Home News Daily news from Lebanon Army Takes Over Controversial Government Decisions Calls for Withdrawal of Gunmen

Army Takes Over Controversial Government Decisions Calls for Withdrawal of Gunmen

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Written by News Editor

Saturday, 10 May 2008

The Lebanese Army command decided to maintain Brig. Wafik Shoqeir commander of airport security pending completion of investigation and called for withdrawal of gunmen from the streets after violence renewed in Beirut and spread to north and east Lebanon. The Army command's move came shortly after Premier Fouad Saniora declared that the government would not be terrorized by Hizbullah's weapons and its occupation of Beirut and proposed a five-point settlement placing the disputed government decisions in the hands of the military establishment. The Army command said it would deal with Hizbullah's communications network issue along the lines of safeguarding "security of the resistance and the public interest." At least six people were killed and 12 wounded when a sole gunman opened fire at a funeral procession for one of the Mustaqbal Movement's supporters in Beirut's Tarik Jedideh district. Three people were killed and 13 wounded in several clashes throughout north Lebanon between supporters of the majority, on the one hand, and members of the Baath and Syrian Social National Party (SSNP), on the other. Majority supporters, angered by the opposition control of western Beirut, also attacked offices of opposition parties in the northern town of Tripoli and adjacent Minaa, setting them ablaze. In the Bekaa valley, also clashes were reported between majority supporters, mainly partisans of the Mustaqbal movement, and opposition members. Mustaqbal Movement sources said the sole assailant who opened fire on the Mourners at Tarik Jedideh is a member of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri's AMAL Movement and identified him as Mohammed Hussein as-Sabbah. AMAL, however, issued a statement denying involvement in the crime. An official report announced that as-Sabah was rounded up by the army. Meanwhile, Saniora made a televised address to the Lebanese stressing that "your state would not collapse." Saniora accused Hizbullah of launching war "on the state and the people" proposed a five-point "intro to a settlement." The Saniora initiative called for placing the two controversial government decisions in the hands of the Army command, withdrawing gunmen from the streets and assigning police and the army to enforce law and order. The initiative also called for the immediate election of a consensus president, the formation of a national unity government in which the opposition does not have veto powers and the majority does not have the power to adopt decisions. Saniora also called all media organizations to adopt a "code of honor" halting all campaigns and counter campaigns. Saniora called for a minute of silence and mourning throughout the streets of Lebanon at 12 noon Sunday, stressing that participants should raise Lebanese flags. He reiterated that his government would not resign, contrary to what the Hizbbullah-led opposition hopes for.

 

 

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