The Future Movement staged on Sunday a rally in Tripoli on the occasion of
the 68th anniversary of Independence and in support for the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon and the Syrian uprising.
During
the ceremony, entitled “the Fall of Arms and the Spring of Independence”, many
opposition leaders took the floor in a series of speeches:
MP Mohammad Kabbara said that “there is no such thing
as a resistance.”
“What
occupied Beirut is not a resistance; what is occupying security zones in
Tripoli is not a resistance,” he added.
Kabbara said that the army-people-resistance
equation is “not sacred”, adding that “what was imposed will collapse
through
the fall of this cabinet which was imposed on Tripoli and all Lebanese.”
“This cabinet will collapse in Tripoli before collapsing
in all of Lebanon.”
MP Samir Jisr drew cheers when he said that “the second
independence was achieved through the Cedar Revolution which blossomed
the
independence of Lebanon, the pillar of the Arab Spring.”
“Haven’t
they learned from the Beirut Spring that security systems are illusions
and
will collapse under the people’s will?” he wondered.
Jisr stressed that everyone is wondering whether
the goal is to bring down the government in the street, confirming that
“this
cabinet does not need to fall for it has already collapsed in the
conscience of
the people for it was formed under a coup on a black day.”
MP Marwan Hamadeh took the stage saying, “I came
to tell
Tripoli’s son, who was given the vote by most of this crowd: don’t leave
murderers wandering around and treading on the martyrs’ blood.”
Addressing the three top officials, Michel Sleiman,
Najib Mikati and Nabih Berri, Hamadeh said “don’t let Lebanon be
imprisoned when
the Arabs have just broken free.”
“The only ones who fear the Tribunal are the
criminal and the accomplice.”
MP Boutros Harb congratulated the crowd and organizers by saying that Tripoli’s ceremony is a pledge of loyalty to the martyrs.
“The conspiracy is ongoing; it is regrettable that
some Lebanese are plotting this conspiracy and are attempting to take
away the independence
from the citizens; they want Lebanon to be a mailbox.”
Harb said that “the arms pose a threat to the
state, national unity, justice and security,” refusing that these arms
become a
tool of intimidation.
"The arms have obstructed the national dialogue," he added.
MP Fouad Siniora, head of the Future bloc,
rounded out the group with his speech, on behalf of Saad Hariri, where he proclaimed
that the“Syrians
are bringing about change in their country and do not need someone to
decide
for them or teach them how their regime will be and how it will be
changed.”
“Our hearts are with you; we are waiting
for you, watching you while crossing the bridge into the future.”
Siniora stressed that “adhering to
the STL was never for revengeful ends, rather to protect Lebanon, whose
scene
is exposed.”
“The people need to know the truth and to have
the murderers tried; the people want justice,” he added.
“Funding the Tribunal and cooperating with it is
not a favor from anyone; it is rather a right, an obligation.”
“Don’t
be afraid and don’t worry for the hand of justice will reach the
murderers and
all those involved will be tried. We will protect and preserve our
independence. We will defend our unity. The time of freedom, people and
Arabism
has come.”
Siniora explained that the Independence ceremony
was staged in Tripoli for it is “the city of independence, Arabism and
martyrs.”
“We came to extend our hand… the past cannot
conquer the future,” he added.