Berri to Call for Dialogue in September, Urges Protesters to Demand 'Civil State, Electoral Law'
Speaker Nabih Berri revealed Sunday that he intends to call for a dialogue conference in September, as he urged anti-corruption protesters to demand a “civil state” and a new electoral law based on the proportional representation system.
“In the first third of September, I will call for a dialogue limited to (Prime Minister) Tammam Salam and the heads of parliamentary blocs,” said Berri in Nabatiyeh, where he delivered a speech marking the 37th anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Moussa al-Sadr, the founder of the AMAL Movement which Berri currently heads.
“In form, it won't be any different from the 2006 dialogue, but it will be different in content. The agenda will tackle the presidency, the work of the parliament and the government, the electoral law, the law on restoring citizenship (for emigrants of Lebanese origin), the administrative decentralization project, and equipping the army,” Berri explained.
Separately, the parliament speaker said he will not “bargain over the people-army-resistance choice.”
“Either legislation or the chaos whose signs we have started to witness,” added Berri, referring to the recent anti-corruption protests.
“I'm afraid that we're growing accustomed to our woes that are the result of paralyzing the lives of citizens amid a continued presidential vacuum, suspension of legislation and a governmental confusion,” he lamented.
However, Berri stressed his keenness on the survival of the embattled government and “the activation of its work so that it can respond to the legitimate demands.”
“The presence of the government is a national necessity and attack on legislation is an attack on the people and their representatives … Change has a single door: the parliament,” the speaker added.
He noted that the parliament is not for Shiites, the government is not for Sunnis and the presidency is not for Maronites.
“State institutions are for entire Lebanon.”
“All these crises have pushed Lebanon's citizens to stage protests and they are right … I tell every honest demonstrator that the problem is in this system … The first problem is sectarianism and the other is deprivation and there can't be reform without abolishing sectarianism,” Berri said.
He reminded that as Speaker, he tried “three times” to establish the so-called National Commission for the Abolition of Political Sectarianism and to “merely devise its mechanism.”
“This sectarianism was always stronger than me and my will. Dear brothers, demand a civil state and an electoral law based on proportional representation,” Berri added, addressing the activists of the You Stink campaign and other groups.
He also noted that the country managed to thwart sectarian strife through “the open dialogue between our brothers in Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal in Ain el-Tineh.”
Berri's remarks come a day after tens of thousands of protesters from across Lebanon staged a rare non-sectarian mass rally in downtown Beirut against a political class they accuse of corruption and failing to provide basic services.
It followed demonstrations last weekend that descended into violence when some protesters clashed with police.
The demonstration was organized by the "You Stink" movement, which began in response to a crisis that started with the closure of Lebanon's largest landfill in mid-July, resulting in garbage piling up on the streets of the country.
Since then there have been small protests that have broadened to include demands for a political overhaul of government institutions seen as corrupt and ineffective by many Lebanese.
Y.R.
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30 August 2015, 19:24
Berri: In the first third of September, I will call for a dialogue limited to Tammam Salam and the heads of parliamentary blocs. In form, it won't be any different from the 2006 dialogue, but it will be different in content. The agenda will tackle the presidency, the work of the parliament and the government, the electoral law, the law on restoring citizenship, the administrative decentralization project, and equipping the army.
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30 August 2015, 19:19
Berri: We will not bargain over the people-army-resistance choice.
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30 August 2015, 19:17
Berri: Either legislation or the chaos whose signs we have started to witness.
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30 August 2015, 19:14
Berri: We stress our keenness on the government and the activation of its work so that it can respond to the legitimate demands. The presence of the government is a national necessity and attack on legislation is an attack on the people and their representatives … Change has a single door: the parliament. The parliament is not for Shiites, the government is not for Sunnis and the presidency is not for Maronites. State institutions are for entire Lebanon.
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30 August 2015, 19:12
Berri: They rejected turning Lebanon into one electorate under a proportional representation law. They also rejected the eight electorates law and the one that mixes proportional representation and the winner-takes-all system.
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30 August 2015, 19:10
Berri: As Speaker, I tried three times to establish the National Commission for the Abolition of Political Sectarianism and to merely devise its mechanism. This sectarianism was always stronger than me and my will. Dear brothers, demand a civil state and an electoral law based on proportional representation.
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30 August 2015, 19:08
Berri: All these crises have pushed Lebanon's citizens to stage protests and they are right … I tell every honest demonstrator that the problem is in this system … The first problem is sectarianism and the other is deprivation and there can't be reform without abolishing sectarianism.
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30 August 2015, 19:05
Berri: I'm afraid that we're growing accustomed to our woes that are the result of paralyzing the lives of citizens amid a continued presidential vacuum, suspension of legislation and a governmental confusion.
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30 August 2015, 19:00
Berri: We thwarted sectarian strife through the open dialogue between our brothers in Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal in Ain el-Tineh.
