 By: Elias Bejjani It is a proven fact that the more Lebanon is kept under occupation and the more the hegemony of the installed Syrian regime intensifies, the more our great people, especially the youth, are determined to liberate their country no matter how great the sacrifice. Lebanon's youth are daily manifesting remarkable courage, endurance, devotion, wisdom and an extremely fierce hunger for independence and sovereignty. Lebanon's torch of patriotic enthusiasm will never extinguish and it shall burn the hands of those who try to challenge its glaring blaze. The more the world allows the occupation forces to stay in Lebanon imposing a life of totalitarianism and dictatorship, the more difficult its withdrawal will be in the future. It will need a real war and a great deal of precious sacrifice including many Lebanese lives, to force the foreign troops to leave Lebanon, especially the Syrians occupants. The occupation forces, especially the Syrians who completely control their Lebanon- installed regime, should never be permitted to enjoy their occupation. They should always feel the heat of their shameful actions and suffer the price they have to pay for their occupation of the land of peace, civilization, holiness and creativity. Lebanon's youth are continuously on their toes, working hard to educate the people and prepare them for the liberation battle. They are delivering their message openly in a peaceful, civilized and democratic manner. They are using their legal right for free expression to advocate for the reclamation of confiscated freedoms, independence, free decision-making process, human rights, dignity and free national choice. The FREE NATIONAL CURRENT's youth have been distributing (for the last 54 weeks) the two page weekly Internet published "Lebanese Bulletin" all over Lebanon with no significant incidents. On the 11th of August, two young men (Bassam Youssef and Alexi Nassif) were arrested in Lebanon's Betroun, a northern city, for distributing along with some other young people, copies of the two-page "Lebanese Bulletin" issued by the Media Committee of the Lebanese National Congress. The bulletin contains General Aoun's weekly political commentaries and announcements by the Lebanese National Congress. The police in Batroun arrested Bassem and Alexi for simply distributing this two-page bulletin as previously stated the bulletin has been distributed openly on a weekly basis since August 1997 in the City's commercial center. In fact, the police who arrested these two patriotic youth have granted them our noblest award of national honor and dignity and won them international notoriety. The regime in Lebanon, as well as the Syrian masters, seem to fear the Word is far mightier than the sword. Those Lebanese, who are watching the unfolding of such barbaric events in cowardly silence should wake up, abandon their alleged neutrality. They need to join forces with the FREE NATIONAL CURRENT youth in a bid to reclaim freedoms and force the foreign troops to withdraw from all Lebanon. No Lebanese should allow occupation and local puppets to continue with their charade of national humiliation, corruption, and infringements on human rights: it must be stopped. The fate of Lebanon, the Holy Land with a deep-rooted, 6000-year history of civilization has to be decided by its own people, especially the youth. It should never be left to dictators, criminals and tyrants to manipulate, sully and destroy. The two young, courageous men arrested were practicing their right to free expression. They were resisting occupation and its puppets in a peaceful and extremely civilized manner. They did not break any law and never forced any citizen to take or read the bulletin. A nod to Bassaem Youssef and Alexi Nassif, and a big salute from all Lebanese in Diaspora who believe in a Free Lebanon of honor and dignity. God bless you and bless your colleagues who are the true hope and future of Lebanon. You are the torch that no tyrant or occupant can quell, you are the voice that nobody can stifle, and you are the hope that none can muffle. Keep on in your marvelous, civilized struggle for freedom. There is always a light at the end of each dark tunnel. Lebanon, by your efforts, faith, endurance and enthusiasm shall one day be liberated, and you will be as you are now, its saviours and its heroes. My dear youth, you are in Lebanon to stay. It is your country and the country of your fathers, grandfathers and our great Phoenician ancestors. Your roots go deep into Lebanon's sacred soil, a soil that proudly embraces the remains of thousands of martyrs who offered themselves to preserve dignity and independence. Remember, always remember, that the occupants are strangers, aliens and do not belong to your Holy Land or your great civilization. Remember that they will sooner or later be forced to leave in humiliation. The carvings left by the hundreds of invaders and occupants throughout the past 6000 years at the NAHER AL KALIEB are a lasting example of the cyclical end of each and every occupant. The fate of the current occupants will not be any better. If the Syrian-installed regime is really interested in enforcing the law its attack should be directed elsewhere. There are thousands of thieves, criminals, drug trafficers, cheaters, and traitors, including many high-ranking officials who are either already sentenced or have admitted their crimes. The regime knows very well who assassinated President Rene Moawad, President Bashir Jomiel, Mufti Hassan Khalid, Journalist Salim Lawsi, Leader Kamal Jumblat and many, many others. We ask the regime to pursue the criminals, not the patriotic youth who are practicing their right to lobby for liberation, freedom, sovereignty and independence. We also remind the Minister of Interior, Mr. M. Mur that Abo Mehjen, the Palestinian outlaw, resides in Ain El Helwi near Saidon and not in Batroun City. A big salute for Bassam & Alexi, Long Live the Youth of Lebanon, Long Live Free Lebanon. |