 By: Elias Bejjani The Free National Current headed by General Aoun is not a licensed or registered Lebanese party, nor is it a religious group. It is also not a leftist or a rightist organization. The Current is a public gathering of Lebanese from all walks of life, for all Lebanon. It comprises among its ranks a mosaic of Lebanese nationals from all political, social, academic and religious affiliations, the Communists as well as the Phalanges and the religious alongside the secular etc. All joined forces together under the Current's umbrella, believing in common national objectives, hopes and aspirations. The Current has a nationwide movement of resistance and rejection of occupation and the collaborating regime imposed on Lebanon and its people. The following are the major national objectives of the Current: 1- Withdrawal of all foreign forces, Syrians, Israelis, and others, and the implementation of all UN resolutions related to Lebanon. 2- Reclamation of sovereignty, independence and a free decision making process. 3- Implementation of a modernized consensual democracy. 4- Establishing a secular state. A state of law, in which all religions can practice their rites with full freedom and without persecution of any kind. 5- Fostering the Lebanese distinct identity, culture, traditions, heritage, civilization and history. 6- Organized, equal and systematized openness and cooperation with neighboring countries in particular, and the whole world in general. 7- Bridging the gap between Lebanon and its people in Diaspora. 8- Full respect for law, human rights and all international covenants. Tagging the Current either as leftist or rightist or religious is not an accurate description, and far from reality. The Current is not any of these, yet at the same time, it is all of them. It is the conscience of the majority of the Lebanese people in both occupied Lebanon and Diaspora. The majority believes in freedom, democracy, human rights and in the Lebanese identity. Members of the Current are very proud of being Lebanese, and they are struggling to liberate their country and reclaim its confiscated dignity and honor. It is worth mentioning that currently there are no actual active patriotic rightist or leftist parties in Lebanon. Most of those who call themselves rightists are collaborating with the occupation forces, although some of them live in a façade of opposition. The same applies to the majority of the leftists, fundamentalists, feudal and familial parties, who are divided by the occupation into rival sub-parties. Their only commonality is their subservience and collaboration. During the recent presidential comedy charade the Current adopted a very clear patriotic stance abiding fully with its convictions and national objectives. Its leadership courageously refused to bow to intimidations and rejected with dignity all temptations. Nothing is changed, and nothing will be changed as long as Lebanon remains occupied. The occupant replaced one secretary (Mr. Hrwai) by another, (General Lahoud) no more no less". The Current does not recognize the legitimacy of the "Taef regime" that came to power as a result of foreign military bloody invasion to the free Lebanese regions in 1990. Lebanon since then has been an occupied country with no freedom or any kind of democracy. All officials who control the country currently are appointed by Syria to serve its territorial expansionism dreams and vicious schemes. Accordingly changing or replacing these puppets is just a cheap camouflaging process. The people of great Lebanon although oppressed and impoverished are not naive to be fooled by such maneouvers. The Current will deal with General Lahoud, the Lebanese newly appointed president, the same way it dealt with his predecessor for the last eight In fact both the successor and the predecessor are different faces of the same coin. The Current does not believe in boycotting any political Lebanese group, party or individual because of their stance in regards to the alleged legitimacy of General Lahoud. Although each group's history and portfolio in national conduct and struggle has to be taken into consideration in future alliances. The Current is ready to co-operate and even form alliances with any group or individual that believes in its national objectives and wants genuinely to work for liberation. The Current's relationship with others depends on their proximity or distance from its objectives. The Current preaches and practices democracy, respects others beliefs and is fully aware, and extremely respectful of the pluralistic and mosaic nature of the Lebanese society. Most of the Lebanese politicians currently practice the politics of deception, appeasement, cajoling, as a means to achieve individual interests and gains. Politics is defined internationally as the art of the possible, for us it is the art of rejecting the irrational, and the revolt against enslavement. It also personifies self-respect, principles, national convictions, ethics, devotion and sacrifice. We shall, by God's will, keep resisting, struggling and rejecting the irrational till our country is liberated and the 10452 km2 are again free of all foreign hegemony. Long Live Free Lebanon. |