Address By His Excellency the President of the Lebanese Republic General Michel Aoun to the protesters October 24, 2019
Dearly beloved,
My address to you today is, as it has always been, from my heart to yours, wherever you are, in the protest squares or at home.
The scene that we are witnessing affirms above all that the Lebanese people are lively, capable of rising up, making change and making themselves heard.
It also affirms that freedoms in Lebanon are still doing very well. Nevertheless, unfortunately, this scene should not have been, and your cry should have been a shout of joy for having fulfilled your aspirations and dreams, rather than a scream of pain.
We are creative, strong and successful people, but we have been destroyed by confessionalism, corruption has eroded us in depth and we have let those who have driven the country to the abyss go unpunished. Even since I have taken up my responsibilities as President of the Republic, I have sworn to preserve Lebanon and have undertaken to fight corruption fiercely.
I managed to bring Lebanon to the harbor of security and stability, and there remained the economic and financial concern.
My highest aspiration was, and still is, to get rid of the confessional mentality which has governed the country since its inception, and which is the main cause of all its problems, looking up to a civil State where all citizens are equal before the law, and where every competent individual can access the deserved post, along with administrative decentralization which provides you with faster services and facilitates local oversight.
But you are aware – well aware – that our country is based on partnership and democracy, and that the President of the Republic, especially after the Taef Accord, needs the cooperation of all members of Government and Parliament to implement the action plans, reforms and rescue and to honor the promises that he had made before the Lebanese in his inaugural speech.
I am not saying this to throw the responsibility on others. After all, I am a President and I am in charge. I have not spared a means to fulfill reforms and rise with Lebanon. But in fact, the obstacles are numerous, personal interests control mentalities, and many parties considered that people don’t have a say anymore and that they can do whatever they want while people keep quiet.
Despite all difficulties, we realized progress, although insufficient, in various fields. Every passing day, I have spoken about fighting corruption, thus causing discomfort for many, unfortunately among officials.
Then war moved towards all initiatives and action plans that are likely to harm the personal interests of many. Do you want to return the looted funds? Absolutely, it is necessary to recover them. I am the one demanding their recovery, and I am the one who submitted a draft law to ensure their return. To date, billions from previous budgets are under scrutiny at the Court of Audit. Every person who has embezzled public funds must be held accountable. The most important thing, though, is that their confession does not defend them blindly. The thief has no confession, and does not represent any religion. Let us unveil the accounts of all officials and let the judiciary hold them accountable. Politicians legislate and supervise; as for accountability, it is ensured through the judiciary for which we have appointed some of the best reliable judges. This fact is confirmed indeed by the statement issued two days ago by the Higher Judicial Council.
Furthermore, I am committed to the adoption of the anti-corruption laws, but this falls under the prerogatives of the House of Representatives, and I hereby ask your assistance to have them enacted.
And as I have said to the judges after their appointment, I will be the ceiling of protection for the judges, and anyone who interferes with them, will answer to me.
Dearly beloved,
Perhaps you no longer have faith in the ruling class, neither in the parties nor in most of the State officials. This is what made me address the government upon its formation and during the Iftar held at the Baabda Palace this year. I gave the government one recommendation: “Restore the confidence of the Lebanese in their State”, because it was obvious from your position regarding any possible tax that you regarded it as a levy that is perceived but does not revolve and is lost between waste and corruption.
Today, from my position of responsibility as President of the Republic, I assure you that the prepared reform paper will be the first step to rescue Lebanon and push away the specter of financial and economic collapse.
That was your first achievement whereas you helped to clear away the obstacles ahead and to have it adopted at a record speed. Yet, it has to be accompanied by a set of legislations because the real fight against corruption is carried out through laws and strict law enforcement, and not through slogans, outbidding and electoral campaigns.
You must know that there is a number of draft laws in Parliament:
A bill on the creation of a special tribunal for crimes committed against public funds, which I had personally submitted in 2013;
Another bill on the recovery by the State of embezzled funds;
A third bill on lifting bank secrecy off present and former presidents, speakers, prime ministers, ministers, deputies and 1st grade civil servants;
And a fourth bill on lifting immunity off present and former ministers, deputies and everyone dealing with public funds.
These laws must be adopted as soon as possible. Speak out and urge your deputies to vote for them so that all officials become accountable and legally punishable, and so that no one will henceforth be spared.
If you succeed, then you will have scored your second achievement.
As reform is a perfectly political act, it has become necessary to reconsider the current governmental reality in order for the executive branch to be able to carry on with its duties, evidently through the applicable constitutional procedures.
Dearly beloved,
Your calls will not go unanswered, like the calls that filled the squares before you, restoring Lebanon’s freedom, sovereignty and independence.
Freedom of expression is a right that is respected and safeguarded to all people, and so is freedom of movement which is a right for all citizens and must therefore be respected and ensured.
I call on all of you to oversee the execution of reforms.
The streets will always be open for you in case there is delay or stalling.
And I, from my position, will be the guarantee. I will speak to you frankly about everything that is going on, and I will spare no effort to undertake reforms.
I heard many voices calling to topple the regime. Regime change, young fellows, does not take place on the streets.
It is true that our regime needs to be improved because it has been paralyzed for years and it is incapable of developing itself, but this can only be achieved through constitutional institutions.
It’s about time, as well, to change the economic model so it becomes productive and generates employment opportunities. My call to the protesters and demonstrators: I am ready to meet with your representatives who will convey your concerns so we can hear out your exact demands, and you can listen to our concerns about economic collapse and about what we must do together to fulfill your goals without causing collapse and chaos. I stand ready to open a constructive dialogue that generates a practical outcome and to determine the choices that lead us to the best dividends, because dialogue is always the soundest road to salvation.
I am waiting for you…