Workshop / Seminar on Human Rights Abuses in Lebanon
By: Charbel Khouri
UALM
8/4/04
On Wednesday 31st of March 2004, The Australian-Lebanese human rights organization Cedarwatch held a seminar/workshop at the NSW Parliament House in Sydney. In what was a truly great event the large audience packed into the theatrette to witness Mr. Stephen Stanton, the convenor of Cedarwatch deliver a stirring speech, which was at times funny, sad and emotional. Apart from Mr. Stanton other speakers at the seminar included Dr. Leanne Piggott who is a lecturer in Middle East politics at the University of Sydney, also present was a spokesperson from Amnesty International (AI). The Free Lebanese Australian Youth Movement (FLAYM) also contributed to the event with a moving presentation on Lebanon, which focused on the Syrian occupation and the ongoing human rights abuses in the country.
The seminar that was conducted by Cedarwatch, helps promote a free, independent and sovereign Lebanon by calling on all free-minded and democracy-loving peoples, and especially those of Lebanese ancestry, to protest to their governments and to human rights bodies, such as Amnesty International, regarding the situation in Lebanon.
It is reassuring to know that groups such as Cedarwatch exist and continue to be a voice for the oppressed.
Cedarwatch aims to expose the fact that, the Lebanese government with the support of the Syrian intelligence services continues to violently and brutally crackdown on students. Due to the Syrian occupation this type of practice has become the norm in Lebanon. Under Syrian domination Lebanon has become a police state. The scenes in Beirut are reminiscent of Nazi Germany during the 30’s and 40’s where Adolf Hitler’s S.A ‘brown shirts’ and the Gestapo (Secret Service) would terrorise innocent people into submission.
There is no valid reason to savagely attack nonviolent demonstrators, after all their right to demonstrate is protected by the Lebanese constitution, a document that the puppet government rarely adheres to. The authorities turn violent because the government and its Syrian sponsors fear the ever-growing momentum of change that is building and are desperately employing any measures to intimidate the protesters into compliance.
Lebanon was once a trailblazer in the Middle East when it came to human rights, but that’s not the case anymore. The small eastern Mediterranean country is now a fully-fledged member of the world’s police states; Lebanon has officially joined the ranks of countries such as Cuba, Its patron Syria, North Korea and until recently Iraq. Ever since Syria took full control of Lebanon, its human rights record has swiftly become one of the worst in the world.
The government is known to take a very extreme and violent line when it comes to the pro-Sovereignty demonstrators, but on the other hand, the government supports anti-American and pro-Syrian rallies. The government even helps in brining the people from Syria to demonstrate, since it cannot get enough Lebanese to attend the pro Syrian rallies.
Incidents are occurring on a daily basis in Lebanon and the force that the authorities use is becoming more and more violent. Lebanon currently is under a state of martial law that is imposed by Syria. Any dissent is brutally quashed. They might be able to suppress the voice of freedom and change for a while but in the end they are fighting a losing battle. The voice of freedom will never be silenced. The Lebanese are saying today and will be saying everyday from now on; "Dictatorships cannot muzzle freedom"
Cedarwatch must be commended on a job well done. Through events such as this seminar Cedarwatch, is helping raise awareness amongst society regarding the sad state of affairs that Lebanon currently finds itself in. Seminars like the one recently held, play an invaluable role in helping fight the brutal Syrian occupation of Lebanon and all that comes with it.
Congratulations once again to all involved in such a wonderful event.
Charbel Khouri
UALM