Mashnouq: Berri Vowed to Follow up on Bekaa Security Plan

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq said that talks with Speaker Nabih Berri have highlighted the necessity to implement the security plan in the eastern area of Bekaa in light of the exacerbating theft, kidnapping and killing incidents.

“I have briefed the Speaker on the latest facts which have shown that within 14 months around 245 incidents took place, which have included kidnapping and theft, in the area of Bekaa and the neighboring areas mainly in the city of Baalbek,” said Mashnouq after talks with Berri in Ain el-Tineh on Friday.

“This situation must not go on. Speaker Berri has vowed that he will personally follow up on the implementation of the security plan with all the related army authorities and political figures in the area,” he stated adding that when Berri vows to follow up on something it means that the issue will be solved.

The Minister added that talks also focused on the necessity to preserve dialogue as “part of the civil peace in Lebanon.”

“Today we need more cohesion among the Lebanese and the continuation of civil peace,” he said in reference to the dialogue that has been prolonging between Mustaqbal and Hizbullah on one part and another dialogue between the rival lawmakers.

Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal officials have been meeting in Ain el-Tineh under the auspices of Berri since December to defuse sectarian hostility linked to the war in Syria.

Berri had called for a dialogue conference among the main parliamentary parties to discuss the stalemate that has frozen government institutions for months.

“The 245 security incidents that I talked about are the highest recorded so far, and you all know how the residents of Baalbek have raised their voices in protest,” he concluded.

Early in October, Baalbek's sub-security council held an emergency meeting highlighting the necessity to cope with the security chaos that has aggravated in the city, and voiced calls on the army to maintain security and control the proliferation of illegal arms.

The Bekaa security plan was kicked off in February and was aimed at clamping down on criminals in certain areas, such as the town of Brital, which are known to be a safe haven for car-theft gangs and drug dealers, as well as networks that kidnap people in return for ransom.

The army had launched a crackdown on suspects and fugitives in the northern city of Tripoli and several other areas in an attempt to halt security chaos across the country.

Lebanon has been in a state of paralysis since the term of President Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014, and the failure of the conflicting political camps to agree on a successor.

The paralysis has reflected enormously on the government and parliament.

D.A.

M.T.