Posts Tagged ‘Nabih Berry’
Where Lebanon from here? Structural political change is an obvious requirement. What intermediary reforms?
Posted by: adonis49 on: December 7, 2019
Where Lebanon from here? Structural political change is obvious. What intermediary reforms?
Lebanon is a very tiny State (about 10,000 sq. km) with a reduced population of less than 5 million and 19 officially religious sects having the sole monopoly of individual registry.
With the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 (by a majority of a single vote in the UN), Lebanon has but a single land trade route to the rest of the world through Syria.
Since the creation of Israel (our existential enemy) daily trade and communication of our people have been blocked.
Unless political close relationship is established with Syria, there is no possibility to encourage the productive sectors in industry and agriculture or even in financial sectors.
The current financial fiasco in Lebanon has proven the tight interaction between Syria currency and Lebanon overvalued currency (linked to the dollar since 1994).
The impact of Lebanon tenuous currency has directly affected the currency of Syria since most of their entrepreneurs deal with Lebanese banks for their imports.
Our highway robbers of militia/mafia “leaders” are controlled by their Godfather:
- Nabih Berry has been chairman of the Parliament since 1994 without discontinuity. He is every-time elected by the entire deputies, give or take a couple of deputy. The reason for this is that Nabih has supported every deputy to acquire a monopoly of a consume good, energy, financial transaction, services… Berry has transformed our Ponzi scheme system into an anomy system.
- Nabih Berry considers himself the sole interpreter of the Constitution, although we have no idea which constitution is to guide us: the initial constitution of 1943 or the constitution of the Taef ( Saudi Kingdom) in 1992
- Actually, the Constitution is basically scarecrow that nobody abide by and is repeatedly baffled on the basis of urgent trade-off among the sectarian parties. We do have officially 19 religious sects, each one maintaining the citizens’ private registry.
- What Berry and most of the deputies elected by the sectarian parties and enjoying astronomical privileges is to wipe out, by a general amnesty, all their highway robberies during the last 30 years, and escape facing justice. The mechanism is to create special Courts elected by the parliament deputies itself.
- As long as Berry is still in power, Lebanon will never experience any reforms or any kind of change in its political system
A Saudi Kingdom refugee (Saad Hariri) re-landed in Lebanon and was handed the post of Prime minister
Posted by: adonis49 on: November 29, 2019
A Saudi Kingdom refugee in France (Saad Hariri) re-landed in Lebanon after being ousted in 2011 as PM
Actually Saad was handed the post of political inheritor (Haririyyeh) of his father Rafic Hariri who was assassinated by USA/Israel in 2004, by Bandar bin Sultan.
Note: re-edited of the post of 2014. “A billionaire refugee in France…”
Officially, the one $billion that the Saudi monarch Abdullah extended to Lebanon was meant to be spent on aiding the Lebanese army to confront all the “terrorists activities” spreading in Lebanon.
Tacitly, ex PM Saad Hariri is to be the money distributor of this huge sum and he returned to Lebanon after 3 years of vacations (as he was ousted) in order to personally supervise the spending of the money.
All this money is basically meant to be spend on the election campaign since the Parliament feels too ashamed to extend its tenure again and again on flimsy excuses of “insecurity conditions”. (Yes, Nabih Berry, head of the Parliament for 22 successive years, and the Godfather of the militia/mafia “leaders“, refused to hold Parliamentary elections)
He had no political experience and knew nothing of Lebanon social structure: He needed 6 months to learn how to form a government and he spent most of his tenure abroad on multiple vacations, doing personal business deals.
A few months ago, Saudi Kingdom extended 3 $billion to France on the ground of providing the Lebanese army the necessary weapons to confront terrorist factions and the capability to maintain security and the shaky status quo of Lebanon political outdated system.
So far, the 3 $billion have evaporated into deep pockets in both Lebanon and France: financial transparency is not a cornerstone in our system.
Probably, France extended part of that that money to the extremist jihadist factions on our border with Syria.
The Nusra and ISIS have occupied our sprawling town of Ersal for 5 days and committed atrocities and killed scores of our soldiers and kidnapped about 40 soldiers.
Rafic Hariri set up the Ponzi scheme for Lebanon since 1994 by continually borrowing money, accumulating Lebanon sovereign debt from $3 bn to $100 bn and doing his best of destroying any productive activities in industries and agriculture. The basis of Rafic reasoning is that USA will erase Lebanon debt as soon as Lebanon sign a “peace treaty” with Israel.
Mon Opinion
La période que traverse actuellement le Liban est extrêmement brumeuse, et de plus en plus illisible. Laissons nos religions aux vestiaires et réfléchissons.
Qu’avons nous comme données récentes ? Trois milliards Saoudiens évaporés? (Aide à l’armée?)
Hariri qui est rentré sous les caméras au Liban. Avec dans ses valises un milliard … Pour ? Tripoli qui s’agite à nouveau?
Ersaal avec ses vrais martyrs de notre armée Libanaise?
Et ses assaillants salafistes qui trouvent malgré tout des Janus parmi la classe politique libanaise pour minimiser, diluer, et démentir s’ils pouvaient ; nos martyrs.
Il se prépare quelque chose d’extrêmement grave je pense taillé à la seule mesure de la survie de l’état d’Israël.
Israel est plus que jamais conscient du droit du peuple Palestinien à son Etat, appuyé en cela par les rues arabes.
