Lebanese activists worldwide attend Cedars Revolution convention in
Washington
By Fady Bark
Special to Lebanonwire
The World Council of the Cedars Revolution WCCR, an
NGO representing Lebanese activists worldwide, launched earlier this
year to "help the Lebanese people achieve the goals of the revolution
and liberation," held its first annual convention in Washington DC on
May 18 and 19 with delegates from many countries, including the United
States, Canada, Europe, Australia, Latin America and Lebanon. A number
of legislators, émigrés leaders and supporters participated in the
convention via Internet broadcast and interactive web cast. The
convention lasted two days including several sessions held at the US
Congress and visits to US Government officials.
Cedars Revolution in Congress
First session: “Terror War
against the Cedars Revolution”
The convention held its working sessions on Capitol
Hill at the invitation of US legislators, including Congressmen Tom
Feeney (R-FL) and Darrell Issa (R-CA). The first session, cosponsored
by the Foundation on Counter Terrorism in Washington, discussed the
"Terror War waged against the Cedars Revolution."
The world council of the Cedars
Revolution at the first session at the US Capitol (including John
Hajjar, Toni Nissi, Joe Baini, Michel Douaihi, Rachid Rahme and Tom
Harb
WCCR Chairman Joe Baini (Sydney, Australia) introduced the session and
the speakers. Among them Ret. Colonel Charbel Barakat(Canada),
Terrorism advisor to the Cedars Revolution, Dr Rachid Rahme (Lebanon),
Secretary General of the Cedars Revolution Council in Lebanon and
Professor Walid Phares, Senior Fellow with the Foundation for the
Defense of Democracies in Washington.
Dr Rahme displayed an exclusive map showing "the areas reconquered by
the Syrian forces along the Lebanese-Syrian borders since their
alleged withdrawal in April 2005." Dr Rahme showed the 32 areas of
contention between the two countries and described the "return of
Syrian soldiers through the Anti-Lebanon mountain range and their
repositioning within Lebanese territories."
Dr Rachid Rahme, Secretary General of
the Cedars Revolution in Lebanon (left) and M Toni Nissi, Coordinator
General of the Committee 1559 in Beirut (right) explaining the
findings of the Committee 1559 fact finding missions to the
Lebanese-Syrian borders. Appearing M Joseph Sokhn, member of the
Committee 1559 in Lebanon
Col Barakat analyzed the military and security consequences of the
return of Syrian control over the borders.
"Arms, ammunitions and Terrorists are as we speak,
crossing the borders from Syria into Lebanon and taking the control
inside the country. Dozens of passages under Syrian control are opened
along about 180 kilometers from the north of the Shebaa farms to the
Mediterranean Sea along the Akkar district. The channels of
communications are wide open between Damascus' security and military
forces and the Terror bases inside Lebanon, including Hamas, Islamic
Jihad, Jihadist networks and of course Hizbollah in the Bekaa and the
South. Technically, the Syrian army is still deployed inside Lebanon
via its allies that it supplies constantly," Col Barakat said.
Professor Phares, analyzing the impact of the Syrian control of
Lebanon's borders and the bridges it rebuilt to the Terror networks
inside the country said "practically, there are no borders between
Baathist Syria and partially controlled Lebanon today. Syrian security
and intelligence are thus connected to pro-Syria militias from Tripoli
to Sidon and to the vast networks of Hizbollah. Soldiers and supplies,
including all type of weapons can be shipped from Tehran, land in
Syria and deployed in Lebanon in a matter of hours."
Discussing the panel’s findings, Mr. Brian Zimmer,
Counter Terrorism advisor of Committee on the Judiciary, said the
“United States is very concerned about the capabilities of Hizbollah
to infiltrate this country, including from Canada.” Mr. Zimmer said
“the US Congress is looking into this matter very seriously.”
M Joe Baini, surrounded by Michel Douaihi
(Australia) and Toni Nissi (Lebanon) delivering his report at the US
Capitol in Washington
The comment came as a result of a discussion initiated by Mr. Baini
and Col Barakat regarding supporters of Hizbollah operating from the
US and using connections within the Lebanese communities.”
Mr. Andrew Cochran, from the Counter Terrorism Foundation said “the
Syrian-Hizbollah assault on the Cedars Revolution not only affects
Lebanon’s freedom but also impacts American national security.”
Second session: “Lebanese
Democracy threatened”
The second session was held in the US Senate under
the title “Lebanese Democracy threatened.”
Speakers included Mr Tom Harb, Secretary General of the International
Lebanese Committee for the Implementation of UNSCR 1559, Mr. Toni
Nissi, Coordinator of the Committee 1559 in Lebanon, and Sami al
Khoury, former President of the World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU).
Mr Harb stated that "all new UN Security Council resolutions that call
for the implementation of 1559 are always welcomed. But all these
resolution need teeth. They need a mechanism for implementation. All
resolutions subsequent to 1559, including UNSCR 1680, are aimed at
moving the process forward, but the Syrian and Iranian regimes are
ahead of the UN in rejecting these resolutions and preparing for their
next joint offensive against Lebanon and its Cedars Revolution. What
the UN needs to do, is to empower the Lebanese people and the Lebanese
army to take back their country. The UN and world democracies should
help Lebanon control its borders and disarm the militias. Anything
else below this ceiling is not going to be productiv."
