organization:future movement

Lebanon : Future Rallies Against New Saida Mufti
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon-future-rallies-against-new-saida-mufti

This week, the Grand Mufti of Lebanon Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani officially appointed Sheikh Ahmad Nassar to the mufti post of Saida and South Lebanon. Yet Future Movement MP Bahia Hariri set out to prevent the appointed mufti from even entering Dar al-Iftaa.

Through her Future Movement channels, Hariri called for a gathering at Dar al-Iftaa today to disrupt Nassar’s induction ceremony. She called for all parties to stand in solidarity with the former mufti of Saida, Sheikh Salim Sousan, who was prompted by Hairi to rebel against Qabbani’s decision and continue to serve as mufti.

This prompted Qabbani to call interior minister Marwan Charbel and ask him to make sure that there was no interference. Qabbani reiterated that Nassar will carry on in his duties despite the obstacles facing him. Sources confirmed to Al-Akhbar that Charbel called Hariri and was able to neutralize today’s events.

Même si (ou parce que) l’on n’a aucune passion pour les considérations confessionnelles, la lecture de cet article est tout à fait intéressante pour comprendre un des plus dangereux enjeux des tensions libanaises du moment : Lebanon : Orthodox Law Halves the Future Movement Bloc
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon-orthodox-law-halves-future-movement-bloc

Not even the gloomiest pessimists would’ve predicted that a few days from now, Lebanon’s Future Movement would have to face a vote over an electoral law that, if passed, would take away more than half its parliamentary seats. The proposed Orthodox Gathering Law has caused panic in the ranks of the Future Movement, which is now mobilizing to thwart the bill.

Liban : une grenade explose devant le club des officiers de Kobbé (les grenades explosent régulièrement, en ce moment à Tripoli)
http://www.lorientlejour.com/article/810110/-liban-une-grenade-explose-devant-le-club-des-officiers-de-kobbe.html

L’Agence nationale d’information (ANI, officielle) a rapporté qu’une grenade a explosé lundi devant le club des officiers de Kobbé, à Tripoli (Liban-Nord) sans causer de dégâts matériels ni faire de victime.

Ne pas oublier, il y a un mois :
►http://seenthis.net/messages/121196
qui référençait :
►http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon-tripoli%E2%80%99s-armed-commanders-mutiny-against-future

The commanders also singled out the most prominent military face of the Future Movement, former Lebanese army officer Amid Hammoud, saying he was responsible for much of Tripoli’s insecurity. In particular, they say that Hammoud is behind the recent spate of hand grenade attacks.

La lutte pour le contrôle du ministère de l’énergie au Liban (et les autres ministères aussi). L’article rappelle aussi tous les projets et réalisations que le ministre Bassil réalise ces dernières semaines.
[Oil & Gas Updates] : Weekly Roundup, April 15, 2013 | Middle East Strategic Perspectives
http://www.mestrategicperspectives.com/2013/04/14/oil-gas-updates-weekly-roundup-april-15-2013

According to al-Akhbar, if Joumblat is able to impose Abou Hamze at the ministry, it would be the Druze leader’s revenge against Bassil, whom he accuses of excluding Abu Hamze’s company from the pre-qualification round preceding the country’s first licensing round for offshore oil and gas exploration. The struggle over the Ministry of Energy and Water is only at its beginning and threatens to delay the formation of a new cabinet.

#Bassil
#Liban
#énergie

Hezbollah and Future Movement may end stalemate: sources | Al Akhbar English
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/hezbollah-and-future-movement-may-end-stalemate-sources

Lebanon’s fate has long been viewed as hinged to the outcome of Syria’s war between rebels and President Bashar al-Assad, with the Future Movement backing the former and Hezbollah the latter. But pro-dialogue Hezbollah members are arguing that Lebanon ought to disentangle itself from their neighbor’s crisis by resolving issues among themselves.

#Liban
#élections

Un petit point sur l’une des deux raisons invoquées pour la démission de Mikati :

– Le général Achraf Rifi, chef des Forces de sécurité intérieure, atteint l’âge de la retraite ; l’homme est très proche du 14 Mars. Prochainement également, le chef de l’armée, Jean Kahwagi semble-t-il apprécié du Hezbollah.

