Jumblatt: Concentrating authority in Lahoud's hand leads to war
Lebanon, Politics, 8/10/1999

The chairman of the Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, has warned that any violation of the Taif accord into a "sectarian-presidential or presidential-security regime" -- a government that survives on grounds of religious consideration or by means of force -- would endanger precise balances in Lebanon.

He called on the Lebanese parliament members to not be taken as a cattle of sheep to the weekly meetings (of the Parliament).

In a statement he made on Sunday Jumblatt, reported by the Lebanese Daily al-Safir said, "The red flower I have put yesterday on the martyrs monuments," is a flower for the "unknown soldier" in the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), the Lebanese resistance, the Amal movement, the Islamic national resistance movements.

"It is the flower of the unknown soldier in the Lebanese army and the unknown soldier in the Syrian army who fought with us on all fronts as well as the Palestinian soldier," he said.

In a statement to Reuters, Jumblatt warned against any concentration of power in the hands of the Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and his close aides, which he said threatens to repeat historical mistakes which led to the civil war in Lebanon from 1975 until 1990.

Jumblatt added that President Lahoud rules through the intelligence and a group of army officers, saying that Lahoud is leading a coup against the Taif accord and that this may "damage the internal balance in Lebanon."

Jumblatt continued that Lebanon is based on "balance" and that if President Lahoud is to rule separately, problems will occur. He accused Lahoud of violating this balance and ruling in his own way.

He continued: "The balance is fragile," adding that if Lahoud depends only on getting the army involved in civil affairs and if he is intending in ruling out the old political class, including Jumblatt, Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, taking into his account that the Americans are backing him, all that will lead to problems inside Lebanon.

Jumblatt added that Lahoud is only targeting Hariri's allies by investigations and judicial cases. He asserted, "There is no government. There is an army controlling the government, and Lahoud does not want to listen."

On Sunday, the PSP held a celebration and a march attended by some 30,000 citizens. It started from al-Sammaqia town to Beiteddine Dawar in the Shouf area on the occasion of "al-Jabal martyrs."

The Progressive Socialist Party celebrates annually the August 7 anniversary of the Arab nation's martyrs which coincides with the birthday of Parliament member Walid Jumblatt.

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