Sayyed Nasrallah called for a national constituent assembly: the abducted Lebanese are State’s responsibility.

Events are many and the challenges are much more, but the Great Ones always remain in memory. Ayatollah Imam Khomeini was the talk of today, where all Lebanese parties and sects gathered to commemorate his anniversary.

Speaking on the personality and approach of Imam Khomeini, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah started his speech, touching the concept of state building of the Imam and the idea of the state in Lebanon, stressing that the national and real strong state is the only way to protect Lebanon and its people.

Thus, a new proposal of Sayyed Nasrallah to address the root causes – of Lebanon’s events  – and not results - amid the experienced crises and challenges.

“Come to get out of being daily paid employees. Come to the dialogue table to agree on establishing an elected or appointed national constitutional assembly, through which we discuss how to build a state and tackle all options.”
This was the call of Sayyed Nasrallah to put Lebanon on the straight path along with few words about the hot issue, the case of the abducted visitors.

“It is the responsibility of the State. It is sparing no effort and we are helping. To the abductors I say: If you have any problem with us come to solve it, but don’t take the innocent as hostages.”

“If your problem was with me, there are a lot of means and ways to resolve it. We are ready to resolve it the way you want, whether through war or through love and peace.”

“We have said that we have a certain vision towards Syria. We call for dialogue and reform to protect Syria and its people.”

During a ceremony held in Beirut Friday, and organized by the Iranian Embassy to Lebanon, to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah al-Khomeini’s death, Sayyed Nasrallah called for a “constituent assembly” in order to discuss all options.

“I call for a national dialogue, and I call on the president (Michel Suleiman) in particular to discuss the possibility of holding a national dialogue conference in Lebanon or rather a constituent assembly, similar to the one held in many Arab states, i.e. a ” Sayyed Nasrallah said.

“Why don’t we form a committee of experts, don’t we – as Lebanese – deserve to sit together before starting to shoot at each other like we did in the past.”

“Today, amid the stabilized security in Lebanon, we have the chance to sit together, discuss our points and establish a constituent assembly. Today, the Lebanese people can vote and choose the members of this constituent assembly, not on a sectarian or regional basis but on the basis of competency.”

“Once we have a true representative national dialogue assembly, whether appointed or elected, we can then discuss how to build a real state.”

His eminence believed that Lebanon’s situation can be solved through a law-governed strong and effective state.

“If we want Lebanon to remain united, safe and able to address its problems and economic and social crises, we need a real patriotic and strong state. I am not saying this just to be spread by media, we are saying this in our internal party meetings.”

Kidnapped Lebanese

Addressing the abducted Lebanese issue, Sayyed Nasrallah said it is the responsibility of the Lebanese state first and foremost, calling upon the kidnappers to prove they have no problem with any particular sect and to separate the case of the kidnapped innocents from solving political problems with Hezbollah and his leadership.

“Amid the full swing efforts made by Lebanese officials, we stress the responsibility of the cabinet and the state to tackle this file. We can help them, but it is the responsibility of the state.”

“I also commend the calmness of the visitors’ kins and call for this calmness and patience to persist. I call for giving the state more time to follow up the case and reach a good ending.”

“To the kidnappers I say: you’ve said yesterday that you have no problems with any sect; yet, you should prove it. If you have any problem with me, with Hezbollah, or Hezbollah and Amal movement, then those innocents must be a separate case, then you can come and solve your problem with us.”

“Using the innocent visitors as hostages to resolve the problem – regardless its nature and essence - is a great injustice you should abandon.”

“We have said that we have a certain vision towards Syria. We call for calm, dialogue, peace, reform, preserving Syria’s unity and the unity of its people, preserving the blood of its army and people.”

Imam Khomeini

Hezbollah Secretary General talked at length on the late Supreme Leader Grand Ayatollah Imam Ruhollah al-Khomeini, stressing that he was bearing the responsibility of the Islamic revolution in Iran, recalling the historical moment when the Imam insisted to take the plane from Paris to Teheran, although there was a risk the plane might be shot down.

“The Imam was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He succeeded in building a state. Succeeding to build a state is more complicated than triumphing in a revolution. People can topple regimes and governments, but can they build a state? This is the most important thing,” Sayyed Nasrallah stated.

“Imam Khomeini’s most important accomplishment was to build a modern state that combines authenticity and modernism. He was keen on Palestine and al-Quds since the beginning of the revolution. Nothing changed his mind regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He always thought it was a strategic cause and was not willing to compromise on it,” his eminence added.

“Some media outlets and political parties exaggerate some political events. Security and internal peace is the result of an integrated process of culture, education, justice, politics and media. The state is the sole owner of those elements.”

Palestine

Sayyed Nasrallah called upon Arab peoples to learn lessons from the Zionist invasion of Lebanon and the Naksa (setback) of 1973.

“These two commemorations call on the people of the region to learn from experiences, mistakes, accomplishments, flaws and advantages.

“The battle is not over yet, Palestine is still occupied, its whole people are still homeless, thousands are still in prisons, and hundreds of martyrs are still in (enemy) cemeteries.”

“The scene of Palestinian coffins returning back to their land proves the brutality of the enemy in seizing the corpses of the martyrs. It is the state’s responsibility to address the issue of Lebanese detainees in Israel,” his eminence stressed.

During his speech, Sayyed Nasrallah also recalled a former Premier, Rashid Karami, “whose assassination was a great loss.”

“We reiterate our solidarity with the Karami family, with Omar Karami in particular, along with their demand for the justice to be served.”

“May Allah free those innocent abductees and may He gives us the wisdom to know how to deal with similar issues in future,” Hezbollah Secretary General concluded his speech.