Parliamentary Committees Won't Convene Due to Boycott, Death Threats

The joint parliamentary committees will not convene on Wednesday in light of the March 14 alliance's decision to boycott parliamentary work unless the cabinet of Prime Minister Najib Miqati resigns, the An Nahar daily said Tuesday.

Deputy Speaker Farid Makari announced that the boycott of the committees' sessions will continue “as long as the alliance holds on to its stance,” said the daily.

Makari had previously announced that some members of the March 14 camp received death threats from Syria through text messages, which triggered security fears for their lives.

The camp decided to boycott all parliamentary work following the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Wissam al-Hasan, demanding the government’s resignation.

The daily stressed that the alliance's decision will affect the committees work and paralyze the cabinet.

It will not be able to issue draft laws and refer them to the parliament, explained An Nahar.

The joint parliamentary committees did not meet last Tuesday over lack of quorum in light of the March 14 boycott.

For his part, MP Marwan Hamadeh told the daily that March 14 deputies will not participate in the meetings because the current government cannot preserve their safety.

“There is serious concern of participation in such meetings. The date and place are public, which raises fears of assassination attempts,” he said.

Hasan was assassinated on October 19 in a massive car bomb in the Beirut district of Ashrafiyeh that left three dead and more than 100 wounded.

The March 14 camp blames the cabinet for the assassination and accuses it of inability to provide stability and security.

A number of its members received death threats from Syria through text messages days after the assassination of Hasan, media reports said.