Beyond Hezbollah: What?s at Stake in Lebanon

From: Tracy Chamoun, Grandaughter of former Lebanese President Camille Chamoun (1952-1958) and daughter of assassinated Lebanese leader Dany Chamoun.Tracy is a published author. Her book ?Au Nom de Pere?, ?In the name of the Father? received the ?Prix Verite? for best work of non-fiction about the Lebanese civil war in 1992, in France. She is a peace advocate and a public speaker. She presently lives in Florida.To the Editor, New York Times.A comment in response to the article ?For Hezbollah, Claiming Victory Could Be Costly? -- New York Times, January 14, 2011.In regard to the recent collapse of the government in Lebanon, it should be noted that Hezbollah ministers were not the only ones to resign bringing about its dissolution. Christian ministers as part of the opposition also left their posts. It is important to realize that there is a general malaise tainting Lebanon at this time. The concept of The Special Tribunal for Lebanon is at the root of this problem. Firstly, the UN tribunal is seen as being sponsored by Western forces, namely the United States and France, and therefore is perceived as a form of legal hegemony that irritates Lebanese sensitivities at their very core, having been a country occupied by various foreign nations throughout its short history of sporadic independence.In addition, the Special Tribunal has lost much of its credibility among the Lebanese people since its indictment of four popular Lebanese generals five years ago. These gentlemen were respected officers in the Lebanese army and their imprisonment and subsequent release for lack of evidence after a long incarceration has inflamed a sense of mistrust for any outcome derived from the findings of this tribunal and has left people thinking that its discoveries, as a result, will be politically directed.In addition, it must be realized that in September 2007, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon estimated that the tribunal would cost 120 USD million over three years and that the yearly budget will range between 50 and 65 Million Dollars. This by any standards seems excessive especially since the results after 5 years have been inconclusive, and certainly in the case of the generals, misdirected. This kind of expenditure, for a country whose per-capita income rarely exceeds $500 per month, will always be suspect.The Lebanese Judicial system, like any other, is the third arm of the government; The role of the Special Tribunal has completely invalidated its function and has also undermined the very mechanism of self regulation within the country. Self regulation is at the heart of any country?s sovereignty ? and Lebanese sovereignty is really what is at issue.Generally, there is a feeling among Lebanese of too much foreign meddling. The politicians who have staked their candidacies on foreign representation -- Saudi, Iranian, Syrian, or even American -- have added to the sense of fatality over the outcome of any decision or verdict that may affect their lives. Trust must be brought back in the Lebanese legal system and the process of adjudication and investigation returned to the Lebanese people. Foreign involvement will continue to inflame mistrust and will exacerbate feelings of political gamesmanship.I can testify to the validity of the Lebanese justice system. Although the trial of the assassination of my father Dany Chamoun, his wife Ingrid, and my two brothers in 1994 ? 1995 has often been distorted by propagandist efforts, I was present every day for two years during the trial proceedings and witnessed firsthand the integrity of the Lebanese Supreme Court. During that time, late Prime Minister Rafic Harriri completely supported the work of the Lebanese justice system. It is therefore ironic that the investigation of his assassination has been taken out of their hands.It is overly simplistic for the international media to make this recent collapse of the government only about Hezbollah. This is not about defending Hezbollah or supporting any of their tactics that could lead to the undermining of the nation, but it is about realizing the complexity of the Lebanese psyche and their struggle for independence both militarily and ideologically. For progress to be made, the atmosphere of powerlessness must be transformed and the ground for renewed of trust among the Lebanese community re-harnessed. Otherwise, the stalemate that is presently contaminating all progress will escalate into a conflagration that will have ripple effects on the whole region. The present crisis in Lebanon underscores the Lebanese people?s need for peace and autonomy in the regulation of their own internal affairs.

Source: http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/News/PoliticalNews/en-US/Tracy-Chamoun-mt-01238380.htm

Switzerland BBC UK security and terrorism Post-traumatic stress disorder New Orleans West Bromwich Albion