19 October 2010
BEIRUT: United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon warned Monday that a “worrying pattern” of incidents involving weapons ran the risk of tearing apart Lebanon’s fragile calm.
In his latest report on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559, the secretary general warned that the persistence of non-state arms, coupled with recently heightened tensions surrounding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), could have dire consequences for Lebanon and the Middle East.
“The presence of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias and a worrying pattern of armed incidents continue to pose a threat to the stability of the country and the region, and highlights the need for the Government of Lebanon and the Lebanese [Army] to exercise a monopoly on the use of force throughout Lebanon,” Ban wrote.
The six-monthly report on Resolution 1559, which aims at reinforcing Lebanese sovereign independence, consistent with the 1989 Taif Accord, detailed several recent incidents in which militias or civilians were involved in armed clashes.
In August, three people were killed in fighting between Hizbullah and Al-Ahbash members, in a dispute reportedly originating over a parking space in the Beirut district of Bourj Abi Haidar. The incident prompted several MPs, including Prime Minister Saad Hariri, to call for the removal of all non-army weapons from Beirut.
Ban said that the incident demonstrated “a complete disregard for the safety of Lebanon’s civilian population and for Lebanese law by armed groups.”
He asked again for Hizbullah and other non-state groups to relinquish their weapons and submit to army control, while voicing faint praise for the perennially delayed National Dialogue sessions. “I call upon the leaders of Hizbullah to complete the transformation of the group into a solely Lebanese political party and disarm,” Ban said. “It remains my firm conviction that the disarmament of Hizbullah and other militias can best be achieved through a Lebanese-led political process.”
As well as incidents involving Hizbullah, Ban noted several cases of non-military arms being deployed during the reporting period, a phenomenon he labeled “a dangerous anomaly that stands against the democratic aspirations of Lebanon and threatens domestic peace.”
This summer saw the first deadly exchange of fire between Israeli and Lebanese soldiers for several years, after four people were killed during fighting at the Blue Line in early August.
Ban welcomed the decision to redeploy additional Lebanese Army troops in the south but stressed greater efforts were needed in order to avoid similar fatal altercations. “Recent security incidents highlight the need for Lebanese security forces to do more to prevent and respond to acts of violence, and for the Government of Lebanon and all relevant political leaders to make clear that such acts will not be tolerated,” he said.
Resolution 1559 stipulates that Lebanon seek to demarcate its borders, something Ban suggested had become more attainable following Syrian military withdrawal from Lebanon and given the recently-thawed relationship between Beirut and Damascus. However, the UN chief bemoaned the lack of progress in this regard. “The delineation and demarcation of Lebanon’s boundaries is a critical element to guarantee the country’s territorial integrity and to allow for proper border control,” Ban said. “However, despite concrete steps by Lebanon and numerous pledges by Syria, no tangible progress has been made.”
He added that better border control was vital in order to “prevent the flow of weapons to armed groups.”
Ban also touched on continuing Israeli reconnaissance and mock air raid flights over Lebanese territory and the issue of the northern part of the village of Ghajar, from which Israeli is obliged to withdraw in accordance with international law. “I deplore the continued Israeli violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
Copyright The Daily Star 2010.
