lebanon and all of its people including Dr. Geagea and fellow Lebanese Forces members and supporters bask in the sunshine of the Human Rights Declaration, a document which in fact was co-authored by one of Lebanon’s most respected sons, Dr. Charles Malek fifty years to this day. Only in this way can Lebanon regain its good name and image and the respect of the International Community including the expatriate Lebanese Community present in many countries around the globe.

  This document is supported by reports from Human Rights organisations, church leaders and prominent politicians, press reports and other miscellaneous sources (see below) that outline the Human Rights Abuses and miscarriages of justice perpetrated against the Christians in general and the Lebanese Forces Party and its leader Dr. Samir Geagea in particular during the rule of the regime of President Elias Harewi:

  Amnesty International:

  1.      Death in custody / Fear of torture: Fawzi Al-Rasi, Hanna Atiq and Fu’ad Malek and about 17 others, 26 April 1994.

2.      LEBANON: “LEBANESE FORCES” TRIAL SERIUOSLY FLAWED, 24 June 1995.

3.      Fear of torture: Members of opposition groups – dozens of people arrested from 18 to 21 December 1996, 23 December 1996.

4.      Country Report: Lebanon, Antoinette Chahin: Torture and Unfair Trial, 5,8,1997.

5.      Country Report: LEBANON, HUMAN RIGHTS DEVELOPMENTS AND VIOLATIONS, October 1997.

6.      Fear of Torture: K. Eid, G. T. Al Hilu, N. N. Daw, F. H. Rahmah, B. A. Harb, W. A. Al-Khuri, N. J. Khatir, T. T. Rahmah, G. S. Al-Birqashi, E. A. Rahmah, C. H. Yarid, 7 July 1998.

  United Nations Human Reports Committee:

  1.      Press Release HR/CT/491, 7April 1997.

2.      Press Release HR/CT/492, 7April 1997.

  US Department of State:

  1.     Lebanon Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 1992.

2. Lebanon Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 1993

3. Lebanon Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 1994

4. Lebanon Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 1995

5. Lebanon Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 1996

6. Lebanon Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 1997‎

  HUMANS RIGHTS WATCH/Middle East:

  "Ban on news bulletins, political programs, commentaries in Lebanon”, March 24 1994.

  Congress of the United States:

  "Expression of concern regarding freedom of expression and political pluralism in Lebanon.”

 Member of Congress, William J. Coyne, April 1, 1994.

  United States Senate:

  1.      “Expression of concern over restriction of political news broadcasts and disbanding of the Lebanese Forces Political Party by Lebanese government”. US Senator Hank Brown, April 12, 1994.

2.“Expression of concern regarding recent Human Rights developments in Lebanon including disbanding of opposition Lebanese Forces Party and prohibition of broadcasting of news bulletins, political programs and commentaries”. US Senator Edward M. Kennedy, May 5, 1994.

The Lebanese Center for policy studies The Lebanon Report Number 3 Fall 1996:

The Unhappy Christians: The paradox of Samir Geagea.

Reuters, Beirut:

“Warlord gets third life term”, 5/9/97.

CWN, Beirut:

“Lawyers for jailed Lebanese militia leader send urgent appeal to Pope John Paul, asking him to intercede on behalf of their client who they say is being persecuted”, May 8, 1997.

Nouveaux Droits de l’Homme – International – Mission du Liban:

The State Of Human Rights In Lebanon, An Overview, April 7, 1997.

Cedar Watch:

1. Report on the Trial of Dr Samir Geagea and Co-accused Before the Judicial Council of the Republic of Lebanon, Dany Chamoun Assassination Case, 23/6/95 (Author Barrister Stephen Stanton).

2. Report and analysis concerning the trial and verdict of Samir Geagea and the co-accused in the case of the bombing of the Church of Sayyidat Al Najjat (Our Lady Of Deliverance), Zouk Mikayel No. 3 of 1994 (Author Barrister Stephen Stanton), 20 November 1996. 

Catholic Church Reports and Commentaries on the Issue of Human Rights in Lebanon:

1. Patriarch Sfeir on the matter of Human Rights abuses:

In response to a question by As-safir, Beirut 7.9.98 on national reconciliation said: When we address the matter of National Reconciliation, all Lebanese should be included in this process of reconciliation without the exclusion of any group. Presently, many groups remain excluded from this reconciliation process.

Question: Can you list these groups?

Patriarch Sfeir: They are known.. Those whose are outside Lebanon and their numbers are sufficient, and there are those isolated within their own homes and are persecuted and prevented from speaking out or are not allowed to speak, and those present in prison. We all know who.

