Nasrallah Confirms Right of Lebanese Abroad to Safely Return to Their Country

28 Mar 2020

Lebanon – In a televised speech marking the start of the month of “Sha’ban”, Hezbollah Secretary-General, Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, addressed the Lebanese this evening, saying: “It is the right of Lebanese citizens abroad, whether students, travelers or expatriates, to return to Lebanon,” deeming it the state’s duty to secure the necessary assistance to ensure their safe return.

Nasrallah emphasized the need for all sides to bear responsibility in this matter, including the Lebanese people, underlining "the need to respond, whatever the odds,” adding that “this accomplishment would be a source of pride for the government.”

In this context, Nasrallah expressed his appreciation for the declared stances demanding the return of the Lebanese from abroad, wishing at the same time that “no party would resort to defaming the government.”

On the combat against the coronavirus, the Secretary-General considered it “a global war in terms of confronting this virus and finding treatment for it.” He praised the approach of the Lebanese in this respect, pointing to governments in countries abroad who are confused in their confrontation, including super power countries.

Nasrallah went on to indicate that those who are calling for declaring “a state of emergency" in the country, do not understand the meaning of such declaration. Meanwhile, he praised “this courageous government that did not escape its duties, but rather faced them with boldness and responsibility," reiterating his appreciation for the government’s exerted efforts.

“We are still at the beginning of the battle, the risk and the challenge in the face of the Corona epidemic, this unknown enemy," Nasrallah asserted, calling for “more planning and stricter procedures."

He emphasized the need for "general commitment to the measures taken, because any breach of these procedures and the commitment of home quarantine, may thwart the work done and lead to wasting all efforts." He also stressed the need for public commitment to prevent night roaming.

Touching on the high prices and monopolization of certain items, Nasrallah denounced the “greediness” of those responsible, calling on the Ministry of Economy to assume its duties in this regards, as well as other concerned ministries and the judiciary. He also called for "putting pressure on these merchants and monopolists, but without resorting to violence."

Referring to the issue of depositors’ money in Lebanese banks, especially small depositors, Nasrallah confirmed the need to address this dossier under the current circumstances and find the proper solutions to it, especially pertaining to transfers to students abroad.

He mentioned herein the huge profits achieved by the banks, reaching tens of billions of dollars since the nineties, criticizing the “meager aid contribution” of banks to help in the current ordeal, solely limited to six million dollars.

"You are capable of dealing with the conditions of small depositors and students abroad, and this matter cannot be tolerated," Nasrallah underscored, urging the government and judiciary to reach a solution in this regard.

Addressing the country's elite and rich class, Nasrallah implored them to spend money on helping people in need within their sects and regions, similar to the money they usually spend during the elections season.

The Secretary-General also hoped that people would approach corona patients “with more moral support and respect.”

At the world level, Nasrallah considered that “we are living a world war that may lead to a new world order, because this war has entered all spaces and opened cultural and religious talks…as well as discussions about international blocs, the United Nations and whether the European Union will remain or disintegrate, in addition to the fate of globalization and the fate of health systems in the world…”

“It is difficult to anticipate the results thus far,” Nasrallah said, "although we undoubtedly have undergone a new experience, unparalleled for two centuries."

The Secretary-General called for deriving the lesson from what is happening in the world, pointing to the confusion that the US President Donald Trump's administration is experiencing in terms of contradictory positions in the face of Corona, and to learn the lesson from this unknown epidemic that has confused the world and its economy, and has caused casualties.

“This small virus has so far imprisoned three billion people in their homes. Wouldn't that require us to stop and contemplate our inability to comprehend it?” wondered Nasrallah.

On the Yemeni war, Nasrallah renewed his call to stop this war, commending the initiative of the "Ansar Allah" Movement leader, Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi, to exchange his "Saudi military prisoners with Palestinians from Hamas detained in Saudi Arabia."

“The world is facing an ethical test today, and there are countries that have started to fail this test,” Nasrallah concluded, stressing the need for us to pass the test in Lebanon.