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As we enter, a big photo grabs our attention. On the wall of Massoud Ashkar’s office, this large-framed cliché called “Night of terror” describes a bombing scene in Achrafieh, Beirut. The orange-red luminous wildfires shells enlighten the dark sky. “It is the bombing of the Syrian katioushas rockets on the evening of October 3rd, 1978”, Massoud Ashkar explains. Looking at this photo, he says “this bombing occurred during what we called the “100 days war”. At that period, 240mm shells were being launched against us. They were able to cross many layers of concrete and reach shelters even those located on the 2nd basement. Many people died this way, hidden in their shelters where they thought they were safe”. On the other walls, there are many other photos. One of them shows a group of young armed men. “They are Lebanese Forces militiamen”, Massoud comments, adding that “the photo was taken at the end of the seventies or atop the eighties, I don’t remember very well…”. He tries to set the precisely the date according to the persons in the photo. This one died was martyred this year, so the photo was taken before… Another photo dated 1981 shows him with Bachir Gemayel addressing the military salute to the President who was assassinated a year later. “I participated to the founding of the Lebanese Forces with the martyred president Bachir Gemayel”, he says. Today, the 52 years old Massoud Ashkar is getting ready to run as a candidate for the upcoming 2009 parliamentary elections. He was only 18 when he started fighting within the Christian militias. Today, he runs as “politically independent”.
iloubnan.info : You say you are an independent today… But why have you joined the militia in the seventies?
Massoud Achkar : Honestly, it wasn’t our duty to have weapons. However, when the Army was undermined in 1975, and we, I mean the Christians, felt we were in a critical danger; we had to defend ourselves… In 1975, Palestinians wanted to have Lebanon as a substitute country. A part of the Lebanese wanted to go along with that plan in order to take profit from Palestinians in order to drive all Christians out of Lebanon. In 1975, militias have run the struggle. Those young people shown in photos… many of them have died. They are the true resistance fighters. If they hadn’t been there, just like all those who paid very high prices, we wouldn’t have been here today. Anyway, I guess we must help the Army today in order to hang on. In May, the Army has done the best it could. It wasn’t able to shoot against any of the Lebanese parties on the ground, anyway.
A few days ago, we celebrated the October 13, 1990 anniversary when Syrians took over the presidential palace in Baabda and occupied the last free part of Lebanon. They entered the presidential palace, the Defense ministry and all the other free zones. 30 years later, Syrians left Lebanon thanks to a law, an international resolution that obliged them to do so. The only region they were obliged to go out from by force was Achrafieh, in 1978, after the 100 days war, thanks to the civilians and the local fighters.
How do you view the Lebanese Army after all these years?
Personally, 30 years after all of this, I strongly trust the Lebanese Army. I have served in the Army in 1975. I witnessed how it broke down and was divided. After all what happened so far, I have understood that the Army, in a middle-eastern country like Lebanon, is the most important State institution. To my opinion, it is the only institution able to intervene and interpose between all factions.
You have laid down your weapons so long ago. How long have you been acting on the political field?
Well, I am a Maronite candidate to the 2009 elections. I have been interested in politics for 20 years and I worked in the social field. In fact, the social field and politics have always gone together in Lebanon. Officially, I have started working in the political field 20 years ago with the civil society. As for politics itself, I ran as a candidate for the 2000 elections, though they were ruled by the 2000 electoral law. My candidacy was based on principles. I wanted to prove that Hariri cannot mobilize the whole capital Beirut and Syrians cannot buy all people. My Sunni running mates were threatened, just like I was. In fact, I decided to make a point and run alone. I got 85% of Christian votes… but I had zero chance to win due to that law.
In 2005, I didn’t run. In fact, although Syrians withdrew from Lebanon, the Ghazi Kanaan 2000 law had not changed, but remained ruling, and we were facing the Hariri, Berri, Hezbollah and Jumblat quatuor! Even though, the famous March 14 demonstrations hit the grounds! Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir said it wasn’t fair that Christians can only elect 15 of the 64 Mps.
What do you think of the Doha agreement electoral law?
This is not the ideal law, but it is much better than the 2000 law. In Beirut, we must elect 19 Christian MPs. The 2000 law didn’t allow people from theAchrafieh district to elect its representatives. With the new one, it could elect five out of ten. There is no doubt that the 1960 law grants us eight MPs out of ten in Achrafieh, but it is better than nothing at all.
You are running as an independent candidate but you will join the Taschnag and Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement. Why did you choose that?
Personally, I support the positive change. I am running as a Maronite candidate in Achrafieh, so, I will join for sure the FPM and Taschnag list.
But why did you choose that list? Why not that of March 14 coalition, for instance?
