But celebrations on an unprecedented scale!! Tell me again what is it that we are celebrating? Is it the triumph of good over evil? Or is it the restoration of independence and sovereignty? Are we celebrating the end of lawlessness and the restoration of state authority? Or are we are uncorking the bubbly in order to commemorate trashing the constitution, the most sacred document for the state? Maybe all of these festivities are meant to show that sectarianism, the bane of Lebanese society, is alive and well.
The events that have led to the coronation of a new President for the Lebanese Republic are at best a truce masquerading as an honorable political settlement. When for all intent it was an occasion that formalized a transfer of power, not through peaceful political work but at the end of a gun. Yes the Hezbollah coup did succeed in maintaining their illegitimate gains. But what is really egregious about these celebrations, besides enshrining lawlessness, was the pretense that the process of electing Michel Suleiman was constitutional. Alas it was abundantly clear from the dizzying and at times even nauseating whine of the Spin Doctors that the process was manifestly unjust, illegal and unconstitutional. The constitution is very clear in prohibiting a sitting army general from being elected to the highest office in the land. He could become eligible but only two years after the end of his government tenure. Mr. Suleiman was still in the employ of the Lebanese government until his election by the members of Parliament by 108 votes out of 127. One can only presume that the six abstentions were cast by members who are not comfortable with the legality of the process. As if the above procedural infraction was not serious enough a few wanted it "corrected" through another equally legally abusive move. Some wanted to pass a constitutional amendment waving the application of the clause that prevents Mr. Suleiman from standing for the office of the Presidency. What these MP's have conveniently neglected to take into consideration is the fact that the current legislature is not empowered to legislate until it fills the constitutionally required vacancy in the Presidents office. Mr. Suleiman might be a very capable individual but the sanctity of the process should be paramount. Isn't it ironic that we violate the very constitution that we are celebrating? Isn't it doubly ironic that Mr. Suleiman violates the same constitution as he is taking an oath to defend it?
And yet that was not the full story. The person who presided over the whole celebration and acted as the bride's father is the very same person who had orchestrated the obfuscation and prevented the democratic process from proceeding for almost two years. Nabih Beri, the speaker, even had the courage to be mendacious in front of the whole world when he announced that he had kept the doors of the Chamber of Deputies opened to facilitate discussion between the parties. These were the same doors that he had ordered shut for all this time. The mendacity and shamelessness of this man cannot be over exaggerated.
To sum up, the day of celebrations should have been a day of introspection and soul searching, a day to see what can be done to restore hope and to set the ship of state on an even keel. The only image to describe these unconscionable acts in Lebanon is that of a passenger who falls off a ship in the middle of the ocean but manages to swim to a piece of wood to which she clutches with dear life and feels grateful about her good luck, as the sharks are circling around her. "Welcome to Lebanon/Hezbollah land" reads the new sign at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut.
Tags: Civil War, Ghassan Karam, Michel Suleiman, Presidential Elections, source: Ya Libnan
