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THE DIASPORA? (Part 1)  The Lebanese-Syrian installed regime officials alleged lately that they are interested in the Diaspora and are doing their best to put an end to the division in the World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU). In this context the Hoss Cabinet issued a ministerial decree on Wednesday 11/8/1999 #133/99, in which it amended the previous decree #59/99 related to the formation of a special committee assigned to put a study on the Diaspora and the current status of the World Lebanese Cultural Union. The new decree called for the formation of a new committee under the supervision of the PM, composed of the following: Fouad Al-Turk, Haithem Gomaa, Ahmad Tabara, Chukri Aboud, Walid Barakat and Brigadier Adonied Nehmee. It is worth mentioning that all the members of this committee are governmental employees except Mr. Turk who is a retired ambassador and previous undersecretary for the Lebanese Foreign Affaires ministry. Mr. Turk is also one of the WLCU founders. According to the decree the committee has been entrusted to achieve the following assignments: 1-Uunifying the WLCU and activating its role. 2- Deciding on the executive and procedural requirements needed to activate the role of the Lebanese Diaspora and profiting from its capabilities and resources. 3- Supervising the decisions taken by the committee and to carry on the needed worldwide connections to achieve the mandate of the committee. Two days after the issuing of the decree, Annahar newspaper stated (on 13/8/1999) that General Lahoud gave his directions to the a/m committee to end the WLCU double presidency crisis through an agreement between its two presidents, Mr. Naji Neam, who is supported by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. George Antoine, who is supported by the Ministry for Immigrant's Affairs. The aim of the consolation as alleged will be to end the WLCU double presidency crisis and open a new era in its history as a prerequisite preparatory procedure to reunite it Then, to elect two councils, one presidential and international, with a consensus to serve the interests of the Diaspora. Annahar stated as well that the Minister for Foreign Affairs has asked all its embassies and diplomatic delegations all over the world to prepare reports on the WLCU status, offices, chapters, activities and learn how comprehensive is its representation for the Diaspora communities. The purpose of such a study as alleged, is to maintain the WLCU independence and to help it in assuming a proper Diaspora representation. In fact, the sudden interest of the regime in the Diaspora, especially at this high official level is not so innocent. It coincided with the remarkable progress achieved under closed doors at the Syrian-Israeli negotiation track through Washington. These negotiations are now in the open and are expected to be resumed soon under the American umbrella. It also coincided with the opening of the Palestinian refugee's settlement case in Lebanon. We solidly believe that the Lebanese-Syrian installed regime aims to divide, paralyze and completely tame the Diaspora before it starts to execute the settlement of the Palestinian refuges in Lebanon. The scheme also calls for full hegemony over the WLCU through a puppet leadership of collaborators willing to play the role of the devil and forge the representation of the Diaspora. Meanwhile the Lebanese regime has no place in the Syrian-Israeli coming negotiations after the Syrians (with Washington's blessings) marginalized and practically cancelled Lebanon's role. Lebanon became a solely a pawn in the process and accordingly any peace treaty achieved will be at the expense of the Lebanese and their country's identity and sovereignty. Lebanon under the Syrian occupation and the tenure of the puppets will be conciliatory prizes distributed on the Syrians, Israelis and Palestinians. The most serious and scary acts of treason that Syria is promoting are the so-called Syrian reassurances its Assad regime is promising to the Israelis from Lebanon. The Assad regime is trying to convince the Israelis that its long-term occupation of Lebanon is the only guarantee for securing the Israeli borders with Lebanon and to contain and control the guerrilla activities. The scary other bitter fact is that Syria up till now did not take a clear official stance in this regard, which means the scheme against Lebanon is an Israeli-Syrian one. Legally and ethically the Lebanese regime do not have any damn right to interfere in the WLCU affairs under any given circumstance. Every time it attempted to interfere since 1990 the outcome has been disaster, more divisions and more disintegration of the WLCU. The question is: How can a puppet subservient regime give to the Diaspora unity, affiliation, devotion and independence, when it does not have any of them itself? It is worth mentioning that the WLCU at the present time is crippled and alienated from the Diaspora communities exactly like the political parties functioning in occupied Lebanon. The Lebanese regime is trying to manipulate the WLCU and turn it into a subservient and crippled institution: · It wants the WLCU to be in the exact image of the Lebanese political parties whose leadership represents the Syrian occupier and not its membership. · It wants the WLCU to be a puppet with no mechanism for independent decision making process. · It wants the WLCU to give up politics and limit its role to social, athletic and recreational activities. · It wants the WLCU to be an advocate for the Syrian occupation to Lebanon and the Syrian scheme of annexing the country. · It wants the WLCU to promote Arabism instead Lebanonism. · It wants the WLCU to deny any affiliation to the Lebanese significant identity, the Lebanese culture or the Lebanese 6000 years of deeply rooted history. · It wants the WLCU to be against Lebanon and against its people's aspirations for freedom and liberation. · It wants the WLCU to be divided into sectarian and tribal factions fighting each other. · It wants the WLCU to accept the imposed Syrian status quo on Lebanon and promote for the need of the Syrian troops. · It wants the WLCU to accept the hegemony of the Assad regime on the Lebanese role in the Arab-Israeli peace process, and promote the mockery of the Syrian-Lebanese track unity forced on the Lebanese. · It wants the WLCU to accept and promote for the settlement of the Palestinian refugee in Lebanon. · It wants the WLCU to be under its full control to appoint and dismiss its leadership and decide on its bylaws, constitution and activities. To be continued Long Live Free Lebanon |