To be frank, I don’t find myself in the values and methods of Hariri. Actually, I can say that March 14 slogans are mine, when I see how things get done on the ground, I can’t imagine myself there.
To my opinion, the eponymous demonstration of 2005 was just an illusion. When I look at all of that, I say to myself that all means seem to be good in order to reach power. Since Hariri came to power in 1990, we haven’t been able to choose our representatives. Same for Beirut municipality, all positions go to the same party. Moreover, Christians are often marginalized in State institution functions. But here, I must remark that I pay a big respect to Sunnis and totally refuse to infringe on their preogatives, but what about the Christians’ prerogatives? Christians account for 40% of Beirut’s population. I can say that my rights as a Christian are not respected. Achrafieh, for instance, pays 100% of its taxes, however, its people get none of their rights in return, neither on the social level nor on the urban development level. There is a high level of poverty in Achrafieh despite the beautiful buildings you see. Many people are not able to pay their children’s school fees. Beirut MPs promised to build State schools but there’s only one public high school. Also, they promised to build up a governmental hospital for those who cannot pay for private hospitalization. Here, for example, at Karm el Zeitoun, the sewers are 100 years old! We suffer all of that though we pay very expensive taxes.
For this reason, I don’t agree with the politics that were adopted. If we eye objectively the naked truth, we see that a retired Christian employee is often replaced by a Sunni in public institutions. Taef accords removed the President’s powers and granted them instead to the Sunni-chaired Cabinet. I am struggling for the respect of rights and powers of Christians, for setting equilibrium among communities. Lebanon is a country of partnership. Equilibrium must be set among State institutions in order not to harm anyone; otherwise, factions who feel prejudiced will react badly and war will take place every ten years. Christians have been treated unfairly for18 years,
So you intend to stand for the FPM and Taschnag elector list, though you don’t agree with all of their stances. You stated on OTV channel (General Aoun’s channel) that “The accord signed on February 6 (between FPM and Hezbollah) is important. But weapons, belonging to whatsoever armed group, must be submitted to the Lebanese Army”.
Well, I am very clear over this issue. I don’t agree that Palestinians own weapons. I stand for same regarding Hezbollah and all other armed factions. My principle is clear: only the Lebanese Army must have weapons. There is no way to have more than one army in this country.
But you back this agreement…
Yes, I encourage it and agree with all that helps bring all Lebanese together. Also, I back reconciliation among all Christians and not a partial one between this and that leaders. To my opinion, Lebanon cannot be built but through understanding. The only point that I don’t agree with is the weapons issue.
How do you foresee you MP role if elected?
Once Christians elect their representatives, they must have the right to sanction them four years later. To be Member of Parliament requires work on the field, on the urbanism level, the social level, etc. As for me, I fought for my region during the war. My current mission is to work for my region. If I was not elected, I must then respect the decision of people in my region. In fact, things will certainly change when people start sanctioning policies in this country. Policies must serve the country and the people who must be enabled to sanction them. Some people ignore the reality of poverty in this country. I am working in order to give everyone a chance. Personally, I know what poverty means because I am present on the field. I go to people and enter their homes.
What are your exact plans on the field?
I will work on the issue of displaced people. The issue of displaced people in the mountains for sure, so they can go back to their native villages, as nothing has been done for them yet in this regard.
The displaced people of the mountains have no right to go back to their villages. This issue must be settled once and for all. I will also fight for those who were forced to go to Israel, but also the Lebanese detainees in Syrian jails, of whom some we know absolutely nothing about,nothing at all. Many mothers are still dressed in black today, not knowing if their sons are dead or alive. There’s also the Diaspora’s voting right. The Diaspora must be able to vote. However, the issue is blocked because the majority of Diaspora is Christians. The issue was postponed until 2013 and we will wait and see what would occur then…
Health is also a crucial problem in Lebanon. We, as MPs, must work on the field in order to insure the right for everyone to be able to go to a hospital. In Lebanon, many people use to beg in order to get hospitalization. Same for medicines and retirement issues: many aged-people go through garbage at night in order to find something to eat! I have already adressed the right for everyone to an education and the urbanism issue. In fact, industries are often built in residential areas. Wastes go underground and water is polluted… The ministry of Environment has a key role to assume hereby. It must be the most important portfolio in Lebanon in the future. The water issue is absolutely major to ensure the future of the country and the region as well!
How this could be?
All countries in the region need water (Syria, Israel, Jordan…). We have it in fact but it’s been stolen by our neighbors, Syrian and Israel. We have water but we mange it in a very bad way. Can you imagine how critical and terrible the situation is? I am convinced that tomorrow’s war (let’s hope not…) will be the war for water.
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