The Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) is a local non-profit, non-partisan Lebanese human rights organization in Beirut that was established by the Franco-Lebanese Movement SOLIDA (Support for Lebanese Detained Arbitrarily) in 2006. SOLIDA has been active since 1996 in the struggle against arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance and the impunity of those perpetrating gross human violations.

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November 29, 2011

L'orient le jour - L’association des membres de la Légion d’honneur établit le bilan de son action, November 29th 2011


L’assemblée générale annuelle de la Société d’entraide des membres de la Légion d’honneur-section Liban (SEMLH) s’est tenue au siège de l’Institut culturel français, rue de Damas, afin d’établir le bilan de son action et d’évaluer les activités de son comité administratif. L’assemblée a eu lieu sous la présidence du président de la SEMLH, cheikh Michel el-Khoury, et en présence du président d’honneur, l’ancien ministre Michel Eddé, et des membres de l’association.
Prenant la parole, M. Khoury a évoqué succinctement le bilan de l’action du comité administratif de l’association au cours de l’année écoulée. De son côté, M. Eddé a mis l’accent sur l’importance de la solidarité entre les détenteurs de la Légion d’honneur.
Pour sa part, le secrétaire général de l’association, M. Rafic Chelala, a donné lecture de son rapport annuel qui expose de manière détaillée les principales réalisations du comité administratif au cours des douze derniers mois, dont notamment le transfert des bureaux de l’association à l’immeuble Olivetti, dans le secteur du Musée, la finalisation de la liste des détenteurs de la Légion d’honneur, l’équipement d’une bibliothèque mise à la disposition des membres de l’association, la création d’un site Internet couvrant les informations en rapport avec la SEMLH, la contribution au financement de l’enseignement de la langue française dans certaines écoles de différents mohafazats en collaboration avec l’association française « Une lumière au Levant », l’organisation d’une série d’activités culturelles, l’invitation adressée à Amin Maalouf, en sa qualité de nouveau membre de l’Académie française, à venir au Liban l’an prochain pour une cérémonie qui sera organisée en son honneur, l’approbation d’une série d’avantages dont pourraient bénéficier les membres de l’association.
M. Chelala a également exposé dans son rapport la coordination établie entre la SEMLH-section Liban et la société mère en France.
Le trésorier, Kamel Mehanna, a ensuite donné lecture de son rapport financier qui a été approuvé par l’assemblée générale.
Les membres présents ont ensuite débattu des amendements suggérés au niveau du statut et du règlement intérieur de l’association. Ces amendements ont été avalisés par l’assemblée générale après y avoir apporté certaines modifications.
L’assemblée générale a en outre décidé de former des commissions ad hoc afin d’organiser des activités culturelles et de renforcer les liens d’amitié et de solidarité entre les membres de la SEMLH et les détenteurs de la Légion d’honneur française à l’étranger. Décision a été également prise d’organiser l’obtention par les membres de l’association de visas français et de visas Schengen. Enfin, un prix récompensant la meilleure production culturelle et artistique se rapportant aux relations franco-libanaises a été créé.
À l’issue de l’assemblée générale, les membres présents ont rendu hommage aux efforts déployés par le président et le secrétaire général de la SEMLH au cours de l’année écoulée afin de réactiver l’action de l’association.

http://www.lorientlejour.com/category/Liban/article/733882/L%27association_des_membres_de_la_Legion_d%27honneur_etablit_le_bilan_de_son_action.html

naharnet- Jumblat’s National Struggle Front Links Stance to Miqati’s Decision on Cabinet Crisis , November 29, 2011

