Canadian Lebanese Human Rights Federation (CLHRF)

E.mail clhrf@yahoo.com
Web Site http://www.clhrf.com
News Line (905) 270-0565
Phone & Fax (905) 272-9389

June 2/2005

The CLHRF condemns the assassination of Journalist Samir Kassier

For Immediate Release

The CLHRF strongly denounces the criminal assassination of Samir Kassier, the Prominent patriotic Lebanese intellectual and journalist that took place today when his car blew up in Beirut's peaceful Christian residential sector of  Al Ashrafiyeh.

The CLHRF staunchly believes that the same evil blood-stained hands that assassinated tens of patriotic Lebanese leaders and clergy, and who forced into exile and imprisoned many others, are the same hands that assassinated today Samir Kassier," to muffle his loud and courageous voice.

Such terrorist criminal acts will continue to unfold against Lebanon and will continue to viciously target its patriotic leaders, intellectuals and citizens, as long as Syria's proxy armed militias are left to act freely in Lebanon, confiscating the central government's authority, shielded in its fourteen cantons, breeding terrorists, exporting terrorism and monopolizing the country's decision of war and peace.

The remnants of the Lebanese military-police regime, and the armed Lebanese and non Lebanese militias that are still under the full control of the Syrian Baathist Intelligence apparatus are no doubt accountable for today's crime.

The CLHRF urges Lebanon's  Mikati government to confront the crime with fairness and unbiased legal steps, take necessary measures to uncover the circumstances of the bombing and bring to justice those who planned and executed the assassination.  We believe that the USA, the European authorities and the United Nations inquiry commission probing the assassination of late assassinated PM, Rafiq Hariri should give particular attention to this new act of terrorism.

Samir Kassier, the great journalist who never hesitated or was afraid to witness for the truth and defend Lebanon will be  remembered by our federation for his very active humanitarian role in advocating  for the release of the Lebanese arbitrarily detained in Syria.

We call on the free world countries, and the UN to maintain their on going efforts in a bid to secure the complete implementation of the UN Resolution 1559,  articles, and in particular the disarmament of all militias and the withdrawal of all Syrian intelligence services apparatus and its proxies.

CLHRF Spokesman
Elias Bejjani