FREE OPINION RESPONSES PAGE
FOR YEAR 2000

Send your responses to: clhrf@yahoo.com or  Phoenicia@ hotmail.com

Opinions For 2001
Opinions For 2000
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Opinions as From April 2007 Till December 05/2008
Opinions For 2007
Opinions For 2006
Opinions For 2005
Opinions between 1/1/02 - 31.12.04

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From: BIBO@ug.net.au
16/12/2000
Hi Everyone,
In light the recent events in Lebanon and the belief that the release of Lebanese 46 prisoners will make up for the thousands that are missing. The closing of this file is a crime against humanity. I call upon the Free National Current to put a formal request to General Michel Aoun - The Constitutional Prime Minister of Lebanon to take this matter to the World Courts. No organization should be spared includingthe UN, Amnesty International and the Haig. Some believe there is nothing one man can do against the ills of the world. Yet many great movements of thought
and action have flowed from the work of a single person. A young monk began the Protestant movement, a young general extended an empire from Macedonian to the borders of the earth and a young woman reclaimed the territory of France. It was a young Italian explorer who discovered the New World and the 32-year-old Thomas Jefferson who proclaimed that all men are created equal. These people moved the world and so can we all. Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can change a small portion of events, and the total of those acts will be the written history of this generation. It is from the numberless diverse acts of courage that history is shaped. Each time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lost of others, or strikes out against injustice,he or she sends forth a tiny ripple of hope. Crossing each other from a million centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep the mightiest walls of oppression or resistance.
Regards
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Dear Mr. Bejjani
Please allow me to start by quoting General Michel Aoun in his interviewed with MTV
“General Michel Aoun wondered how can the president ignore the issue of stealing and wasting
government funds after certifying it, and furthermore assign the person accused of these charges,
of leading the government before clearing the issue to the eyes of the public opinion ” 
In response to that I would say that this is a world of compensations; and he who would live to be
an honest person, must consent to have honest people around. Those who deny freedom to others,
deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it.  
You cannot bring prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot further brotherhood of men by inciting class hatred.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves

John F Kennedy once said “ All the world owes much to the little 'five feet high' nations.
The greatest art of the world was the work of little nations. The most enduring literature of
the world came from little nations. The heroic deeds that thrill humanity through generations
were the deeds of little nations fighting for their freedom. And oh, yes, the salvation of mankind
came through a little nation." 
And lets me close by saying as long as we have people like General Aoun The fight must go on.
The cause of civil liberty must not be surrendered at the end of one, or even one hundred defeats."
George
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Dear Ziad,
I am a neutral, independent guy who believes in dignity and freedom. I am not associated
to any party or leader...But I would like to respond to your messages of 18th
of July and 15th of October.  I hope you are a guy who appreciates and respect other
people's opinion.
My Dear Ziad:
I understand what you feel. The issue you raised about the Syrian workers (relating to July the
18th) is not well detailed or absorbed by you. Yes in every country there is bad and good
people, but also in every country there are policies like taxes and certain limitation for foreign
labor. These Syrian workers accept $10.00 per day, while the Lebanese guy reject that,
this is clear, why? Because the Syrian economy, and because the $10.00 compared to a
Syrian is like  $30.00 for a Lebanese. It is absolutely like Mexicans in the states, but
where is the policy of taxes and labor laws? We have about 800-900 thousands of Syrians
working , multiply that by $10.00 and see how it is bad to our economy.
Yes you are right the Lebanese people have to be  blamed too, but who has the "balls"
in the government to initiate a legislation for taxes and labor? On the other hand I believe
you were joking when you said that Syria doesn't need Lebanon for its economy.
I am not going to describe what is happening in details... (I would like to leave myself
an opportunity to still go back to my country :)
My dear friend,  the whole country is burdened with debts. Yes you see nightclubs and partying
ambiance but all this with borrowing and accumulation of debts. We have became a poor
country, sucked by corrupted officials and foreigners.(everyone who got to power had a cake),
no one is clean when you talk about Lebanese politicians.
There is a big immigration wave due to a devastated economy, and many other other
factors. People are depressed and deceived...I hope you are not yet totally brainwashed.
On the other hand yes we are Arabs,
but where are the Arabs to help us?
why they are not admitting the Syrian occupation?
and where were they when there was the issue of selling Lebanon to the Palestinians?
(N.B.: I support the Palestinian cause, but not on the expense of my country!),
and tell me how they are helping us in regards to the Israeli occupation? (that now is reduced).
The Arab countries and our dear neighbors are using Lebanon as a battle field, you know the WWF ring
(Because everything is fake.)
Regarding the statement you made on October 15th, about His Beatitude Cardinal Sfeir's appeal,
just tell me how he is fueling when he is talking about facts like, freedom, dignity, corruption, occupation
and critical situation in Lebanon?
At the present time, Cardinal Sfeir, as far as I am concerned is the "Braveheart" with all respect to all
other religions.Many of my friends from other  religions they thanked him and respected him for what he said...)
One last question, are you affiliated to any official in the government?
Are you affiliated to any party?
I would like to know (I respect all the parties and political affiliation, it is part of the
freedom of choice) I hope you will take this friendly response in a respectful,
and "fair play" spirit... Salute to my Country and Freedom
Paul
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Dear Elias,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your tremendous work and efforts in maintaining this site. 
Thanks for all you time. Thanks to General Aoun. And of course I am with the Maronites Bishops appeal and should
all the Lebanese.
What we need in the Lebanon is not division; what we need in Lebanon is not hatred; what we need in Lebanon is
not violence and lawlessness, but is love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice
toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be Christian or whether they be Muslim.
So I ask you today, to say a prayer for the Lebanese family, but more importantly to say a prayer for our own
country, which all of us love - We will have difficult times. We've had difficult times in the past. And we will have
difficult times in the future. It is not the end of violence; it is not the end of lawlessness; and it's not the end of
disorder.
But the vast majority of Christian people and the vast majority of Muslim people in our country want to live
together,
want to improve the quality of their life, and want justice for all human beings that abide in our land.
Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man
and make gentle
the life of this world.
|Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people. 
Lets be Lebanese and only Lebanese lets be proud of who we are … Lebanese first and Lebanese Second and
Lebanese Third.
Its time to stand up together Christian and Muslim under one roof the roof of Lebanon and SAY NO, NO and 
NO TO SYRIA AND NO, NO And NO TO ISREAL.
Thank you very much.
George
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Dear Ziad,
Thank you for your response and I pray that all is well with you and yours.
Ziad, It is not a matter of barking up the wrong tree. It is a matter of barking up the tree planted in your own
field without you having any say on the matter.  Please allow me to elaborate. 
No one is disputing the fact that Israel is an enemy that invaded, killed, destroyed, and pillaged our land and country. 
No one disputes this fact.  I thank God for the resilience of the Lebanese people who prevailed at the end
and I know there is still more work to be done. 

But, why is it that every time some one attacks the policies, any policy, of the Syrian regime, he or she is
automatically branded by you or others as a traitor? Called pro-Israeli or Anti Arab?
Since when does Arabism or being an Arab is defined by what the Syrian regime dictates?
I mentioned this before and I will say it again:

These people are a bunch of blood sucking, cold blooded murderers who stop at nothing to further their goals.
This group of elite Syrian leaders have taken advantage of the Israeli-Arab conflict to undermine everything
called human dignity or rights in Syria and Lebanon.  Please, answer me this question: In the recent history of 
free Lebanon, post independence, have you heard, read or witnessed any infliction to human rights or personal
freedom passed on by the Lebanese government or its military?  No, I do not think so.  
Then why has our land turned into a pit of arrests, threats, bullying, torture, murder, and disrespect to anything
called freedom of speech, of association, and of conscience?  Where have we witnessed this type of dictatorship
before?  Perhaps Syria!  Now, do you understand. 

The Stalinist regime in the Soviet Union established its grip on the entire country and most of Eastern Europe via
the same means used by the Syrian regime for the last three decades: kidnapping, imprisoning, torture, killing,
assassination, spying, exiling, bullying.  Many millions in the Soviet Union died either of torture or in the Gulags
of Siberia.  Those were Stalin's own people who happened to disagree with him politically, or enjoyed a religious
faith.  They were no threat, but they would have become an ideological threat in the future. 
The solution: utterly merciless and savagely executed elimination.  I could bring Hitler as another example, but I
will not for two reasons: first, I do not want to be called a "traitor" by you or any Arab, knowing the relation
between the Nazis and the Jews, and second because the Syrian people were never capable of such horrible
endeavors until the Assad regime began its intimate association with the Soviets in the seventies. 

Ziad, I am bringing all this up to assure you of one issue that I had mentioned before.  Many of our people's hate
and loath toward Israel, although very justified, have blinded them to the reality of what has been happening in Lebanon.
If we ask the Syrians to return the Lebanese prisoners, we are called traitors.  If we ask them to leave our politicians
alone, we are collaborators with the Zionist enemy and if we voice the opinion that our farmers are suffering from
Syrian products, these farmers are classified as Israeli agents.  Do you see where the problem is?  It is either what
the Syrian regime dictates to you what to think, aspire and/or do, or you would become a Zionist sympathizer
and be targeted.  As I said before, it is not a matter of barking up the wrong tree, it is a matter of barking at where
the tree is planted.  In your front yard, in my back yard and even in our kitchens and places of work. 
Yes, you read right, kitchens.   I wrote that because presently in Lebanon, our people are eating more Syrian
grown products than Lebanese grown ones which are discarded on the streets.
Another related question:  Why is it acceptable by the Arab world, and you, to have Syrian troops in Lebanon
so intensely, and not acceptable to have them in Egypt, or Jordan?  I mean, they both border Israel, don't they?
Better yet, why is the 30,000 plus Syrian troops in Lebanon considered a patriotic manner, and not, let us say,
30,000 plus Saudi troops in Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Yemen, Kuwait, Sudan, Algiers, Iraq, etc.
Do you honestly believe that any of these nations will allow any of the "sister"   nations' military to be present
on their own soil?  I doubt it.  Then why the double standard? 

You might tell me that all the Arab nations are fools because they do not unite against Israel and the Zionists.
Why should we be the standard of that unification?  Why is it that every time it has to be Lebanon who pays
the piper?  Look, the Arabs have over 3,000 years of history, and yet not one time they united themselves
against a common enemy.
OK, granted, when they came out of the desert.  That was a religious catalyst that united them under the
prophet Mohammed.  As soon as he was gone, they fought among themselves: Ali and Mou'aweyah, for example. 
Later for over a thousand years, one dynasty after another undid the work of  the one before it, until W.W.I
when the entire Middle-East was won away from the Turks.

The Arabs withdrew from Syria, Lebanon and Palestine because of  the tribal rivalry that sneaked its ugly head
out again.  Take a look at the Arab nations today, and let us begin with a more moderate one, Jordan, a
monarchy ran by the Hachimite family, a tribe.  Saudi Arabia, another ran by the Sa'oud family, a tribe.
Kuwait, a principality, ran by the Sabbath family, a tribe.  Yemen, UAE, Bahrain and I can continue for a while. 
Here is one that is closer to home: Syria, ran by the Assad family, an Allwaeet tribe.  
Iraq, perhaps? Well you know the drill.  You are asking the Arab World to unite under the wrong premise, and I
refuse to allow Lebanon to be the catalyst for such a disastrous endeavor.  My refusal has nothing to do with the
Arab unification or assimilation into a potentially productive coexistence among all.   It has everything to do
with the fact that Lebanon suffered enough from the likes of Nasser and his unification call, Syria's and others'. 

My refusal has everything to do with the fact that we are forced to be the catalyst for such a project when
all parties called upon have nothing "potent enough" in common to actually consider the thoughts of unification.
My refusal has everything to do with the fact that you want to unite the Arabs to fight an enemy instead of
unification for the sake of brotherhood, mutual respect and common sense.  I will fight against such unification
because you are not allowed to even "whisper" such "traitorous" thoughts in any Arab country, yet you can
call it from on the tops of roofs in Lebanon, and you have every right to do so, protected by the Lebanese
constitution and its civil liberties.  I will fight against such a unification because, once unified, you and I will
promptly lose such freedom and our rights will get replaced by the duties to a dictator.   I will continue to
fight against such a unification because no matter how hard you try, people like you will never look at me as an
equal and eventually my people and I will truly become the "minority" you have described and we will be
directed to the cages of second class citizenry.  

