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VOTING RIGHTS OF THE LEBANESE ABROAD
Dear Friends
of Lebanon,
We gather strength as our movement
grows in number and unity.
We are now more than 14,000 Lebanese
from 139 countries who have signed
The petition at:
www.lebanese-abroad.com. We express our heartfelt thanks to you
for joining us in this show of solidarity and in affirming
Our sense of citizenship.
Recently, our petition was the
catalyst for a new Bill proposed in Lebanon by Chibli Mallat where he
outlined a simple mechanism for voting from abroad.
To bring our vision closer to
reality, we are jointly supporting an initiative by the Lebanese Citizens
who will peacefully demonstrate on May 11th 2005 at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in Beirut, in support of expatriates voting rights.
We need your help with two actions:
1. Forward this message to your
friends by asking them to sign the petition today and get involved on May
11th 2005.
2. On May 11th 2005, send our
petition letter (enclosed) by email or fax it to the closest Lebanese
Embassy to where you live. (list enclosed)
More than ever, our goal is within
reach, but we are at a critical juncture.
It is not too late to continue
lobbying until we are allowed to fully exercise our fundamental voting
rights.
We sincerely count on your active
involvement on May 11, AND in forwarding this email to your friends. Today,
we unite in demanding our voting rights.
Tomorrow, we look forward to greater
participation and a stronger movement.
Until our demands are fully met,
please continue to contribute personally to our common cause, and spread the
word: We demand to fully exercise our fundamental voting rights, as citizens
of Lebanon living abroad.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
International Committee for http://www.lebanese-abroad.com
Text of Petition to send to Lebanese
Embassies on May 11th 2005:
MAY 11 2005
BY FAX or EMAIL
OPEN LETTER TO LEBANESE EMBASSIES,
CONSULATES & FOREIGN MISSIONS:
WE DEMAND THE RIGHT TO VOTE AS
CITIZENS OF LEBANON
The Lebanese living abroad hereby
request their legitimate right to VOTE, much as citizens of all democratic
states are allowed to vote even when they reside outside their countries'
borders.
Lebanese expatriates from all
communities have always brought a steadfast support in all matters to their
motherland.
They have been relentless in
safeguarding, from abroad, a bond of national solidarity and unity without
which Lebanon would not be what it is today.
The Lebanese of the Diaspora send an
urgent call to put an end to the governing authorities' disregard and
indifference towards them.
They demand to be involved in major
decisions concerning Lebanon, especially those affecting the sovereignty,
the unity and the very existence of their country.
They call for establishing, in
Lebanese embassies and consulates across the globe, a structure allowing
them to exert fully their legitimate voting rights.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
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