Aoun 'Congratulates' Geagea, Gemayel, al-Rahi on Orthodox Law Approval, Says May Create 'New Realities'

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Timeline
Aoun on his phone talks with Geagea, Gemayel and al-Rahi: I thanked them for their role in securing the success of this law which might create new realities. 11 years
Aoun: Those affected by the Orthodox Gathering law are speaking as if the LF and the Phalange Party are their followers. This is politics and alliances change. They might lose some seats to us and they don't want us in power and that feverish wish is driving them crazy. 11 years
Aoun: They are insisting that the Orthodox Gathering proposal will not pass, but why will things be different than they were today? Walkouts will entail great responsibilities that no one can bear. 11 years
Aoun: Those who have been insisting on approving a new electoral law will insist that the elections be held on time. 11 years
Aoun: There is a systematic campaign to expel the Lebanese from Gulf countries and from Bahrain and my remarks do not contain an interference, but rather an advice. 11 years
Aoun: My remarks cannot be considered a foreign interference in Bahrain's affairs, as I only voiced support for human rights in Bahrain and said that the protest movement must be taken into consideration after three years from its launch. I did not call for arming anyone or for a rebellion. 11 years
Aoun: A new consensus would be on a new law. 11 years
Aoun: There is an incident that happened in Syria and the truth is that there are Lebanese people who live in 12 towns on the border with Syria and you will always have problems on borders. Hizbullah is not fighting the terrorist and fundamentalist organizations, but it is normal that they are helping their neighbors and relatives. 11 years
Aoun: This is the FPM's official stance. We want to collect taxes from those who are making money, not from the poor. 11 years
Aoun: There are luxury goods, seaside property violations and several sources of funding. 11 years
Aoun: We are facing a strike, but we support the wage hike. The dispute is that we don't want to collect taxes from the poor to give the poor, we rather want to revive the middle class through compelling the rich to pay taxes. 11 years
Aoun: This law will restore parity and true democracy and will not lead to a conflict among sects. Those who have got used to encroaching on the rights of others are describing others as violators. We are willing to continue to build Lebanon together, but according to a reformist orientation and equal rights, not according to a provocative approach. 11 years
FPM leader MP Michel Aoun after the weekly meeting of the Change and Reform bloc in Rabiyeh: Today is the brightest day in Lebanon's history because rights were returned to their owners without encroaching on the rights of others. The value of the votes of marginalized groups has been restored, that's why we're happy with this achievement. 11 years

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday said “new realities” might emerge concerning ties with his Christian rivals, after they contributed to the joint parliamentary committees' approval of the controversial draft electoral law proposed by the Orthodox Gathering.

“Today is the brightest day in Lebanon's history because rights were returned to their owners without encroaching on the rights of others. The value of the votes of marginalized groups has been restored, that's why we're happy with this achievement,” Aoun told reporters after the weekly meeting of the Change and Reform in Rabiyeh.

“This law will restore parity and true democracy and will not lead to a conflict among sects. Those who have got used to encroaching on the rights of others are describing others as violators. We are willing to continue to build Lebanon together, but according to a reformist orientation and equal rights, not according to a provocative approach,” Aoun added.

Earlier on Tuesday, the FPM's mouthpiece OTV reported that Aoun telephoned Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Phalange Party chief Amin Gemayel and Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi to “exchange congratulations on the approval of the Orthodox Gathering proposal.”

Asked by reporters about his phone talks, Aoun said: “I thanked them for their role in securing the success of this law which might create new realities.”

“Those affected by the Orthodox Gathering law are speaking as if the LF and the Phalange Party are their followers. This is politics and alliances change. They might lose some seats to us and they don't want us in power and that feverish wish is driving them crazy,” Aoun said, referring to al-Mustaqbal movement, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat and independent Christian MPs, who have rejected the Orthodox Gathering proposal and walked out of Tuesday's session.

“They are insisting that the Orthodox Gathering proposal will not pass, but why will things be different than they were today? Walkouts will entail great responsibilities that no one can bear,” he added.