Ziad, your unification cause is as noble and just as the involved parties would allow it to be.  So far, none will. 
Meanwhile, why don't we concentrate on a more realistic virtue! the unification of Lebanon. Gradually, and who
knows, may be the Arabs will copy our work and unify among themselves.  Until that day, you and I and others,
MUST, realize that ideology is a wonderful thing, dreams are necessary and much needed but not at
the expense of reality.  And our reality at the moment is that we barely have the means, energy and will to salvage
whatever is left from our Lebanon.  The Arabs? Perhaps later, but not now.
God help us, and the Arab world, if Lebanon ceases to exist.
Yours truly
Elie Alam
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Ladies And Gentlemen,
I didn't read all the responses, but as usual they always carry the same typical, questions and answers.
I just want to make the following statement:
My country, Lebanon is occupied by the Israelis and the Syrians, and whoever doesn't
admit the existence of both occupations is a traitor to freedom as a concept.
Those who defend Syrian or Israeli occupation are either enjoying personal interests
that deals with corruption,  or money making from the fake power they are appointed to occupy.
These two occupations are governed by two UN resolutions 425, and 520.
I become extremely annoyed when some Lebanese hide behind vague excuses,
live in the past or be poetic in their discussions. there is an occupation in the South and
an overwhelming Syrian dominance devouring the rest of  our country financially,
economically, politically and socially (that is why we see people defending their country
and calling for freedom and independence, where those enjoying the occupation fight back).
I address those supporting the occupation and ask them:
Do you have dignity?
Do you know what is the meaning of freedom? freedom to decide, to choose?
Are you going always to talk with emotions?
Our main problem lies in the subservience of people who are affiliated to certain
leaders, political or feudal groups. They blindly adopt their stances right or wrong !
People wake up, call  for independent, fight for freedom and join those are doing so.
One last sentence for those who consider that Cardinal Sfeir's last statement was violent or
wrong or negative...well, yes my friends, it was violent, but positive.
Those who see it negative, are taking such stance because they are afraid of loosing their
personal interests and privileges given to them by the occupation authorities.
We the Lebanese are one people, irrelative of religion differences!
Cardinal Sfeir just spoke about the freedom concept.
What is up with you, are afraid of the truth?
I salute each and every Lebanese who fights for the independence of Lebanon from
all foreign troops and admire all those who believe in dignity and freedom!!!
Long Live Free Lebanon
Yours truly
Paul Moawad
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From: Lion Mat (freelibnan@yahoo.com
To: Ziad Ghamrawi (aboudi@lynx.net.lb)
15/10/00
very sad.
On a different note, Ziad you sound like you belong to the Iranian backed and driven Hizballah
group and their ideology in a sense that you are always wanting to educate people,
(other groups I should say ) , on what to do and how to think. Are you ?. If that's the
case then Iranian  backed you are. Did you say true patriot?, you said Arab, did you mean
something else maybe?
As human being, in general my understanding is that invaders are the ones having military
presence in the country invaded and imposing their will on its population, that is to say the least. Isn't it?
Wrong tree YOU are barking at indeed, O boy !!!
God help the poor.
Lion Mat.  
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From: Ziad Ghamrawi (aboudi@lynx.net.lb)
To: CLHRF (clhrf@yahoo.com)
15/10/00
I am not an expert on Lebanese issues, but based no my neutral point of view,
I think the problem today lies in out Patriarch Sfeir.  I think he is fueling the violence
in Lebanon.He is fueling hatred and revolt in the county.  That is something I
really don't like!
Regards,
Ziad
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From:  Ziad Ghamrawi <aboudi@lynx.net.lb>
Lion Mat & Elias Bejjani (clhrf@yahoo.com)
2/10/00
Hi.
You want to make a fuss about the REAL invader.  Make a fuss about this.
We are all Arabs after all.  Let's stop barking at  the wrong tree, and
bite the one with the parasitic roots.
Regards from a true patriot,
Ziad A.  Ghamrawi
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Brothers and Sisters,
Are the French Europeans ?  The answer is a clear "Yes". However they feel French first and they
would fight against any enemy to France including threats coming from European countries. So are the
British too. The Germans and the Scandinavians would also react in the same way.
What does it then really mean to say "I am an Arab" ?
1- If it means belonging to a geographical area (the Near East), then the Israelis and the Cypriots should
also be labeled Arabs AND Djibouti should not be part of the Arab League.
2- If it is a matter of language (Arabic), then the Belgians should be French and the Austrians should be
German.
3- If it is a matter of religion, it is clear that all the inhabitants of the Near East do not have the same
religion, and their richness goes even a degree beyond in having different communities within the
different religions.
4- If it is a matter of politics, (i.e:Nasser proposing "the Arab world from the Gulf to the Ocean"),
then again Israel should be part of the Arab world and most probably Turkey too.
5- If it is a matter of roots, then how do you explain that the Tunisians are so proud to refer to their
Phoenician ancestors and not the Lebanese ? 
Should we be ashamed of claiming descendant from the Phoenicians who discovered the alphabet, who
were a democracy and the most advanced civilization at that time ?
Brothers and Sisters,
To be precise I have very little in common with the Saudi, the Kuwaiti or the Iraqi. ( I have discovered
lately that I have a lot in common with the Tunisian. Even the ease in speaking the Lebanese dialect).
I also have very little in common with countries which are run by one party with an authoritarian leader
who rule by fear and is invariably elected with 99.99% of the votes. I do not have much in common with
countries which do not believe in the basic principles of respect,  in the freedom of speech, and in the
universality of the human being. Therefore, "to be or not to be Arab" is a feeling and expressing Arabism
is expressing one's feeling and feelings differ from reality.
If someone wishes to claim his arabism, this ought to be considered with respect. 
We have as well to respect those who do not feel Arabs.
Brothers and Sisters,
Those who feel Arabs ought to address immediately another Arab country who is occupying our Land
and ask this country to leave Lebanon by May 17, 2001. In the history of nations, never a lesser advanced
country has been occupying a more civilized one. May be one day, the Lebanese should enter Syria to
construct schools and universities and help their Syrian brothers to evolve and advance to the right
levels of education, respect and dignity.
Sincerely,
Trablebanon
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Dear editor,
First of all allow me to congratulate your organization for all its hard
work. I give my full support to Patriarch Sfeir with all his comments regarding
the Syrian occupation. It is about time Lebanon and its people, regardless of
religion,stand up as one to demonstrate to the world who we are and what we
stand for. 
I believe the time is near for when the Syrian Occupation will come to a
stand still, like all other occupiers before them. They will leave with
there heads bowed down in shame and their tails between the legs.
Keep up the good work
Long Live Free Lebanon
ELIE FRANGI
PACKARD BELL NEC
DEALER SUPPORT
elie.frangi@nec-computers.com
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From:"Alam, Elie"Elie.Alam@delta-air.com
To:"'clhrf@yahoo.com'"
Subject: A response Mr. Ziad Saad's Arabism-Non-Arabism analysis,
Date:Saturday Oct 7/ 2000 

