Berri Announces Tickets in South, Calls for Elimination of Political Sectarianism
Speaker Nabih Berri announced on Sunday his bloc”s electoral lists under the platform of judicial reform, the abolition of political sectarianism and strengthening ties with Syria, Iran and Turkey.
From Mseileh, Berri said the Development and Liberation bloc remains fully committed to the provisions of the Taef Accord pledging to form a national body dedicated to the elimination of political sectarianism.
The body will also draft an electoral law under which Lebanon is turned into a single district or five districts based on relativity.
"We reject any arbitrary or abusive implementation of any of the Taef”s articles," he said.
He said the bloc remains faithful to its founding principles including "the choice of resistance which is a vital national necessity as Israel continues to occupy a part of our land … and to violate Lebanon”s airspace, border and territorial waters."
Berri called for the full implementation of U.N. Resolutions 425 and 1701 both of which call for Israel”s full withdrawal from Lebanon.
On the national and regional levels, Berri said the bloc supports confidence-building measures among Arab states. He called for stronger ties with Syria and other countries in the region, especially Iran and Turkey.
On the national level, Berri said his bloc will work for the endorsement of the state budget including the Council of the South and will pressure the government to pay full compensations to victims of the 2006 war.
He accused the government of adopting "an intentional and premeditated policy" to delay the appointment of Constitutional Council members.
The government wants "things to be done as it pleases, else it would not endorse the nominations," he added.
The speaker said the race in Jezzine – pitting his list against that of the Free Patriotic Movement – will not affect the minority”s alliances in the rest of the districts. He added the list will be announced at a later time by MP Samir Azar of the Development and Liberation bloc in Jezzine.
Berri listed the candidates as:
Nabatiyeh: Mohammed Raad, Abdul Latif al-Zein, Yassine Jaber
Sour: Mohammed Fneish, Ali Khreiss, Abdul Majid Saleh, Nawwaf al-Moussawi
Bint Jbeil: Ayoub Hmayyed, Hassan Fadlallah, Ali Bazzi.
Marjeyoun-Hasbaya: Assad Hardan, Anwar al-Khalil, Ali Hassan Khalil, Qassem Hashem, Ali Fayyad
Al-Zahrani: Ali Osseiran, Michel Moussa, Nabih Berri
Western Bekaa: Nasser Nasrallah
Baalbek-Hermel: Ghazi Zeiter
Beirut 2: Hani Qobeissi