Asked whether the June parliamentary elections will be postponed, Aoun said: “Those who have been insisting on approving a new electoral law will insist that the elections be held on time.”

Turning to the issue of the alleged military intervention by Hizbullah in the Syrian conflict, Aoun said: “There is an incident that happened in Syria and the truth is that there are Lebanese people who live in 12 towns on the border with Syria and you will always have problems on borders. Hizbullah is not fighting the terrorist and fundamentalist organizations, but it is normal that they are helping their neighbors and relatives.”

Three Lebanese Shiites have been killed in fighting in Syria, a Hizbullah official speaking on condition of anonymity said Sunday, as the Syrian opposition accused the Lebanese group of intervening on the side of the regime.

He said they were acting in "self-defense,” without specifying if they were Hizbullah members. The Shiite party occasionally announces the death of one of its fighters killed "carrying out his jihadist duty," but without clarification.

In October 2012, Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah acknowledged that party members had fought Syrian rebels, but said they were acting as individuals and not under the party's direction.

Nasrallah clarified that the Hizbullah fighters were killed while defending Lebanese-inhabited border towns inside Syria.

Asked about his contorversial remarks on the situation in Bahrain, Aoun said: "My remarks cannot be considered a foreign interference in Bahrain's affairs, as I only voiced support for human rights in Bahrain and said that the protest movement must be taken into consideration after three years from its launch. I did not call for arming anyone or for a rebellion."

"There is a systematic campaign to expel the Lebanese from Gulf countries and from Bahrain and my remarks do not contain an interference, but rather an advice," he added.

SourceNaharnet
Comments 59
Thumb lebanon_first 11 years

The orthodox law is good and bad.
Mustakbal, which is led by sunnite leadership, is upset because they cannot employ christian MPS on their payroll anymore. That is good.

On the other hand also christians will not be able to vote for moderate sunnis anymore, if we leave the sunnis to vote for their own MPS, we are going to see more extrimists junk in parliament, such as jamaa islamiyya and other salafists. This will weaken mustakbal, so that is bad.

Missing gcb1 11 years

I agree on the extremist part, but it may also give rise to secular independents that are neither with M8 nor M14, something Lebanon badly needs.

Thumb lebanon_first 11 years

Jumblat cannot play power broker anymore. hahahaa
Chiites dont care anyway, they dont practice democracy. Any chiite opposition to amal or HA - Couic- they eliminate him.

Missing gcb1 11 years

What rights does he speak of? Is it a right that I cannot vote for someone that is not from my sect? Is it a right that I can only hold accountable those that come from my sect?

Democracy is not the representation of sects but rather the representation of all peoples. All representatives must represent every Lebanese, not just those of their sect. What rights does this man speak of!

Thumb geha 11 years

well said.
all they want is to increase the sectarian divide.
actually they are doing the work of Israel: divide Lebanon. ultimately this is where we are going with such mentalities.

Thumb geha 11 years

what a bunch of crap. reset? what a joke.
this will divide the country by increasing sectarian strife.

Missing gcb1 11 years

If it does come FT, it will definitely not come from FPM or any of these major parties. These major parties like the fact that their loyalties are based on sectarian allegiances. I can't believe the FPM backlashed on its values outlined in 2009 electoral platform, which called for a secular political system. Now Aoun sounds like a right-wing Christian paranoiac politician, like his LF/Kataeb fellows.

I am being stripped of my rights for being forced to vote for members of my own sect. I am being stripped of my rights for having a Parliament filled with representatives that only work for people of their own sect, not all of Lebanon. Please explain to me what good there is in this (without talking about how bad the 1960 law is).

Thumb geha 11 years

mowaten
I have been calling on reducing the sectarian talk on this site for months now, and all I got back from you and FT are more insults whenever we disagree.
definitely that has had its toll and pushed me more into hating shia based on your two continuously filled with hatred comments.
you reap what you saw.