Hi.
You want to make a fuss about the REAL invader. Make a fuss about this. We are all
Arabs after all. Let's stop barking at the wrong tree, and bite the one with the parasitic roots.
Regards from a true patriot,
Ziad A. Ghamrawi
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From: Elias Bejjani
To: Mr. Ziad Ghamrawi
7/10/2000
Dear Ziad
Take this advice and always remember it when dealing with other people, especially with those who differ with in opinion, religion, politics, and other domains. If you are an Arab, you should be very proud of that, but you can't force those who are not Arabs to bear the same affiliation and vice versa.
My dear countryman, if you believe in Human Rights, especially the right for free expression, and if you respect others and don't practice discrimination against them in regards to color, race, social status, education, religion
and physical looks, then you should know that all people are equal and have equal rights. When you say we are
all Arabs, whom do you mean by "we". Does your "we" include the Armenians, Turks, Qobtics, Assyrians, Lebanese of Phoenician or other roots, the Barber, the Jews, the Alawis, the Shiite, etc?
I can understand that you are young and may be frustrated because of the current general situation from
Palestine to Morocco to Sudan, but you still have to learn many things in life before attacking others because
they are different and do not share your opinions. The golden rule in any religion or culture is to respect others, so others can respect you.
Dear Ziad, be proud that you are an Arab, but don't force your Arabism on others and let them be what they are and what they want to be. In Lebanon we ought to be all Lebanese first, and then every one of us has the right
to be proud of his roots. This is the beauty of our multi-cultural rich society. We have to look forward, not backward; we have to be open and not isolated or fanatic.
Be proud that you are Lebanese first and then know your roots and maintain them. Don't forget to let others
do what you are doing...respect them so they can respect you.
God Bless our country.
CLHRF Secretary and Webmaster
Elias Bejjani
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From: Anthony Geaitani (AGeaitani@lumley.com.au)
To: 'clhrf@yahoo.com'" clhrf@yahoo.com
Subject: I support the Maronite Bishops
Date Friday,6, Oct, 2000
Dear CLHRF editor
I am totally with the Maronites' Bishop appeal It is about time they woke up !!!
Anthony Geaitani, Analyst\Programmer. Lumley Technolog.  Sydney Australia
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Date: 6/10/2000
From: Ziad Sad (Zsad@hotmail.msn.com)
To: clhrf (clhrf@yahoo.com)
Subject: Response to Mr. Elie Alam (Elie.Alam@delta-air.com)
I'm going to respond to your e-mail ,paragraph by paragraph ;
1- you said ; "..In fact, a few months ago I listened to a so called informed Moslem clergyman, denouncing Israel
of course and announcing that if the Christians did not like the Moslem rule, all they have to do is, and I quote,
"go back to Europe where you came from". "Neutralized"? ...."
this Moslem clergyman is either ignorant , you did not understood him or you have made up this statesmen, the fact of the mater is that minorities in the Arab world, the original population of the Arab countries and the examples
are ; Qobts in Egypt, Barbarians or "Amazeegh" in North Africa, Assyrians in Iraq and Christians in great Syria including Lebanon.  Yes Arab race is not native in most of the Arab world with the exception of the Arabian
peninsula  yet along hundreds of years of which we lived together, .we mixed and became one people, speak the same language and share the same religion in general.   Islam my friend is not only a relationship between
a person and his God, its a life style and we all , at most  share it: for example when the Holy month of
Ramadan comes along , we all celebrate it, and when it ends we all celebrate its end "the Eeed", and we
at most - value our great history, leaders and celebrities like Sallah Iddeen al-Ayyoobi , Haroon Alrashid,
Alrazi Ibn Battotah, Ibn Khaldoon and certainly the prophet Mohammad and his companions, and those are all Arabians; Moroccans, Algerians, Egyptians and Iraqis and those are the heritage of every Arab Moslem
from the Atlantic Ocean across the North Africa and South West Asia all the way to the Arabian gulf , and the
fact that you don't share this with us regretful but probably understandable since you don't share the same religion...and this is unfortunately the harsh fact about our Christian brothers that they form the minority in
our Arab society and some of them share the same views and others like you don't .
2-you said ;"...You see, my friend, when the Arabs came out of their desert, out of their "jahiliah" or ignorance, whom do you think they attacked and conquered? Was the land empty and deprived of any people or "intelligence"? You sound just like the Jews, when they claim God's decree to conquer the land of milk and honey.
You are another misinformed person who thinks that history began with Islam. I pity you for your country has much to offer than this narrow vision of Arabism. "
* jaheleyyeh or ignorance is a Moslem term that refers to ignorant of religious cultural beliefs, Arabs had before Islam
** I did acknowledge Arabism is not native, but along the time we developed into the present Arab Moslem culture
*** narrow vision!!! ....I think you criticize my wide broad vision , not the contrast .
3- you said ; "Tell me my friend since you called for the unification of all Arab Nations: What possible commonality do you as an Arab have with the Sudanese? You have nothing in common except that you have forced your language and faith on them and called them Arabs. Yet, you embrace a foreign, completely different bunch of people who share none of your heritage whatsoever, and you denounce someone like me whose ancestors and yours have shared this land for many centuries. What possible commonality would you have with the Saudis and Kuwaitis?
None, except religion and faith. But yet, even your Arabic language has evolved away from theirs. Your understanding of the world is different.The way you view a nation is different. The way you think and dream is different.
* this sounds like a skin-color based racism , just because Sudanese have a different skin color does not
mean we're completely different ...I share the same with them the same values I share with my immediate Palestinians and Syrian neighbors.
**by the way, Arabic probably is not my far ancestors' language...but my grandparents voluntarily embraced the language and culture and the same happened to most present Arabs " excluding Arabian peninsula '
*** if sharing the same religion and language with Sudanese and Saudis is not enough bound...what else do you think I need to form enough bound , so many countries in the world lack any bound between its citizens like in most European countries and Russia
**** different Arab accents is not a weakness , on the contrary it is an advantage ...besides every major language in the world is spoken differently among its people; English language in Ireland is different from English in Scotland, French and German and Italian are all spoken in different accents and dialects
I don't denounce you .
Most Moslem Lebanese families and probably Lebanese Christian families have "family branches" in more than one Arab country especially Syria and Palestine and this proves the common social roots . Please when you make statements prove them with evidence and examples. I know we Moslem Lebanese are not identical or twin brothers for Sudanese and Saudis people, but we share the same social bounds and consequently the same thinking and prospect of life .
4- You said : "I mentioned that through all the struggles of the past centuries, our grandparents, yours and mine, have built a wonderful entity that surpassed all that is of the Middle-East. They built a democracy. "
What kind of democracy you're talking about that states in the constitution the ethnicity of each major government official.
5- You said; ' Tell me, my friend, where in the Arab world can you do the same without fear of prosecution or brutal silencing? One example will suffice me. Many of my Syrian friends who happen to be Moslems damn the day Assad took over.
Who told you that Iam is applauding the present Arab dictatorships, the Arabic body is sick and needs reform, that's what Iam is talking about
5- You said ; "Dear Ziad, what differentiates Lebanon from the other Arab nations is the fact that we evolved beyond the reach of the rest of the Arabs. The fact is that your people came from the darkness of the desert and contacted the already existing and flourishing Greco-Byzantine-Aramaic culture. They conquered and claimed the culture, added their own and diverted it into their own image. But something different happened in Syria, Palestine, Egypt and mostly Lebanon. The close contact between the two people created such a synergy that differentiated these nations from what you call typical Arabs. It accelerated them beyond the tribal imagery into a community and thus was created what is not purely Arab or purely Non-Arab " .
You are talking about so the called "Lebanese evolution" as if Lebanese are super humans and the rest of the Arabs are sub-humans. Please specify what you are talking about , if you mean literacy and education, Yes we are among the best, but the highest literacy rate in the Arab world is in the Arabian golf countries. What do you mean by evolution???
Is Lebanese culture greco Byzantine Aramaic ? first we don't speak Greek, we don't even speak any Greek words in our Lebanese Arabic accent, and if you say this to a Greek person he will laugh at you!!!, secondly; Byzantine empire declined long time ago. Yes they ruled Lebanon for long time among other countries, they were occupiers not locals, centered in Constantine and I don't see they have shaped our culture in any way except within the Christian minority. Thirdly; Aramaic? Aramaic language is the mother language of Arabic and Hebrew. We are Arabs, simply because we speak the language, Moslems and Christians
Pure Arabs don't exist any where in the world, the term "Arab people" in the present time - racially speaking-are mixture of Arabs , Africans , barbarians, Turks, Persians, qobts and others.
6- You said; "This launched Lebanon even further into the path of evolution and created what Lebanon is now. We are not really part of the Arab world, though geographically we are, because we evolved differently. Syria, Palestine and Egypt are considered the next in line where evolution was derailed sometimes in the 11th century".
Your speech of evolution is unclear and does not make any sense. Arabs including Lebanon have practiced - in general-the same historical political experience.
What do you mean by the derailed evolution in the 11th century?
7- You said: "Yet we have something so powerful in common. We share our love, even adoration of freedom. The rest of the Arab world does not understand that because they never, ever experienced it"
Your language gives the impression of empty arrogance.
They understand the need for freedom BECAUSE they never experienced it .
In the end; I CAN NOT BELIEVE MYSELF PLUNGING IN A DEBATE TRYING TO PROVE THE ARABIC IDENTITY OF ARABS.
Yours truly
Zias Sad
_______________________________________________________________________
October 5/ 2000
To: clhrf@yahoo.com'" clhrf@yahoo.com
From: Alam, Elie (Elie.Alam@delta-air.com)
Subject: A response to Mr. Ziad Sad
Tue, 3 Oct 2000 14:03:26 -0400
It pains me to read such a brutal message from a fellow Lebanese who is so immersed in his love and adoration for the Arab Cause that again he is blinded to the reality or at least his vision is blurred to the danger. My dear Ziad, I am happy for you, truly happy for you because you actually found a cause to believe in, and in this case the unification of the  Arab world.   What a wonderful dream!  What a powerful message this can be to  the rest of the world!  "We are here, we are powerful and we shall remain"  our message should be.  The West and definitely the Jews will be rightfully scared and alarmed.  What a dream! 
Yet others, do no care about the Saudis or the Kuwaitis, they just want  to unite the fertile Crescent, and if my memory serves me well, that constitutes Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and I believe Cyprus as the star of the Crescent.  Hooray for them, for they shall have a powerful nation  for the rest of the world to contend with.   But as Syrian Nationalists go,  they despise anything called Arab.  Allow me to elaborate; They believe in the Syrio-Phoenician history and they always interpreted the Arabs as an infectious injection into this Syrio-Phoenician paradise.
Others, such as you, ask the Christians or non-Arabs to feel lucky  because they were "admitted" and "neutralized" into the Arab world. 
In fact, a few months ago I listen to a so called informed Moslem clergyman, denouncing Israel of course and announcing that if the Christians did not like the Moslem rule, all they have to do is, and I quote, "go back to Europe where you came from".    "Neutralized"?  This can be very funny if it was not very sad, indeed.  You see, my friend, when the Arabs came out of their desert, out of their "jahiliah" or ignorance, whom do you think they attacked and conquered?   Was the land empty and deprived of any people or "intelligence"? You sound just like the Jews, when they claim God's decree to conquer the land of milk and honey. 
You are another misinformed person who thinks that history began with Islam.  I pity you for your country has much to offer than this  narrow vision of Arabism.   Tell me my friend since you called for the  unification of all Arab Nations:   What possible commonality do you as an Arab have  with the Sudanese?  You have nothing in common except that you forced your language and faith on them and called them Arabs.  Yet, you embrace a foreign, completely different bunch of people who share none of your heritage whatsoever, and you denounce someone like me whose ancestors   and yours have shared this land for many centuries.  What possible commonality would you have with the Saudis and Kuwaitis?
None, except religion and faith.  But yet, even your Arabic language  has evolved away from theirs. Your understanding of the world is different.The way you view a nation is different.  The way you think and dream is different.  In my previous letter to the editor, I mentioned that through all the struggles of the past centuries, our grandparents, yours and mine, have built a wonderful entity that surpassed all that is of the Middle-East. They built a democracy.  It is this democracy and this unique kind of freedom that guarantees you the right, and the duty, to directly and unyieldingly disagree with your government if you choose so.  Tell me, my friend, where in the Arab world can you do the same without fear of prosecution or brutal silencing? One example will suffice me.  Many of  my Syrian friends who happen to be Moslems damn the day Assad took over. 
They think of him as the beast who stole whatever dignity they had remained not to mention the freedom to earn a descent living.  Dear Ziad, what differentiates Lebanon from the other Arab nations is the fact that we evolved beyond the reach of the rest of the Arabs.  The fact is that your people came from the darkness of the desert and contacted the already existing and flourishing Greco-Byzanti-Arameic culture.  They conquered and claimed the culture, added their own and diverted it into their own image.   But something different happened in Syria, Palestine, Egypt and mostly Lebanon.   The close contact between the two peoples created such a synergy that differentiated these nations from what you call  typical Arabs.  It accelerated them beyond the tribal imagery into a community and thus was created  what is not purely Arab or purely Non-Arab. 
No  example is as true as the one in Lebanon.  While with time, in Syria, Egypt and Palestine the subjugation of the Non-Arabs was practically complete, the, Non-Arabs and mainly Christians of Lebanon were never completely subjugated to the rule of Islam and Arabs.  This launched Lebanon even further into the path of evolution and created what Lebanon is now.   We are not really  part of the Arab world, though geographically we are, because we evolved differently.  Syria, Palestine and Egypt are considered the next in line where evolution was derailed sometimes in the 11th century.  These are the four countries where the thinkers, philosophers, and geniuses came from before and after the Arab conquest?  Not Saudi Arabia or Yemen or Sudan! Why? because there is more to these four countries and especially Lebanon than just blanketing them under the flag of Arabism or Islam.  We are different from the rest of the Middle-East.  You and I are different from each other. 
You claim an Arab ancestry and I claim other wise for myself.Yet we have something so powerful in common. We share our love, even adoration of freedom.  The rest of the Arab world does not understand  that because they never, ever experienced it.   We did, and it tastes so  sweet.  Perhaps, one of these days the Arab world will be united, or maybe the dream of Syrian Nationalists will come true as the Fertile Crescent becomes a reality.  But as of now, as of  this time of history, it is the Arab world that needs to follow us, to catch up with us.  It needs to evolve to where you and I are at the moment.  They are so far behind that free thinking  is a novelty to many of them and it scares me to be unified with them at   this time.  You see Ziad, it is they who need to evolve and join with us, not we who need to devolve and unite with them. 
Yours truly
Elie Alam
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4/10/2000
Dear CLHRF editor
I am very proud of you at the CLHRF. You are great and genuine Lebanese.. I am 100% in
support of the Maronite Bishops' appeal, although I am a Muslim Sunni, it is time.
They should have taken this stance since a long time ago.
I hope they will not back off and keep the pressure on the Syrian occupier to leave.
At the same time I am so disappointed by some of the Muslim leaders who support the
Syrian occupier and stand  against their country and its independence. I am actually ashamed
of their acts. They represent themselves only and not the majority of the Lebanese Muslims.
Yours truly
Ahmad Saleh
Kuwait
===================================================================================
From:"ziad sad" zsad@email.msn.com
To:<clhrf@yahoo.com
Subject: Lebanon & the Arabs
Date: 30 Sept 2000
Lebanon is part of the Arab world , we speak its language , we've actively contributed as a people and
country in its culture and activities...Lebanese - mostly- are of Arabic roots ,and those who are not Arabs
are in fact naturalized -like Armenians , Kurds...etc , just like a Mexican or Chinese naturalized in the
united states or any other country...we are Arabs first , we speak its language , we have the same mode ,
the same happiness that occurs to them touches us , and we share the same sadness.....the Syrian troops
is not an occupying force,in fact I wish to see the Syrian army in every Lebanese village and town , and
the Syrian flag and Iraqi flag and Jordanian flag and the Egyptian flag in every Lebanese city , town and
village and versa versa, I want to see these so called 22 countries or so merge in one large powerful country
and Lebanon it crown jewel , if you want to calculate the balance of loss or profit of this dream for us as
Lebanese you will realize that - materially speaking - is very profitable , we are the most educated , the smartest....instead of remaining dwarfs in our small tiny little country , we will be kings and queens of the
dream united Arab super powerful country...SP welcome Syrian troops in your homes and people here in
Lebanon and I wish you never leave
_________________________________________________________________________
From:"Alam, Elie" Elie.Alam@delta-air.com
To:"'clhrf@yahoo.com'"
Subject:A thought!
Date: Saturday 30 Sep 2000 18:02:40 -0400
Dear CLHRF web site editor
I have a problem in understanding the behavior of our Moslem Lebanese brothers, I hope you or
any of the CLHRF viewers would be able through constructive dialogue to help me.
Few years ago, a nasty man took over my good neighbor's land that was a good one. He brought his own
family over and kicked my neighbor and his family out. Me and my brother knew this man was evil and
needs to be stopped and destroyed. We called upon the tribe and for a long time failed to defeat him.
Nevertheless, my brother and I with the help of our cousin were able to drive him out of our land.
Now he is out. He is still dangerous but at least he is out. A few days ago I thanked my cousin for his
help and asked him to return to his home. And here is the problem.
My own brother, so afraid of the evil guy that he is willing to surrender all our household and affairs
to our cousin. My brother hates the evil man so much that he is blinded to the evil that our own cousin
has become. we can not plant our land the way we want to, we can not honor the people we want to
honor, we have to get our cousin's permission to practically go from the living room to the kitchen. My
bother and I grew up in a house where love and respect was abundant. We loved each other, although
we had major differences and some times we came to blows.
Have I stopped considering him my brother? Of course not, he will always be that to me. But I am so
worried about our children that they will grow up in their own house but they do not own it. They will cook,
clean, build, cultivate the land but under the influence of someone that is just a cousin. I do not trust this
cousin of mine. To tell you the truth, I fear that he is not leaving, and every time my brother and I try to
make sense of what is happening to us, he is there to disrupt or kick one of my children out of the house.
My cousin will not allow us to talk like we used to.
I miss my brother, our discussions and how we were planning to expand our future and grow old
with our wives and hand over the house to our own children. But my brother is blind. May be this
is a simplistic metaphor to some, but that is how most Christians feel about their Muslim brothers.
They are so blinded with their hate toward Israel and Jews, that they are either ignoring or not seeing the
cancer eating at us from within.
This cancer is the Syrian regime, and like in any other occupied land, the collaborators are loud and merciless.
Regardless of how one feels about his ancestral line, one has to be realistic and evolve into his today's reality.
Christians, or should I say Non-Arabs, (surprise!! some of the Lebanese Moslems are not Arabs)
always feel that Moslems try to undermine their Lebanese 6000 years of history and pretend as it does
not non existent, as if history began with Islam.
It is a fact, the majority of Arabs are Moslems, but still there are millions of Christian Arabs and millions
of non-Moslems living in the the so-called Arab world. these are the original inhabitants of Iraq, Syria, Egypt,
Lebanon, Sudan etc.The Moslems hate the fact that their influence in Lebanon is not as strong as in the
Arab world. They do not feel the belonging in Lebanon because it is not an Arab nation.
The truth remains that both Arabs and non Arabs, regardless of their heritage, influenced each other
and helped in building something unprecedented in the entire Middle East: A fragile and budding
democracy that if nourished properly and constantly, will overwhelm awkwardness off all neighbors.
Throughout evolution of thinking and action, the Lebanese Arabs stopped being Arabs, though retaining a lot
of their heritage, and became Lebanese.
At the same time, the non-Arab Lebanese stopped being Phoenicians, Armenians, Syrians, Assyrians, etc.
They maintained a great deal of their heritage, culture and traits, but became Lebanese.
It has been said is said, and I learned that in my Arabic literature class," the poet is the child of his surroundings
(Al Shaaer ibna Bee'atehe).
The only Arabs that resemble the old version of Arabs are those in the Arabian Gulf countries.
They believe to be the protectors of their Arabic heritage.They threaten to destroy anyone who would try to
negate the sovereignty of their nations, Arabs or non-Arabs. The Lebanese are the sons of their
surroundings that were shaped by many invaders, conquerors, resistance activities, betrayal, liberation etc.
We the Lebanese evolved from narrow thinking of ourselves as decedents of some tribe in the desert, or the
those of certain philosophers in Antioch, Byrit, Tyre or Alexandria, and we decided to live in our own
environment created by us with blood and sweat.
Now, we have a cousin who keeps telling us to DEVOLVE back to the times where being an Arab meant
control more than pride. This cousin, is the Syrian regime, who does not care about Arabs or about Arab cause.
This regime is nothing but a bunch of Business people who use the "today's Arab cause" to further their
control. Syria already fell and they sucked its blood. Why should there be poor people in Syria?
It is richer than Lebanon by far, yet its people are controlled into submission and to one level above starvation.
Now it is Lebanon's turn.
Forget the cause and the Palestinians, No Arab leader cares any more.
we, the Lebanese are holding the bucket so compassionately, we became blinded while the cancer
eats away at the very foundation of what our grandparents sacrificed so dearly to create.
For those Lebanese brothers who cherish the Syrian occupation domination,
or let us say the custodianship of the Syrian regime, I say: "Please remember that not at one time in the history
of Lebanon as a independent nation, any Lebanese, or non-Lebanese was arrested, detained or even
questioned for expressing an honest opinion".
Muffling Lebanon's peoples' free voices is an atrocity and an infringement on their human rights. these actions
remind us of Hitler, Stalin, and of course the Turks. The Syrian regime is worst then all of them.
My dear Lebanese Moslem brother, what is going on is extremely scary because your hatred
towards Israel and the Jews has made you blind as far as the Syrian cancer is concerned. you are so
blinded to the "destructive love" of the Syrian regime. I call on you to only love Lebanon and
to struggle courageously to get them both out. The Israelis are already out, focus now on the Syrian
occupation and stop deceiving your self, the Syrian regime is now the enemy.
Long Live Lebanon
_________________________________________________________________________________________
From Mohamad Ali (Lebanon) 29/9/2000
(southlebanon2000@hotmail.com)
Dear CLHRF editor
I support 100% what the Maronite Bishops declared. I wish all  the Muslim
Clergymen would bravely support Bkerke in its strive to force
the Syrian troops to withdraw from Lebanon. It seems the Muslim
leaders and politicians are not free in their decisions, or otherwise
how they could support an occupation force against their own country?
Best wishes in your hard work
___________________________________________________________________________________________
From Jamal Abdou
To: clhrf@yahoo.com
From: (jamal.abdou@sspd.cpii.com)
Subject:Lebanese
Date:Thu, 14 Sep 2000 17:06:00 -0700

