The president of the Independence Movement, Michel Moawad, made it clear that what was recently circulated about the Independence Movement’s electoral choices was not accurate. He explained that the movement kept detailed discussions and open negotiations with the various political parties as required by the new elections law; a law about which the movement neither had a say nor was able to give an opinion.
In a meeting he held at his Zgharta residence with the main cadres of the Independence Movement in the city and the various Al Zawiyat villages and towns, alongside former MP Jawad Boulos, Moawad announced his official decision regarding the coming elections’ alliances.
Explaining his decision, Moawad said: “Any negotiation the Independence Movement undertakes is always based on the principles and constants that it upholds. We never forsake or made any compromises on these, even when we had to pay heavy prices: sacrifices, struggles and offering the lives of our dearest ones.”
Sovereignty
He added: “The Independence Movement is a movement that holds a central place for the principle of Sovereignty, both in word and in action. We have always fought and are still fighting for a free, sovereign and independent State in Lebanon; a State in which there is no legitimacy for any arms outside the official Army and security bodies. We believe in the Taëf Agreement that has, as a first clause, the dissolution of all militias. This is to be applied on all Lebanese and non-Lebanese armed groups, first of which is the Hezbollah, who needs to surrender its arms to the Lebanese Army. The Taëf Agreement also states in its main articles that the Lebanese State should impose its sole and full control on the whole 10452 km2 of its territories. The Lebanon that we want is a Lebanon that is always in tune with the Arab and international legitimacies, and with the international decisions that the Rome Conference reminded us of just two days ago; first of which come Decisions 1559 and 1701.
Proper Partnership
“The Independence Movement believes in a real National political partnership; by word and by action. Based on this belief, we, having offered the Taëf president as a martyr (President Rene Moawad), stick to all the Agreement’s content, and to its proper and full implementation. Based on this belief too, we supported the Meerab reconciliation and President Michel Aoun’s election. We were the only Maronite party to support the Meerab agreement, and we defended it, while many others criticized it. We still support that step and wish that the Agreement gets extended to include everyone, even those who are excluding themselves. We believe that this agreement amongst all the Christian fractions brings back a balanced National partnership. Lebanon needs all its components; there is place for each and every one of them.
Transparency
“The third principle that our political action upholds is bringing in Reform and transparency and fighting corruption; in word and in action. Transparency is a constant practice, a way to follow in all seasons, not only at the time of elections and use it as a slogan for propaganda. Our history and all our past and present actions are a proof to our commitment to transparency. If we reach the Assembly, we will keep following this path, by word and by action. This will materialize in the law projects that we will present, and in our constant work towards implementing our political program and all our goals. We hope to succeed in bringing the Lebanese State apparatus out of the ‘farm’ reality that it is in, and build a modern State; a State where transparency is the norm, with accountability at all levels; a State that resembles the personal successful creativity and ambitions that the Lebanese individuals offer to any society they live in around the World.
Electoral negotiations
“Based on the three principles that I exposed, and due to the nature of the new elections law, which pushed each party to negotiate with all others for possible alliances, we held lengthy discussions with three parties: The Lebanese Forces, the Free National Movement and the Kataëb. The new law broke down all the previous political alignments, and electoral negotiations had to go down to details, different and particular to each constituency. This made the same parties go into alliances in some constituencies and not do so in some others. Initially, based on the Meerab agreement, we tried very sincerely to work for a broad alliance in Zgharta-Zawiyat and the North’s 3rd Constituency to include the Free National Movement and the Lebanese Forces. But due to particularities, detailed calculations and the legitimate electoral interests of each party, this did not work.
“We share a lot of common principles with the Kataëb, mainly the principle of Sovereignty and our common national priorities. But the negotiations with the party didn’t lead to an agreement due to how we assess the North region and our reading of the new law.