Israel est conscient de l’hostilité croissante des peuples des pays limitrophes face à l’injustice dont il fait preuve surtout avec un Embargo sévère et mortifère contre Gaza, et le morcellement incessant de la Palestine par les implantations juives victimes d’une Shoa économique générée par la crise dans laquelle se débattent leurs pays d’origine ( crise qui ne touche pas que les juifs , sauf que israel se propose comme issue en agitant l’étendard de l’anti sémitisme ambiant)
Rajouter à cela que de gisements immenses de gaz et de pétrole son découverts aux larges du Liban et de Palestine
Le Liban entre désormais dans le club des pays frappés par la malédiction du sous-sol. (Huge reserves of gas and oil known and confirmed even during the French mandated colonial power in 1935)
Un exemple : l’Algérie a un sous sol infiniment riche , la Tunisie pas . Cette dernière connaitra rapidement accalmie et prospérité, la première se débattra toujours.
D’un point de vue purement sécuritaire, Israel a été contraint de rendre le Liban sud a ses Libanais (et sans condition en May 25, 2000) malgré son eau dont il a besoin. ( le prix devenait prohibitif pour israel. Trop de morts , vu le virus Ezbolla (Hezbollah) qui y sévissait)
L’Irak, La Lybie, La Syrie , étaient des menaces sécuritaires pour israel. Ces pays ont été scientifiquement et méthodiquement mis à terre en 3 temps chacun ( observez les 3 temps d’un dromadaire quand il veut se mettre à terre ) sans pour autant cesser de tambouriner qu’il faut que la résistance libanaise dépose ses armes.
Entretenir la faiblesse des pays arabes et les anémier pour les cent ans à venir, passera désormais d’après les stratèges du pentagone et d israel réunis par la semence d’une guerre Suchi ( Sunnites / Chiites) et elle commence à donner ses fruits mortifères. Les printemps se suivent mais ne se ressemblent pas.
Le Liban ”is different ” . Devenu très anglophone, très peu francophone, la France (sa mère adoptive ) en grande difficulté économique ne viendra plus vraiment à son secours car :
1/ Il s’est tourné vers les USA
2/ la France est un pays matérialiste, Laïc. Défendre la chrétienté, lui est vraiment passé de mode.
La guerre sunnite / chiite a déjà commencé dans la région, et je suis intimement convaincu que ces stratèges de l’apocalypse nous diront bientôt qu’il ne faut pas mettre tous les salafistes dans le même sac
Il y aura les bons salafistes: ceux qui se battront contre le Ezbollah , et les mauvais salafistes ceux qui se battront contre l’armée libanaise (sic!)
Plus que jamais au Liban, les politiciens Libanais ne commandent plus sur rien et n’ont de l’autorité que dans la mesure où ils ne l’exercent pas.
Bientôt , même une chatte au Liban, ne reconnaîtra plus ses chatons.
Ah les Chrétiens … J’allais vous oublier : je ne vous pense pas les vrais visés dans l’apocalypse annoncée, vous serez soit des victiles collatérales, soit des victiles de diversion. Dans les deux cas, vous aurez vos ” couloirs humanitaires ”
Déjà que le Liban est couloir en soi . Couloirs dans un couloir : rien de mieux pour couler notre pays.
( Jamil BERRY )
Why the Lebanese upheaval is blocking the Parliament to meet in sessions?
Posted by: adonis49 on: November 22, 2019
Why the Lebanese upheaval is blocking the Parliament to meet in sessions?
Let me upfront clarify my position:
- Nabih Berry has been chairman of the Parliament since 1994 without discontinuity. He is every-time elected by the entire deputies, give or take a couple of deputy. The reason for this is that Nabih has supported every deputy to acquire a monopoly of a consume good, energy, financial transaction, services… Berry has transformed our Ponzi system into an anomy system.
- Nabih Berry considers himself the sole interpreter of the Constitution, although we have no idea which constitution we are guided: the initial constitution of 1943 or the constitution of the Taef ( Saudi Kingdom) in 1992
- Actually, the Constitution is basically scarecrow that nobody abide by and is repeatedly baffled on the basis of urgent trade-off among the sectarian parties. We do have officially 19 religious sects, each one maintaining the citizens’ private registry.
- What Berry and most of the deputies elected by the sectarian parties and enjoying astronomical privileges is to wipe out, by a general amnesty, all their highway robberies during the last 30 years, and escape facing justice. The mechanism is to create special Courts elected by the parliament itself.
- As long as Berry is still in power, Lebanon will never experience any reforms or any kind of change in its political system
لا جلسة لا تعبر عن ارادة الشعب.
لماذا يجب ان نمنع انعقاد جلسة مجلس النواب
1- لانه يوجد شك بدستوريتها
2- لانها لا تطرح اي قانون يحمي ودائع واموال اللبنانيين في المصارف ولا تحاسب اصحاب المصارف وحاكم مصرف لبنان
3- لاننا لا نثق بهؤلاء النواب الذين يمكن لهم ان يعدلوا ويضيفوا ويحزفوا من قانون العفو لكي يحموا انفسهم.
4- لان على جدول اعمالها بنديين قد يحرما اللبنانيين من استرداد الاموال العامة المنهوبة ومعاقبة السارقين وحرامية السلطة الفاسدة
وهذين البنديين:
. البند الاول، قانون هيئة مكافحة الفساد والذي ينص على ان الحكومة تعين اكثر من نصف اعضاء الهيئة، يعني فاسدون يعينون فاسدين لمكافحة الفساد.