Who  are the Lebanese? are they Arabs, Phoenicians, Syrians or what..?
Lebanese are all those and much much more. we are the Kurds. We are the Armenians.
We are those small groups who  wanted shelter from persecution. We are also those who
came with invading armies and liked the place. This "Khalta"
is what makes us special.
Regards,
Jamal abdou 
===================================================================
From:  (Camille Saade)
(camille@kataebtoronto.com)
The Lebanese Kataeb, Toronto Chapter
To: clhrf@yahoo.com
Date:14/9/ 2000
God bless Lebanon.
We are Lebanese and only Lebanese, we are not a part of any other Country.
We have been in existence as a nation with a distinguishable identity for the past six thousand years. We shall by God’s will maintain our Lebanese heritage and roots till the last day no matter what the sacrifices would be. We gave hundreds of thousands of martyrs to keep the Lebanese torch glaring. We will keep doing so as long as there is one Lebanese on this globe. There is no doubt that our country is facing currently very traumatic and hard circumstances because of the occupation, but there is an end fore each and every hardship. The Lebanese have encountered in their deeply rooted history painful eras but they were always able to defeat the enemies and reclaim there country and its independence back This time it is not going to be any different. All occupiers will be defeated and forced to leave our country with shame and humiliation
Lebanon shall never die.
Camille Saade
=============================================================================================================
13/9/2000
Dear Sir
I am Lebanese, but I am Arabic and to be honest my Arabism comes first.
At the same time I do not think that there is a Lebanese independent identity..
we are all Arabs.
Yours truly
Ahmmad Youssef Ali
Beirut
======================================================================
From: seekjustice1@aol.com
13/9/2000
A land of losers
I wrote this post out of the pain I feel for what Lebanon has been through for the past 25 years and is still going through. How could we as Lebanese people be so heartless watching our country suffer and disappear? Even rocks would cry about what we have done to our country. What do we tell our children and future generations about this shameful history? What does one say? Years and years of occupation, years and years of civil war where the Lebanese killed each other like animals, neighbor against neighbor, brother against brother. Today no one knows why they were killing each other and why people had to suffer and lose loved ones.
Thousands of innocent people killed, actually more than 150 thousand, thousands of innocent children orphaned, thousands widowed and thousands maimed and their life will never be the same. Yet no one cared and still no one cares. How can people be so heartless?
Along with the civil war came occupation. Now our country is the only non-country in the middle east, our people have no dignity, the country is run by animals and traitors who are puppets and serve the interest of foreign power. Things keep getting worst, we have a failing economy with billions in debt, many of our people live below poverty. While most Arabs live a prosperous and peaceful life, they are building their countries and futures, the Lebanese are suffering and moving backwards.
A Lebanese man cannot afford an apartment let alone afford to start a family.
Our heritage is disappearing. A million Lebanese left Lebanon, and you will hear horror stories of suffering , struggles, humiliation, and tears. A million Syrians moved into Lebanon changing our demographics, heritage and economy. If each Syrian makes $5 a day , that is $ 5 million leaving Lebanon every day, not to mention the millions that Syria gets by being in Lebanon and what they share in theft with the traitors that we have in power, yet no one cares.
A foreign power is in control of our country and they control our people our destiny. A foreign power that sucked the life, the economy and dignity from our people but with our own blessing and with the help of Lebanese traitors. The leaders are called to Damascus like dogs to be told what to do, these same dogs control the destiny of our country and families. We have been called the tail of the Arab World, the whorehouse of the Arab World, Syria's outhouse, we the joke of the middle east and still no one cares.
Many claim to care and say they love Lebanon, but when you question them further you will notice that they have an alternate agenda and that they are actually more loyal to their leader or master, political party, religious leader, power or their pockets. Until Lebanon and the Lebanese people become more important to us then we will continue to fight a loosing battle. If you keep doing what you did you will keep getting what you got. If you read today's paper or today's boards you will see the same discussions, the same topics, the same arguments and the same criminal leaders except now they are bringing their sons in to rule and control your sons.
They are selling you and your family and you are attacking each other and killing each other for them. Is it no wonder that we are a land of losers. Few weeks ago while student were being arrested in Lebanon the discussion on this board was about Gaegae and Aoun. How could people be so heartless, instead of being concerned about a nation and it's people we are discussing two men who did their share of blood shed. If they both cared about you they would have done the impossible not to fight each other , instead they had no problems sacrificing Lebanon and sending young men to their graves.
You complain that they are exiled or jailed but you never mention that thousands of innocent men that were killed and executed because of them. Why are you so heartless? Why is their life more important than the lives they sacrificed? We should believe in important and worthy cause and not in men. For years on this board grown educated men have attacked each other in support of their masters claiming that these leaders great. Well if all these leaders are so great then why is Lebanon in such a mess. Shouldn't they be judged on their accomplishment?
Well look what state is Lebanon in now, that is their accomplishment. How can anyone mess up more than they did? Their accomplishment is war, hate , bloodshed, pain, misery and crime. They had a responsibility to care for our country and people and they failed miserably. They should be punished and not worshiped. All leaders should be rounded up and thrown in jail,from lahoud on down, and the money they stole should be used to help our people, the people they raped and killed. We need to stop blaming the world for our problems. Their are two types of enemies external and internal. An external enemy without an internal traitor has limited power but it is the internal enemy that can suck the life of you and cause you the most damage. Lebanon is cursed with many internal enemies. These internal enemies should be held accountable first and foremost. Unfortunately instead of being being held accountable these monsters are worshiped. Our people follow them blindly , like sheep being lead into the slaughterhouse.
How is it that you are willing to sacrifice your country, your dignity, your honor, and your family for these animals. Before we get arrogant and just blame the leaders and excuse ourselves of any wrong doing , we need to understand that we are just as guilty. We are just as guilty for every innocent death , for the misery that we have caused our people. we will be judged accordingly. It is just as much of a crime to sit and watch your country and people get raped and do nothing. We are just guilty as the ones who did the raping, because if we did not allow it , it would not have happened. Our job should be to make sure that they are not even able to get one wink of sleep for what they have done, instead they are treated as royalty. Aren't we ashamed to have these animals in power and in charge of our destiny.
How does a person leave the future of our children in the hand of criminals and monsters? It is time we stop trusting anyone, it is time we take charge. Instead we are wasting our time discussing them on these boards. Some of you have wasted thousand of hours on these boards standing up for crooks, what has that accomplished? Aren't you tired of worshiping leaders who destroyed you. Don't you realize that you have not accomplished anything? So we are at fault and our leaders are at fault, how about the religious leaders. I have met them from all faiths and all denominations and found them to be nothing but hypocrites as well. They speak of God and they are the most ungodly of men. I hold them just as accountable for every single drop of blood. They should have united and held hands and put a stop to things and promoted peace, instead they did nothing. Some even made fortunes from people killing each other. some took sides. Don't evaluate them by their title but rather by their accomplishments and they did nothing. I have attended many conferences and all they do is eat, dance and get drunk and they do not even mention Lebanon. They chase after the families with money and ignore those who are in need. They are thieves and hypocrites. They had the power to help and lead people but they did nothing instead they added to the problems. To them i will say you are just as guilty and just as accountable. I do not want to listen to empty words.
Words mean nothing. Can you imagine their power if they unite from every faith and hit the streets with the students. But they did nothing and could care less. We as Lebanese are not serious about saving Lebanon. We lost Lebanon because we do not care about Lebanon. Until we say Lebanon is first and foremost we will continue to sink. How is it that grown men are not ashamed to tell tell their children that they are kataeb, ahrar, LF , Amal or whatever when we do not have a country and we do not have dignity or honor. How is it that an organization is more important than nation or people? Not one has Lebanon at heart. I am sick and tired of listening to them say they are working for Lebanon when the fact is they destroyed Lebanon. If we all care so much then why are we not working together? Lebanon is sinking and needs you. Fire your political party and join the Lebanon party. Fire your political leaders and stand for the innocent Lebanese instead, they are the ones who paid the price, Fire your religious leader and stand for God instead.
Recently, Dr. Philip salem, a physician of Lebanese origin, was honored for his accomplishment. He ended his speech by saying that we all need to get down on our knees and pray for forgiveness for what we have done to our country and people. He said that our attempts to gain freedom are in vain unless we first free ourselves. I am assuming that we need to free ourselves from a sick tribal mentality, from following leaders blindly, from worshiping petrodollars, from our hate from our hypocrisy, and we need to free ourselves especially from arrogance. It is time for change or else 25 years from now you will be having the same discussions and facing the same problems but worst. It is time for a revolution, it is time for change , it is time for cleansing, it is time for justice. It is time we stop being a land of losers.
=====================================================================================

From Joseph Hanna-Lebanon
7/9/2000
Dear Mr. Elias Bejjani
I am very happy you have put  the Lebanese identity for debate.Personally I am Lebanese, and only Lebanese.My priority goes first and always to my beloved Lebanon. At the same time I am not Arab by any means. The Arabs invaded my country in year 650 andforced on my people the Arabic language and on many their religion.
I know too that some of the Lebanese come of Arabic roots and I have no problem with that.  Also other Lebanese are Armenians, Kurds, Turks, European, etc. Personally I believe my roots are Phoenician like the majority of the other Lebanese people. Lebanon is not an Arabic country, but a country that is related closely to the Arabic
world. Yes I speak Arabic, but this this is the language of the invaders. The same as the Native Indians in Canada and USA who speak English but it is not their original language, it is the invaders language. Speaking
a language means nothing at all in relation to roots.
I am Lebanese and only Lebanese and it is time for the Lebanese Muslims to recognize this fact and start giving priority to their Lebanese identity and not to the Arabs. Lebanon is a gift from Almighty God,  let all the Lebanese, it is time for the Lebanese to understand this fact.
Yours truly
Joseph Hanna. Lebanon
===================================================================================
From: Lion Mat freelibnan@yahoo.com
To: Ziad Ghamrawi aboudi@lynx.net.lb
29/7/2000