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30 August 2015, 18:45
Berri: Syria is always at the heart of any equation … Defeating terrorism must be the first priority in Syria, which would speed up the political solution. Comparing the regime to the terrorist groups is silly and dangerous and it would lead to the partitioning of Syria … Syria under Assad's leadership is paying the price through a continued conspiracy over its central role in the axis of resistance. A unified operations center for draining the resources of terrorism is needed.
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30 August 2015, 18:35
Berri: The agreement will rearrange the situations in our countries and it will restore general stability in the region, especially in Yemen. It will also affect Syria, which is readying for the Russia 3 conference.
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30 August 2015, 18:33
Berri: The entire world and the Middle East in particular entered a new phase on July 14, the date on which the nuclear deal with signed between Iran and the P5+1 world powers. I congratulate the Iranian leadership and people on this agreement.
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30 August 2015, 18:31
Berri: The case the Imam will not be forgotten and the liberation of the Imam will remain our religious, national and patriotic duty. I tell those spreading rumors not to try us regarding the case of the Imam.
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30 August 2015, 18:27
Berri: The case of the Imam must be on the agenda of the Libyan talks that are underway in Morocco and Algeria.
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30 August 2015, 18:26
Berri: AMAL and entire Lebanon will not change their stance that holds Gadhafi and his regime responsible for the disappearance of the Imam and his two companions.
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30 August 2015, 18:20
Berri: The only allowed and accepted normalization is activating cooperation in the case of the Imam and his two companions through involving the Lebanese judicial coordinator in the necessary investigations.
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30 August 2015, 18:20
Berri: We reiterate that Lebanese authorities must implement the principle of reciprocity … It is shameful to turn the back on a national cause and we reject any normalization of ties with Libya under any excuse.
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30 August 2015, 18:13
Berri: Public Works and Transport Minister Ghazi Zoaiter declares that the Tyre-Naqoura road will be considered an international highway and that the Zahrani-Tyre-Naqoura highway will be named the Imam Moussa al-Sadr Highway.
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30 August 2015, 18:09
Speaker Nabih Berri addressing Nabatiyeh rally marking 37th anniversary of Imam Moussa al-Sadr's disappearance: The first phase of the Litani project has ended and the 2nd phase has started with Kuwaiti support.
30 August 2015, 18:37
41
Thief and feudal lord #1, has no business holding office in a constitutional republic such as Lebanon should be.
30 August 2015, 18:47
55
We're tired of thugs & liars like Berri.
Sadr was a respectable man, and Berri is using this sad opportunity to boost his advantage.
These types of rallies & events & speeches are so backwards.
30 August 2015, 19:50
25
before you call for another dialogue session, implement the resolutions of the previous national dialogue table that were abandoned by nassrallah and aoun. What happened to those resolutions.... palestinian weapons, defense strategy, etc.etc.
30 August 2015, 21:09
23
Berri Urges Protesters to Demand 'Civil State, Electoral Law......
I thought the first foundation of Civil State is the separation of Religion and State, yet here is Berri adorned by Religious icons while lobbying for Civil State
30 August 2015, 22:28
23
Mr. Berri
If you did not get the message let me make it clear to you. The only initiative the people want is to leave the parliament you and the remaining 127 MP's crooks. GET OUT END OF STORY
30 August 2015, 22:28
24
According to last Wednesday's Al Akhbar Hezballah's mouthpiece Wafiq Safa Hezbollah's head of security visited Jumblat and Berri last week with "suggestions"..
Results came quickly, very quickly indeed:
August 28, 2015 Jumblatt: Aoun should not be excluded
August 30, 2015 Berri: We will not bargain over the people-army-resistance choice.
Those strong-arms tactics really work don't they.
30 August 2015, 22:28
14
These useless rags destroyed your country one before, then made themselves leaders.The people should rid the country of these vermin, and do not allow there sons or daughters in to power. You only have yourselves to blame for this chaos and only you can change it. So stop your childish bitching on web sites and do something in the real world, show us over here that you can be the Shepard, and not the sheep.
30 August 2015, 22:38
24
Funny ya Shiite Cretin, so now we learn that this Iberian Cretin character of yours can spell Maronites but still cannot spell Christians. Your character development is just fascinating and riveting. I was gonna suggest you wear a helmet when on parade next Ashura, but no, I think this is too funny. Keep up the good work in defense of your fellow Cretins.
31 August 2015, 01:55
21
He should call Parliament to electoral session. Enough with the BS Dialogue Sessions where these guys open the bazaar of bidding between and among themselves to profit from doing that which they are under an electoral duty to perform anyway.
Better yet, his Zelm should reject him and send him to Detroit to join the rest of his family. Get him out of Parliament, out of the Speakers Chair, out of Lebanon!
31 August 2015, 14:42
02
Mr. Berri, the protests said trash go, and your picture is one of them, so please, go !!
31 August 2015, 15:17
02
Berri: We will not bargain over the people-army-resistance choice.
so what is the use of the dialogue you are calling for....