. البند الثاني، قانون تشكيل محكمة خاصة لمحاسبة سارقي المال العام، ويجيز في احد بنوده على ان مجلس النواب هو من يشكل المحكمة ويعين القضاة،
وبهذا يكونون قد ضربوا استقلالية القضاء واستولى المتهمون بسرقة الاموال العامة على المحكمة، يعني حاميها حراميها.
ايها اللبنانيات واللبنانيون امنعوا الجلسة بشتى الوساائل،
Any peaceful State outside of Lebanon? Question: Do those citizens have any hope in the future
Posted by: adonis49 on: November 18, 2019
Any peaceful State outside of Lebanon?
Question: Do the citizens of these unstable States have any hope in the future?
Mass upheaval almost everywhere in the world, from Latin America, Europe, Hong Kong, Africa, The Sahara States, Middle East… and most of these upheavals are the result of the USA policies and its International Monetary Fund.
Since October 17, Lebanon mass upheaval didn’t witness any killing by the Army who basically was safeguarding the uprising from the hooligans of the civil war militia “leaders”.
Note that the Internal security Forces refused to get out of its barracks, simply because it is meant to protect the investment of the militia/mafia in Beirut, and mainly those of the Hariri clan and Nabih Berry (chairman of the Parliament)
Most of these States can conceive of a “brighter” future, but can the Lebanese dare to elevate their wishes for a sustainable Lebanon?
بالأمس مساءً، أيّ بتاريخ ١٧ تشرين الثاني ٢٠١٩، قمت بجولة إخبارية على محطات التلفزة العالمية : Euronews, CNN, BBC, TF1, …وتأكدت بأن كلّ بلدان الكرة الأرضية خربانة وولعانة…
عددوا معي:
– مظاهرات وإعتصامات في بوليفيا، التشيلي، المكسيك، البرازيل، غواتيمالا، البيرو…هذه في أميركا الجنوبية…
– قتلى وجرحى بالعشرات في عمليات إطلاق نار في الولايات المتحدة الأميركية…
– مظاهرات في مقاطعة كيبك في كندا للمطالبة بالإستقلال الذاتي…
– مظاهرات وإعتصامات في بريطانيا…
– القمصان الصفراء Gilets jaunes... كسّروا بعض معالم باريس وأقفلوا الطرقات في معظم مدن فرنسا…
– مقاطعة كاتالونيا (Catalonia) تطالب بالإنفصال عن إسبانيا من خلال عصيان مدني شامل…
– مظاهرات وإعتصامات في سلوفاكيا، والبانيا، وكرواتيا، والمانيا، واليونان…
– حروب ومظاهرات ونزوح وقتلى وجرحى في تركيا، والعراق، وسوريا، وإيران…
– مظاهرات وحروب في الجزائر وليبيا والمالي وبوركينا فاسو …
حرائق مدمِرة وقتلى في أوستراليا…
مظاهرات وعصيان مدني في هونغ كونغ…
– … ولبنان على شفير الحرب …
لا يوجد آمان في أيّة دولة في العالم … فالنظام الذي أوجدته الدول الكبرى بعد الحرب العالمية الثانية ينهار بالكامل…
أيها اللبنانيون… الهجرة ليست الحلّ… الحلّ هو بالتعقّل والحوار وقبول الرأي الآخر والعمل بصدق على إعادة بناء وطننا الحبيب لبنان …
Lebanese Cartels that robbed the public budget of $400 billions in the last 30 years
Posted by: adonis49 on: November 12, 2019
Lebanese Cartels that robbed the public budget of $400 billions in the last 30 years.
The western press mentioned this astronomical amount of $800 bn.
The Cartels of importing fuel oil, communication, the electricity, the stealing of prime seashore lands, of getting the monopoly for every consumer goods, energy, financial transactions, services…
Every one of these cartels since 1984 has one or several civil war “leaders” behind them and trampling on the dignity of the citizens and robbing the state budgets without any controlling institutions that have been sidelined…
I submit that it is the Parliament, and its successive same deputies, and its chief Nabih Berry that is the main culprit for transforming our political system into an anomie system
معلومات تفيد من يبحث عن اسماء كارتل نهب ٤٠٠ مليار دولار.
خضر عواركة
هيدا مش مقال، هذه دردرشة.
لاحظتو انو محمد زبيب القى محاضرة عن الاوليغارشية بخيمة وعي؟؟
ابقوا اسالوه تاني مرة هل رب عمله (سابقا) محمد الصفدي من هالوليغارشية؟
وانو يا خيي بالبلد ما في حرامية الا البنوك؟؟
فهمنا؟؟
اذا ما لاحظتو قروها منشورة.
شفتو الجديد ما اشطرهن بالاستقصاء؟؟
ايه في جهاز اممي بيحارب اجهزة تانية فيهن.
بس حدا منهن جاب سيرة واسماء كارتل الكهرباء ؟
شفتو باولا؟؟
بتحكي دوما على جبران بس بتسكت عن كل الباقيين.
وثوار الغيضة فيهن يحكو عن بري والسيد بس وعون وعن ربنا سبحانه حتى بس ممنوع يجيبو سيرة ابطال حماية ترتيب لبنان العالمي بين الدول الاكثر فسادا.
التالية اسمائهن اشجع ابطال الحرب على الفساد وهني
#جميل_السيد
#ياسر_عودة
#حسن_فضل_الله
#باولا_يعقوبيان
#جيلبير_ضومط
#جومانا_حداد
#عمر_واكيم
#محمد_زبيب
#شربل_نحاس
بس ما حدا منهن قال حقيقة بيعرفوها عن كارتل الناهبين الحقيقيين اصحاب الشركات الي بتسرق الها وللسياسيين.