Le Futur a proposé une loi pour prolonger les deux mandants :
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2013/Mar-22/211132-rifi-downbeat-over-term-extension-prospects.ashx

The Future parliamentary bloc has written an urgent draft law to change the mandatory retirement age for several high-ranking security officials who are set to reach mandatory retirement age this year, including Rifi and Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi.

– Pas question pour le Hezbollah et les aounistes de prolonger Rifi, qui est leur bête noire dans plusieurs affaires :
http://www.lorientlejour.com/category/Derni%C3%A8res+Infos/article/806628/Prorogation_du_mandat_de_Rifi_%3A_vers_une_demission_du_gouvernement_

Le ministre d’Etat, Ahmad Karamé, a averti vendredi que le gouvernement pouvait tomber si le mandat du général Achraf Rifi à la tête des Forces de sécurité intérieure (FSI) n’était pas prorogé lors du Conseil des ministres qui se tient cet après-midi.

Pour Kahwagi, le Hezbollah serait favorable, mais pas Aoun :
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2013/Mar-19/210664-future-seeks-extension-of-rifi-kahwagi-terms.ashx

Both Hezbollah and ally Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun oppose extending Rifi’s term, given his affiliation with the Future Movement.

Similarly, some March 14 groups are said to oppose lengthening Kahwagi’s term because of his perceived closeness to Hezbollah. The Islamist party backs adding to Kahwagi’s mandate, but Aoun does not.

Je n’ai pas trouvé les raisons de l’opposition des aounistes à Kahwagi.

– Joumblatt prétend qu’il était prévu de remplacer Rifi par le général Ali Hajj, bête noire du clan Hariri :
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/76691-jumblat-reveals-plan-to-replace-rifi-with-ali-hajj-it-s-all-about-pr

He revealed a plan that consists of replacing Internal Security Forces chief Asraf Rifi with General Ali Hajj.

Hajj a déjà 58 ans, alors pour remplacer Rifi qui atteint les 59 ans fatidiques le 1er avril, je ne vois bien pas l’intérêt de provoquer des tensions énormes pour seulement quelques mois à la tête des FSI.

– Pour succéder à Rifi, Roger Salem : « mais Salem est grec catholique ».
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2013/Mar-19/210664-future-seeks-extension-of-rifi-kahwagi-terms.ashx

If Rifi’s term is not extended, ISF Deputy Commander Brig. Roger Salem will become acting head of the ISF until a new director-general is appointed, although Salem too will reach retirement age in only three months. Custom dictates that a Sunni holds the top post at the ISF, but Salem is a Greek Catholic.

Et pour remonter plus loin sur le background de l’affaire :
– Achraf Rifi bloquant l’accès du ministre des télécoms, puis refusant d’obéir aux ordres directs du ministre de l’intérieur ; sur fond de réseau téléphonique suspect :
►http://seenthis.net/messages/18989
– le #cablegate révélait comment Achraf Rifi était très impliqué dans la création de la milice de Saad Hariri :
►http://seenthis.net/messages/15268

The second issue Jumblatt raised was Saad’s reported training of Sunni militias in Lebanon (allegedly 15,000 members in Beirut and more in Tripoli). In establishing his own “security agencies” in Beirut and Tripoli, Saad was being badly advised by “some people,” Jumblatt said, such as ISF General Ashraf Rifi. In his meeting with Jumblatt, Hassan admitted having knowledge that members of Saad’s Future Movement were being trained. Hassan reportedly opposed such training, but “people around Saad” (i.e., Rifi) were telling him to go ahead.

L’homme est donc particulièrement central pour les projets américains au Liban, et il semble tout de même totalement inimaginable que le bonhomme bénéficie du moindre traitement de faveur de la part d’un gouvernement auquel il a déjà très ouvertement désobéi (allant jusqu’à la confrontation physique avec un ministre).

