Let all those who stole public money be tracked down!

What is happening in Lebanon is cause for concern but it also offers hope for something better. Amid the road blocks and other public demonstrations of mass anger, President Michael Aoun, halfway through his first term, faces many internal and external challenges that require a stronger response than what he is allowed to deliver under the laws as they stand.

Corruption and unemployment are the cause of much anger. Mr Aoun must be given the time and authority to address these issues. Let all those who stole public money be tracked down and forced to return that money.

But, The suffering of the people and the economic situation will not be addressed by demonstrators blocking roads and preventing the majority of the Lebanese people from free movement. Blocking roads will cause chaos and provide indirect protection for corrupt people.

The 1989 Taif Agreement was meant to help rebuild Lebanon but time and events have passed it by. While the agreement has played its part over the years, questions arise over its suitability to ensure the long-term, peaceful, prosperous governance of a country. That is what laws are for.

Lebanon is still trying to rebuild after a long and devastating civil war, hampered by recent factors not considered by the agreement such as the rise of Daesh and civil war in neighbouring Syria.

The people emerged from those years full of hope for what Lebanon can become. They may have been dismayed by what it has become but remained optimistic that they could avoid the mistakes of the past to chart a new direction.

It’s safe to safe that it is no longer enough for people to survive day-to-day. They must thrive and grow and hope the future will be better, if not for themselves then for their children.

It is essential for Lebanon to fix its situation. One of the most effective ways to do so would be by returning Syrian refugees to their safe homeland. There have been times when the refugee numbers in Lebanon have equalled a third of the nation’s overall population. Having the refugees return home would free up hundreds of thousands of jobs within Lebanon.  Perhaps this goal could be achieved by forming a military government.

In any case, and through the disastrous situation in Lebanon today, and through the destruction that looms in the horizon, we call on all parties in Lebanon to be free from external pressures, and to abdicate their sharp positions to commit to positive dialogues for the sake of the country.  There is no use feeling remorse after the wrecking of our homeland.                              

Editor in Chief