كلهن بيحكو عن الفساد بس الي ناهبين ٤٠٠ مليار ب ٣٠ سنة ما حدا بيجيب سيرتهن ليش؟؟
سألوا حالكن وانتو جاوبوا
سؤالي: لكل من يقدم نفسه ثوري ومحارب فساد:
ليش دقيتو بكل الناس سرا وعلانية بس ما بتجيبو سيرة التالية اسمائهم وشو علاقة كل منهم بكارتل خمسة سياسيين شاركوا بنهب البلد متلهن متل رفيق وسعد بل حصصهن اكبر.
خبرو الناس مين هودي ؟
مين الي اخد اراضي النورماندي الي تمنها ٣٠ مليار دولار وحرم الخزينة منهن؟
ولا مش سوليدير وحدها. خبرو الناس عن شركاء من السياسيين.
ومين الي مستولي على املاك بحرية ثمنها ١٠٠ مليار ويمكن اكتر وبتدر كم مليون بدل كم مليار سنويا.
مين كمان:
١. جهاد ع واخوه عبد وكيف بياخدوا المناقصات وهني شركاء مين؟؟ ولا منهن شركاء رئيس حكومة بس.
خبروا الناس مين قبض من السنيورة حصص من ال ١١ مليار؟؟
وقديش لازم يرجعو من مالهم للدولة ليكون في عدل وانصاف؟
٢. (بشير وبهاء ب) ودورهن في نهب ٣٠ مليار الي نصرفت على الكهرباء ودورهن في اضافة ٣٠% بالمية على سعر الفيول العالمي بوزعوها على خمسة سياسيين.
ومين شركائهم الخمسة في الوسط السياسي الي ساعدوهن يخلو الحاجة للمازوت للمولدات سبب اخر لجني مليار دولار بيوزعوومنها ٥٠٠ على السياسيين الخمسة.
والي نحنا بلبنان عايشين كلنا الخمسة ستة مليون بالعتم من ١٩٨٥ بس منشان بشير وبهاء يضلو يعملو مليار و٣٠٠ مليون ربح الهم وللسياسيين الخمسة سنويا؟؟
٣. (علاء الخ)ودوره مع رئيس الحكومة ومع( غسان غ)ومع (ريمون ورودي ر) بشركة رست عليها صفقة دير اعمار.
خبرو الناس مين غسان غ ومين شريكه من السياسيين؟
ومين بمثل رودي وريمون بقصة دير اعمار؟؟
ومين بمثل مين بصفقات رودي وريمون ر بغير صفقات
.
خبرو الناس مين من الاعلاميين محاربي الفساد عمل شركة علاقات عامة بالشراكة مع ابن زعيم شركة بتخلص معاملات الضرايب للحرامية قطاع خاص
وقديش نشسبتهم من النصب على المال العام من المية مليون دولار حرمو الدول منها السنة الماضية؟
٤. كيف تحسين وابنه كريم حصلو على دورهم البطولي بصيانة معامل الكهرباء بالتراضي.
٥. مين (شريف واو) ومين (محمد دال) ومين (طلال الز)؟ وليش هني بس بدو يعمل وزير ونائب مشكل كرمالهن مع وزرا الاتصالات؟
وشو علاقة المحارب للفساد المقاول( رياض الا) بصفقات وليد جنبلاط؟
واي بطريركية بتشارك مع سياسيين في كارتل منع استيراد الاسمنت تا يضلو يدفعو اللبنانيين ١٠٠ دولار للطن بدل ٣٠ الي هو السعر العالمي؟؟
وليش صار الناهبين الاخوين من ال شي ييشبه السلطة هم للمقاومة؟
انا ما عندي حصانة ولا حماية وقانون العفو ما راح يمحي احكام محكمة المطبوعات ضدي.
انتو يا محاربي الفساد محصنين ليش ما بتخبرو الناس الي بتعرفوه؟
ليش يا جميل السيد ويا حسن فضل الله مخبيين كل الادلة الجرمية عندكن عن كل من سبق ذكره؟؟
Secondary robbers in cohort with the main militia/mafia “leaders”
Posted by: adonis49 on: November 3, 2019
Secondary robbers in cohort with the main militia/mafia “leaders”
For 30 years, all Lebanon institutions were staffed with the supporters of the militia/mafia “leaders”. A third of the working people are of the civil servants kinds, many don’t even show up and get a monthly salary.
I submit that for 30 years, the chairman of the Parliament, Nabih Berry, was the main godfather who distributed the stolen budget to the various highway robbers and playing the coordinator and communicator among the various parties and syndicates to iron out the particular variants.
Many in that list are Not the robbers, among them Elias Saab (current minister of defense and who decided Not get paid) and Jobran Bassil (current minister of foreign affairs and the chairman of the party of President Aoun))
لائحة المتورطين (المتهمين) بالفساد الذين وردت اسماؤهم في حلقة #يسقط_حكم_الفاسد.