War between Qatar and Syria

The Future Movement enjoys full control over the Tripoli Port and has between 750 and 800 elements occupying the port. Indeed, all those working in it, from the port’s tower to the loader on the ship belong to the Future Movement, at a time when the elements of the customs authority do not exceed 11, thus allowing the Future Movement to operate in the port without any monitoring or control. In that same context, the Internal Security Forces are not sending any troops to the port, while the army’s role is to protect it, not to interfere with the goods being delivered to it. Therefore, through its dispatch of weapons by sea from Egypt to the Tripoli Port, Qatar does not only want to fight the Syrian regime, but also set up a weapons arsenal for the Sunnis in the North, to help them proclaim positions in the future, reaching the point of announci ng the formation of an Islamic Emirate.

“Consequently, Qatar received a warning from Syria, saying that just like it confronted Turkey although the balance of powers tilted in its favor, Syria might proclaim war on Qatar, without there being any fronts between the two. Hence, Qatar’s interests around the world could be targeted, not by Syria, but the Popular Front – General Command led by Jibril. At this level, Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad feared seeing an assassination attempt, considering he is always in London, Paris and other European capital, where it is easy for any two armed men from the Popular Front to reach him. In addition, Syria will carry out indirect actions against the Qataris coming to Jordan, Iraq or Lebanon.”

– Ad-Diyyar, Lebanon

Lebanon: Another Lost Opportunity for Change | Al Akhbar English
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon-another-lost-opportunity-change

Lebanon: Another Lost Opportunity for Change
The message behind publishing The Impossible Vindication “elect us and you will see.” (Photo: Haitham Moussawi)

By: Charbel Nahas

Published Tuesday, February 12, 2013

The declared purpose of publishing The Impossible Vindication is to put March 14’s record before the electorate ahead of the June 2013 parliamentary elections. The message is “elect us and you will see.” We will see what? That the FPM will be represented by ten Christian ministers? And what will they do that is different from what they have been doing so far?

The commitment of any political party in changing the system means that it must confront it directly. And there is no hope of it achieving any change unless it is prepared to mobilize popular forces behind its reform plan. FPM leader General Michel Aoun has a long history of taking a strong stand in making fateful decisions – is this also true of his party?

Achieving real reform is not a matter of good and bad individuals, but rather a commitment to confronting and changing the system. It requires a long and difficult struggle that passes through a number of stages, in which the active forces may sometimes disagree over how to proceed.

Liban, en finir avec le système confessionnel ? un serpent de mer

Deux articles pour aider à comprendre les enjeux et les blocages

Lebanon : Taking on the Sectarian System
| Al Akhbar English
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon-taking-sectarian-system

Highly Unorthodox : The Week Lebanon Went Secular (And Ended Up More Sectarian Than Ever…)
►http://qifanabki.com/2013/02/20/highly-unorthodox

No Revolution for Lebanon’s Muslim Brotherhood
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/no-revolution-lebanon%E2%80%99s-muslim-brotherhood

The head of Lebanon’s Muslim Brotherhood talks with Al-Akhbar on his group’s strained relationship with Hezbollah and why the Brotherhood’s local leadership has yet to change in the wake of the Arab revolutions.

Bulgarian Opposition Blasts Burgas Bombing Charge
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/bulgarian-opposition-blasts-burgas-bombing-charge

The announcement was quickly challenged by Sergei Stanishev, leader of Bulgaria’s parliamentary opposition and the head of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, who charged that finger-pointing against Hezbollah was unfounded and politically motivated.

“It is obvious that Bulgaria’s government has chosen a political approach and is only repeating the interpretation alleged by Israel on the very next day following the attack, when the investigation had not even started,” he said, as quoted by the Sofia News Agency.

“The investigation is currently underway, and there is no way one can be talking about decisive evidence regarding the direct perpetrators, much less regarding the organization that is behind this tragic event,” Stanishev added.

J’avais repéré cet article d’Elie Hajj hier sur AL-Monitor, et je m’étais demandé ce que c’était que ce tissu de fadaises. Angry Arab confirme aujourd’hui qu’il s’agit d’une théorie du complot répandue par le bureau de presse Hariri. On a déjà vu cette théorie totalement loufoque hier dans L’Orient-Le Jour, évidemment reprise par le député Daher, et réfutée par l’armée et le Akhbar :
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/02/lebanon-sunnis-feel-threatened-arsal.html

However what is transpiring behind the scenes is the most worrisome. Apparently there is a plan at work on the ground, in political corridors, and within the media designed to strike the Future Movement and Sunni hardliners in Lebanon, which is based on the following:

Plotting the events in Arsal and provoking a response from the locals, which in turn allows them to claim that Arsal is a hotbed of fundamentalist jihadists, specifically from the Syrian Jabhat al-Nusra.  The objective of all this is to seal off Arsal and prevent its people from supporting the rebels in Syria. It justifies Hezbollah’s weapons by saying that there are illegal hotbeds, which pose security threats outside the areas controlled by Hezbollah. This will require political action on the basis that there is targeted community in Lebanon.