Missing gcb1 11 years

@anonymetexasusa

Yes, but the primary interest this MP will serve is their sect. That is the incentive that this system gives, because for the MP, there is no incentive to work for members of other sects if those members can't even vote for him.

Parliament will now be reduced to a representation of sects, each presenting their own sectarian interests.

Look up US history during its first Constitution, the Articles of Confederation. This was an assembly of states, with representatives being only messengers of states and not looking out for the national interest. All it did was weaken the national government and separate the country. Considering that is Lebanon's main obstacle right now (division and weak state), I don't see how this law will help.

Missing ArabDemocrat.com 11 years

Damn - it is Tuesday again!

Default-user-icon Marlene Boulos (Guest) 11 years

Aoun: "There are luxury goods, seaside property violations and several sources of funding. Also I personally asked the magnificent Gebran Bassil to give back 2% of his rightful God bestowed usual 30% commission to the state coffers, ya Hussein ya Hussein."

Thumb LEBhasNOhope 11 years

I know people argue that Lebanese people in general are not ready for a secular law but we have to start somewhere. We also shouldn't enable sectarianism with a sectarian law just because people deem the country not ready to be secular. It's like saying; we are not ready to move forward so we are chossing to move backwards. God save Lebanon!

Missing gcb1 11 years

The people may be sectarian because the system forces them to be sectarian. Make the system secular and the people will follow.

By the way, Mustaqbal's proposal of a winner-take-all system isn't that much better, because such a system will only favour big parties and not allow for smaller independent parties to have a voice.

Thumb LEBhasNOhope 11 years

That’s the other problem with our system. Every time there is an election the people in power fight over a new election law that suites them. This is silly! Why bother having elections if you are always bending the laws to your favor. We need a permanent secular system in place.

Thumb LEBhasNOhope 11 years

Tex- you make a good point but sometimes you have to spoon feed people in order for them to realize the benefit. Give them time to see the benefits of the smoking law and you will staunch supporters of it in large numbers. Case in point is the smoking ban in Texas. Were they not the leaders of the smoking ban in the US?
Give them a taste of secularism and watch them flock to it.

Thumb LEBhasNOhope 11 years

I still have hope for us Lebanese. If you take away hope, then what are we left with?

Missing beirutbastard00 11 years

The smoking ban in America was done in steps. Here the politicians are just idiots. They passed something with no study, and they did it during very bad economical times!

Logically I'd have to agree with tex. maybe some kinda emirates situation would be best. Idk. But America has its divisions too, but they r strong enough to hold the country together. In my opinion, we need more nationalist prapoganda. Something to make us feel Lebanese. But first we would need to agree on what "Lebanese" means....

Thumb geha 11 years

I think you actually believe the crap coming out of your mouth :)

Thumb LEBhasNOhope 11 years

Sorry friend. I get why you beleive this helps you but I disagree. This law is going to benefit the Christian leaders (Aoun, Geagea, Gemayel) in the short run, but this law is bad for everyone. No official should represent a sect. Officials need to represent the people. Those who voted for them, against them and those that abstained from voting. That is moving forward. Anything else is moving backwards.

Thumb geha 11 years

and he dares calling himself in favor of a secular state :)

Thumb LEBhasNOhope 11 years

Beiruti and Tex- The moment we embrace the idea of sectarian laws are acceptable is the moment we give up as Lebanese. Every time you say, we are sectarian by nature you give these forever in power leaders more power. You want millions to support it? why can't it start with you? If the 3 of us convice 1 person each and they go on to do the same, how quickly can we reach millions?

Missing ArabDemocrat.com 11 years

You must have many PhDs!

Thumb geha 11 years

well mowaten, he might be nearing the number of times you usually mention salafis :)
take your pill and chill :)

Thumb geha 11 years

Aoun: There is a systematic campaign to expel the Lebanese from Gulf countries and from Bahrain
yes it is not what hizbushaitan and aoun doing in Bahrain that is driving this decision. the GCC are deciding to do that just for the heck of it.