القاضي علي ابراهيم
القاضية غادة عون
مدير الجمارك بدري ضاهر
القاضي بيتر جيرمانوس
الوزير علي حسن خليل
الوزير جمال الجراح
مدير الجمارك السابق شفيق مرعي
عضو المجلس الاعلى للجمارك غراسيا قزي (مدعومة من بري)
النائب نجيب ميقاتي
بشارة كرباج
علي الفاعور
هشام السبع
ريمون خوري
القاضي منذر ذبيان
اولاد فؤاد السنيورة
عبدالله بري (نجل نبيه بري)
وليد الداعوق
ريان بزي (ابن علي بزي)
محمد الصفدي
هشام نصرالدين
سليم جريصاتي
اكرم شهيب
رولان الهراوي
ايلي حبيقة
محمد عبدالحميد بيضون
أحمد الجمّال المدعوم من سعد الحريري
جبران باسيل
غازي العريضي
الوزير السابق زعيتر
أيوب حميد
الياس بو صعب
قبل ما حدا يخانقني “ليه اسم فلان (التابع لحزب فلان) موجود؟”
١- حضار الملف (الحلقة كاملة online)
٢- اسأل ليه ما تحرّك القضاء ليثبت براءتهن اذا بريئين
٣- والأهم اسأل نفسك ليه فتّشت بالاسامي عن اشخاص معينين، وصدقت انو في ناس ممكن يكونو حراميي وناس لاء (راجع موضوعيتك).
امّا اذا مقتنع انو كل هالملفات تلفيق، تذكر انو في مليارات منهوبة مركبة اليوم ديون عليي وعليك، احترقو مثلاً بالغلط؟
مش غلط نسائل! مش غلط نحاسب!
What Red Lines have Lebanon mass upheaval Protesters been Drawing?
Posted by: adonis49 on: November 1, 2019
What Red Lines have the Lebanon mass upheaval Protesters Drawing?
Protesters Are Drawing Their Own Red Lines
In light of the government’s decision on 17 October 2019, to increase taxes and impose a fee on WhatsApp, protests broke across the country in an unprecedented way.
This is not the first time people protest—they have done so in the last decade—but this instance is different.
Firstly, it was spontaneous and leaderless as people took it upon themselves to take to the streets, on Thursday night.
Secondly, protests are not Beirut-centric: They are spread across the country, and in political party strongholds usually immune to such movements, such as Nabatieh, Sour, Zouk, and Tripoli.
Thirdly, unlike the 2005 protests following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, those of 2011 against the sectarian system, or those of 2015 which were triggered by the garbage crisis, this movement is primarily a socio-economic revolt triggered by tax.
Taken aback, politicians had to quickly acknowledge the grievances of the protesters, estimated to be more than one million countrywide, but failed to understand how deep the discontent is.
Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, who is also the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, the largest party in parliament, could not even read people’s anger. He was in such denial that he actually said that “these protests are not against us, they are in our favor,” only to be targeted with damning chants by protesters in the streets.
(Actually, this mass movement offered an boost to the credibility of FPM for trying hard to change this anomie system, where every “leader” and his deputy acquired the monopoly of all the consumer goods, energy, services, financial transaction, real estates…)
Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, was defensive as he went at great length to explain to his constituency that he did not betray them, because no new taxes were adopted by the government in the first place—a claim that is not true according to members in the government. He went on to say that, in any case, even if approved, he would vote them down in parliament.
The Amal Movement, which was silent for the first three days of the protests, came out to say that they had been fighting for such demands for the last 45 years, failing to recognize that, if true, how this makes them look utterly inept. (Actually, Nabih Berry is the Parliament chairman for the 27 years, and I conjecture that he is the Godfather of all the militia/mafia “leaders”)
The Lebanese Forces (LF) (Samir Jaaja) and the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) (Walid Jumblat), which were both marginalized in the government, saw an opportunity to bring it down. (Actually the LF was Not marginalized and got more than its block in the Parliament)
LF went on to resign, but PSP stuck it out, perhaps, hoping to extract certain concessions from the prime minister. As for Prime Minister Saad Hariri, he came out with a 72-hour ultimatum to his coalition members to accept his reform measures, largely proposed in the CEDRE conference in April 2018.
Realizing how serious the situation is, the prime minister adhered to his self-imposed deadline and announced following a government meeting on Monday, 21 October, a list of 25 policy measures to address the socio-economic crisis.
Putting aside the content of these measures for a moment, it is impressive how, when under popular pressure, the government found the time and effort to produce some policy ideas.
In 3 days and one governmental session, it passed measures and bills exceeding by far the two bills—electricity in April 2019 and the Budget Law 2019 in July 2019—that took more than 35 sessions held between February 2019 and last week.
Some of the key measures that the government adopted after the 72-hour deadline include the reduction of the deficit, no additional taxes on people, adopting a pension law, and fighting corruption.
However, many of the measures cast doubt on how realistic they are and fall short of people’s expectations. They came too little too late. In any case, there are several concerns.
It is unclear how the government will reduce the deficit from more than 7% to almost 0.6% of GDP in one year.
The task to cut $5 billion is monumental, and after more than 30 years of chronic budget deficit, the fact that it found a way to do so in three days, all without major tax reforms, seems suspicious.
It did not provide an implementation to the plan, but the one-time tax on bank profits shows how unsustainable this will be. The government may also be planning to have the Central Bank carry the deficits so that its books would look shinier. Whatever the plan is, a sustainable and fair public finance framework needs to be in place, and it is clearly missing so far.
Reducing the deficit without taxing the people reveals how rotten, arrogant, and greedy the political elites have been. (It is their flaunting of their robbed wealth that exaggerated the discontent when every deputy or a main public servant spend $millions for the wedding of their sons…)
They have consistently taxed working people and made them disproportionately carry the tax burden while arguing that there were no other options.
Currently, two-third of tax revenues are regressive and such taxes have increased over the years more than taxes on capital, even though the former’s real income effectively declined in the last decade, whereas the latter had made significant economic gains. The government only backtracked when the unfair tax system triggered this revolt.
The government’s plan to fight corruption is simply ridiculous.
