Saniora: The Choice between Justice and Stability is Unethical
The head of the Mustaqbal bloc former Premier Fouad Saniora voiced on Thursday his support for the rotation of power in Lebanon, saying that if the March 8 camp won the majority then it would have had the right to form a government.
He said during the parliament session to discuss the government policy statement: “It however assumed power through the use of weapons and we reject this and we refuse to succumb to it.”
“Talk of centrism and moderation is important, but we have seen that it was used as a means to reach power and protect the coup,” he noted.
“The statements issued after the release of the arrest warrants in the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri confirmed this and moderation therefore became a double standard,” he said.
“Where is this arrogance taking us? It is taking us away from the state. How long will our national unity remain under attack?” he asked.
“We are only calling for justice which is at the heart of dignity. Is demanding justice a crime?” he wondered.
Saniora refused that the Lebanese be forced to make a choice between justice and stability as “this is unethical.”
“Former PM Hariri is being wronged,” he stressed.
“We don’t want to run ahead of the tribunal’s findings. The accused has the right to defend himself at the public trial before the entire world. The court provides great rights as attested by the legal experts in Lebanon and abroad,” he added.
“Because we believe in the state, we demand that the truth be uncovered and we will work to achieve justice,” the former premier stated.
On the cabinet policy statement, he remarked: “It did not provide anything tangible.”
“The STL is the most important matter in Lebanon and it is at the heart of the country’s political crisis that began since Hariri’s assassination,” he noted.
“We know that there is no power on earth that can return Hariri and the rest of the martyrs as they fell victim to the criminal who has controlled Lebanon long before Hariri’s time,” he said.
“We know that Hariri was killed in order to eliminate the Lebanese people’s aspirations for independence,” he stated.
On former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Saniora said: “He had the dignity to rise above his injuries and work for a settlement that would allow the state to impose its authority throughout Lebanon.”
“Instead of praising his position in rising above his injuries, he is being accused of abusing the blood of martyrs in order to return to power,” he noted.
“Vengeance was never our goal … whoever doesn’t want strife would not curb national unity,” the former premier stressed.
“The arms we defended were turned away from their targets … doesn’t Lebanon have the right to become a free and independent state?” he asked.
“We refuse to remain the hostages of terror and murder,” he said.
Turning to Miqati, Saniora stated: “Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri doesn’t grant you his vote of confidence.”
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