M Tom Harb, Secretary General of the
Committee 1559 addressing the Cedars Revolution Convention
Mr. Nissi gave an exhaustive report about his committee’s three fact
finding missions to the Lebanese Syrian borders. “We drove for hours
along side areas fifty times wider than the Shebaa farms, and still
occupied by Syria. We have maps showing these areas and videotapes of
interviews with citizens who are calling on the UN to intervene and
allow them to reclaim their lands. Lebanese from all background,
including Shiites wants the Lebanese army on their lands and reject
the militias, under any label,” said Nissi. “The Cedars Revolution was
about liberating Lebanon from the Syrians and the Terrorists, not
about freeing politicians to sell out the country.”
Panel from the convention with Harb, Baini, Rahme
and Barakat
A number of Legislators’ representatives discussed
the democracy crisis in Lebanon, including Mrs Barbara Ledeen of the
Task Force on “Religious Freedom” in the Senate. Also present at the
forum, leaders from Arab and Mideast democracy groups including
Mr.Farid Ghadri, President of the Syrian Reform Party.
Third Session: “The Cedars
Revolution: One Year after”
The third session was held in the Capitol Building
under the title “The Cedars Revolution: One Year after.”
Calling from Brussels, European MP and chairman of the European
Delegation to NATO, Paulo Casaca said “the international community has
committed to help the Lebanese free themselves from Syrian occupation
and Terror organization. One year after the Cedars Revolution, we are
unfortunately watching the assassinations against its leaders resuming,
the terrorist networks not yet disarmed and Syria still in control of
the borders. We cannot accept the massacre of this revolution as we
witnessed the killing of our colleague MP Gebran Tueni last December.
He was the brightest young leader of Lebanon’s civil society and he
was murdered because he represented the future of the country. The
Cedars Revolution, made by ordinary people, must be defended by the
international community. We cannot let it down.”
From Sao Paolo, Federal Senator Marcelo Crivela, Leader of the PRB (Republican
Party) in the Senate said “We hereby salute your efforts on behalf of
Lebanon. You have our support to see your mother country free and
UNSCR 1559 fully implemented.”
From Beirut, Lebanese MP Abdallah Hanna told the convention that “the
priority should go to support Lebanon’s Army in all what it needs to
protect the borders and the population of the country.” Hanna, a
member of the Commission on Foreign Affairs and Defense, said “the
Lebanese Army is the only legal force capable and legitimate to defend
Lebanon. It is made of Sunnis, Druze, Shiites and Christians from all
regions. And above all it has the overwhelming support of the Lebanese
People, something no other faction can pretend it has. We are looking
forward to see the international community support this Army to
reclaim all Lebanese territories. It is only through the deployment of
the Lebanese armed forces along all borders with Syria and Israel,
that the Cedars Revolution could be protected from Terrorism.”
US Congressman Issa, key note speaker at the
Convention said “the Cedars Revolution is the true representative of
the Lebanese People. When the world saw one million and a half people
taking the streets of Beirut on March 14, 2005, it understood what the
Lebanese people really wanted: A full withdrawal of all Syrian forces
and the disarming of all militias, including Hizbollah.” He said the
US Congress stands by the Cedars Revolution and will do all it can to
defend it. “But it is upon Lebanese Americans to keep our feet to the
fire and make sure every single member of the US Congress knows about
your work and the aspirations of the Lebanese American community, as
well as Lebanese émigrés around the world.” Issa thanked the WCCR and
the Committee 1559 for their relentless efforts. He praised Tom Harb
for his perseverance in his educational activities in the US Congress.
US Congressman Daryl Issa (R-CA) addressing the
Cedars Revolution in Washington
A representative from Congressman Eliot Engle office
(D-NY) the co-author of the Syria Accountability Act said Cong Engle
has demonstrated in the past that he and his colleagues will continue
to stand by the Lebanese people seeking liberation. Mr Khairi Abaza,
Senior Fellow with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, in
charge of Egypt Project, said “the Beirut demonstrations gave energy
and hopes to many in the Arab world, including in Egypt.
Major Robert Jordan, Founder president, Beirut's
Vetern of America, delivered a speech in remembrance “of the US
Marines who gave their lives for a free nation to regain its freedom.”
Major Robert Jordan addresisng the Cedars Revolution
convention in Washington
Mr. Kamal El-Batal, director of the Human Rights
Bureau of the WCCR in Beirut delivered a report on the mass graves
discovered around Beirut and Anjar, at locations previously occupied
by Syrian forces.
M Kamal Batal, director of the Human Rights Bureau
of the Cedars Revolution in Lebanon addressing the convention in
Washington
Attorney Joanne Fakhre, Chairwoman of the North
American Board of the World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU) said the
“Lebanese émigrés are committed to support the democratic ideals of
the Lebanese people and will extend their resources to maintain the
pressure worldwide to implement UNSCR 1559.
Cedars Revolution at the State Department
A joint delegation from the WCCR and the Committee
1559 was received at the US State Department to discuss the most
recent developments related to the non implementation of the UNSCR
1559 fully. The delegation was received by Mr. Jim McVerry and Ms
Sarah Beran.
Delegation at the
State Department: Yacoub, Nissi, Douaihi, Baini, Rahme
During the meeting Mr. Baini reminded the US officials of the
commitment of the Lebanese Diaspora to see their mother country free
from Syrian forces and terrorist organizations. Mr. Harb asked the US
Administration to extend its support to Lebanon’s civil society and a
Lebanese Army enabled to deploy across the land.
Col. Barakat underlined the dangers emanating from the uncontrolled
borders allowing the arming and training of international terror
networks inside Lebanon.
Mr. Toni Nissi and Mr. Joseph Sokhn showed the US officials a map of
the borders with specific locations of “Syrian incursions into
Lebanese territories.”
Mr McVerry reaffirmed the US Administration commitment to UNSCR 1559
on the one hand and its involvement in a relentless war on terror.