The same political parties enlisted corruption as a major electoral demand back in the 2018 parliamentary election, but they have done absolutely nothing to fight it. The government’s plan to adopt the Office of the Minister of State for Administrative Reform’s strategy to fight corruption is simply to appease donors, and to show that it is doing something about it.
This time, people will have none of that.
If it were serious about reforms, the government would have prepared or even adopted the draft law to make the judiciary independent. (On paper and by law the judiciary is independent)
It would have also strengthened the oversight agencies including the procurement office. These are crucial elements to fight corruption but the government was silent concerning them.
In fact, even when the government adopted the electricity bill in April 2019, it undermined the role of the procurement agencies by having a ministerial committee decide on the winning bid—an act prone to corruption.
Tellingly, even the prime minister is not convinced of his own plan, as he states that, in order to avoid corruption in state contracts, capital investment from taxpayers’ money—which is a key part of growth—will be zero.
One would have thought that, if credible, the strategy the government plans to adopt would push for clear and transparent procurement systems. To state that the foreign-funded capital investment will be free of corruption is to admit that all publicly contracted projects are already infested with corruption. He should then set up an independent committee to review all these contracts.
Bringing the private sector into the equation through what is commonly known as the Public Private Partnership (PPP) requires serious institutional regulatory prerequisites that the state does not have.
Those who argue that we need to adopt PPP because the state is weak and it does not have the capacity are those undermining it and contributing to the public theft in the first place.
In fact, for PPP to be effective and positively contribute to the economy, we need an effective state which we currently do not have due primarily to the political parties that have governed over the last 30 years.
As for pension reform, Hariri has provided little information on how it is going to work or be funded. It seems that he was compelled to do so to appease the protesters.
The prime minister also enlisted one of the demands of the people about the “stolen money”. This is the first time that he finally recognizes the issue but he clearly has neither the intention to implement it, nor the mechanism to do so. How could he, when many of those who have contributed to public theft are either politicians or have strong connections to them?
Knowing how the government works, the timeline of the program is not feasible at all.
What is missing from the program—in addition to the institutional pillars like an independent judiciary and strong oversight agencies—are the regard for key environmental concerns.
The government has so far ignored scientific evidence against the building of incinerators and dams, as private financial interests continue to trump people’s health.
Putting the pieces together, all these policy measures lack credibility, and they hollow out the state rather than build an effective one.
The fact that the government rushed into adopting these measures shows how flawed the system is and betrays a failure in governance par excellence. These policy measures cannot and will not be implemented without effective and sustained pressure.
Perhaps, Hariri found the opportunity with the protest to pass key measures and legislation, previously obstructed by his coalition partners, to appease donors and get access to CEDRE money (European funds).
This is not what the country needs.
What Lebanon needs is something fundamentally different.
We need an effective state that works for the people, an accountable government that we can trust and that listens to people’s needs, and a social contract where rights are protected and taxes are fairly allocated.
None of this came through from the government’s plan. People were not fooled and remained in the streets asking for the government to resign.
The protesters have made key gains: Not only have they forced the government to cancel its plans to tax the working people, they have imposed their agenda and are shaping the political discourse in the country.
The power of the people is breaking down the walls set up by the political elite on what is possible and not possible. It is moving the red lines of what is feasible and what is not.
They have repealed the rules erected by those in power and their cronies and are drawing up their own set of rules. And this is how fair, democratic, and accountable systems emerge.
Note: Yo may read my third article on this mass upheaval.
https://adonis49.wordpress.com/2019/10/28/third-article-on-lebanons-mass-upheaval-since-october-17/
October 17, 2019: The start of an all out Revolt in Lebanon, in every district.
Posted by: adonis49 on: October 18, 2019
October 17, 2019: The start of an all out Revolt in Lebanon, in every district.
We are not close to ending the culture of impunity. But that is no excuse not to continue to try.
The Irish President was in official visit and had speeches with the Lebanese President. He was to join the Prime minister Serai for a formal dinner.
Events looked cool and promising.
I finished watching a movie at 1 am. and I flipped to a local channel. I was totally surprised to see a huge mass protest in downtown Beirut.
Usually, by 10 pm, the demonstrators disperse, but this time around demonstrators kept flocking in till 3 am. and from far away locations.
I discovered that the mass protests were going on in major cities (Saida and Tripoli) and even in the Bekaa region.
The internal security forces found out that the demonstrators are Not about to retreat or disperse. Each time the forces tried to make a security zone for themselves, they retreated and were pushed back by the determination of the marchers.
No water hoses or gas canisters were used since they demonstrations didn’t generate into violent acts.
But many tires were set to burn in many locations and a few banners and politician posters were torn down.
I went to bed at 3 am and the protests were going strong and I woke up to discover the masses increased in numbers, diversity and locations.
Burning tires closed most highways, and especially access and exit from the airport.
All schools and universities are closed.
So what happened for this outburst of anger?
The convoy of the minister of education, a stooge to his sectarian and civil war leader Walid Jumblat, shot scores of bullets to drive through a few demonstrators.
The minister of communication reported that the government agreed to charge 20 cents for just the first call on WhatsApp. This minster had dispersed $100 million to purchase the building of Touch a month ago, on the ground that this is cheaper to pay rent for 10 years, as the government was promising to cut on unnecessary expenses to balance out the budget.
Here are a few of my comments and notes that felt needed to be posted on FB.
“It is 1:15 am. The news on Al Jadeed is claiming that hundred of motor cycles are converging to downtown Beirut and burning is taking place in front of the Al Amin Mosque and unfinished buildings”.