Residents of Arsal claim that the military patrol included Hezbollah personnel, citing evidence that others were killed aside from the sergeant and the captain. One of the dead could possibly be the man for whom Hezbollah held a funeral in Arabsalim in the south on Sunday, whom they claim died in Syria.

They exaggerate the actions of Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir and his tourist convoy to the mountains of the Keserwan District a week ago to make him appear as if he speaks for the Sunnis when in reality he does not. In response they organize popular movements in support of the army and its leadership in Christian and Shiite areas, as happened after the killing of Sheik Abdul-Wahed in Akkar. They also launch a media campaign targeting and insulting a particular Lebanese group.

Pour mémoire, chaque fois qu’il se passe quelque chose de grave au Liban, on trouvera un député du 14 Mars pour expliquer que c’est une provocation du Hezbollah pour humilier les sunnites ou les chrétiens. C’est une sorte d’automatisme.
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/future-movement%E2%80%99s-tripoli-rally-enduring-failure

Kabbara scaled new heights in this regard when he charged that the murderer of the young girl Myriam al-Ashkar on the beach at Alma was an intelligence officer sent by Hezbollah and Syria to spy on the Maronite Church!

Lebanon’s Future Movement: Turmoil in the Ranks | Al Akhbar English
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon%E2%80%99s-future-movement-turmoil-ranks

There are also growing sectarian tensions in the party, which were further exposed in the course of the Syrian crisis, as a more militant Islamist discourse developed in some quarters, with some even criticizing the influence of “Qoreitem’s Shia” on Hariri.

Shia circles in the party fear that they will be the scapegoats of Future’s shortcomings. It began with the dismissal of Jizini, who may be followed by another prominent Shia party leader, MP Okab Sakr. Sources close to Hariri are already saying that it may not be possible to nominate Sakr in the coming elections for “political and security considerations.”

In addition to splits within the party in the Bekaa, the Future Movement is also losing its members to Salafi groups such as Ahmad al-Assir’s in Saida.

March 14’s Only Meaningful Statement
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/march-14%E2%80%99s-only-meaningful-statement

In clear language, Ahmad Hariri expressed the true stance of his faction’s leaders. Here is its essence: We, March 14, have no choice but to wait for the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in Syria in order to ensure that we can defeat Hezbollah in Beirut.

Hariri has admitted, on behalf of the collective thinking of his group, to the fact that his camp is powerless to do anything about what it sees as the “Hezbollah problem.” This betrays not just March 14’s inability to take action on its own, but its ruling subservient logic that necessitates reliance on foreign backing to pursue its goals.

Fissures in Hizballah’s Edifice of Control | Middle East Research and Information Project
http://www.merip.org/mero/mero103012

Many Lebanese, and the March 14 forces in particular, are wont to blame Hizballah for any and all security problems, especially those linked to the party’s next-door patron, Syria. Yet to do so is to miss the real story of the August abductions, which is that Hizballah does not in fact dominate the dahiya or the Shi‘i community in Lebanon. The kidnappings highlighted the growing clout of forces that are, in effect, rivals for power within that community.

