Hariri Launches Mustaqbal Political Document on Arab Spring: Democracy Helps us Face Intolerance
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri noted on Wednesday that the Arab Spring allows the Lebanese to “update” their democratic experience and eliminate the remnants of the sectarian wars.
He said: “Democracy protects us all and we must resort to dialogue to face intolerance.”
He made his statements during the launch of the Mustaqbal movement’s document on the Arab Spring, entitled “Al-Mustaqbal and the Perspectives of the Arab Spring.”
“The Lebanese are all required to take advantage of the Arab Spring to avoid misinterpreting the developments in the Arab world,” he told the gathering from a giant screen.
“The Lebanese have to choose between blindly following regimes and supporting peoples demanding freedom,” he declared.
Hariri voiced his certitude that the Lebanese will choose the latter, “which falls in the country’s interest.”
“Some regimes chose to govern their countries under the fake slogans of defiance against Israel, while some peoples have decided to confront oppression and take the path of democracy,” he added.
“Some sides have chosen to address the developments in Syria from its regime’s perspective,” he continued.
“The least that can be said of such an approach is that it is immoral as there is a killer called Bashar Assad who is committing murders on a daily basis,” said the former premier.
“The war being waged against the Syrian city of Homs is no less severe than the wars waged by Israel against Lebanon and Gaza,” he noted.
“Lebanon would not be honored to be represented by some leaders who have covered up the massacres committed against the Syrian people,” he stated.
“The friends of the Syrian regime must realize that violence will not turn back the hands of time because the regime may live for a few more weeks and months, but the Syrian people will live forever,” he remarked.
“The Lebanese are seeking to live in a country where all citizens and sects are treated equally,” Hariri said.
“Democracy protects us all and it is the guarantee for mutual coexistence between the country’s factions,” he continued.
He stated: “We reject the parliamentary majority's attempt to practice hegemony over the political life.”
“Lebanon seeks to recognize the other … The coexistence between Muslims and Christians is the product of humanitarian and intellectual efforts,” he remarked.
Furthermore, he noted: “Israeli wars and internal conflicts have served to alter Lebanon’s democratic character, which does not reflect Lebanon’s essence and history.”
12 years
If you ask Syria not to interfere in Lebanon, don't interfere in Syria!
12 years
So HA fighters shouldn't play the Chabbiha game in Syria ...
12 years
good guy
12 years
it looks like speeches of moderate people hurt some in lebanon: they prefer angry people shouting all the time, using bad language, and so on...
return to your humanity and common sense and realize that all the weapons in the world will not let you govern lebanon, as it is for all lebanese.
once you start realising this fact, maybe you will become lebanese once more, and not some puppet to the syro/iranians.
12 years
we need an accord between lebanese in lebanon made by only lebanese
from cairo accord to lausanne, to ...., to taef all accord were made with a chaperon taef syria and saoudieh ,..now syria and saoudieh are at odds chou khassna nihna
so let it be an accord in dahye in saida in beirut , mouktarra , u name it and only lebanese its the only way
and as u said mr saadeldin only real democracy can guarantee a citizen
so hope you advise your gulf countries to embrace real demovracy cause as you said no turning back
12 years
As a Top Leader of Lebanese Sunni Community - He failed to address his speech to the Lebanese Shiite Community and ask them to abondon Hizbullah and embrace Lebanon and the Lebanese Army. He should have re-assured them if Hizbullah were to hand over its weapons to Army then tensions and spectre of secterian strife in Lebanon will subside. He should have re-assured the Shiite community that if they put their faith in the state/&army (like the rest of the communities) then they can count on all Lebanese(Sunnis, Druze & Christians) to rise up to their assistance - If Israel or Sunni extremist group attacked them. If Hizbullah is following an Iranian Agenda and doesn't want to heed the call to hand over its arms to the Lebanese army. Then Hariri & M14 should offer their hand of friendship to true lebanese Shiite patriots/Leaders, and bypass the Hizb. And when the majority of the Lebanese Shiite community turns away from the Hizb, then the Hizb will wither away.
12 years
I agree and very good point.
12 years
the guys is too weak politically to tell the Shiites anything. I think they will care less about he says just like Mustaqbal people care less about what nasrallah says. Actually the latter has the better chance.
12 years
Weak Politically??? He the Head of the largest Sunni Parliamentary Block in Lebanon. I guess you might be counting political strengh by the number of rockets they possess...then yeah he is not strong in that field, because he chose to depend on the Lebanese army.
If the Shia care less about what M14 camp is saying now - and don't heed the call to hand over Hizbullah's arms to Lebanese Army, then it will not be long enough that M14 camp will also care less if/when Israel bombs/invades the South/Bekaa/Dahieh, or when Sunni Extremist fighters starts pouring into Lebanon from Syria once they finished off with Bashar.
12 years
no sheikh saad, u are very weak, zooran need zooran, come to beirut and CONFRONT.DONT LEAVE THE PLACE TO SALAFIS.
12 years
This man is too honest. Not a contender in the Lebanese political system. And to flamethrower talk of peace is what will save our country. You can throw speeches from underground with people watching on a big screen while they are positioned in rows 2 meters apart to give it the full house look, yet they are told when to clap, smile, breath. While their leader points his finger and promises them they are safe from m14 dark plans. While telling isreal to be ready to surrender. Promising isreal that just like in 2006 we will rebuild our bridges time and time again until isreal runs out of bombs and tge Palestinians will simply walk back to reclaim their old country from the weak isreali army!!!
12 years
and he is too saudi. Freedom and democaracy in Syria driven by the saudi 3eegal guys?
12 years
Saad hariri your father has died because of this Iranian hizb operating in our country. With brainwashed supporters that's will send our country back another 30 years with a new war against isreal, a war they don't wish to try and win, only to disrupt our economy and democracy and free will to live in peace and harmony with all tge different sects.
Ya haram ya libnan!
12 years
M8 you better kiss Sheikh Saad hands and feet and deal with him honestly, if it wasn't for his Mustaqbal movement, most Sunnis of Lebanon would have been influenced to extremism and not acting like today as moderates.
12 years
wrong. Most sunnis in Lebanon are educated enough to not go for al-qaeda. No need for the saudi boy's influence.
12 years
nope, that's not what I am saying. but in reality whenever there is a void, someone always tries to fill it. Look what happened in Afghanistan, Iraq etc..what I am saying is that Sheikh Saad is the voice of the vast majority of moderate Sunnis in Lebanon regardless if you agree or disagree with him.
12 years
One more thing; Most Sunnis of Lebanon feel like they under attack from Hizb and M8. So yes, that can bring in extremism.
12 years
neon I prefer this clown he's funnier
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnm37baZfAk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYXyPownBVU
12 years
I agree with Anonymous and with allouchi
12 years
Misinformation from another brainwashed retard !
12 years
mfawaz now common about the talk that he killed his own father. That one is a fabrication allow me to say. They guy is saudi influenced and has his priorities mixed up but killing his father?
12 years
What Harriri is saying is rather logical and has a great degree of modernity. Lebanon is bound by the co-existence of Christians and Muslims but it's by no means bound by those who use this formula to ripp off the budgets and steal the money of the people which are supposed to be spent on enhancing the lives of the Lebanese and stops them from immigrating all the time. Lebanon could have been a great country had it not been governed by the extant families of the Christians and Muslims. We need a real Arab spring to rid us off these families so that we could build a modern country based on meritocracy not religious affiliation. Shame on us to be still so much backwards.
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