WORLD LEBANESE CULTURAL UNION
World Secretariat General
www.wlcu.org

Press Release
New York, June 20, 2003
The Chairman of the Commission on International Relations CIR of the WLCU met with officials and diplomats at the United Nations last Thursday. He remitted a letter introducing the WLCU as an INGO with the resolutions of the World 13th Congress attached. He also submitted an emergency memorandum regarding the declining situation of Human Rights in Lebanon. M Harb met with the officer in charge of the Middle East at the office of the Secretary General, as well as with the officer in charge of the Middle East at the Permanent delegation of the European Union at the United Nations. H eexchanged views as to Lebanon and conducted further side meetings with diplomats. M Harb submitted the following two letters.

LETTER TO THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL ABOUT THE WLCU
The Honorable Dr Kofi Anan
Secretary General
Organization of the United Nations
New York, New York
June 18, 2003
Dear Secretary General
In the name of the World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU), legitimate representative of 12 millions Lebanese around the world, I am honored to remit to you the attached resolutions of the 13th World Congress that took place in Miami, Florida on May 29, 2002
The WLCU, founded in 1960, has declared itself an International Non Governmental Organization (INGO) during its 12th World Congress held in Mexico City in May 2001. The WLCU is dedicated to protect and promote the Lebanese identity worldwide and with international organizations including the United Nations. Naturally, the WLCU wishes to see Lebanon, the mother country of our Diaspora enjoying freedom, independence, and sovereignty, as stated by the UN Charter.
The WLCU, which has branches in more than twenty countries, and works under international law, is dedicated to establish a joint venture with the United Nations through your office and other agencies.
Sincerely yours
Tom Harb
Chairman, Commission on International Relations
On behalf of the World Council
                          

Letter to the Secretary General
with copies to the representatives of the European Union  and the permanent
representatives of the Security Council
WORLD LEBANESE CULTURAL UNION
Commission on International Relations
www.wlcu.org

The Honorable Dr Kofi Anan
Secretary General
United Nations Organization
New York, NY

Dear Secretary General
The Commission on International Relations of the World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU) would like to draw your attention to the continuous degradation of the situation of Human Rights in Lebanon, despite the commitment of the international community to bring Peace and democracy to the country. The most urgent areas of abuse are the following ones:
1) The vanishing Lebanese citizens in Lebanon and Syria. Over the past decade, thousands of citizens of Lebanon have been arrested, tortured, by Syrian security forces and in many cases transferred to Syrian jails. This flagrant abuse of Human Rights is the most urgent and must be addressed by the international community as soon as possible. The Syrian regime must free all Lebanese citizens under its control, both inside Syria and in Lebanon. The Lebanese Diaspora is receiving alarming reports about the existence of mass graves inside Syria, where Lebanese citizens may have been executed and buried. We urge the United Nations qualified agencies and the Secretary General, to send a special envoy on Human Rights to Lebanon and Syria to investigate this issue.
2) The continuous suppression of freedoms and liberties inside Lebanon. Human Rights organizations, both international and local continue to report large scale abuse of political expression as well as torture and executions.
Students and political activists are rounded up and jailed as they attempt to express their views in non violent means. The international community is urged to intervene to put an end to the oppression inside the country and restore minimal democratic behavior.
3) The continous occupation of Lebanon by the Syrian Army and its intelligence apparatus. Despite UNSC Resolution 529 of 1982, calling for the withdrwal of all foreign forces, tens of thousands of Syrian troops still occupy the country against the will of its civil society. The international community is called upon to help the Lebanese to restore their national sovereignty, as their Government institutions are under occupation and therefore incapable of full representation and of international action.
More than 12 millions Lebanese emigres in dozens of countries around the world are very concerned about the fate of their mother country Lebanon. The Lebanese Diaspora calls on the United Nations to raise the case of Lebanon on its agenda. The WLCU urges the Secretary General to send an envoy to the civil society in Lebanon to investigate the state of abuse of human rights and the occupation of that country by a foreign power.
The WLCU will be more than willing to work with the United Nations on establishing a bridge to the civil society of Lebanon and help coordinate all Human Rights and Humanitarian assistance to that community.
Tom Harb
Chairman, Commission on International Relations (CIR)
World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU)