GENERAL LAHOUD & THE PRESIDENCY By: Elias Bejjani Three weeks before the due date for his looming appointment by the Syrians as president of the occupied republic of Lebanon, General Emil Lahoud waged a campaign of haphazard arrests in North Lebanon (between 20-24/SEP/1998). The arrests targeted more than twenty members in the Free Patriotic Current and another twenty Current supporters ranging in age between 20 and 60. Those arrested were exposed to humiliating interrogation for more than 24 hours, focusing on their intimate relationship with General Michel Aoun. They were not beaten physically, as is the case usually but were forced to sign illegal contracts stating they will not be involved in future activities against the Syrians and the puppet Lebanese regime. None of those arrested were charged and no lawyers were allowed to be present with them during the interrogation process. The 'crime' committed by all these patriotic citizens in the eyes of the army security forces, is their affiliation to the "Free Patriotic Current." The Army intelligence Bureau, on personal instruction from army chief General Emil Lahoud, carried out the arrests. The question is why, and why now, and what is Lahoud trying to prove or achieve? We believe General Lahoud's message is very clear, he is saying to the Syrians: I am your man, appoint me as president and I will take care of all those fussy, troublesome, noisy Lebanese citizens who oppose your occupation of their country. Lahoud's action delineates a fact that is not seen by many Lebanese who read unfolding events with good intentions. He will not be much different from Mr. Elias Hrawi, the current puppet president, in appeasing the Syrians or in oppressing the patriotic Lebanese. On the contrary, he is expected to be much worse and more brutal. He is going to be a small, military puppet dictator who will oppress freedom and imitate his Syrian masters in their style of ruling. He will continue to serve his masters and implement their wishes and instructions from Baabda Palace (Presidential Palace) as he has been doing for the last eight years from the Yarzi headquarters (Ministry of Defense), in his capacity as an army chief. During his eight years as Army Chief, Lahoud has politicized the military institution and Syrianized it to an extent that made the Lebanese Army fully subordinate to Syria. In his daily instructions to the Army, and in his articles published in the Army magazine, Lahoud made his stance in relation to South Lebanon more Syrian than that of the Syrians themselves. He adopted the Syrian policy, imposed on Lebanon, by merely integrating Syrian and Lebanese tracks in peace process negotiations with Israel. An unconstitutional and illegal policy hindered the liberation of South Lebanon and still do. The fate of South Lebanon is now tied to that of the Syrian occupied Golan Heights. This stance is a treasonous act against Lebanon and its people because Israel has already annexed the Golan Heights and is not planning to give it back to the Syrians. Israel proposed to withdraw from South Lebanon many times, even to implement UN resolution 425, but Syria through Lahoud and other puppet Lebanese officials refused the offers. Lahoud is helping Syria maintain its occupation of Lebanon. Syria wants Israel to stay in South Lebanon and Golan Heights to justify its occupation of Lebanon. What is going on in Lebanon is a vicious circle and Lahoud is an important part of the circle. The "made in Syria" Lebanese politicians and officials are portraying Lahoud as a superman, a saviour and a man of principles: a leader who is capable of solving all Lebanon's problems. The fact is, Lahoud does not believe in democracy or in human rights, especially in freedom of expression. He has banned all demonstrations and sided always with oppressive measures taken by the regime in this domain. The examples go further than the enumeration (done with the syndicates) of students, the labour force, Lebanese forces, Aounists etc. The sarcastic reality is that Lahoud is a tiger only in Christian areas and among Christian communities and a peaceful lamb with others. He did not disarm any of the Lebanese or Palestinian Militias working under the Syrian umbrella, like the Amal movement, Hizbollah, Socialist Progressive party, Palestinian etc. He kept the army out of all the "security islands" that are under the full control of non-governmental militias e.g. Palestinian camps, Southern suburbs of Beirut etc. General Lahoud, as a president, will not be free even if he chooses to be so. He will be under the full control of the Syrians who will appoint only him and only after he makes all requested commitments needed to serve their interests. He will not ask the Syrian troops to withdraw from Lebanon, and at the same time will not help the Israelis withdraw from South Lebanon. His role will be to guard the current imposed status quo of Syrian and Israeli occupations. Lahoud's first message to his Syrian masters came through the unjustified campaign against members in the "Free Patriotic Current." Other, similar messages, will take place and will not spare any patriotic Lebanese who call for independence, sovereignty, freedoms and withdrawal of all foreign forces, Syrian and Israeli. We, in the "Free Patriotic Current", have acknowledged Lahoud's message but our message to him is, "You can't achieve what thousands of tyrants and invaders failed to do for the past 6000 years". Nobody and no power can destroy Lebanese patriotism and their struggle for freedom. The Lebanese were born free and free they shall remain, no matter the hardships they encounter. Remember that the "Free Patriotic Current" is Lebanon's conscience and the Lebanese will for liberation. Nobody and no power can change this reality. Our advice to you: Support you people, help in their struggle for liberation and be a patriotic Lebanese, not a collaborator. Long Live Free Lebanon.