Geagea Holds President, Premier, Army Responsible for Situation in Lassa
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea criticized on Thursday President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Najib Miqati, Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, the army, and security forces for their shortcomings in dealing with the developments in the town of Lassa, holding them “responsible before history” for the ongoing incidents taking place in the area.
He said after holding talks with a delegation from the town and other Jbeil District areas: “You will be held accountable because you are allowing the people to resolve their disputes in their own hands, is this acceptable?”
“Does the town of Lassa lie outside of the Lebanese republic? Do we need visas to be allowed to enter it?” he asked.
“Should every village in Lebanon follow its example and establish its own security and defenses?” he wondered.
Geagea described the situation at Lassa as “uneasy”, revealing that he had contacted President Michel Suleiman and all other concerned sides urging them to tackle the matter, but to no avail.
“How come if a dispute erupts in Jounieh, the security forces immediately intervene to end it, but in Lassa any citizen can assault the other under the security forces noses and they would be able to get away with their crime,” he continued.
“We want the state’s authority to be established in Lassa, is that too much to ask?” he wondered.
“The attackers should be arrested because we are setting a bad example to the Lebanese in that they can get away with a crime without punishment,” noted the LF leader.
Geagea also voiced his support for Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun’s proposal to resolve the Lassa dispute through the judiciary.
Property disputes erupted in Lassa a few weeks ago when Hizbullah members prevented a Maronite League team from surveying land owned by the Maronite Patriarchate in the predominantly Shiite town of Lassa in the Jbeil District.
They also came after members of the same party prevented an MTV crew from filming a report on the issue in the town.
A clergyman was also recently assaulted, but his attackers remain at large.
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