Speaker Hussein al-Husseini Cost of renting airplanes for the presidency July 2010 | 96 The Monthly interviews Ambassador Tomasz Niegodzisz issue number www.iimonthly.com • Published by Information International sal Ministry of Interior: $554 M and 40,000 employees A search for the missing $11 billion MUNICIPALITIES OF FIVE REPUBLICS Lebanon 5,000LL | Saudi Arabia 15SR | UAE 15DHR | Jordan 2JD| Syria 75SYP | Iraq 3,500IQD | Kuwait 1.5KD | Qatar 15QR | Bahrain 2BD | Oman 2OR | Yemen 15YRI | Egypt 10EP | Europe 5Euros INDEX 4 Interview: Speaker Hussein Al-Husseini 5 LEADER: Municipal and Ikhtiariah Elections 2010 14 A search for the missing $11 billion 18 Ministry of Interior and Municipalities 24 Cost of renting airplanes for the presidency 26 Divorce 28 Blasphemy, apostasy and disdain of religions 29 Lycée des Arts 31 The innate human resistance to evidence by Dr. Hanna Saadah Page 18 32 Is intelligence a single entity independent from the brain? by Antoine Boutros 33 Your facial muscles, your emotions by Dr. Samar Zebian 34 The Monthly interviews Ambassador Tomasz Niegodzisz Page 24 Page 4 36 Popular culture 47 Real estate index in Lebanon- 37 Myth #35: Argileh: ‘Safer’ than Cigarettes? May 2010 38 Must-read books: Orientalism 48 Food Price Index - May 2010 39 Must-read children’s book: “Caterpillars can’t fly” 50 Highest Taxes in the World 40 Lebanon Families: Saba Families 50 Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport - 41 Discover Lebanon: Zan May 2010 42 Aoun-Geagea (2/2) 51 Lebanon stats 43 May 2010 Timeline in Lebanon 45 New York’s Failed Bomb Plot 46 Women in Arab governments Editorialﹺ | 3 WHEN THE “SUNNI” COUNT THEIR DEAD In memory of the victims of the army and refugees of Nahr Al-Bared we re-publish this article which was published in The Monthly issue number 63 of October 2007. Once again, a descendent of Al-Saifa1 al-Bared militants and civilians were addressed a letter to his Lebanese killed, 300 of whom were Sunni. friend, not to “correct” a historical “fact” as he often does, but to Many thoughts crossed his mind. He announce the tragic death of his only remembered the day when he joined child in Nahr al-Bared. a demonstration against Hizbullah and raised the flag of the Lebanese He says that when it comes to Forces following the July war, patriotism, his credentials are because Hizbullah (according to pro- uncontested. He is a descendant of a government forces) was responsible prominent Sunni family from A’arqa for the death of 1,100 citizens. fortress whose ancestors lost their “I did that although the majority of fiefdom to Fakhreddine and simply victims were Shia’a”, he said. paid the price of their devotion to the Ottomans and the Sunni Caliphate. Now he wonders that Hizbullah was fighting the Israelis, who were trying He was deeply moved by Grand Mufti to “eradicate it”. Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani However, he can’t understand for and Sa’ad Hariri’s call on “Ahlu whom and against whom his son was al-Sunna”2 (the “Sunni people”) in fighting. the North to “rally and support the Lebanese Army against a militia Al-Saifa descendant swears that he which has nothing to do with Fatah still supports the Lebanese Army Movement or Islam”, as they said. and that if he had another son, he would have sent him to fight with Crying over his son’s dead body, the the soldiers. Nonetheless, he admits descendant of Al-Saifa wondered that he had tears in his eyes when he why his family has been paying the saw the women and children of Nahr ultimate price since hundreds of al-Bared militants leaving the camp years, although they belong to the while dead bodies were scattered in “Sunni people”, who are supposedly the streets. rulers and not victims like the Shia’a, he stated. He hoped that his desperate calls would be heard by “Ahlu al-Sunna” in every corner of the world, and all the way to Pakistan. He was told that 166 Lebanese Army soldiers and officers and 220 of Nahr issue 96 - July 2010 4 | Interview SPEAKER HUSSEIN AL-HUSSEINI: ormer Speaker of Parliament Hussein al-Husseini, despite having stayed away from formal duties and responsibilities, remains a public figure up to Fdate with all legal, constitutional and political discussions, is trying to set the record straight with the hope that the reforms stipulated by the Ta’ef accord will finally be realized. The Monthly interviewed Husseini about 4 topics that are repeatedly raised: The powers of the president following the Ta’ef accord, the independent judiciary, reforms according to the Ta’ef, Syrian-Lebanese relations and the Lebanese-Syrian Supreme Council. 