Naharnet

Geagea in Open Letter to Berri: We Will Not Perform Any Routine Duty until Assassinations End

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea issued on Wednesday an open letter to Speaker Nabih Berri, condemning the continued parliamentary meetings in light of the 25 assassinations and failed assassination attempts in Lebanon in the past few years.

He declared: “We will not perform any routine duty until assassinations in Lebanon end.”

“Isn't it a crime to convene parliament as if nothing has happened after the 25 assassinations and failed attempts?” he wondered.

“Tell me, isn't it a crime that six MPs have been killed for political purposes since 2005 without parliament once coming to a stop?” he continued.

Parliament never once halted its routine duties and remained in a constant state of session to tackle these crimes, noted Geagea.

No one was held accountable for the assassinations and no plan was set in place to stop them, he remarked.

“Don't you feel embarrassed to meet at parliament with a political camp that has been legally accused of being behind the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri?” asked the LF leader.

Four Hizbullah members have been accused of being involved in the 2005 assassination of Hariri.

The Lebanese authorities have failed to arrest them and they remain at large.

“What kind of political life lives under the constant threat of political violence and assassinations?” Geagea wondered to Berri.

“What kind of political life is this where a parliamentarian is targeted because he has a high chance of being victorious in the upcoming parliamentary elections?” he continued.

“Aren't you covering up the crimes, directly and indirectly, by acting normally after each one is committed?” he asked.

“I believe it is time for us, regardless of our political affiliations, to call for an end to political assassinations,” he stressed to the speaker.

The March 14-led opposition announced its boycott of government-linked activity, including the national dialogue and parliament sessions, in light of the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan.

Hasan was killed in a massive car bomb in Beirut's Ashrafiyeh district on October 19.

The opposition accused Syria of being behind the crime and blamed the government, which is comprised of mainly pro-Syrian allies, of covering up crime.

Source: Naharnet


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