At the beginning of the statement, the “Movement” expressed its deep concern about the difficult conditions facing the Lebanese people, considering that the government is continuing its policy of stagnation, without a clear vision for dealing with the issue of the state’s exclusive possession of weapons.
The statement said: “We hear reassuring statements from officials about how to deal with this file, while Israeli threats and international warnings are increasing about the possibility of a new war breaking out on Lebanon if this issue is not addressed seriously.”
The body also condemned the killing of the young man Elio Abu Hanna by gunmen at a checkpoint in the Shatila camp, stressing that the incident proves the presence of weapons in the Palestinian camps, contrary to claims that they were withdrawn.
The statement read: “This crime exposed the falsehood of the claim of handing over weapons, and it is the duty of the Lebanese authorities to hold those responsible for the crime accountable and take strict measures to disarm the camps, in respect of the sovereignty of the Lebanese state over its territory.”
Regarding the electoral matter, the “Movement” expressed its concern about the developments taking place in the Houses of Parliament and the Council of Ministers regarding the issue of Lebanese expatriates voting, considering that what is happening “increases fears of intentions to abolish all expatriates’ electoral rights.”
The statement explained that these intentions are not limited to canceling the parliamentary seats allocated to expatriates or their right to direct representation and candidacy, but extend to depriving them of the right to vote from abroad.
It added: “Talk of a settlement being prepared in this context and inviting them to attend in large numbers to vote in Lebanon is nothing but an attempt to return them to the period before 2018, that is, before the law was passed that allowed them to vote from abroad.”
The statement stressed that everyone is ignoring the proposal submitted by MP Gebran Bassil, which allows expatriates the freedom to choose “between voting for a representative in the expatriate district or for a representative in their personal status district,” considering that this proposal represents “a fair solution that satisfies everyone, if the goal is indeed to protect the rights of expatriates.”