Missing greatpierro 11 years

Aoun is Wilfried about human rights in Bahrain. How come he care less about human rights in Syria.

Missing peace 11 years

i thought MPs were here to represent lebanese not people from a sect... LOL!

poor lebanon

Thumb geha 11 years

you are full of crap FT.
nothing interesting in your comments, and as usual always insulting others :)
you are really a shia. and that is sectarian.
you see how much your comments are making us hate you?

Thumb chrisrushlau 11 years

Just a comment from outside: the name of Aoun's bloc means that he is opposed to reform and change?

Default-user-icon MUSTAPHA O. GHALAYINI (Guest) 11 years

saado and mustakbal failed miserably in representing and defending their own people or sect(we are already speaking orthod0xy way),they have to be replaced as soon as possible b4 having another hizballah (sunny style)...the lebanese christians (aoun geagea gemayel),dealt a mortal blow to moderate sunnis.

Default-user-icon TaxInspector (Guest) 11 years

Aoun: This is the FPM's official stance. We want to collect taxes from those who are making money, not from the poor.

Start collecting Bills from the people before using tax payer's money to cover for losses.

Most people in this country work in the black... it's not about rich or poor, it's about all the underground economy from which you will never be able to collect taxes ... No one lives on minimum wage, everyone makes tons of money on the side and this is where you need to hit ... not the rich, not the poor, but the millions of cheaters and mafias!

Default-user-icon Bahraoun (Guest) 11 years

"Aoun: My remarks cannot be considered a foreign interference in Bahrain's affairs, as I only voiced support for human rights in Bahrain and said that the protest movement must be taken into considerations after three years from its launch. I did not call for arming anyone or for a rebellion."

How about you ask Bashar el Assad, to take his rebellion into consideration and stop the massacre ? You have 2 different political positions for the same situation in Syria and Bahrain ! The problem is Syria is slaying it's citizens and Bahrain is not even there yet !

Default-user-icon Bahraoun (Guest) 11 years

I have trouble understanding your logic ...

Bahrain protests are peaceful so Aoun attacks its ruler ?

Syria is in a shithole of a situation so Aoun has no reason to condemn Bashar's actions on his own population ? I do not see hundreds of thousands of refugees in Lebanon fleeing from the radical terrorists ... they are fleeing from the syrian army and shabiha.

And stop playing with words, Aoun doesn't have to "support butchery" directly. He provides support and "legitimity" to Bashar which is all the same!

Politics is a game of words to control the naive by making them believe in something that is not true ... just like religion. Aoun has won control over your mindset ...

Missing peace 11 years

don t you think bahreini people are also with their gvt like you assume the majority of syrians are? LOL! or double FPM hezbi standards as usual....

Thumb lebnanfirst 11 years

@FlameThrower
There you go again with illogical deductions "...but in syria, for an armed conflict to drag for 2 years with no clear victor, i think it's safe to say (not assume) that a good portion of the syrians dont want this opposition..."

What a bid=g fat and false statement. Let's see now, having most of a poorly armed population fight a dictator's well equipped army with seemingly endless armament supplies by Russia translates in your logic to most people oppose the revolution and are with Assad? Talk about convoluted logic!

How about the logic that asserts that since a well armed dictator has been unable to put down a popular revolution means that most of his people are against him. Now that makes some sense.

Thumb lebnanfirst 11 years

@FlameThrower
No one can accuse you of being a misguided ba'athist, at least not one that has been following this forum as we have.
On the other hand you may be a misguided FPM'r in need of being guided towards the safe shores of democracy and M14 ;-) LOL

Thumb bigsami 11 years

Yallah schizo FARSI fagblower.....time to bring out your latest alias lilfaglee (Nabatieh’s village idiot!) with another lame quotes from his book of idiots.

Default-user-icon TaxInspector (Guest) 11 years

This is not economics, it's nonsense ! If you use the word "Tax", this doesn't make you an economist.

How can he collect taxes when most of the country works in the black and under the table ?

