Jumblat: Syrian People Will Be Victorious Despite International Silence
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat slammed on Monday the Syrian regime’s “latest massacre” in the town of Treimsa, accusing it of seeking to “systematically destroy the country and lead it to fragmentation.”
He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa magazine: “The Syrian people will be victorious in their revolt despite the international and Arab silence over their plight.”
The MP wondered whether Russia’s refusal to condemn the Syrian regime stems from its need to protect its oil, economic, and military interests “at the expense of the Syrian people and their country’s unity.”
He made similar accusations against Iran, which “is continuing on providing the regime with aid at the expense of the Syrians and their country’s unity.”
“Don’t the people have the right to determine their political fate just like the Tunisian, Egyptian, Libyan, and Yemeni people?” asked the PSP leader.
“Are Russia and Iran that fearful of the democratic changes” in those countries? Jumblat continued.
Moreover, he accused U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan of failing in his ceasefire plan, noting that he had met with similar failure in the past when he was unsuccessful in resolving the Bosnian crisis.
There are instances in which it seems that Annan has become a new member of the Syrian regime, he said.
In addition, the MP questioned the Arab League’s silence over the Syrian crisis, saying that Annan at least acknowledged that a massacre had taken place in Treimsa.
Jumblat also slammed the Friends of Syria conference for refraining from arming the Syrian opposition “under the ridiculous excuse that they fear the eruption of a civil war in the country.”
“Aren’t the daily massacres being committed there part of a civil war?” he asked.
Addressing Lebanon’s position of distancing itself from the Syrian crisis, the PSP leader said that the government should at least provided Syrian refugees with aid, similar to Turkey and Jordan.
On the issuing of arrest warrants against officers linked to the murders of Sheikhs Ahmed Abdul Wahed and Mohammed Merheb, he commented: “This is a step in the right direction that would help resolve this issue and protect the military institution against any attempts to drag it away from its duties.”
He also praised the Interior Ministry for its successful organization of the Koura by-election on Sunday, noting: “Once it puts its mind to something, the state is capable of making accomplishments.”
He saluted the residents of Koura who helped ensure that the election take place without incident, adding that they have demonstrated that they, along with the rest of the Lebanese, are committed to democracy.
The military examining magistrate issued on Saturday arrest warrants against three army officers, who were released earlier in July, in the case of Abdul Wahed and his companion.
The three officers were transferred back to the military police jail.
Their initial release along with eight soldiers arrested over the case angered the residents of the district of Akkar where Abdul Wahed and Merheb were killed at a Kweikhat army checkpoint in May.
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