Sources close to Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said the Druze chief’s stance from the government crisis is linked to the decision that Premier Najib Miqati would take if the March 8 ministers reject to fund the international tribunal.
Sources close to Jumblat told As Safir daily on Tuesday that the PSP chief rejects the collapse of the government. “The country cannot bear” crises anymore, they said.
“We should avoid everything that creates instability,” the sources said.
They reiterated that Jumblat backs the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. He along with President Michel Suleiman and Miqati supports the payment of Lebanon’s share to the STL.
The sources of Jumblat, who leads the National Struggle Front, also said that the parliamentary bloc’s stance is linked to any decision that Miqati would take.
The premier warned last week that he would submit his resignation if the cabinet failed to fund the tribunal.
The sources told An Nahar newspaper that several ministers believe Miqati would resign because the Hizbullah-led March 8 forces would reject to fund the court during a cabinet session on Wednesday.
Approval of the payment of Lebanon’s 49 percent share would be seen as a major loss to the Shiite party whose members have been indicted by the STL, they said.

naharnet- Report: March 8 Seeking Post-Miqati Successor, November 29, 2011

The March 8 forces are preparing for the post-Prime Minister Najib Miqati stage as Hizbullah is expected to object the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon during Wednesday’s cabinet session.
The Hizbullah leadership began over the past two weeks preparing for the post-Miqati stage, if the premier carried out his threat to resign if the funding of the STL wasn’t approved by the cabinet, sources told the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat.
They said that the party is seeking to find the official that will succeed Miqati as PM.
Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has openly opposed Lebanon paying its annual share, as Lebanon is responsible for meeting 49 percent of the STL's financing, which amounts to some $33 million this year.
The sources noted that there are ongoing discussions with Sunni officials to choose the successor, especially with ex-PM Omar Karami.
“The cabinet session will witness a heated debate between its members if it was held and Speaker Nabih Berri succeeded in his mediation,” the sources told the daily.
A March 8 forces ministerial source told An Nahar newspaper on Tuesday that the cabinet session will remain on time.
The source noted that the obstacle facing the cabinet isn’t the funding of the STL anymore, as the demands of the Free Patriotic Movement have complicated the situation.
Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc’s ministers stressed on Saturday that their participation in the cabinet depends on several issues. Among them are efforts by the cabinet to make appointments at the Higher Judicial Council, resolving the wage dispute for employees and implementing several development projects in the electricity and water sectors.

naharnet- Hizbullah to Attend Cabinet Session, Hopes Government Would not Resign , November 29, 2011

Hizbullah Minister Mohammed Fneish said the Shiite party will attend a cabinet session set to discuss the funding of the international tribunal on Wednesday but stressed that it continues to reject the payment of Lebanon’s share to the court.
Following talks with Premier Najib Miqati at the Grand Serail, Fneish said: “Miqati continues to hold onto his stance … so do we.”
“We hope that the government would not resign,” he said in reference to Miqati’s warning that he would submit his resignation if the cabinet failed to fund the Special Tribunal for Lebanon that has indicted four Hizbullah members in the Feb. 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and 21 others.
Asked if Hizbullah had asked for additional time to study the funding decision, the minister of state for administrative reform said: “No, we haven’t. Our stance is clear.”
He stressed that the cabinet should stay in power and continue to make achievements.
When asked about Hizbullah’s efforts to preserve its existence, the minister said: “I don’t have an answer to that.”
“Everyone should respect the cabinet’s decision … either through voting or consensus,” he told reporters.
The minister’s visit to Miqati came amid last-ditch efforts to resolve the funding crisis.
“Any resignation isn’t an end in itself and only becomes an option when ability to deliver/serve is undermined,” Miqati said on twitter on Monday.
“STL financing is a symbolic mean to a bigger end: justice, stability and Lebanon’s continuous respect of its international commitments,” he said in another tweet.
The STL funding is among 69 items on the cabinet’s agenda on Wednesday.
As Safir daily quoted Miqati’s sources as saying that the PM hasn’t completely shut the door to suggestions on a solution to the funding crisis.
He is ready to hear all “suggestions that would help fund the STL and that fall in the country’s interest,” they said.
Change and Reform bloc ministers on Saturday made a series of requests as a condition to their participation in the government. Among the demands are cabinet decisions on issues linked to the people’s livelihoods and the implementation of development projects.
Asked about these requests, Fneish said: “I agree with them on the importance of the issues that concern the citizen and are linked to their livelihoods.”
But he stressed that the requests call for the activation of the government work rather than its collapse.

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