Ziad,
Very nice approach and applies widely, however I do not believe that works with the Syrian regime.
Come on get WISER and be MORE OBJECTIVE .... may be 25 more
years is needed ...
Forever
Freelibnan.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ziad Ghamrawi
To: Mr. Lion Mat
28/7/2000
Apology accepted
Know this:
Know that I come from a very good bringing up. I was taught to look at matters wisely and
OBJECTIVELY.
I do not look upon anything with hatred first then tackle...  I tackle
then lay my views.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Lion Mat freelibnan@yahoo.com
To: Ziad Ghamrawi <aboudi@lynx.net.lb>
28/7/2000
Dear Sirs,
Ziad  wrote :"I kindly ask Mr. Elias to stop forwarding our private conversations around the world, especially to those who cannot handle a man's argument."Ziad: I'm not sure whether you are trying to protect yourself here or not, but accusing me of not being able to handle man's argument . Well, truth hurts Doesn't it ? I say: that can be applied in Lebanon and Syria under the influence and rules of the geniuses running the show. Here it simply does not work my friend. Freedom and freedom of speech rules !!!
Dear Ziad,
I apologize, for it wasn't my intentions to hurt no one except those who are hurting and wiping out my native country. I would like to return your suggestion to me about respect with all do respect for do not agreeing and saying that someone is not making any sense in my and my surrounding's books DO NOT MEAN NO RESPECT.
However, I can sense and I understand where you come from. Open discussions are open discussions and things can happen. I live abroad , I'm not sure about you, the culture and traditions here do not apply to your rules and regulations. Again, saying to someone you're not making sense DOES NOT BY ANY DEFINITION MEAN NO RESPECT.
Putting myself in your shoes, in other words, if I were you, I wouldn't have reacted your way, and for that matter many people would be out of respect. You can call me anything, and everything, but that remains your personal opinion which I RESPECT.  however it doesn't change in me an IOTA. I do not know you , you do not know me . I have nothing against you, and believe you me, contrary to your comments, ( which by the way it's been
long since I've last heard this expression " respect yourself and respect others"), about me and respect, I have great respect for you and your opinion.I tell you, I and I stress on I, I DO NOT MAKE SENSE ALWAYS, I'm human being after all. You can tell me as much as you want I'm not making sense. Once more, in my books that doesn't mean NO RESPECT.
Having said all that, I stand still with respect to the Syrian regime which I do not have the slightest RESPECT for it and for that matter to any one who gives it credit for stopping the fighting in Lebanon or any credit at all for any matter as long as they have a foot on Lebanese soil. How would I when evidence and facts show that this regime is driving mycountry to COMPLETE REAL COLLAPSE ?.
Forever
Freelibnan.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ziad Ghamrawi
To: Mr. Lion Mat
27/7/2000
Dear Mr.  Lion Mat.
I suggest you respect yourself and respect others.  I hold no regard for your comment on calling my opinion as nonsense. I kindly as Mr.  Elias to stop forwarding our private conversations around the world,
especially to those who cannot handle a man's argument.
Respects to all,
Ziad A.  Ghamrawi
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elias,
I would like to address these questions to Ziad who's been bombarding you with none   sense where he's been
trying hard to make one. Where in the hell he isgetting his information from ? and how can he be so sure that his
sources/resources are reliable, trusty and yours  are not or doubtful?. Ziad's make me laugh
when he says that Syria has a role in stopping Lebanese killing each other !!! this is pathetic.  I read reliable
sources too and my sources say that Syria has a big big role in  the Lebanese fighting each others since even
before they put feet in Lebanese soil through exporting arms  and ammunitions to the small brother Lebanon to
help in the liberation of the Golan and Palestine !!! for God's sake or who ever Ziad's believe in's sake it's
time for him to get objective and tell us where he is getting the idea that all Muslims are with Syria? that is what
I hear on LBC and other media sources controlled by the Syrians. Reliable? yes right!!! Ziad's believe that this
really is the case.
Question: would you expand and tell us why is it so? is it maturity, self confidence, religious, identity or what
problems?
Please give us you insights, we know what we want and you know it for our views are known to you and others
and repeated on this site and similar sites.  Briefly, our main objective is to get Syria out of Lebanon.
Correct me if I'm wrong, Muslims with Syria to beat, kick and suck the hell out of Lebanon and Lebanese ?
Muslims with Syria to stay in Lebanon till she turns it into a Mouhafaza and once that happens then Lebanon is
finished and Muslims would accomplish their mission and live happily with Christians and other Leb -Syrian
compatriots ever after? Well the way things are heading, very unfortunate, but I can see that happening and
"BI ISM EL SHAAB EL LUBNANI "
Mr. Berri/ or Mr. Hosseini for the President of the fake republic wa salam ala watan used to be called Lebanon
that at one time helped the Syrian regime discover how BANANAS look like and Toilet papers feel ...
I hope I'm wrong, but with sources like Ziad's I'm doubtful ...
Miskin Lebanon
Freelibnan
Yours,
Freelibnan MIN SHAN ALLAH
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ziad Ghamrawi
To: Elias Bejjani
Sent: Saturday, July 22, 2000 5:13 PM
Subject: Re: from Elias Bejjani
One thought came to mind today as I was walking through the streets....
I don't mean to be secularist, for I am not, and I totally oppose it....
but your name intonates you being Christian.... duhhh... and I noticed in
this country, Moslems are with Syria while Christians are mainly against
her!? So... are Christians afraid of something!? Have you noticed that, too?
Ziad
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elias Bejjani’s response to the above message
23/7/2000
Dear Ziad
Yes My friend, I am a Maronite Christian, and very proud of my religious affiliation,
as I am very proud of being Lebanese. Yes the Christians in Lebanon are afraid to
see their country being destroyed by the Syrian regime barbaric occupation, and also
the majority of the Muslims feel the same way, don't you?. Every Lebanese should
be afraid for his country's fate and the welfare of its people, or otherwise he would
not be Lebanese.
Are you not afraid that your country will cease to be independent, free, multi-cultural
and democratic?
Do you want to see Lebanon become a "Mohafaza" in Syria?
Wake up, Be first Lebanese and then Arabic or any thing else you want.
God gave you the grace of being Lebanese, appreciate what you have and defend it.
Dear Ziad, Kamal Jumblat, Shiek Mohamad Hassan Khalid, Riad Taha, Salim Lwazi
and many other patriotic Lebanese who were murdered by the Syrian regime were
Muslims.
They paid their life to protect Lebanon and its people, all its people Muslims and
Christians alike. Dr. Mohammed Mugraby is also a Muslim, he is a prominent leader
in the fight against the Syrian occupation. I can go on and on with hundreds of patriotic
Lebanese who are Muslims. Be one of them, be Lebanese and nothing but Lebanese
and start thinking and acting accordingly.
Yours truly
Elias Bejjani
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ziad Ghamrawi
To: charbel@inforamp.net (Elias Bejjani)
Sent: Saturday, July 22, 2000 2:46 AM
Subject: Re: from Elias Bejjani
So Elias....  Tell me...  What history books are you reading from?  I am an expatriate. 
I have not lived in Lebanon much, but I know what friends told me.... 
I have heard both ends of the story and I believe the one that is more
prone to be neutral and resourceful.  Have your ever read the Pelopenesian
Wars by Thucyidides?  I like that book.  It changed a lot in me. 
I have learned to be skeptical about what I hear and read; believe me,
I only accept  news from reliable sources.
I ask you again, where do you get your news and history from? 
Let's try looking at matters your way. All I can say is that Syria has had a role
in stopping Lebanese from killing each other.  I know the Syrians....
  they are not cowards.  They are tough fighters.  If they ran away, they only
did so to fight another day.  And the Assad regime selling off the Golan heights....
  it's just some scheme the bastard Israeli's are trying to spread to weaken the Syrian
stand....  c'mon...  please be objective about your vision.
Regards,
Ziad
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elias Bejjani's reply for the above message
from Mr. Ziad Ghamrwi 22/7/2000
Dear Ziad
I am happy you are Lebanese. Your adamant responses show that you are really
interested in your country, Lebanon, although you are living as you said in Diaspora
but you have to start thinking and acting Lebanese and let the Syrians take care of
their own country and their own affairs.  Please be aware that the patriotic people of
Lebanon are not against the Syrian people, they are their neighbors and relatives.
 The Lebanese people are not against Syria in Syria, but against Syria in Lebanon and
against its Stalinist regime's occupation to their beloved country. I did not say that the
Syrians are brave or cowards, I do not judge others. My only concern is Lebanon that
is currently occupied by the Syrian regime. This regime through its 40 thousand troops
in Lebanon is oppressing my and your people and destroying our beloved Lebanon as
an independent, sovereign nation.
Syria has no reason to keep its army in Lebanon, our army can and is more then capable
to carry its national duties once  the Syrian regime frees Lebanon's decision making process.
Dear Ziad, I read in patriotic Lebanese books, think Lebanese, dream Lebanese and act
Lebanese. I am very proud to be Lebanese and consider this as a grace from Almighty
God. I am a Lebanese who believes in Lebanon's 6000 years of history and civilization
and in its distinguishable identity. Lebanon is an ideal multi-cultural country and should remain
so. Be sure that the Syrian occupation is against every thing that is Lebanese and against all
the Lebanese sects and denomination. Lebanon will never be again itself, a free and a unique
democracy as long as Syria occupies it and controls its regime.
The war era is over in the Middle East, let those who want to keep fighting do so from their
own countries and through their own borders with Israel. Lebanon had paid enough, it is time
for others to do the same.
The scandal of selling the Golan did not come from Israel, but from an ex-Syrian president
Mr. Amin Hafez, as well as from hundreds of Syrian army officers and Arab diplomats.
Dear Ziad, you should be very proud for being Lebanese, your country is so
great..but it is your holy duty to help in its liberation and not in its occupation.
Yours truly
Elias Bejjani
22/7/2000
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

21/7/2000
From Mr. Ziad Ghamrawi
To: Elias Bejjani (charbel@inforamp.net)

Dear Elias:
What's wrong with you?  Who stood in the face of Israeli's?
I don't like Hizbullah but I credit them.  It is not Aoun's army or the cowardly Jeajea legionaires
that fired a bullet on Israeli's.....  the Quwwat would love to have Israeli's running our country!
Elias misunderstood my point.  I did not mean for Syria to fight on our lands....  
Our army is not reading to hold a painful hold on Israel.
I think many should wake up and I also many more should think in a neutral way and put
the raging vision aside....  look at things objectively.
The only thing I pray for is that some day we do not have an army. 
It is a waste of lives and resources.  Costa Rica, Switzerland, and Japan
would be more than happy to agree with me.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elias Bejjani's response to the above message from
Mr. Ziad Ghamrawi
21/7/2000
Dear Ziad
I am not sure which history book you are reading from, and from what sources your are getting
the  false military information about the Syrian's army heroic battles and capabilities???
By God's name could you just for the record tell me when and where the Syrian
Army was engaged in a fight with the Israelis in Syria, Lebanon or else where?
The Golan Heights according to the Syrian Ex-President Amin Hafez (in an interview
with the BBC) was sold by the Assad regime to the Israelis.
In Lebanon, when the Israelis invaded Beirut, the Syrian Army run away and did not fight.
In the Bekaa Valley when Israeli bombarded the Syrian missiles, the Syrian Army did not respond.
During the 1967 war, the Syria Army was defeated, although it did not fight.
The battles that the Syrian Army was engaged in was against its own people in Hama, in Lebanon
against the Lebanese, in Lebanon and Jordan against the Palestinians, in Iraq against the Iraqis,
all its heroic battles were against its own people and the other Arabs.
My Dear Ziad, wake up and if you are a Lebanese start to focus on the needs of your own people
and country.
Let the Syrians handle their own affairs, and let their army liberate their occupied Golan Heights
and leave Lebanon alone. Let the Baathi Syrian regime practice its faked Arabism games of
brotherhood with Jordan, Iraq or other Arab countries. Lebanon had enough of their games
and crimes. Lebanon deserves to be again an independent and free country.
My friend, all the Lebanese people were against  the Israeli occupation to their land and
be sure that all are now happy that Israel decided to leave Lebanon and implement the
425 UN resolution,,but also not happy  at all because the Lebanese Army has not been deployed
in the liberated regions where the militias are creating their own state.
Please read my article under the title "We are Lebanese and only Lebanese"   in English and Arabic
published on the  CLHRF home page,(www.clhrf.com) commentaries section.
The articles unveils the Syrian vicious tactic in which it tags the Lebanese either with Syria or with Israel.
My friend the Lebanese are all  with Lebanon and not with Israel or Syria or any body else.
We are Lebanese and only Lebanese and this is what you should be if you a Lebanese
citizens no matter what is your religion or political affiliation.
Be proud of the 10452 square kilometer Lebanon and its 6000 years of history and civilization,
and let the Syrians be proud of their country the way they like.
Yours truly
Elias Bejjani
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