The Lebanese Forces
“A long shared journey, common principles and common sacrifices link us to the Lebanese Forces, but the negotiations we held with them, which ended just 3 days ago, did not reach the happy ending we all hoped for. This was due to the 2 following factors:
– The first and most important factor was our difference of views regarding the priority to give for Zgharta-Zawiyat on the electoral and political map. For us, staying faithful to our national principles is an important priority, but at the same time, we believe that bringing about changes and restoring balance in Zgharta-Zawiyat remains the biggest priority. Nevertheless, we do understand if others have other priorities, and we respect their choices. Let me says this with sincerity: In 2009, we lost the elections in very difficult conditions that you all can remember. I myself had gained 49% of the votes in Zgharta-Al Zawiyat. This figure was not only from the votes gathered from the Independence Movement partisans, but also from the partisans of the Lebanese Forces, the Future Movement, the Kataëb, and partisans who believed in the ‘March 14’ national aspirations. We, as the Independence Movement, lost those elections, but we didn’t allow this to affect us or dishearten us. At the same time, the overall outcome of these elections was a victory for the ‘March 14’ movement, and especially the Lebanese Forces and the Future Movement. 25 MPs from ‘March 14’ got elected, out of which 7 from the constituency that we are part of presently. What did those MPs do for Zgharta-Zawiyat? Nothing. None of them did, and Zgharta-Zawiyat remained at the very bottom of priorities, a spare card to use in political deals and manoeuvres. It was eventually ‘granted’ to a well-known party in exchange of interests and political compromises that have nothing to do with Zgharta-Zawiyat. This didn’t happen at the expense of Michel Moawad or Jawad Boulos or the Future Movement. It was at the expense of all the public in Zgharta-Zawiyat that believes in sovereignty, and faces continuous struggles. Our absence in the Parliament, made all this public pay the price. We will not allow this to happen again. We insist on restoring the rights for a sovereign opposition in Zgharta. We want to break the monopoly that has been imposed on Zgharta-Zawiyat, and implement a proper balance. We want to serve Zgharta-Zawiyat and its people; by word and by action… and in the coming elections.
– The second factor is linked to the first one and to the new law’s particularities: According to all surveys, the Lebanese Forces will get 3 electoral quotients in the constituency, allowing it to be represented by 3 MPs. The party has 4 strong candidates based on the preferential votes they hold: 2 in Becharre, 1 in Koura and 1 in Batroun. If they make an alliance with us, their electoral quotients will become 4, allowing them to get 4 parliamentary seats. The problem is the late candidacy that they registered for a Lebanese Forces’ representative in Zgharta-Zawiyat. This candidacy came as a surprise. It came just 3 weeks ago and was not even discussed at any moment in our negotiations! What this candidacy leads to is the dispersion of the preferential votes in Zgharta-Zawiyat, helping the 4th electoral quotient that is gained through our alliance to be allocated to the Lebanese Forces’ candidate in Batroun…
“I read yesterday that the Lebanese Forces were offering guaranties regarding this matter. I say that what is being said is partial, and does not show the full picture. The guaranties that are offered are that the Lebanese Forces’ candidate in Zgharta will present his candidacy, but will not be granted votes!? Coming after long discussions and negotiations, this step from their side has shaken the trust in the general partnership we thought we had with them. It also made it clear that Zgharta-Zawiyat is not a priority for them.
“Let me clarify this: I have not asked for personal guaranties for my own election. All the surveys show that we represent the 4th power in this constituency allowing me to win a seat in whichever list I present myself. What we asked for were guaranties for the Zgharta Caza, for the fraction of people in the Caza that believe in Sovereignty. We don’t want that Zgharta-Zawiyat ends up being ‘franchised’ once more to a party, in exchange of interests and political manoeuvring. I also wanted guaranties that we be able to compete for a proper political balance in Zgharta-Zawiyat, on a long term basis. But unfortunately, the guaranties that were offered remained unconvincing and partial.
“The result of what I just described was that our negotiations with the Lebanese Forces didn’t lead to the results we hoped for. Nevertheless, we still consider them as historical allies, with whom we shared common struggles and have common fundamental principles. In any case, despite this electoral divergence, I ask you all not to lose the direction and focus. Our battle is not at all against the Lebanese Forces.
The Free Patriotic Movement
“We held negotiations with the Free Patriotic Movement too, based on our principles. The positive accumulation of common elements with the Free Patriotic Movement started when we supported the Meerab Agreement and what is known as the Christian reconciliation.
“The electoral negotiations that we held with them led to a mutual agreement on the following: That we present a continuous support to the presidential mandate, and that each one of us respects and understands the particularities, beliefs and principles of the other. Based on this, we agreed to form an electoral alliance between the Independence Movement and the Free Patriotic Movement in the North’s 3rd Constituency for the coming elections. Our agreement also includes giving a priority for Zgharta-Zawiyat, and not accepting that it remains a card used for general political compromises. It also includes working for the establishment of a proper political balance in the region, respecting plurality and diversity, and implementing development… by word and by action.
“Therefore, based on all that I described, I held intense discussions with my permanent ally Sheikh Jawad Boulos, the cadres of the Independence Movement, all the political actors that support our project, and with wide sections from the public that supports sovereignty in Zgharta-Zawiyat. I presented to them the various options that are available for us. The outcome was that we took our final decision and shared it yesterday with all the concerned political parties and friends.
“With a sportsmanship spirit of positive competition, we are inaugurating today our elections campaign in Zgharta-Zawiyat and in the North’s 3rd Constituency as a whole. The looser in the elections will congratulate the winner, and from May 7 onward, we will all join efforts for the good of Zgharta-Zawiyat and of Lebanon.”
العربية