March 14 Announces Four-Member Aley Ticket, Fifth Seat Vacant
March 14 Forces announced Friday its electoral list in the district of Aley under the banner of "June 7: A Date of Transition to the State."
The ticket, unveiled at a public rally in Bhamdoun, includes Akram Chehayeb for the Druze seat; Henry Helou and Fouad al-Saad for the Maronite seats and Fadi al-Habr for the Orthodox seat. The fifth seat was left vacant.
"Our identity is our belonging to the greater Lebanon, one that is sovereign, free and undisputed," Democratic Gathering member Saad said.
He said the Special Tribunal for Lebanon presented Wednesday "the biggest proof of its neutrality" by ordering the release of four Lebanese generals, held since 2005 in connection to ex-Primer Rafik Hariri”s murder.
"We did not want the tribunal for the purpose of revenge. We wanted it for the truth," he added.
For his part, Helou urged voters to choose between what he described as "a government of (development) and that of war."
"What kind of government do you want? Do you want a government of openness or one of isolation under Iranian and Syrian direction? Do you want a government that spreads weapons or one that seeks to contain them," he asked.
Habr said the polls must be held under the banner of "modern state, the rule of law … under the protection of one army."
Chehayeb concluded the rally by insisting of March 14″s "unity."
"We were the ones to tell the Syrian that the time of tutelage has come to an end. We were the ones to peacefully topple the government of (ex-Premier) Omar Karami," he said.
"We were the ones to reaffirm (commitment) to the Taef accord and call for (a single authority) over weapons. We are the (source) of reconciliation under the auspices of (Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah) Sfeir," he added.