Le système confessionnel libanais : polémique et réalités

05Feb10

Lundi 15 février 2010 à 19h30 - Musée Social, Paris VIIe

Autour de:

Talal Atrissi, sociologue et Professeur à l’Université Libanaise

Albert Costanian, membre du bureau politique du Parti Kataeb

Antoine Messarra, membre du Conseil Constitutionnel libanais, Professeur

Nasri Sayegh, analyste politique et écrivain

Débat modéré par Georges Sassine, journaliste

A la Une depuis la formation du nouveau gouvernement libanais, la dé-confessionnalisation du système politique au Liban fait l’objet de controverse au sein de la classe politique libanaise. Au delà de la polémique, une évolution du système doit-elle être envisagée ?
Les intervenants au débat organisé par le Collectif feront part de leur analyse sur ce sujet en essayant de répondre aux points suivants :
> Pourquoi le débat sur la déconfessionnalisation refait-il surface aujourd’hui ?

Filed under: Lebanese Expatriates, Strictly Lebanese   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: système confessionnel libanais

Remembering March 14, 2005

04Feb10

Filed under: Strictly Lebanese   |  2 Comments
Tags: 2005, March 14

Hizbollah prepares for war

30Jan10

This week gave a brief highlight of intertwined news. From one end, Hizbollah upgraded its military capability as Israel is accused of assassinating a senior Hamas commander. Obama approved arms sales to Taiwan. And, the US Senate backed tougher sanctions against Iran.

What concerns our readers throughout the world, was last Saturday events. Hizbollah’s commander in southern Lebanon, Sheikh Nabil Kaouk, said that the guerrilla force branch was upgrading its military capabilities. Kaouk also stated that Israel feared retribution for the assassination of Imad Mugnieh and that its repeated threats against Lebanon raised the real prospect of war that would engulf the entire region. Analysts have highlighted the relocation of Hizbollah rocket sites to areas north of the Litani river, with some caches north of Beyrouth, suggesting that any future conflict with the Shi’a movement would lead to a broader conflict between Israel and Lebanon.

This Friday, the Islamist political movement Hamas claimed that Israel’s intelligence service, Mossad, was behind the killing of one of its senior operatives in Dubai last week. Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was one of the founders of Hamas’ military arm, and was personally responsible for the kidnapping and murder of two Israeli soldiers in 1989.

Israel does not discuss details relating to Mossad operations, but it is a widespread assumption that assassination has long been a tool of state policy. Certainly both Mugnieh and al-Mabhouh would be regarded as high priority targets for such a policy. After a lengthy career planning and carrying out terrorist acts, including bombings, Hamas unabashedly disclosed that Al-Mabhouh played a “continuous role in supporting his brothers in the resistance inside the occupied homeland” until his death. Mugnieh was operations chief for Hizbollah’s own military wing, and has been described by former CIA operative Robert Baer as “one of the most capable” opponents the CIA had ever encountered.

Filed under: Strictly Lebanese   |  2 Comments
Tags: Hezbollah, Hizbollah, Sheikh Nabil Kaouk

Movie: The One Man Village – Avant-premièred in France

28Jan10

En avant-première en France – « THE ONE MAN VILLAGE* » (SEMAAN AL DAY’A)

Film documentaire libanais de Simon El Habre (en arabe sous-titré en français)

Synopsis – Site du film: theonemanvillage.com

Semaan mène une vie paisible dans sa ferme, dans le petit village d’Ain el el-Halazoun, dans les montagnes du Liban. Ce hameau a été totalement vidé et détruit pendant les combats de la guerre civile entre 1975et 1990. Aujourd’hui, bien des années après une réconciliation officielle, les habitants, tous issus d’une même famille, y retournent régulièrement pour cultiver leurs parcelles ou pour visiter leurs maisons. Ils repartent toujours avant le coucher du soleil. Sauf Semaan …

Produit en 2008, ce long-métrage documentaire a déjà été présenté dans plus de 40 festivals oùil a remporté 9 prix. Sa sortie officielle en France est prévue pour le printemps 2010.

Filed under: Culturel   |  1 Comment
Tags: Ain el el-Halazoun, Casino du Liban, IritNeidhardt, Jad Abi-Khalil, Simon El Habre, The One Man Village

Lebanese Expatriates right to Vote in 2013 Elections, says President Sleiman

24Jan10

The Lebanese Parliamentary Election of 2013 may give Lebanese Expatriates the right to vote from abroad.

President Michel Sleiman said on Saturday that he is committed to this just cause. He also called for stepping up the effort to adopt the law that would allow people of Lebanese descent (diaspora) to gain back Lebanese citizenship, giving them the right to vote in 2013 along with expatriates (unlike the 2009 Parliamentary Elections).

In a possible reference to the draft law that would lower the voting age from 21 to 18, the president said political bargaining should not postpone reforms that grant Lebanese youth their rights, particularly the right to express themselves.

To prevent postponing municipal elections, which are supposed to happen in the spring, the bill to lower the voting age must be passed by February 11.

According to Sleiman, reform begins with amending the electoral law, lowering the voting age, granting expatriates the right to vote and making administrative appointments.

Lebanon will not move forward if it does not respect its youth, expatriates, qualifications [for administrative appointments] and the [people’s] right to democracy,” the Lebanese President said.

Filed under: Lebanese Expatriates   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: Dispora, Elections, expats, Lebanese Expatriates, Lebanese Expats, Michel Sleiman, parliamentary, parliamentary elections

Massoud Ali-Mohammed, Iran’s leading nuclear scientist murdered

12Jan10

A powerful bomb killed one of Iran’s leading nuclear scientists as he left for work on Tuesday, a murder for which the Iranian government immediately blamed Israel and the West. Massoud Ali-Mohammed,  taught at the University of Tehran and was a prominent supporter of Mir Hossein Mousavi, the opposition leader. Last month, Iran’s top diplomat accused the United States and Saudi Arabia of kidnapping another nuclear scientist. Dr Ali-Mohammadi, 50, died when a remote-controlled bomb exploded in the smart Qeytarieh district of northern Tehran, according to Iran’s state media

The government blamed the bombing on an armed Iranian opposition group that it said operated under the direction of Israel and the US. Iran often accuses both countries of meddling in its affairs – both when it comes to postelection unrest and its nuclear program. Israel’s foreign ministry had no comment.

Iran also directed suspicion at the exiled opposition group the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran. One conservative Iranian Web site close to the ruling establishment said the group carried out the attack under direction of Israeli agents.

Filed under: Aggregated, Middle East   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: bomb, Iran, Israel, Massoud Ali-Mohammed, nuclear scientist

When will it snow?

12Jan10

While much of the United States and Europe is fighting subzero temperatures, Lebanon is praying for snow as unusually warm weather puts a dampener on the country’s lucrative ski season.

“So many clients cancelled their reservations for the month of January,” said Walid Kanaan, who runs the luxurious InterContinental Mountain Resort and Spa at Mzaar, nestled in the mountain town of Faraya, northeast of Beyrouth.

“The lack of snow has forced clients to postpone their bookings until February or March, and truth be told, I understand their disappointment,” Kanaan told AFP.

Skiing, snowboarding, mountain climbing and snowmobiling are fashionable in the winter months in Faraya, which is located 2,500 metres (8,200 feet) above sea level.

But the only activities in the town so far this year have been the roasting of chestnuts and corn by street vendors, hiding from the sun under umbrellas as they wait in vain for customers.

Filed under: Strictly Lebanese   |  3 Comments
Tags: Lebanon, Ski, snow