I started to flip through the local channels and everyone of them were covering the protests, except OTV (the channel of the Al Tayyar, the party of the President of the Republic Michel Aoun)
“OTV committed an unforgivable error: it refused to cover the massively angry citizens. This demonstration was meant to aid the President to “turn the table” over the mafia/militia “leaders”, but the message is clear and loud: “I will Not turn any table. I am part of this political system. All the reforms are meant to be retouch…” . How can we claim Siyadat (autonomy) when the people is hungry and trampled? The President fell into the trap of Nabih Berry/Walid Jumblat/ Samir Jea3ja3 (the main civil war mafia “leaders”, in control since 1993)”.
(Ghareeb. kel al canalaat 3am tonshor al mouzaharaat, ella OTV: Sett latifat? Ghalat. Ghalat. hal mouzaharaat fi haazeh al saa3at al mouta2akhirat moufaja2at kabirat. estakhro al sha3eb lal 2akher)
“The 20 cents on the first WhatsApp call for the day was meant to be symbolic, but the citizens felt it “estekhraa2 mouwaaten”. Bad timing as no one experienced any material changes in the reform or economic state of affairs. Can you feel any possibility for political system changes?”
“The citizens are revolting against their parents who cowed down and accepted indignity for 30 years. Two generations of parents were unable to reform anything in this defunct political system during 3 decades”
(Al mouwaaten 3am ye7ro2 abawaaton yali 3awadouhom 3al zil li 30 years)
The PM decided to cancel out the meeting of the government set for 2 pm today.
“Strange. Instead of meeting to discuss this upheaval and find resolutions, the government opted to shriek its responsibility”
(Ghareeb. badel ma yejtem3o lel ta7aawor, bi yelgho al jalssat. Ma fi mas2ouliyyet)
“I suggest to the President to call China President to extend the cash amount needed to pay what is due of the State to the salaried public servants, the retirement, and the institutions, including hospitals, schools, military personnel.. that have Not be paid for months. Call now Mr. President”
(Mousta7akaat al dawli lel sha3eb, ziyadat ma3aash, takaa3od, mostashfayaat…)
“With the burning of tires in Beirut, all the deputies moved out to their resort villas. The parliament is to contemplate a resort parliament to circumvent “tire burning”
“Nabih Berry, the chairmin of the Parliament in the last 27 years, is doing all he can to oust the President”
(Berry ma baddo mouwazanat 2020. baddo yekhla2 mouwarabat nikaash new voting law, wa halla2?)
“The government is Not about to resign because foreign powers do Not wish it and because Saad Hariri PM is Not about to resign and miss out on the advantages he will reap from the Cedars loans from Europe. I suggest that the ministers of the Al Kouwaat of Samir Jea3ja3 be shed from this government, and the ministers of education and communication be fired. The many ministers with No formal responsibilities be asked to fill the gap”
(Sa3ed moush masmou7 lahuo yestakeel? wa la houwa 3endo marraa2 bi woujoud Cedre. Al e7timal al ma3koul: tan7iyat wouza Al Kouwaat, istikalat Shihayyeb wa Choukair. 3abo al faraagh bi wouzarat bila 7akaa2eb.)
“Come on. If you don’t care to join the protests, at least stay home and refuse to take any vacations”
(yalla. indabbo bil bouyout aw inzalo 3al shaare3. ma fi tesh ba3d al 2an)
The protesters advanced toward the Presidential Palace. The minister of foreign affairs (Jobran Basil), the chairman of the Tayyar party and the strongman of the President) delivered a strong and exhaustive speech from the Palace. Basil demanded that the government meet continuously in order to finish the 2020 budget, that all ministers and deputies submit their financial balance sheets, all the thieves be brought to trial and the recovered money be deposited in a Sovereign Fund…
I feel most of the present protesters are primed to target Jobran Basil, meaning to point the blame to the President, though they were out of the political system for 2 decades.
It is 5:45 and the protesters of Tripoli in Nour Square “Sa7at al Nour” are experiencing live bullets from the guards of former deputy Mosbaa7 A7dab. Seven protesters were severely injured and one killed. The protesters refused this guy to join the marches and after the raining of the bullets they converged and burned Mesbaa7 vans business .
Apparently, the protesters are sick and tired of all politicians, current or former. Although, if you interview anyone aside, he will lambast everyone, except his sectarian leader.
I am waiting for the Saad Hariri PM speech at 6 pm in his Palace (Serai).
Saad delivered his short speech at 6:45. He gave himself 72 hours to hear a definite and full agreement by the political allies on the program for the set of reforms. Apparently, as he said, all the parties agree and at the last minutes they recant on their promises. And this process has been going on for 3 years.
The funny part, all these politicians say “I was feeling with you all the time, you hunger, frustration and despair, but I refrained from expressing myself publicly…”
The protesters claimed that they will Not quit the street until the government resigns. And they prefer a military coup to round up the political thieves and set the stage for new election.
Note 1: In March 8 and March 14 2005, Beirut witnessed mass demonstrations after Syria decided to withdraw its troops from Lebanon. On March 8, Hezbollah organized a demonstration to “Thank the Syrian troops for a job well done”. On March 14, a counter mass demonstration was held in celebration of the withdrawal of the Syrian troops after 3 decades of presence. All the political parties and their “militia leaders” (who lead the civil war and totally cooperated with the Israeli occupation and the Syrian presence in order to preserve their privileges and political positions) took advantage to claim the patriotism.
