Received on 20/12.00
FOR THE PERSONAL ATTENTION OF PRESIDENT EMILE LAHOUD.

Mr. President.
I have read with much interest, and "HOPE", your significant REMARKS, during the first meeting of the recently formed government.
You have implicitly manifested you willingness to an objective review of your mode of conduct, and behavior of your Regime and loyalists in running the country, and dealing with its citizens, in clear disdain to the principles of democracy violating civil and public liberties, as well as, human rights.

According to the constitution "not to your plans" you still have four years left of your mandate to effect the necessary amendments, that, if realized honestly and in goodwill, should remove the disgrace off Lebanon and the Lebanese in general and the Christians community in particular that the past two years represent in the history of the Lebanese democracy, thus washing the shame! Perhaps! From the otherwise noble house of Lahoud.

Having read your REMARKS in the respected and respectable " AL-NAHAR " of this great Lebanese Mr. Ghassan Tueni, great defender of universal values, that Lebanon always prided itself of, I could not help, but, to remember with a lot of bitterness and great pain the last 3 – 4 months of my relationship with you and " your political project ", that has finally ended up forcing me to declare a hunger strike in January 2000 in Tripoli in defense of my freedom and in protest, precisely, of your behavior, your code of ethics , " or the lack of it ",and the continuos manipulation of my whole family, in Spain and Lebanon, demanding you at that time to recapacitate, and reconsider the basics and fundamentals of your principles , acts, and dealings in public life and toward my family. Unfortunately, you rejected to go through a needed process of reflection, and fortunately to me, you instead, decided to send back me to Spain and asked my brother to give me your message after the plane took off, (to calm down and take care of my family and its welfare). After few days in early February 2000 and through my sister Miss. Nahla Charmand and Mr. Tony Al-Dahr, and in several occasions you have threatened me, my wife and three daughters, my parents in law and my brother by death and liquidation and later on May 2000 you repeated your threats from Australia extending them to kidnapping and apparent suicide.... Yes Mr. President, I keep mentioning the same fact in almost all my letters, I have no choice but to keep the flame lit, hoping that, sooner or later our democratic politicians in the European Union and political leaders in Spain and Lebanon assume their political responsibilities and find the way to liberate us from your arbitrary death sentence and alleviate the inhuman sufferings we are going through, due to, your criminal threats which were meant to force me to keep my mouth shut, dare not talk about our experience with you, and denounce your plans and political intentions or even claim our money and rights.

Honestly speaking, I have serious doubts about the sincerity of your REMARKS, you rarely made a political declaration or speech backed by your real intentions or goodwill to transform its contents.... Your wards.... Into deeds, all the contrary your devilish deeds never reflected your angelic speeches and words.

Frankly speaking, even if you were repentant and sincerely wanted to reflect and review your political and not so political actions of the past, will you be permitted to do it by those who according to you, have chosen you 25 years ago and promised you the presidency of the Republic, thus severely conditioning every public meeting, speech, trip or move you were allowed to during 25 years, during that time plenty of efforts, time and money were invested in your training for the job, and in promoting you in your military career, constructing and projecting a certain image especially designed to allow you carry on the plans to pursue a certain " political project " and impose it against the will of the Lebanese people violating the solemn oath you made in Parliament. Am I wrong Mr. President?

Is it not correct that you always controlled the government and the security forces, as if you were the chief of the Mossad, using precisely the methods and instruments of the secret services and in particular, the one with license to kill, kidnap, torture etc etc. . Everywhere in the globe?

Mr. President, is it not true, that in many occasions you insisted on me not to try to ask you to modify your political views, as you are incapable to change at the age of 63?

Mr. President, are you willing to cancel the arbitrary death sentence hanging over our heads and return our money, and legitimate rights and perhaps.... Simply perhaps.... apologize for the enormous and irreparable damage done to the family the " CHARMANDS " who care very very much for its dignity and reputation, perhaps.... Simply perhaps.... This would be a good move and clear indication about the sincerity of your REMARKS.

Should my letter deserve a positive answer, I trust that your dear friend the President of the Spanish government Mr. Jose Maria Aznar will almost certainly help you, as he has been doing " efficiently " up to now, by transmitting your messages through the Spanish secret service with absolute confidentiality and discreetness.

Mr. President, please excuse the frankness of my letter, I deeply feel morally authorized to speak with you and, write to you with openness and frankness, like I have done in the past, given the long time my family and myself spent at your disposition with utmost loyalty and regrettably short sightedness.

My sister Miss. Nahla Charmand has loyally accepted to go to prison in your defense, nearly 6 months has passed since she entered prison and accepted to be separated from her 9 years daughter and mother in order to, protect you and serve as the possible cover to shield you. Don’t you think its about time to put and end to her sacrifices and the sacrifices of Tony Al- Dahr.

Yours faithfully.
Ricardo Charamand
Sant Cugat del Vallès, November 10th. 2000
Address : Pº Canovas del Castillo Nº 2, 2º 1ª
Sant Cugat del Vallès
08190 (BARCELONA) SPAIN
Tel: 00 34 646 48 53 99