Question: The Lebanese Forces, however, participated in the local government

elections and were victorious in Beirut?

Patriarch Sfeir: Ok, fine.. however, what was the price and outcome of this participation? But we do not wish to open this door.

Also Patriarch Sfeir said: The Government must include everyone, and everyone must participate in the political process and be effective in their participation. This, however, is not the case. If you want take the L.F. as an example. What was the result or outcome of their participation and subsequent victories in the local government did they not pay a heavy price?

Question: You are tying between the local government results and the sabotage network?

Patriarch Sfeir: They were both linked to each other…

Question: However, the investigations in this matter did not refer to the L.F.  but to members of the L.F.?

Patriarch Sfeir: Publicly, they refer to the sabotage network, however, in reality the Lebanese Forces as an organization are being targeted. Why hide behind our fingers. Are they not being victimized daily? Every day they seize a group of these people for interrogation and torture and beat the living daylights out of them and force them to sign statements that prevent them from participating in any political activity. Is this an acceptable situation?

2. Message of the Synod of Bishops for Lebanon, Vatican 14.12 95

Respect for Human Rights, Paragraph 52.

The return of peace, this is also a return to the strict respect for Human Rights. Thus, we ask instantly that the State put an end to all arbitrary arrest, that torture be abolished, that those imprisoned for political reasons be freed, that it clarify the fate of people who have disappeared, that those driven from Lebanon without judicial sentence be enabled to return home and live there safely, that equality of all before the Law and before Justice be re-established. The absence of respect for Human Rights unjustly makes many Lebanese leave the country.

3. The Maronite Bishops statement, Bkerki 6 March 1998.
2. A Comprehensive Overview

The Patriarch Sfeir’s Christmas message, 24 December 1997: “…the noted tendency to restrict liberties; the inhibition of using the media except to the fortunate and supporters (of the regime); the inequitable treatment of those who are not favored and taking them to court while the supporters are given seats in the government.

4. The Social Affairs:

The Church’s educational, health and welfare institutions deliver unbiased and non-discriminatory unique services to anyone. But these institutions which embrace the poor, the needy, the destitute and the persecuted have been suffering from great difficulties (bias and discrimination) in their dealings with State. It is feared that such difficulties and the State’s hostility towards these institutions and the restrictions it imposes on them may lead to deepen the rift between the citizens and the State, and to the termination of the irreplaceable role these institutions play in the above mentioned fields. Also, we should not disregard the role that these institutions play. All these issues will reflect on the right, on the dignity and on the safety of the citizens.

4.D. The Administrative Issue

4. Public Service positions are being given exclusively to one part of the Lebanese community while Christians in general and Maronites specifically are being excluded. This practice contravenes the principles of co-existence and creates a feeling of persecution among Christians.

5. The non-separation of the Judiciary from the political authority and the non-affirmation of the independence of the Judiciary. (and the use of the Judiciary to affect political revenge as in the case of Dr. Samir Geagea)

5. The Political Matter:

C. 1. Christians demand to have the rights to elect their representatives and to hold them accountable in the proper democratic matters.

C. 2 Christians are asking in disquiet:

c. On the internal level, Christians ask with concern about the reason behind the nationalization of Muslim families in Christian villages while the displaced of the Christians can not go back to their original villages in other areas?

Also, why Christian leaders are being persecuted and why the Lebanese Forces Party has been disbanded and its leader (Dr. Samir Geagea) arrested despite the fact that the Judiciary has found the Party and its leader innocent from bombing the Sayidat Al Najjat Church? (the pretext used to disband the Party) And why war file’s are confined to the Lebanese Forces party and it’s leader and not extended to others, especially to the loyalists? And why criminals are being released and protected? And why the State has being ignoring the crippled Jezzine area? And why Christians are being harassed in the Frontier Zone?…

d. And in regard to the freedom of the electronic media, why has this freedom been curtailed subject and led to political censorship?

4. The Apostolic Exhortation, Pope John Paul II, Beirut 10 May 1997
 Paragraph 116: “I appeal to the authorities and all Lebanese citizens to strive with all of their capabilities to ensure that human rights are fully respected…and that these rights are respected especially in the area of dispensing justice and in the area of legal rights guaranteed to those accused and imprisoned…no one must be subjected to intimidation, be they as individuals or from groups or from social authorities, nor must they be harassed or cut off from social life because of their opinion, nor must they be prevented from carrying out their spiritual customs or form of worship … guaranteeing Human Rights is vitally important because this matter is essential for the future of the nation in fact the future of all humanity”.