October 17, 2019 is a far monster demonstration in diversity, location and determination: it is an upheaval against the internal enemies, thieves and highway robbers of the budget in the last 3 decades.
Note 2: A few years ago, Lebanon was crumbling under a massive waste disposal problem under Sa2eb Salam PM. The wastes were deposited on the streets and on the sides of the rivers. The protesters, under the banners ” You smell” (tol3et ri7etkom) were dispersed with water hoses and gas canisters. The waste disposal problem is still Not resolved.
Lebanese Billionaires with account in Switzerland and Not able to withdraw a cent?
Posted by: adonis49 on: May 17, 2019
Lebanese Billionaires with account in Switzerland and Not able to withdraw a cent?
لائحة إسمية بالمسؤولين اللبنانيين الذين لديهم حسابات مجمّدة في البنوك السويسرية ، الغير قادرين على سحب دولار واحد منها بتعليمات من الإدارة الأميركية(المصدر ويكيلكس)
١-فؤاد السنيورة ٩.١ مليار دولار
٢- نجيب ميقاتي٧.٨ مليار دولار
٣-طه ميقاتي ٦.٨ مليار دولار
٤-نبيه برّي ٦.٣ مليار دولار
٥-ميشال المر ٥.٩ مليار دولار
٦- سعدالدين الحريري ٥.٩ مليار دولار
٧-رندا بري ٥.٧ مليار دولار
٨-رياض سلامة ٥ مليار دولار
٩-وليد جنبلاط ٤.٦ مليار دولار
١٠- الياس المر ٣.٦ مليار دولار
١١-عبدالله بري ٢ مليار دولار
١٢ ميشال سليمان ٢ مليار دولار
١٣- نقولا فتوش ١.٩ مليار دولار
١٤- فؤاد مخزومي ١.٩ مليار دولار
١٥- مريام سكاف ١.٦ مليار دولار.
بالإضافة إلى مئات الأسماء التي رصيدها يتراوح بين نص مليار دولار صعودا حتى مليار دولار. وهناك المئات أيضا أموالهم مودعة في البنوك الأميركية والفرنسية ستصدر لائحة بأغلبيتهم تباعاً
للأسف هذا لبنان وهؤلاء زعمائه.ويجب على الشعب اللبناني أن يعرف أين مقدرات البلاد.
عاش الزعماء ….مات الشعب
سرق الزعماء….افتقر الشعب
Adonis Diaries 
Comment and notes in Lebanese slang. Part 17
Posted by: adonis49 on: November 19, 2019
Comment and notes in Lebanese slang. Part 17
La kaan wa la baan. Every deputy (naayeb) in Lebanon, ex and current who was elected twice, consciously participated in this anomi political system every time they voted for “chairman” Nabih Berry. They should face justice and their salary is “7araam” and we should recover it.
Min zamaan kolt: Nabih ma baddo mouwaazanet 2020: baddo yi dallo moumsek bi tabakat al fassaad. Ra7 yi sawwef bi kel anwaa3 al khouza3balaat bil majless.
Dala3 Saad Hariri wa kharaf Nabih touhayye2 ardiyat 7oukoumat “mouwaajahat” 3ala kol azlaam al khaarej. Kol al 7ouloul ma bet basher bi aya najaa7. Baddna 7oukoumat Siyyadiyat la 6 months.
Kel shi secondary until Nabih is forced out as chief of the Parliament. Kabla ekhraaj Nabih min markazo al daa2m, wa esti3aadat aham mou2assassat al dawli: majless al niyaabi
Kem yawm a3ta al Sayyed lel 7oukoumat to deliver?
Ba3ed 3 decades, almost all civil servants t7awalo faassideen, iza baddon aw ma baddon: Individual moral code cannot vanquish work code in a rotten system.
3askar? wa kaa2ed al jaish (Joseph Aoun) khaa2ef min International Court? Ya te3tirna. Ma fi ella Hezbollah ta yi sheel al zeer min al beer
Bi yen3emelha dawaabet? 7adda msadda2 fi shi bi yondobet ella 3ala al wara2?
Shi 7elo. Halla2 infada7et al khottat? Min tani yawm kaalo infada7et al khottat. kel ma yesakkro torokaat, bterja3 tenfada7, 7atta fi awkaat 7iraak selmi, infada7et. Wal Faranci jaayi yestafham? Moush mafroud al Faranci yi fahemna shou 3am ye7sal?
Al wade3 twadda7? ma 7ada bil shaare3 al yawm. kel al canaalaat rej3et la baraamijha lel tajheel. yalli 3endo 3amal, m2adrab 3an al shohol. yalli ma 3endo 3amal, 3am yi fattesh 3a shoghol 7atta yi adreb. Kel siyyarat bil torkaat moush 3aaref li wayn zaahibat. Dayya3 shaamel..
Leish yezerko Seniora? $11 milliars taffo bedoun shourout. Leish yi 7otton bi Central Bank? Wazza3on 7ossass 3a militia leaders wa wouzara be2yo ma3o. La fi President wa la ra2eeb. E7tafaz bi 7ossat kbiri ka thaman lel zihaab ila Daw7at. Wa shou Judge Ibrahim baddo ya3ref aktar? Proportions of 7ossass militia leaders?
Yalla, 3al Zaytouni Bay dorr. Ma tontoro. drouri hal solta al ghaliza wal mouhalhali tefham: kafa ye3ni kafa. wa Kelon ye3ni kelon.
Ma tsad2o nakaabat al tojjar al kbaar: kezzabeen. 3endo depos fiha tzawid China bi kel shi. Monopolies mounzou 50 senni
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