Let him start collecting electricity bills ... it would be a great start and let the real taxpayer's money be put to use to cover other things than unpaid bills and debt!

Let the banks start funding companies instead of funding public debt so that the lebanese can have jobs, pay their taxes and pay their bills.

Privatise your failed state infrastructure you're so proud of (3G ??? LTE ??? FIBER ????? Electricity ?????) and let real businesses do it right instead of favoring the Mazout mafias and Generator Mafias and Cable Mafias ... and stop bragging about your mobile achievements, the networks have never been worst !

Default-user-icon + oua nabka + (Guest) 11 years

orthodox law will give each party its true size , it is good for 1 election in my opinion and then the new parliament issued from this law will take us to a better one
on the issue of money should go back to the 90ties and then the state should ask alll our millionnaires and billionnaires from where they got their money if they show evidences that they got it by hard swet and work sahtein and we will praise them
if not the state should confiscate 80 % of their moneyand throw these thiefs out of the country
god bless lebanon
oua nabka

Default-user-icon + oua nabka + (Guest) 11 years

abu steif
moderate sunnies do not confiscate christian votes
so what kataeb and lf did is that they gave each party its real size
god bless lebanon

Default-user-icon Things that made me say humm (Guest) 11 years

So let's recap, 1989 Aoun launches the "liberation war" thinking that he will win, 1990 Aoun launches the "elimination war" thinking that he will win, on October 12 1990 Aoun gave a famous speech about fighting till the end thinking he will win (he ran away less than ten hours later taking with him only all the cash he embezzled mostly soldiers salaries),2009 Aoun reinvents the 60s electoral law that "returned the rights to the Christians" thinking that he will win.. humm, do you notice here a pastern of eternal perpetual loss?

Thumb lebneneh 11 years

The general sounds a bit slow-speaking today...is he sick or something?

Thumb beiruti 11 years

The LF, Phalange and the Patriarch have acted in a very pragmatic way. The options before them were to leave the electoral law as it was for the 2009 elections, a law wherein Hezbollah and the FPM were sure to lose and risk the cancelation of elections and jeapardizing the existence of the State.
Or the LF, Phalange and Patriarch could have followed the lead of Mustaqbal, and boycotted in which case Hezbollah and FPM would have an open field in which to run.
This way, the LF and Phalange as well as Rai can have some say in the Christian vote, more so than if the thing went without their voice being expressed. This is not an endorsement of Aoun, the FPM or a repudiation of M14, but a survival play by the M14 Christians for themselves and the country.

Missing saynotoreligion 11 years

FT, your secular Aoun is very happy about the Orthodox Law. Even the name of the law itself tells how sectarian the law is. This idiot can't stand behind his words even a month

Missing beirutbastard00 11 years

Taxinspector, thumbs up!

Missing beirutbastard00 11 years

Yea man, that sux. Rip harriri.

Thumb mouallek 11 years

A friend sent me the following lines written trwo years ago:

Le p’tit Michel s’en va-t- en guerre,
Mironton, mironton, mirontaine,
Le p’tit Michel s’en va-t- en guerre,
Sous les ordres de Nasrallah.

Tous voudraient le voir sous terre,
Tout de suite et maintenant,
Tous voudraient le voir sous terre ;
Sous les ordres de Nasrallah.

Il rêve du trône de Baabda,
A la place de Soleimane.
Il rêve du trône de Baabda,
Sous les ordres de Nasrallah.

Mais un jour il se réveille,
Ligoté dans un lit.
Mais un jour il se réveille,
Aux cotés de Nasrallah.

Deux camisoles de force
Les maintiennent tranquilles,
Deux camisoles de force
Pour lui et Nasrallah.

Thumb jabal10452 11 years

I'm happy. Anything that brings the Christian factions a little closer together makes me happy. Please don't interpret this as an anti-muslim comment. It is not. I just hate to see Christians so bitterly divided.