Dear Elias:
In reference to Ziad's comments regarding attacking the Israeli occupation rather than the Syrian's. I
wish Ziad would wake up and would realize that the Syrians in conjunction with the Israelis, not to
mention Iran here , have done a great job in the complete infrastructure's destruction of Lebanon and
counting. Occupiers are occupiers whether they are Israelis, Syrians or TATARS. At this stage, and not in
defence of the Israelis by any means for they are as guilty as the Syrians , Iranians and everyone
involved, I do not think the Israelis are continuing to do most of the damage, contrary in big part the
Syrians and the Iranians through Hizbollah and others are doing their best to keep the chaos domination in
Lebanon particularly in the South to keep the pressure on Israel, again Lebanon is to pay the price
regardless of the outcome, and again and again poor Lebanon and Lebanese.
WHY LEBANESE and LEBANON"S soils?
In my opinion, Arabs or who ever for this matter wanting to fight Israel and liberate their countries
have my full support,  under the condition that be it done on their soils, their stones, their rocks, their
borders, their people and their own armies. Lebanon and the Lebanese have paid enough in damages and
losses on behalf of all Arabs, their occupied lands and their causes.
As a Lebanese, I wish that all the people in Lebanon would wake up and its loyalty would only and only be
to Lebanon, Lebanon and LEBANON.
God help us all.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Ziad Ghamrawi
To: Phoenicia-owner@egroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 18/2000
Did you know that Syrians have been working in Lebanon since the late 40's?
Did you know that there are so many job vacancies but the Lebanese only go
for classy jobs?  Who can offer more jobs than the local SUKLEEN- a company
that handles the cities' cleaning jobs i.e.  garbage compaction?  Well... 
the Lebanese there are drivers at the maximum!  Who is cleaning up the city? 
The Syrians.   Sukleen will not say no to any one who applies, but it happens
that the Lebanese are too classy to work in that field....  pretty much like the
Gulfies who would not even work near that field!
Take another example...  if you hire a Lebanese laborer, he does not want to
get paid less than 30 dollars a day, and he has to come at his own timing and
leave whenever he feels like it.  Take a Syrian worker who will work between
10 and 12 dollars a day....  and he does what his employer says... not the other
way around.
Lebanese are people hard to understand and hard to please.  EVERYONE
complains of poverty, yet the nightclubs are full and the numbers are increasing.
  The numbers of people going for prostitution and gambling are soaring.  Yet,
everyone is poor. We brought a thousand curses upon ourselves. 
If you do not scare the shit out of the people
, another war will break out.  Look around you (if you are in Lebanon).... 
EVERYONE  wants power.  Did you ever try standing in line in Lebanon,
anywhere, anyplace, anytime?  Lebanese don't know what a line is:  me first!
Same applies to hierarchy... 
everyone wants to be at the top and everyone wants power.
Do you think the Lebanese are ready to get the leash off their necks?
Don't blame all of Syria for what a few abusers of power have done. 
There are good and bad people everywhere - Lebanon, Syria, US, Madagascar.
I tell you Syria is in Lebanon to scare the wits out of Israel.  I tell you that.  
Syria has a flourishing economy and does not need Lebanon -
other than for a few strategic locations.
Immigration.  Do you think Lebanese are leaving because Syrians
are forcing them out?  I told you above, Lebanese youth don't accept
Blue Collar jobs - only White Collars.  How about the escalating taxes? 
20 liters of gasoline cost almost 17 000 LL - eleven dollars for 20 liters
of gasoline. 
If the government takes taxes off gas, it drops down to 6 000 LL for the
same amount!  People are leaving because we work everyday to pay
our phone bills and power bills and nothing to save.  People only talk
to you if you have money!
This is our shithole.  Our beloved country.  Please don't blame others
for our shortfalls.  It is our habit as Lebanese to err and blame others.
 Look at today's elections!  There are no more people to vote because
EVERYONE is running for elections!
I don't know what to say.  Just look at things from the neutral point of
view and work your way from there.  There are bad guys everywhere. 
We should start by looking at the cowards and thieves we have in our
government first.  We - in a way - put them there in the first place.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elias Bejjani's response to the above message from
Ziad Ghamrawi
Dear Ziad
19/7/2000
It seems your are loyal to Syria and the Arabs much more then you are
loyal to Lebanon and the Lebanese. I can not believe that there is even
one Lebanese citizens no matter what his political affiliation could be,
still can with full awareness and sanity advocates for his country's occupation.
According to which criteria Lebanon can still be an independent nation
when Syria controls its regime and dictates its "Faramans" on all
officials and subservient politicians including the three puppet presidents?
There is no more justifications what so ever to keep the 40 thousand Syrian
troops in Lebanon after the Israeli withdrawal from the South. Syria must
and will sooner or later be forced to withdraw its occupation army from Lebanon.
Wake up, are you Lebanese or Syrian?
I have mentioned in my previous reply that the Syrian army is not in Lebanon to
fight Israel, It never did. and will never do. The Syrian army is in Lebanon to
protect Israel and occupy Lebanon. Wake up, look around you and see what
is going on.
The Syrian army is not modernized at all,  it is an army that was not set to fight
Israel or any other modern army, but to oppress the Syrian people and protect
the Baathi, Alawi regime...do you remember how it massacred 20 thousand
Sunnis in Aleppo???.
The Syrian army is not a match to the Israeli army, or even to the Jordanian or
Iraqi armies, and will never be, unless democracy prevails in Syria and the
people of Syria build it on modern technology. It seems  you are still dreaming
that the Arabs are planning to fight Israel. wake up all the Arabs have already
recognized Israel and gave up all fantasies of destroying it. Are hearing the
news, Mr. Arafat is negotiating with Barak at Camp David on the final agreement.
Yes. yes, the Lebanese people are more then capable to take care of their own
affairs, they do not need any occupation force to control them and drain their
resources. Even if we assume they need help, definitely it would not be from
the Syrian-Stalinist regime.
Have you heard of the Lebanese proverb: "a sick man can not cure others who
are sick? let the Syrians take care of their own country and numerous internal
problems and leave Lebanon alone.
It is true that Syrian labor has been used in Lebanon 50 years ago, but what is true
too, Lebanon and the Lebanese hired the Syrians where and when they needed them.
Meanwhile almost two million Syrians invade Lebanon and fully control its labor
market against the will of the Lebanese...Are you reading the Lebanese daily
new papers.
please do and you will learn how much the Lebanese are suffering because of
the Syrian labor hegemony.
I am surprised how you can talk about the economical crisis in Lebanon and still
deny completely its cause and perpetrator, the Syrian regime.
The gasoline is very expensive in Lebanon because Syria steals the imported
fuel imported by Lebanon, and supported by the government (are you following
the trial of the ex oil minister in Beirut), and because Syria
does not allow Lebanon to put in action again the Saudi and Iraqi pipe line that
used be bought from Iraq and Saudis at a very low price, Wake up.
As I mentioned in my last reply, Syria steals from Lebanon 10 billion
dollars every year and still you blame the Lebanese for the economical
hardships they are encountering?
The one million Lebanese citizens who were forced to immigrate since 1990,
did so because of the Syrian occupation and the barbaric practices of the Lebanese
Syrian appointed regime. Are you aware that the Syrian occupation has destroyed
completely Lebanon's middle class and that more then half of the Lebanese live
under the poverty line (according to the Beirut regime statistics)?
The Lebanese people know very well how to enjoy life when they can afford it.
Because they go to restaurants and night clubs they should not be tagged as lazy,
careless or negligent. The Lebanese are creative, intelligent and hard working
people. All those who allege the contrary are only Lebanon's enemies.
As far as the parliamentary elections I am sure you know by now that
Ghazi Kanaan from Anjar is controlling the charade and appointing the
way he likes the 128 MP's, the rubber stamp deputies...Long live freedom
and Arabism. Is is what you want to Lebanon?.
Wake up, support Lebanon, if you are Lebanese, and work for democracy in
Syria if you are Syrian and leave the Lebanese alone.
Yours truly
Elias Bejjani

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Ziad Ghamrawi
To: Phoenicia-owner@egroups.com
Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2000 5:46 PM
subject: Re: [Phoenicia] Article from Elias Bejjani in English and Arabic for publication

I wish you would attack the Israeli occupation rather than the Syrian "occupation". 
Get objective!
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elias Bejjani's response
16/7/2000
Dear Ziad:  The Israeli occupation is over, it is history now. All the patriotic Lebanese people
who believe in freedom, human rights and Lebanon's identity should and must look on the
other sphere. Their priority now is to unit in a bid to force the Syrian occupation army to
withdraw and implement the UN Resolution 520. The Israelis were forced to implement the
UN Resolution 425 and the same should be applied to the other occupation forcers, the
Syrians.If you have read my articles for the last 10 years I am sure you would have learned
that never differentiated between occupiers, they are all the same...Foreigners enslaving my
people and draining our resources.My dear friend, we the Lebanese are more then capable
to manage our own affairs, we do not need the Syrians or other foreign occupier to exercise
their hegemony on our beloved country and humiliate our patriotic people.By the way do
consider the Syrian Army in Lebanon an occupation power or not? and if not why do you think
the Syrian army should not leave Lebanon?
I will be very happy to exchange views on this matter with you.
Visit our home page on (www.clhrf.com) to learn more about our stances.
Thank for writing
Yours truly
Elias Bejjani 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ziad Ghamrawi's answer on the response
17/7/2000
Dear Elias Bejjani
I understand your patriotism. I also understand where it comes from.
I do not consider the Syrian presence as an occupation - the way you do.  It annoys
me to see that the media and the "haysa" has portrayed the Syrian presence in
Lebanon as much more dire that of Israel.  I understand that with Israeli occupation
of the Golan Heights, Damascus is in danger; the only way for ARABS to threaten Tel
Aviv is by being in Baalbeck and other strategic locations.  I am not saying I advocate
the stay of foreign armies in Lebanon.  I am saying that we need to have a strong army
threatening Israel - be it a Syrian, Lybia, Moroccon, Iraqi, or any other sizeable Arab army.
Israeli's are snakes that should never be trusted.
All I want is the best for our nation in the first place and the unity of the Arab countries
in the second place.
Until the Lebanese army can be frightening enough to the Israeli army, we need help.
  Did you know that Lebanon is NOT allowed to have an airforce.  The helicopters we
have are permitted by the United States to hold no more than some hand-held weapons
nothing heavy!
Respectfully,
Ziad A.  Ghamrawi
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elias Bejjani's answer
on Ziad Ghamrawi's second response
17/7/2000   

Dear Ziad
The Syrian Army is not in Lebanon to fight Israel, but to control Lebanon, drain its
resources, abort its freedoms, destroy its democracy and force its people to immigrate.
Do you know that one million Lebanese individuals were forced to immigrate since 1990
because of the Syrian occupation?
Do you know that Lebanon's farmers can not sell their crops because of Syria's invasion
to our markets and because of the smuggling taking place openly through Syria
and by Syrians? Have you heard of the tens of releases issued by the Southern
farmers in this regard?

Do you know that almost two million Syrians force their full hegemony on Lebanon's
labor market depriving the Lebanese from their jobs and forcing them to immigrate?
Do you know that Syria steals from Lebanon every year 10 billion dollars?
Do you know that Syria appoints every official in Lebanon including the three
presidents. MP's and ambassadors?
 

Do you know that hundreds of innocent Lebanese citizens are detained arbitrarily
in Syria since years without any trials and deprived of all their rights? Do you read
the Human Rights reports issued by the international organizations in this regard?
Do you know that 90% of the crimes committed in Lebanon are committed by Syrians?
Do you know that Syria is preventing the Lebanese army from executing its national
duties in all Lebanon, especially in the so called "Security Islands" fully controlled
by Palestinian and Lebanese militias? 
 

Do you know that Sheik Toufaily who killed a Lebanese Army officer and a number
of Lebanese soldiers is protected by Syria and the Lebanese authorities are not
allowed to arrest him, and the same applies to the Palestinian out law Abu Mehjen
and thousands like them?

Do you know that Syria controls fully Lebanon's foreign affairs?
Do you know that Not Even Once the Syrian regime has given orders to its 40
thousand troops in Lebanon to fight Israel during its numerous assaults on the
Lebanese?
Do you now that the Syrian army is in Lebanon to protect Israel and in
accordance to an agreement between the two countries sponsored by the USA?

Do you know that Syria according to its agreement with Israel is not allowed
to use its air forces or marines in Lebanon or to threaten the Israel Army
by any means? The only time Syria was allowed to use its air forces in
Lebanon was in 1990 to bombard the Baabda palace.
Do you know that Syria destroyed the Palestinian revolution and forced
the Palestinians to go to Oslo?
Do you know that your people in Lebanon are treated by the Syrian regime

as second and third class citizens and deprived of all their basic human rights?
Do you know that the Media in Lebanon is controlled fully by Syria through
its puppets?
Do you know how Lebanon's parliament this summer is going to be fixed by
the Syrians? Are you reading Lebanon's news in this regard?
Wake up my dear friend, Syria is in Lebanon to destroy its unity and

independence and not to fight Israel. The Syrian regime and according
to one of Syria's presidents, Amin Hafez, has sold the Golan Heights
to Israel (interview with the BBC)
As far as Israel is considered the Arabs, all the Arabs are not planning
to destroy it, on the contrary they helped in its establishment. As you
well know all of the Arabs from Arafat to Mubarak to Fahed and late
Assad have recognized openly or covertly Israel's presence and existence
formally. Have you forgotten that the biggest Arabic nation has an ambassador in
Israel?