Passionnant article, par deux remarquables connaisseuses de la banlieue sud de Beyrouth, la banlieue du Hezbollah (Lara Deeb et Mona Harb qui tweete à @mona_harb_ https://twitter.com/mona_harb_). On pourrait résumer l’article par l’idée que la contre-société du Hezbollah n’a pas dissous les formes « traditionnelles » d’organisation caractéristiques de la société libanaise, et a même été obligée de les accepter, de composer avec elles et de les utiliser. Dans le moment présent, ces « fissures » apparaissent au grand jour à un moment où, vraies ou fausses, les informations sur les troubles à l’intérieur du Hezbollah quant à la ligne à suivre en Syrie suggèrent que les alliances géopolitiques construites dans la longue durée depuis les années 1990 sont fragilisées. Voir par exemple http://seenthis.net/messages/94247
#Liban
#Syrie
#Dahiyeh
#Beyrouth
#banlieue-sud

Très important : le Akhbar publie une interview avec le chef de la branche armée du Courant du Futur de Saad Hariri : Exclusive : The Man Behind Hariri’s Secret Army
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/amid-hammoud-leading-future-army

In his first interview with the press, former Lebanese Army Colonel Amid Hammoud, the commander of the Future Movement military wing, denies any role in the recent violence that has rocked Beirut and Tripoli, but admits he would not hesitate to arm Sunnis as he believes it is their right to protect themselves.

Tripoli Sheikh Shot Down Inciting Peace
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/tripoli-sheikh-shot-down-inciting-peace

It was just before sunset. The area was extremely tense following news of the assassination in Beirut of Wissam al-Hassan, head of the Internal Security Forces’ information branch. Around 80 gunmen, supporters of the Future Movement or allied Islamist groups, gathered about 500 meters away from the headquarters of the Islamic Tawheed Movement. The gunmen prepared to attack the headquarters, as is common when the security and political situation in Lebanon and Tripoli reaches boiling point.

Sheikh Asmar approached the scene unaccompanied. He spoke to the men calmly, maintaining a demeanor familiar to anyone who had attended his Friday sermons or religious classes. “What you are doing is wrong,” he was heard telling them. “Who do you want to kill? Don’t you know that it is impermissible for a Muslim to shed another Muslim’s blood?”

The men did not reply, instead, they encircled him. It’s likely that Sheikh Asmar didn’t expect a response, given that the highly-charged political and sectarian climate deafens people to all voices of reason. He repeated his appeal, but was cut short by one of the gunmen who fired a bullet into his head, killing him instantly.

Mikati Sidesteps Another Toppling Attempt
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/mikati-sidesteps-another-toppling-attempt

The third position was that the five permanent members of the UNSC, especially those most active in Lebanon, France and the US, look at Mikati’s government favorably.

This was based on several policies concerning Lebanon’s relationship with the international community, namely its disengagement from the situation in Syria and respecting international commitments.

Le passage à un système de vote proportionnel au Liban, condition d’un changement politique majeur et propice au développement économique du pays, selon Sami Attallah du LCPS
http://www.lcps-lebanon.org/featuredArticle.php?id=7

The proportional representation system radically changes the relationship between voters and parliamentary candidates. Under this system every vote counts and seats are allocated based on the proportion of the votes won. This encourages people to vote even in districts that are dominated by a political party not of their choosing. Having more people voting will make clientelistic strategies vastly more expensive. Parties may eventually find themselves unable to buy all the votes they need directly. It could also encourage family members to break away from bloc voting since their votes would count even when they vote for the smaller and less powerful parties.

#élections
#Liban
#proportionnelle

L’intégralité des mouvements politiques libanais ligués contre un mouvement de travailleurs : Spinneys : Rooted in Lebanese Corruption. Ce système apparaît de plus en plus au bout du rouleau confessionnel-néolibéral ; rien de fonctionne plus, sauf lorsqu’il s’agit de préserver la mafiocratie.
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/spinneys-rooted-lebanese-corruption

Unions belonging to Amal, Hezbollah, LF, Syrian National Social Party (SSNP), Baath, Future Movement, LCP, and the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), who dominate the labor movement, did not find it necessary to defend union freedoms, unionization rights, or collective bargaining. They all acted as if the Spinneys issue did not concern them.

Future Movement media organizations launched a campaign to defend the company’s management against the workers, even though some of them are party members.

Although it has always boasted about being a defender of freedoms and workers rights, al-Jadeed TV channel decided to avoid the whole issue.

The FPM’s outlet, OTV, did something far worse. It changed its programming to prevent a regular rerun of an interview with former labor minister Charbel Nahhas. The minister had earlier refused to abide by the station’s conditions not to mention the Spinneys workers struggle in a live interview.

Because of its coverage of the issue, Al-Akhbar is no longer sold in Spinneys branches countrywide.