Default-user-icon Arsenal (Guest) 11 years

It may bring Christians a little closer but it pulls the Lebanese further apart. I guess for you and others, your sect comes before your country. Sad.

Default-user-icon April20 (Guest) 11 years

Ummm... Considering that Christians are now a minority within Lebanon, has it not ever occurred to you that this genius plan may backfire in the future - near future, at that? Had the "orthodox" law also approved of ex-pats voting in Lebanese consulates in foreign countries - 3a rasé w 3ayné! But a combination of the '70s, the '80s, the '90s, and the Third Millennium in terms of diaspora has left the Christians as a minority sect in the country that they had been martyred to make independent from France - and which Hizb-Nasrallah has handed over to Iran as a colony.

Default-user-icon Arsenal (Guest) 11 years

He calls the anti-democratic Orthodox proposal true democracy. Does this guy know what democracy is? How can people take this man seriously. This man is the most unpatriotic, dangerous man in lebanon, worst than Nasrallah. It's unbelievable how any educated people can support this deranged man.

Default-user-icon nobody (Guest) 11 years

The Orthodox Law effectively gives different voting rights to different voters. We all know that the numbers of Muslim and Christian voters are not the same, but the number of representatives is the same. The law is discriminatory against the larger group (whichever it is depending on whether or not you want to count expats) and undemocratic.

Missing saynotoreligion 11 years

FT, your secular Aoun is very happy about the Orthodox Law. Even the name of the law itself tells you how sectarian the law is. This idiot can't stand behind his words even a month

Missing formerlebaniz 11 years

BREAKING NEWS: The US Congress has approved an electoral law similar to the new lebanese law. Black people will vote for Black Representatives, Jews will vote for other jewish, hispanic will vote hispanic, asian will vote asian, atheists will vote for atheists, and christians will vote christian.

What a bunch of medieval backward group of opportunists. I'm SO glad I found a country that would adopt me it's WAY too embaressing to even call your self a Lebanese anymore, heck it doesn't mean anything anymore call your self Sunni, Shia, Druze, Orthodox, Maronite, or whatever sect you are, but please make sure we know your religion because that's the only way we can tell what is your political affiliation.

Why don't we end this charade and instead of having political and religous figure, just cut the middlemen and let our religous figures rule this country I mean they are the ones that should represent the sect right?

Missing formerlebaniz 11 years

Sadly I am hopeful that one day enough people will have common sense in this country to make a change, unfortunately this hope is dwindling and more and more the reason I come back to see is entertainment.

Thumb lebnanfirst 11 years

@the_roar
Now you know how I, and many like me, felt when Aoun teamed up with HA and made a 180 degree turn away from the principles he had advocated until then. Betrayal leaves a very bitter taste doesn't it?

Thumb lebnanfirst 11 years

@the_roar, I need hear nothing more I simply recalled all the bitterness I felt when I finally recognized Aoun for what he really is just another greedy Lebanese politician.
I completely understand where you are coming from. You supported him believing he believed in and stood for a set of principles then you discovered otherwise. It was Deja vue for me.
As to @FlameThrower's point of a genuine opportunity for reconciliation, it is very much doubtful. None of our existing Christian leaders will ever concede leadership for unity. The Shiites consolidated HA's leadership over Amal by force. The Sunnis leadership was bought by Hariri. I hope for a unified consensus Christian polity but to come into existence it must start at the root level.

Missing formerlebaniz 11 years

whyaskwhy, great from now on go vote in the embassy of your country Irani, Syria, KSA, China, Russia, France they all have embassies in the Lebanese territories.

Thumb sophia_angle 11 years

honestly am lost, if we say white u say black if we say black u say white!! u say General lost the majority in christian votes so go ahead ur winning then the elections...at least it will be a fair share n play among all religions then we will move towards a civil sate...

Thumb sophia_angle 11 years

honestly am lost, if we say white u say black if we say black u say white!! u say General lost the majority in christian votes so go ahead ur winning then the elections...at least it will be a fair share n play among all religions then we will move towards a civil sate...