July 1, 2007
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14 contributions for March 14
The need for a research center

By Joyce Nassireddin

LONDON: In the middle of the current political situation and the somehow “down” feeling among most of the people primarily as a result of the explosions, it has become a necessity to remind each other of what has been done so far since the beginning of the Independence Intifada in February 2005.

Below are some of the contributions of the “People of March 14” and the “March 14 leadership”. It is important to keep in mind though, that we were and still are under a fierce offensive from the Syrian regime since the Bristol Gathering was by the end of 2004. The Syrian attack included explosions, threats of assassinations and assassinations, back-door coalitions and mini wars that have effectively sealed off Parliament since July 2006 and was coupled with the withdrawal of March 8 coalition ministers from the cabinet.

By using its tools, Syria is losing more and more its influence inside Lebanon as it is losing Fateh Al Islam, lost the direct and active presence of Hezbollah in the south and lost the presence of its army in Lebanon among other things. Consequently, some of the contributions of the March 14 coalition came as a result of its people demands, leadership pressure and in some cases as a consequence of halting the Syrian attack (reactive contribution as in the above cases).

So what has this March14 coalition done for Lebanon over the past two years?

1- Removing the Omar Karami cabinet that was considered accountable for not being able to properly manage the crime scene along with its representation of the Syrian presence.

2- Forcing the Syrian army out of Lebanon due to the rally of an unprecedented number of people against the Syrian presence in the country wherein the rally demanded an immediate Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon.

3- Pushing for the formation of a relatively unbiased government to supervise elections and manage the transition period.

4- Holding elections within their constitutional deadline under the Najib Mikati cabinet and coming up with a non-proSyrian parliament and new cabinet thus freeing the country’s institutions from the Syrian grip (although at the expense of using the Syrian designed electoral law of 2000).

5- Forming a cabinet with the participation of the parliamentary minority Amal and Hezbollah and considering them as partners and giving them a chance to be part of the state rebuilding process.

6- Sponsoring the formation of an International Investigation Commission for supervision of the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 others. The commission provided later assistance to the Lebanese government in the investigations into other assassinations and explosions.

7- Deploying the Lebanese Army in the south for the first time since 1969, backed with a beefed up UNIFIL force.

8- The army, in its defense and reaction to the Fatah Al Islam attack on its members and civilians, is securing the second largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon from intruder groups sponsored by the Syrian regime in these camps. Such groups were a card in the hand of the regime in its bargaining over Lebanon.

9- The March 14 coalition has suffered four murders of its leaders (in addition to Hariri and former MP and Minister Bassel Fuleihan).

10- Keeping the economy afloat through mustering international and regional support and the Paris III unprecedented commitments.

11- Forming of an international tribunal for the trial of the murderers and perpetrators of assassinations under Chapter VII of the UN charter, after having tried domestically to form such a tribunal with the approval of other Lebanese groups.

12- Forming for the first time of a special commission for a comprehensive study for a fair and modern electoral law in order to initiate electoral reform on the way to state-rebuilding.

13- Forming for the first time of a committee for dialogue and communication with the Palestinian leadership in Lebanon thus taking the refugee case to the level of serious dialogue instead of mere slogans.

14- Last but not least is one of the most important March 14 achievements, amid the full scale Syrian attack is securing an institutional block against any possible Syrian comeback, by holding up the parliamentary majority. March 14 is a few steps away from losing this majority in light of the ongoing assassinations.

Of course, a thorough assessment of what March14 has so far achieved is marred with a number of inevitable tactical mistakes.

What’s next is a legitimate concern, as the next level for the Independence Intifada remains a critical one. Not falling in the trap of a civil war and focusing on the rebuilding of the state, as in the case of the electoral reform project, remains a priority.

This said, March14 should start a research center that should focus on the drafting of policies and laws for full reform for the building of a modern state in parallel with keeping up the current political campaign and fighting against the Syrian regime for defending against its attacks and ambitions to come back to Lebanon.

Forming such a center needs funding and budget commitments as well as human capital capable of doing such research (experts, lawyers and politicians).

March 14 has all the necessary elements, what remains is the commitment for such a project that would make the state rebuilding an achievable objective rather than an agreed upon common need.

Joyce Nassireddin is a Lebanese residing in London. She wrote this article for Alternative.