The head of the Federation of Tourism Syndicates sent an open letter to Khalaf Al Habtoor, against the backdrop of his decision to close all his companies in Lebanon, including the Al Habtoor and Metropolitan hotels, considering that this decision does not only affect companies, but also affects more than 500 Lebanese families who depend on these companies for their livelihood.
Below is the text of the message:
An open letter to Mr. Khalaf Al Habtoor
From Pierre Georges Achcar, President of the Federation of Tourist Syndicates and Head of the Hotel Owners Syndicate
“We were surprised by the decision to close all your companies in Lebanon, including the Al Habtoor and Metropolitan Hotels.
This is a decision that affects not only institutions, but also affects more than 500 Lebanese families whose livelihoods depend on these institutions.
They told us that you were by their side through thick and thin, and that you did not dismiss any of them even in the most difficult circumstances, during the epidemic, wars, and successive crises that Lebanon went through. And tell us about your humanitarian initiatives, about rebuilding a hospital in Akkar for free treatment, and about donations and aid being provided silently, away from the limelight. Tell us about your love for Lebanon and your loyalty to it. The description was honest and expressive.
We delved into the reasons that led to your decision, and we found or analyzed that some people, through social media, practiced defamation and lying, and misled people with the most horrific writings. We realize the extent of frustration that any investor may feel when exposed to unfair campaigns, and we understand the pain of the decision, but we hope that the response to the abuse will be more persistence, not withdrawal.
Your Honor,
You are an Emirati citizen from the school of Sheikh Zayed, the man who built a federal state based on law and institutions. His children followed the path, and the rule of law was established, and the Emirates became a haven of residence and investment for the peoples of the world, and it is now a model of the modern state.
As for us, we see that the decline of the state, along with security, law, and all its components, has led to the replacement of the state by mini-states, and these mini-states are complaining about it. We complain, cry, and beg the Arab countries and the international community, and demand support and assistance to build a state governed by the constitution, with one army, one decision, and a law above all.
Dear brother, do not leave us, because these people have achieved their goals through writing and insulting. They insulted the presidents of the republic, the governments, and the ministers, and they wrote and insulted Christ and the Qur’an, until they insulted the Supreme Pontiff, the Pope, when he visited Lebanon.
With the President of the Republic and a new government, a clear oath of office, and government decisions on their way to rebuilding the state that we all dream of, we see a glimmer of hope that must not be extinguished. Lebanon is going through a pivotal stage, between despair and hope, between retreat and revival, and between immigration and survival.
Dear Brother Khalaf Al Habtoor,
The closure decision does not only affect stones or institutions, but also affects hearts, homes, and children who are waiting for a salary at the end of the month in order to preserve their dignity, and their dignity is your dignity.
It affects Lebanon’s investment image, and weakens the confidence of those who are still thinking about staying. As for the decision to continue, even with conditions or a phased plan, it carries a completely opposite message: a message of confidence, steadfastness, and belief that this country deserves a new opportunity.
We do not justify abuse, we do not accept defamation, and we do not accept lies. But Lebanon is not these people. Lebanon is the employees who stood by your side, it is the patients who were treated thanks to your giving, and it is every honorable citizen who wants a state of law and justice. Do not allow discordant voices to push you into a decision that hurts those who love you and your work.
We continue to appeal to you, in the name of more than 500 families, and in the name of the tourism sector, which needs men like you, do not leave Lebanon at a moment when it is in dire need of stable people. “Remain partners in advancement, not witnesses to withdrawal.”