Advertising companies exerted serious pressure on newspapers, magazines, and other media. They tried to stop them from carrying out their professional duty of investigating the truth about workers conditions in the company.

Some of this pressure took the form of threats to deny media outlets large advertising budgets, not limited to Spinneys ads.

Current labor minister Salim Jreissati was mobilized to protect the Spinneys from any legal action and to block inspection agencies in the ministry from investigating violations.

Saad Hariri and the Saudi Money Riddle
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/saad-hariri-and-saudi-money-riddle

It is known that Hariri’s problem is not financial as much as it is administrative. His sources insist that “money alone will not help the company overcome its crisis.” What Saudi Oger needs most of all is “a restructuring to face the crisis and regain the confidence it lost in the market,” especially given that “it has now earned a terrible reputation” after once having been one of the leading companies in the Arabian Peninsula.

Hariri is in a “state of shock” after discovering the severe corruption and wastefulness of the people closest to him. This led him to implement a system of accountability, firing and excluding a large number of employees.

Audit firms assessed Saudi Oger’s conditions and Hariri knows that he has to downsize in a major way. This process will affect at least 17,000 employees out of about 70,000. Sources confirm, however, that Saudi nationals are exempt from the lay offs and that Hariri will avoid firing Lebanese nationals out of fear of an electoral blowback.

Fabriquer de la division sectaire : le Akhbar publie interview du Mufti de la République libanaise, lequel est désormais en conflit avec le Courant du Futur de Saad Hariri. Un point qui choque le mufti : il est censé représenter légalement tous les musulmans libanais ensemble ; le Futur (qui est pourtant sunnite) veut que le mufti représente désormais uniquement les sunnites.
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanons-mufti-future-movement-wants-my-turban

Speaking about the “powers they want to take away,” he points to “an item in law no.18 which stipulates that the mufti of the republic is the religious leader of all Muslims, of all sects.” But according to Siniora’s amendment, he will become only “the religious leader of Sunni Muslims.”

“Why this deflation? If the law gave the mufti a major role that all sects agree upon, why should we restrict ourselves?” he questions.

Pour le reste, le mufti rappelle que le torchon a commencé à brûler entre lui et le Futur à propos du mufti du Akkar, en décembre 2011. Le Akkar, encore… Le Daily Star présentait une vue très partiale de l’affaire alors (le point du vue de Qabbani est à peine évoqué) :
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2011/Dec-17/157155-future-movement-protests-move-to-dismiss-akkar-mufti-rifai.ashx

Ibrahim al-Amin sur les aspects politiciens de l’affaire Samaha :
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanese-services-syria%E2%80%99s-warring-sides

This takes the political usage of the “Samaha File” beyond the wars being waged openly by rival Lebanese security agencies. It has a bearing on the essence of March 14’s interest in getting rid of this government: not in order to form a different one – which would normally be termed a consensual or neutral government – but to leave the country to be governed by the status quo. What is done in the dark would then be done in broad daylight, and it will no longer matter who catches whom out.

Important (quoique avec beaucoup d’extrapolations) : Saad Hariri et son Mouvement du Futur sont-ils en faillite ?
Future Movement : When Will We Get Paid ?
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/future-movement-when-will-we-get-paid

Hariri is not fearing for his life merely for security reasons. His political and financial debts are also forcing him to run away.

While Saad Hariri sails in his yacht away from the noise, he distances himself from those who supported him and pledged allegiance to the young Hariri after the assassination of his father.

A small group of people stands between them and Saad Hariri and prevents them from even talking to him. They have the exclusive right to meet with the man and communicate with him directly.

Saida: On the Forefront of Lebanese Politics
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/saida-forefront-lebanese-politics

He had been hoping that the strike would be “against strife” and not merely a warning against the impact of the sit-in on local businesses. He wanted a strike against the rhetoric of Assir, not the impact of his actions on the city’s economy.

But Saida’s leaders failed to do so. Some say that politicians have the 2013 elections in their sights. Others speak of collusion between Assir and the Future Movement.

But those who are more pessimistic believe that Saida has been transformed. Its people are in agreement with Assir’s point of view. And why not? Some people claim they heard both of the city’s MPs defending Assir’s sectarian justifications for his actions.