Marada movement spokesman Suleiman Franjieh questioned how some people refuse to be heroes in their country.
Lawyer Sleiman Franjieh to Al-Manar Website:
Resistance Won Military, Judicial and Political Battle
Miqati Proved to Be State Man, National Leader
Sectarianism will Fall in Face of People’s Consciousness
They Don’t Want to Believe Israel Killed Rafiq Hariri
Accord Is not Subordination
When Doubting Tribunal Turns to Be a Crime!
Marada movement spokesman lawyer Suleiman Franjieh said that all the other party’s statements since the government formation have no relation with democracy. He called to respect the rotation of power principle, and hailed Prime Minister Najib Miqati as a national statesman who is committed to the rights of the Sunnis and the premiership.
In an exclusive interview with Al-Manar Website, Franjieh found strange how merely discussing the performance of the international tribunal is portrayed as partnership in the crime and rejection to the truth. He noted that the evidence provided by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah concerning a potential Israeli role in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri was met with complete negligence, and expressed belief that the other part would not believe that the Israeli enemy has killed Hariri, even if the former premier came himself to say so.
Lawyer Franjieh spoke about difference in points of views between March 14 public and the coalition’s leaderships, and said there was no harmony between the public opinion and March 14 slogans. He stressed that March 14 was witnessing a political crisis.
While noting that the Resistance has won the military, judicial and political battle, Franjieh expressed belief that any attempt to stir incitements in the street will fail. He declared that the sectarianism heresy will fall as well, and added that the Lebanese were enjoying the necessary immunity to face the plot.
NAJIB MIQATI REMINDS US OF RAFIQ HARIRI
Lawyer Franjieh told Al-Manar website that all the other part’s statements since the government formation had no relation with democracy. He expressed belief that the whole problem was related to the fact that Saad Hariri was thrown out and that his government was toppled in a democratic and constitutional process. He recalled that Lebanon was based on the rotation of power, and urged all political sides to respect this democratic system.
Franjieh defended Prime Minister Najib Miqati against campaigns targeting him, and said that his performance during the cabinet formation process showed that he was a patriotic statesman who was committed to the rights of the Sunni community as well as premiership authorities. “It’s equitable for the Sunnis and Lebanon to have a premier of this kind instead of a premier who represents some sort of eternal provocation in the nation,” Franjieh said.
He pointed to the atmosphere of understanding and harmony among the three Presidents and said that the premier was in complete concord with this agreement throughout his activity and accuracy. “Premiership needed such figures since the days of Rafiq Hariri. This is the first time we witness a performance which is very similar to the performance of Rafiq Hariri.”
WHAT ABOUT SAYYED NASRALLAH’S EVIDENCE?
Lawyer Franjieh pointed to the international tribunal’s cause, and wondered how doubting a tribunal administered by human beings, not prophets, could turn to be partnership in the criminal act.
Franjieh noted to the efforts paid by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah to raise question marks over the credibility of the tribunal, through very concrete and non-negotiable evidences. He found strange how these evidences were met by complete negligence from the other part. He recalled the various stages of this process since the first time Sayyed Nasrallah spoke of a potential Israeli role behind Hariri’s assassination, when he asked evident questions over why MK Israeli planes were supervising the late premier’s movements.
Yet, Franjieh asked Sayyed Nasrallah not to bother himself because it was clear that the other bloc did not want to take such a hypothesis into consideration. “They don’t want to listen. I guess that even if Rafiq Hariri himself comes and tells them that Israel has assassinated him, they will not believe.”
MARCH 14 SUFFERING
Meanwhile, the Marada spokesman pointed out the difference in points of views between March 14 audience and the coalition’s leaderships. He said there was no harmony between the slogans launched by March 14 leaders and their public. He explained that the harmony was broken when Najib Miqati was nominated as Prime Minister, adding that mobilizing the street at this stage needed circumstances that were not available within March 14.
While speaking about the failure of March 14 in this regards and saying that it was suffering from a serious political crisis, Franjieh noted that the majority represented more than 70% of the Lebanese people, including Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, Speaker Nabih Berri, General Michel Aoun, MP Walid Jumblatt, MP Sleiman Franjieh, former PM Omar Karame, PM Najib Miqati, Minister Talal Areslan, President Michel Sleiman and other prominent personalities.
Franjieh refused the accusations launched against the majority seeking to confront the international community. However, he said: “In case the whole nation refuses bargaining on sovereignty, then this is absolutely not betrayal.”
RESISTANCE WON BATTLE
Lawyer Franjieh commented on reports concerning March 14 bloc’s intention to incite the international community against the Lebanese government and other possible steps to be adopted by the new opposition, and said that these forces were undermining sovereignty this way. He believed such actions did not aim at attacking the government but presenting credentials.
He rejected Future party MP Nuhad Mashnouq demand that Hezbollah ministers should step down, and said the mentioned lawmaker was presenting his credentials to premiership. “Let Mr. Mashnouq tells us what he presented for Lebanon, as we all know the sacrifices Hezbollah paid for the country’s sake,” Franjieh emphasized.
Franjieh, who believed the campaigns against the resistance were the best proof of its nationalism, stressed that the Resistance has won the battle. “In 2006, the Resistance won the military battle against the Israeli enemy. Yesterday, it won the judicial battle against the so-called Special Tribunal for Lebanon. In the meantime, the Resistance is everyday winning the political battle.”
According to Franjieh, this victory was the natural result for Hezbollah because of its accordance with its allies, and its allies’ sympathy to them. “We did not ally with Hezbollah due to fear,” he explained. “We were not forced to become Hezbollah allies. We believed in its principles and reached an understanding with its officials. That’s it. There is a huge difference between understanding and subordination. Political work is not subordination. This is what we believe.”
THE GRAVE THEY DUG FOR US BECAME OUR DAWN
Lawyer Franjieh expressed belief that any attempt to stir up tension in the street would be baseless at the time being. He said he was betting on Lebanese people’s consciousness, and stressed that his party doesn’t fear any scenario.
Yet, Franjieh warned that depending on the West was tantamount to subordinating for the Israeli enemy. He said the Lebanese were not ready at all to be Israeli protectorates, and undermined American pressures. He also expressed belief that the heresy of sectarianism would fall without doubt, and said that the Lebanese enjoyed the necessary immunity to face the plots.
He found strange how some sides insist to remain weak. “It is a huge honor for us to live in the era of (Sayyed) Hasan Nasrallah, the era in which the disappearance of the Zionist entity became closer, the era of new balances,” he said.
“We can’t understand how some people refuse to be heroes in their country. Furthermore, we didn’t see in the whole world resistances that were accused and tried. This is shameful.”
He recalled, at the end of his interview with Al-Manar Website, that Rafiq Hariri’s assassination aimed at ending Lebanon. “Rafiq Hariri’s spirit and memory will save Lebanon and uncover the level of the conspiracy. In brief, the grave they dug for us became our dawn.”