Wake up the Arab regimes are all either monarchies or dictatorships
and do not work for their people's interests.
Let the Arabs handle their own affairs and let us the Lebanese take
control of our fate and country..we paid for the Arabs more then any 
Arabic country. Let us now be Lebanese and only Lebanese.
Let Us unite to rebuild our country and maintain our unique multi-cultural
system and freedom.
Let us be again the country that all the world envies.
My dear friend,  if you still can not recognize that the Syrian army in
Lebanon is an occupation force, then you have a problem and if you
still believe the Arab regimes want to fight Israel then most probably
you are dreaming.
Again let us be Lebanese, only Lebanese and nothing but Lebanese.
Again let us be Lebanese, only Lebanese and nothing but Lebanese.
Long Live Free Lebanon
Yours truly
Elias Bejjani
17/7/2000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh yes, the truth hurts, because all I hear in your letter is the civil war's drum beat.
NOW THAT HURTS !!, and why am I not surprised as you made it clear that in order to
be a Lebanese, you must be a Maronite !!. Can you see why I hear the civil war's drum
beat ?
and that is frightening. Mr. Maroun, it is OK for you to live in the past if you wish, but
the reality is we live in the present, and we need to plan and work hard for a better future
for ourselves, our families, and our Lebanon, the free, sovereign, tolerant, prosperous
and equal opportunity  Lebanon. Anything short of that should be considered treason.
National reconciliation must be the first and only item on the agenda to begin with. For
when there is a united people, there will be a common cause that will pluck out anything
that is foreign to it. For that to happen, you must show that you are not the tool to be
used by Israel whenever it feels that we are getting closer as a nation, as it did before,
during and after the occupation of Lebanon. Mr. Maroun, you have admitted that Israel
interests are in Israel only, now is time to open your eyes, and your mind to what
is happening around you and get out of your shell. Don't you realize that The only
way out of this vicious cycle is true national reconciliation and not the war drum beat?.
You speak of patriotism, this is patriotism. Mr. Maroun, once you believe that
Lebanon is  for all Lebanese, equally no more no less, then you would have started
the drum beat of reconciliation and unity. Then, and only then will we be free from
anything that is
foreign.
====================================================================
Dear friends (a letter received on 6/7/2000 from USA
As I was coming back from church this evening, I got stuck in traffic in
DC. Waves of people stood outside of their cars watching the fireworks
and clapping their hands as they hugged their loved ones.  I was upset
and blew my horn asking them to move their cars so I could come home.
  I could not understand why I was so angry and why I did not stop and
enjoy the show with the rest of them.
Sitting in my car gave me plenty of time to think and understand my anger.
  I wasn't really eager to come home but eager to celebrate independence,
Lebanon's independence.   I wanted my own fireworks...
People of the America take their independence for granted.  It is a time
of the year where they could get together in parks, drink beer and enjoy life.
To us Lebanese, independence means much more, Freedom, sovereignty
and an end to our struggle.  It means going home...  On a day such as the 4th
of July, let us all pledge to work towards an independent and free Lebanon. 
No excuses, no falling back and no more whining.  We are capable people
and we can make a difference if we wish it enough.  Each of us should ask
for what is rightful to us and to our families. Independence, we shall celebrate
in Lebanon and there should be no force to stop us.  May God be our witness...
Micha /July 6/2000
===================================================================
 

This opinion is in response to the opinion sent by MR. Ad Kalaf who seems to be upset
with the Maronites for various issues which in my opinion are not true. He says that the
articles on the site sent chills through him and I would like to tell him the famous proverb
"The Truth, Hurts". All the Lebanese abroad have a high regard for this site as it gives
the true opinion and analysis of the
political issues in Lebanon.
MR. Kalaf is probably accustomed to read censored brain washing articles, and my
suggestion to him is to read with more detail as the chills could turn into enlightenment
which would make him a better Lebanese with open eyes and not a blind one.
You talk about the Maronites as if we are a war loving community. You should know
from your history book if you have read it, that if not for the Maronites, there is no
Lebanon. Does the name MARADA ring  a bell for you. This name rings a bell for
all the Historians of the world, so make your research as an educated Lebanese since
you use the Internet and find out. I would also like to add and I have spoken to
Lebanese Christians of all sects " When it comes to issues about Lebanon, all the
Lebanese Christians are Maronites". On the other allegation that implies that
Maronites love to fight civil wars, have you heard this famous saying by Yasser
Arafat or one of his leaders: "The Road To Palestine, is through Jounieh".
Have you read a recent article by the daughter of Riad AsSolh where she mentioned
that Abu Amar wanted her to pass a message to late Rymon Ede that the PLO approves
him to be a president of Lebanon. She told him angrily " Did you forget who was my
father to talk to me like that?" That is the Moslem Patriotism that Lebanon needs
these days.
My fellow Lebanese brother, the Maronites based on such statements of Abu Amar and
his followers started fighting for their existence with hunting shot guns against the well
trained PLO fighters with Klashnikofs.
On the other hand, unfortunately all the other so called patriotic Moslem Lebanese joined
the Palestinians to  liberate Palestine through Jounieh, Damour and other cities and
villages which were destroyed and their churches bombed. Why did not you faithful
Lebanese take the example of the daughter of the father of independence Riad ASSolh
and tell Yasser Arafat. You can not make a state with in a state.
We the Lebanese Moslems are truly patriotic and stand by our brothers the Maronites
who stood by our side for independence against the Christian French, and that the road
to Palestine is not  through Jounieh or Damour. What happened to the Riad AsSolh
patriotism? Lebanon needs such Moslems, all I can see is parties with allegiance
and taking orders from Iran, and others from Syria.
Members of Parliament, Ministers and and... going back and forth to Damascus such
that President Hrawi said jokingly " There is no more Tarmac (Zift) on the roads to
Damascus as a result of the so frequent visits of the Lebanese politicians.
Where is Riad AsSolh patriotism?.
At the time of Jamal Abdel Nasser, there were more Naserieen in Lebanon probably
more than Egypt. His statues in Lebanon are still standing but I dont know if they
are still there in Egypt. These days especially, we need Moslems with
"Riad AsSolh Patriotism" who put Lebanon first before Syria, the Arab World or Iran.
Have you ever met a Saudi, Kuwaiti or Qatari who puts the interest of the GCC countries
before his country. It will never happen, so how come the Lebanese are different.
I hope my answer clarifies to Mr. Kalaf who is the real traitor and the real patriot.
===================================================================

Dear Elias,
I would like to thank you first for your tremendous efforts to maintaining this site and
to keeping us informed and updated on what's been going on in our occupied homeland,
I know how much it takes and I am really appreciative of your input and dedication.
On a separate note, the truth of the matter is that your news focus on occupiers which by
the way, contradict the LBC Sat/ or better yet SBC Sat and their International News
( should be called rather/ Syrian News) which is directed and conducted by  never wrong,
always right philosophy, which happens to be typically a Syrian regime's kind of philosophy.
Focusing mainly on framing the Syrians as the best of the best, forgetting all about their
240's their destructions of Lebanon, their atrocities and the many assassinations of
Lebanese  Muslim and Christian leaders. Going back to why I am writing this. Lately,
With regard to the upcoming  elections in Lebanon, I've heard a symphony orchestrated
by the so calledLebanese government headed by Dr. Selim Hoss, Mr,Michel Murr
and who knows who's  next, claim consciously or unconsciously, that the coming 2000
polls are going to be " free and fair " !!! Yes, you saw it right, free and fair.
Are you kidding me ??? Funny but reality is painfully sad.
It's like they expect us to believe that freedom is something that exists under the
35,000 Syrian  soldiers and their regime that brought nothing but miseries --just
to mention few-- starvation, illeteracy and unemployment to Lebanese and Lebanon, 
that at a time in the past  prior to seeing and tasting the Syrian's regime civilization,
that country used to be called " Switzerland of the Middle East ".
As an educated Lebanese living abroad where free, fair and freedom are well defined,
an obvious question, that I would like to address specifically, to Mr Murrand Dr. Hoss,
and generally to the so called Lebanese government, strikes my mind. 
ARE YOU YOURSELVES FREE AND ACTING WILLINGLY ?
Just in case your answer would be "yes" then salam ala watan called Loubnan   ...
But, I know for a fact that you're not ... in any way, shape or form.Finally,
keep up the good work and may God bless Lebanon, Lebanon's believers and your
movement.
====================================================================

Hi,
Reading the articles on your web site sent chills down my spine, however I gathered my thoughts, and realized that what happened during the civil war in Lebanon will remain with them until the end of that generation. This brings me back to what i expected to read, I expected to read praises for the heroism of the Lebanese resistance that was able to oust the great power of Israel out of Lebanon, not only that, but a well calculating organization that did not fall into the trap of Israel. It seems that lots of Maronites are extremely upset over the events that follows the liberation of the south. They expected Christian blood to be flow, so they can say I TOLD YOU SO, and prepare for another Lebanese civil war. It amazes me at how you think, if you have forgotten,let me set the record straight, it was the Maronites who initially invited Syria into Lebanon, and they would have preferred the occupation of Israel rather than the presence of Syria in Lebanon. Don't get me wrong here, I am a proud Lebanese that believe in the freedom and sovereignty of Lebanon, all of Lebanon no exception, and I will fight for that as long as I live. Before discussing the Syrian presence in Lebanon, you have to look in the mirror and ask yourself the following question: ARE YOU TALKING AS A MARONITE, OR AS A LEBANESE? If you are
talking like a Maronite, then I pity Lebanon, but if you are talking as a Lebanese, then think about what is best for Lebanon now. I wished that you were trying to raise awareness about the dire needs of the south, about how we can help in rebuilding, rehabilitating, and reconciling, ashamed to say that all I feel is that you are greatly disappointed that Israel was ousted from Lebanon. If so you should be ashamed of your self. Let us rebuild a better Lebanon, the forgiven, tolerant, successful, and equal Lebanon. The Lebanon for all, not just the few.

1/7/2000  Elias Bejjani's response
Dear Friend
Your letter as you can see has been published as is, although we in the CLHRF and FPM do not share your ideas at all. We published your letter because we practice what we preach and that is freedom.
Meanwhile I am not sure if you are actually Lebanese as you allege, and if you are, why you did not make your name known. Are you ashamed of what your advocating for?
If you are really Lebanese, what does being a Lebanese mean to you?
Is it okay with you to keep the Syrian occupation indefinitely in your country? 
Is it it okay with you to have an appointed president, parliament, cabinet etc and all appointed by Syria?
It is okay with you to have 1.5 million Syrian workers in Lebanon competing with your own people?
Is it okay to keep a blind eye on the fate of hundreds of Lebanese citizens arbitrarily detained in Syrian jails?
Are you reading the yearly human rights reports on Lebanon and Syria?
Are aware of the Lebanese economy problems?
Are you aware of the national debt, deficit, unemployment rates etc
Are you aware that 15 thousand Lebanese immigrate every month and that one million Lebanese immigrated since 1990?
My dear friend I think Lebanese and only Lebanese, although I am  very proud of being a Maronite. At the same time It seems you are either under the effect of the camouflaging Syrian media or still living the big lie that Syria is in Lebanon to help the Lebanese. Syria as announced by its late dictator Hafez Assad in one of his famous speeches (1976) has sent its troops to Lebanon without taking permission from any body, but to safeguard the Palestinian revolution (read Assad's speech and correct your information). No body have asked Syria to send its troops, on the contrary three Lebanese presidents asked Syria to withdraw these troops. But Syria declined and considered them traitors. Syria still considers any Lebanese who calls for the withdrawal of its troops from Lebanon a traitor, and Syria's schemes against Lebanon are well known even to the blind.
I am personally very happy that Israel has left, but my joy will not be complete before the other occupier, the Syrian army leaves too. We the Lebanese are not in need for any foreign army, We have our own that is composed of 75 thousand men. Our army is made helpless by the Syrians and the Lebanese puppet regime.
Do you know why the army has not been sent to the South after the Israeli withdrawal?
Do you know why the army does not patrol our borders with Syria?
Do you know why the army is not allowed to control the Palestinian camps?
Do you know why the army is not allowed to enter and control the out law security islands?
Do you know why the Army is not arresting the criminals like Abu mehjen or Tofaily etc?
My dear friend Lebanon can't be independent while another country controls its regime and while its people are treated like slaves. Also Lebanon can not be free when militias and armed groups are creating their own states in side the country and enforce their own laws.
Yes Israel has left, but the Lebanese authority did not fill the emptiness created, the militias have replaced the state there. Any Lebanese who can not recognize these facts needs to checked by a psychiatrist.
Yes it the duty of each and every Lebanese to participate in rebuilding Lebanon, but the priority is for Liberation, because as General Michel Aoun has said: "praying under the occupation umbrella is a sin if not focusing on liberation"
We are against Syria in Lebanon and not against Syria in Syria. We want to have the best relations with Syria but when we are independent and free in our decision making process.
Lebanon will not be again a free country as long as Syria occupies it and any Lebanese who accepts this occupation his affiliation to the country should be questioned.
Yours truly
Elias Bejjani
===================================================================

