The Lebanon We Want To Build

 

"Let prejudice and local interest yield to reason. Let us look to our national character and things beyond the present period.” George Washington

My fellow Lebanese,
Three issues are decisively at stake today: the survival of the state of Lebanon as a free, independent and sovereign state; the survival of the society of Lebanon as a free, open and pluralist society; and the survival of the Christian community of Lebanon a free and secure, enjoying complete mastery over its own values and destiny.

The Lebanon we want to build is what has been unique and constant about Lebanon down the ages; a Lebanon that refuses to be absorbed by any other entity or to be qualified by anything other than itself; a state, therefore, independent, sovereign and free.

We oppose any attempt at dissolving Lebanon in its environment or in something other than itself, a dissolution that will cause its distinctive characteristics to disappear.

We shall not build up the free, sovereign and independent Lebanon we want alone, but all its children, both here in Lebanon and abroad all over the world, will also participate with us in this process. Together we shall all be responsible for its defense, the orientation of its policy and the organization of its administration.

Unfortunately, what is most missing today is confidence between the people and the government. This lack of trust has plunged the country in a political and economic crisis. The whole nation with all its productive sectors is paralyzed. Because confidence plays a key role to any political or economic recovery, it is urgent for the government to rebuild this relationship today, better than tomorrow. The government is required to establish its authority over the entire Lebanese soil, leaving no militia with arms under any pretext.

Lebanon's principal concern will be to ensure individual and group freedoms for all its children and institutions. There shall not be in the Lebanon we propose to build up any discrimination or inequity against any one of its communities. The Christian society in Lebanon occupies a special position owing to the fact that it has been free and has enjoyed a continuous history down the centuries. For this reason the Lebanon we want to build up is anxious that the Christians in it remain in fact free, secure and masters of themselves and of their own values and destiny, exactly as Christians are in any country in the world where they are in fact free, secure and masters of themselves and of their own values and destiny. Lebanon considers this charge as one of its most sacred trusts.

The Christians of Lebanon do not want more for themselves than they want for others, but at the same time, they do not accept less for themselves than others want for themselves. No Lebanese is superior to another except on the basis of his loyalty to Lebanon and to its freedoms and values.

The sturdiness manifested by our people throughout history and the remarkable steadfastness which has characterized the Lebanese Christian Resistance speak volume of our commitment to build our Lebanon. This resistance has offered, and shall continue to offer, almost superhuman sacrifices.

Lebanon is a necessity for itself, an Arab necessity, a Middle Eastern necessity, and a world necessity. Lebanon will emerge from the fiery furnace in which it is being tried an oasis of freedom, humanism, prosperity, openness, concord, joy and peace, as it has always been in the past.

Lebanon deserves our commitment, our passion, Lebanon deserves our un-conditional love. Forever may our homeland remain strong and be free; we’ll stand tall like the cedars and embrace our liberty. We’ll raise our banner against all tyranny and cruelty, United in our freedom we rise up like the dawn from the darkness and pledge our true allegiance to beloved Lebanon.

Long Live the people of Lebanon, Long Live Lebanon. We shall always be together…

Dr Mazin A. Moufarij
Lebanese Forces Party