1-President’s powers post- guarantees stipulated by Article 20 implemented), to make all citizens in Ta’ef accord of the Constitution. There are four all regions feel that they belong to one After the Tae’f accord, the president guarantees: Appointment guarantee, nation and to be patriotic; emphasize was no longer a cog in the executive Promotion guarantee, Compensation on education and learning; preventive authority, instead he became the head guarantee, Accountability guarantee and curative health; agriculture and of all authorities. He is the head of the We find that these guarantees are absent agricultural credit; industry, tourism and republic and has wide authority and as the political authority is the one that other development programs to keep the powers. However, the problem is that assigns, promotes and sets the salary citizens in their areas. Re-organization consecutive presidents since the Ta’ef scale of magistrates (under a law ratified of media outlets based on the law and in accord have never used the powers by Parliament). As for accountability, it the framework of responsible freedom granted to them by the Constitution, is completely absent and the reformation in accordance with the directions of especially in three essential matters. First, of the judiciary inevitably leads to compromise and the ending of the state the prime minister, who drafts the agenda the reformation of the Constitutional of war in the country. for Cabinet sessions must show it to the Council which was one of the outcomes president prior to meetings. The president of the Ta’ef Accord. 4-Lebanese-Syrian Relations has the right to cross out any provision I was the first to put forward the idea that he does not approve of or that he 3- Required Reforms in December 1987 in the following sees as a violation of the Constitution. After the ratification of the framework: Lebanon and Syria are two As such, he is present at the Cabinet constitutional reforms in 1990, new Arab states. Lebanon and Syria enjoy sessions even if he is not in attendance. laws should have been passed to apply a special relationship that requires The second matter is that the president the text and spirit of the constitution and closer coordination and joint ventures. has the right to postpone the convening the charter as follows: Law regulating In the framework of a cooperation of Parliament for a maximum of one the departments of the Presidency of council that does not conflict with month. The third matter is the president’s the Republic. Electoral law to secure them being two independent states and role in mandatory parliamentary a parliamentary system, monitoring members of the Arab League and the deliberations. This role is not limited to and accountability, Law regulating United Nations. Other Arab states can listening to the MPs’ proposed candidate the works of the Council of Ministers join this council. for the premiership-the president is not a since it is the executive authority, Law In the Ta’ef, we agreed on special mailbox- and rather he listens, discusses ensuring an independent judiciary, relations with Syria based on three and goes over the names, the line-up and An army law based on constitutional main points that were used to develop the government’s platform. Presidents provisions and the National Charter, the Lebanese system: Implementation rarely practice this mechanism in the Law regulating security services (army of international resolutions to liberate deliberations preceding the designation intelligence, general security, state the land. To consolidate the relationship of a prime minister. security) and their relations with all with Syria. The establishment of other authorities, State administrative the Lebanese state. The presence of 2-The independent judiciary regulatory law, Administrative embassies today does not cancel the The fundamental entrance to reform decentralization law and identifying necessity for such a council, which has is the formation of an independent administrative divisions, Lunching a two clear targets: To coordinate and judiciary, removed from political comprehensive development plan for resolve accumulating problems over hegemony and by providing the the country (which is available but not the years. issue 96 - published by Information International s.a.l. Municipal and Ikhtiariah Elections 2010 Leader | 5 MUNICIPAL AND IKHTIARIAH ELECTIONS 2010 or the five republics of Lebanon fter months of hesitation about the municipal elections: Would it be done on time, or delayed for few months, a few years, or a full six-year term? What law will govern it, the law in effect since 1977, or the one introduced by Athe Minister of Interior and Municipalities? But all questions were null, as well as possible reforms of the electoral law and elections were held on time.Below is a summary of the most important conclusions: 1- A politician commented about the municipal elections in West Beqaa. The Future Movement supporting ex- and their results by saying “the loser is a loser, the Prime Minister Omar Karami made a good alliance in winner is a loser, and the citizen is the biggest loser.” He Tripoli.