ADDRESS TO THE NATION
PEOPLE OF LEBANON
Lebanon witnessed ups and downs in the course of history from its existence.
The conspiracy to weaken Lebanon and sell it to Syrian domination as a
reward for the current package deal for so called "Peace" is continuing,
despite our best efforts  to counter it and establish a Free and
sovereign Lebanon that would serve the best interests of a lasting peace
in the Middle East. For the current Syrian and Iranian barbarism that is
invading our villages and destroying our homes and Lebanese values, we
say your day will not last long.
Order in Lebanon:
The puppet Government of Lebanon, Islamic Fundamentalism and its Syrian proxies,
including all the subversive groups placed on the list of International Terrorism,
they do not represent the Lebanese identity nor its people. These are the same
groups who assassinated late President Bashir Gemayal, the late President Renee
Moawad, Druze Leader Kamal Joumblatt, Sunni  Leader Hassan Khaled, and
thousands of other Lebanese patriots for the purpose  of swallowing Lebanon
and making it a Syrian protectorate. These groups  support the drug trade to the
U.S., have exported terrorism, exiled Lebanese Leaders overseas and jailed
others in Lebanon are assisting in the destruction of Lebanon today.
In this very delicate moment of existence, I proclaim the Government of Free
Lebanon from exile.
All free Lebanese are invited to join hands until Freedom and Democracy are
restored and Lebanon regains its liberty and freedom from all foreign domination.
We shall not forget, thousands of young men and women who gave their lives
for Lebanon to survive. We shall not forget hundreds of
Lebanese prisoners in Syrian jails. In their names, we made a commitment to continue.
From where we are today, this Government will consider all viable
options to realize the struggle of the Lebanese Nation.
Etienne Saqr (Abu Arz)
====================================================================
 

All the Lebanese in the world are reading about the looting that is
taking place in the Christian villages in the South of Lebanon and we feel
very bitter of such actions which are a sign of DISRESPECT to the PRESIDENCY
since your Excellency have visited these villages and assured safety to
its inhabitants. Is the word of the Lebanese President not good enough any
more??? All the Lebanese abroad also feel bitter about losing more than
6000 citizens who have become refugees in Israel. Your Excellency, they are
faithful Lebanese and love their country and roots but they were forced
into this situation because previous governments abandoned them. Have we
forgotten THE CAIRO AGREEMENT and FATH LAND. Besides Your Excellency,
the SLA members are angels if compared with some of the notorious criminals
that were given amnesty after the civil war. We the Lebanese abroad, the silent majority,
ask Your Excellency to get back the respect of The Lebanese Presidency and ask our pride,
The Lebanese Army to deploy in the liberated area and clamp down on the looters and
militias immediately.
We also ask Your Excellency on the happy occasion of the withdrawal to take
a historic stand and issue an amnesty for all the SLA members to get back the 6000 family
members that have become refugees in Israel. Remember "The Parable of The Lost Son"
that our lord Jesus taught his followers: " Bring the best robe and put it on him, Put a ring in his
finger ...Bring the fattened calf and kill it, for this son of mine was lost and is found."
The SLA was lost and is now found.
The Silent Majority
====================================================================
From: "CHARBEL MAROUN" <charbelmaroon@hotmail.com
To: clhrf@yahoo.com
Subject: ISRAEL HAS NO ALLY EXCEPT ISRAEL
Date: Wed, 24 May 2000 05:56:37 GMT
In the light of the intentionally hastened withdrawal by Israel from the South of
Lebanon, it is apparent that the SLA did not disintigrate but was disintigrated
by Israel which regarded the SLA, having served its purpose, not as an ally but
as a thorn to be plucked out. History repeats itself as Israel proved several times
that it has no ally but only manipulates those whom it can use to serve Israel's
purpose only. The examples are many, what happened in the Chouf mountains,
what happened in the East of Sidon, and what General Aoun pointed out "The Syrian
planes were bombing BAABDA Presidential Palace while the Israeli Airforce flew
high above as a sign of approval".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Elias,
Apparently you are passionate about General Aoun and what he stands for.  So did I (with some skepticism) back when he took over Lebanon.  However, I do not believe that he is the leader we need at this time.  I say this at times when the country is very fragile. General Aoun with the support of the Lebanese Forces destroyed our areas over egotistical issues.  When he was the leader Lebanon, his ways of leadership did not bring better days to our region, but destruction.  He is someone that can not lead by politics, but by the gun.  And we do not need this at this time.  When he was in Lebanon, he could not do much, so why now?  I place him with Amin Gemayel, another maronite Christian failure.  They both embarrassed our being as Christians in the region.  They both fell into Syria's trap and now they want to save us!
I propose to everyone in your organization to begin to think long term solutions.  I mean let us plan to elect officials that can alter the course that we are heading in.  Let us elect maronite Christians to the parliament that believe in our cause and that will push for Syria's withdrawal, politically.  Let the Lebanese stop hiring Syrian labor, stop renting them housing, etc.  I believe in starting by implementing these strategies rather than protesting in the street. Not everything need to be resolved by force and protests! Let us once attempt to resolve something by using our heads rather than force. By the way, I am a Maronite Christian who left Lebanon in 1983 and now resides in Los Angeles, California. I fought with the Phalangists and the Lebanese Forces under the leadership of Bachir Gemayel, and was happy when Aoun took over.  But there comes a time when all of this blind support to the same people that could not handle the chaotic situation in Lebanon to stop.  We need different leaders and we need them now.
A Lebanese.

CLHRF Response
Dear Patriotic Lebanese
Thank you for your response, I fully respect your point of views, although I don't agree with you at all. My friend, it is not important which leader you support at this time, the importance lies into the national principles and objectives you are working for. When occupied Lebanon becomes again a free and democratic country, then we can through free elections to  choose leaders and politicians. At the present time all those who believe in the 10452 km square Lebanon, its distinguishable identity, history, democracy, sovereignty and freedoms should work together and keep their minor differences aside. It is not an issue if you support General Aoun personally or any other leader, what really matters is you support the Lebanese people in their struggle for liberation and freedom.
General Aoun is not asking any Lebanese to support him as a person, he is calling for the support of Lebanon the independence, sovereignty, dignity and human rights. Aoun has refused constantly to form a political party and has made it very clear that the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) is not a political party, but a coalition of Lebanese patriots, like yourself from all walks of life, with different political and religious affiliations. They all work together to liberate Lebanon. You were a fighter, you sacrificed your own life in the battle field to defend your people and their right in a free dignified life. It is apparently you became angry and frustrated because of the final outcome.
Yes my friend, we the Lebanese have lost a battle, but with dignity and honor. We can tell the whole world that we did not surrender, we fought bravely and had the honor of the attempt. My dear comrade, you who represent Lebanon's fighters lost a battle, but you did not loose the war. Remember that Christianity knows no defeatism, but hope and faith. We should not loose our hope because victory will come if we work hard to make it happen. Leaders go and come because they are human like me and you and not Gods, but Lebanon the holy land, the 6000 years history and civilization is eternal and will remain so till the day of judgement.
Lebanon will survive and emerge again as an oasis for freedom by the faith and sacrifices of its own sons and daughter, and you are definitely one of them. General Aoun is an outstanding leader, he fought for his country and its rights. He refused to serve his own personal interests and declined all positions offered to him, including the presidency. He is still the same man with the same goals and principles. No body is asking you to like him or not, but to support Lebanon and its holy cause and this exactly what Aoun is doing. Let us leave the judgement on own leaders for history, let us learn from  the painful past and plan for the future. God Bless
You Yours truly
Elias Bejjani
NB: This message was recieved in last April
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When President Lahoud was elected, all the Lebanese thought that he
would be the saviour. All of us had faith in him as he is from the Lebanese
military who above all people should be faithful to their country. We watched
him attend the Asian Volley Ball games in which the Lebanese team took the
cup and we said " this is the man for the Lebanese". Then he started in any
occasion praising Syria and Hafez AlAssad. We thought that he must be
passing some favourable comments only, but unfortunately it became part
of his speeches in every occasion. Would not President Lahoud have kept
his image clean by refraining from these cheap type of remarks since after
all Syria has a lot of members of parliament who love to praise them. As a
President from the Military, Lahoud should have kept his respect and
image, should have strengthened his contacts with the international community
and the G7 countries, should have strengthened himself with his army and
intelligence service. Then he would have been able to say proudly.
We thank Syria for its help and  now is the time to leave us and allow
the Lebanese to rule Lebanon. Such a President would have enterred in the
history books but definitely not President Lahoud.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As a Lebanese I feel ashamed of some of our puppet politicians who shuttle back and forth to Syria to get their instructions and what to speak. This has never happened in the history of Lebanon. Where is your political personality and dignity.This shows that our parliament members do not represent the people because not any Lebanese of any sect will accept such degradation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

We all know that the South Lebanese Army came up as a way to protect their community when the south was under the influence of the Palestinean fighters and when the Lebanese Government failed to protect that area. Thus exactly as what is happening in Ireland, the SLA like the IRA should be given amnesty to solve this problem
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear CLHRF:
My name is Toni Diab, I am from Ain Ebbel in South Lebanon. I Want you to post this article that was published in the Daily Star today (19/5/2000. Although it does not tell the whole truth about our situation in the borderline region, but still it gives a good idea what will be the situation after the withdrawal of the Israelis.
CLHRF: The article below is as it was published by the Daily Star:
SLA militiamen brace themselves for battle after Israelis pull out of zone
Daily Star: The residents of the occupation zone ­ both members of the South Lebanon Army militia as well as civilians ­ are bracing for war. The unrelenting flow of defiant rhetoric expressed by senior SLA personnel in recent weeks is being backed by the quiet determination of many militiamen who believe that a further conflict with Hizbullah is inevitable. For them, the imminent departure of the Israeli Army and the severing of financial and military ties with the Jewish state is irrelevant. SLA commanders and junior militiamen ­ Christians and Muslims alike ­ say they will not surrender to the government while Hizbullah retains its military wing. This resolute stance is matched by the civilians who are arming themselves en masse in the belief that they will be forced to defend their homes from vengeful resistance fighters. Throughout the occupation zone, there is a terrible feeling that the inhabitants have resigned themselves to a bloody fate and that the south is sliding inexorably into what could become a bitter sectarian conflict. “We’re going to stay because the government has offered us nothing. We’ll continue to fight if necessary until there’s a solution for us,” said a senior member of the SLA’s civilian administration.
Israel pays SLA fighters a basic monthly wage of $400 each with up to $900 for officers. Many militiamen joined the SLA to guarantee a regular income and it was widely speculated that the cessation of financing from Israel would spur a mass exodus. But the official maintained that the militia could survive without a continued flow of arms and funds from Israel. “There are many Christian groups in other countries who can send us money … We will still continue paying the same salaries to the soldiers,” he said. The UN has made it a condition of Israel’s withdrawal that the militia be completely dismantled before UNIFIL will consider deploying in the vacated areas. But according to the official, the SLA will not permit anyone to disarm or disband the militia while Hizbullah is allowed to retain its weapons. “If the United Nations is strong and takes the weapons from Hizbullah, then the UN can come here and we will give them our weapons,” he said. “If they are weak and can’t take any weapons then they’d better stay away from here.”
Asked if he was prepared to leave the country with the Israelis, the official was adamant. “No. Why should I leave.?This is our land here and we are strong enough to defend it.” The 120 members of the militia’s security wing, the GSS, are expected to leave Lebanon. To remain behind would place them at risk not just from Hizbullah but also from many residents of the zone. But the same does not apply to the fighting arm of the SLA, the residents maintain. Many of them believe that any defections from the militia will be redressed by an influx of recruits from other areas of the country.
“Tony,” a civilian from Qlaya, is one of many residents who have recently purchased weapons in expectation of continued violence in the post-withdrawal phase. Displaying his purchases on the floor of his home, Tony said that he spent $430 on his M16 fitted with an M203 grenade launcher and another $220 on ammunition for the rifle, flares, a helmet and a backpack with magazine pouches. “I asked myself should I spend the money on toys for my children, food for family or to buy guns?” he said. “I decide to buy guns so that I can defend my family.” He said other residents were even buying rocket-propelled grenade launchers and heavy machine guns.
Most of the guns are being sold by former militiamen in Jezzine who, having surrendered to the authorities last year and served prison sentences, no longer wish to have weapons in their homes. The residents of the zone have been permitted the use of the SLA’s training ground in Majidieh to improve their skills with firearms. Their fears increased following a recent statement by Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in which he vowed the resistance would track down the militiamen to their homes. “We have relied on our brothers, fathers, uncles and cousins in the SLA to defend us but now the time has come where we have to defend ourselves,” Tony said.
The surge of arms buying is not confined to Qlaya village ­ a hotbed of support for the SLA. The Daily Star was told that residents of all villages ­ Shiite, Sunni, Druze and Christian ­ throughout the zone are purchasing weapons. “Look, we’re not just going to sit here and cry,” Tony said. “If we’re attacked, they’ll be crying in Tyre, Nabatieh, Sidon and Beirut.”
The bellicose rhetoric is not just voiced by Christians. A Shiite militiamen in Dibbine, just north of Marjayoun, warned that if the SLA is attacked after the Israelis have withdrawn, the conflict could widen. Asked if he believed the SLA could stand against Hizbullah without Israeli support, the militiaman said: “We’re not allowed to defend ourselves properly because the Israelis won’t allow us. But when the Israelis have gone we will be able to fight properly.” He said that he and most other Shiite members of the SLA would continue to serve. “In this post we have Shiites, Druze and Christians. We’re fighting as one family. It’s possible that some Shiites might leave because their families ask them or they’re afraid, but most will stay.
 

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