Nasrallah Calls for Peaceful Mass Protest, ’’Let us call for a national unity government’’
Source: Alalam.ir, 30-11-2006
BEIRUT, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah urged Lebanese to turn out massively for a peaceful demonstration called for Friday to press demands for a government of national unity.
Nasrallah said the US-backed government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora has failed, adding it is representing only a certain portion of multi-sectarian Lebanon.
"We appeal to all Lebanese, from every region and political movement, to take part in a peaceful and civilized demonstration Friday to rid us of an incapable government that has failed in its," Nasrallah said in a television broadcast.
The opposition earlier said the street action would begin on Friday at 3 p.m. (1300GMT) in downtown Beirut, where the embattled government of Siniora has its offices.
Siniora`s government "has proven it is incompetent and has failed to fulfill its promises and achieve anything significant," Nasrallah said.
"Lebanon with its (sectarian) makeup cannot be administered by one side amid difficult internal conditions," Nasrallah said, adding that the answer is to form a broader-based Cabinet.
"Let us call for a national unity government," he said, adding "I call upon you all for a popular action to put pressure to achieve this goal".
The Lebanese opposition also called for a peaceful protest and sit-in in downtown Beirut on Friday to demand a national unity government.
The opposition includes Lebanon`s Hezbollah resistance movement and its allies which are demanding the rump pro-Western cabinet be replaced by a government of national unity.
Hezbollah and the Amal Movement of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the Free Patriotic Movement of Christian leader Michel Aoun say they want effective participation in decision making and better representation in government to reflect their political weight.
The call for peaceful street action came in a statement broadcast Thursday on the television stations of Hezbollah and other opposition groups.
"The opposition forces, on the basis of their constitutional rights, call on all Lebanese, whatever their religious confession, to demonstrate peacefully in an open-ended sit-in from 3 pm (1300 GMT) Friday for a national unity government," said an opposition statement carried by the Al-Manar television.
The statement said the main job of the new government should be to draw up a new electoral law.
The opposition factions had threatened to take to the streets last week but postponed their plans after the November 21 assassination of industry minister Pierre Gemayel.
The call for protests came after weeks of political tension between the groups in the opposition and factions supporting the Siniora government, which has wide Western backing.
Six ministers in the cabinet pulled out two weeks ago in protest at the failure of cross-party talks to agree to their demands for a national unity government.
The Lebanese army has said it would be neutral in the political standoff. Thousands of soldiers and police have been deployed in the streets of Beirut since the Nov. 21 assassination of Gemayel.
BEIRUT, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah urged Lebanese to turn out massively for a peaceful demonstration called for Friday to press demands for a government of national unity.
Nasrallah said the US-backed government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora has failed, adding it is representing only a certain portion of multi-sectarian Lebanon.
"We appeal to all Lebanese, from every region and political movement, to take part in a peaceful and civilized demonstration Friday to rid us of an incapable government that has failed in its," Nasrallah said in a television broadcast.
The opposition earlier said the street action would begin on Friday at 3 p.m. (1300GMT) in downtown Beirut, where the embattled government of Siniora has its offices.
Siniora`s government "has proven it is incompetent and has failed to fulfill its promises and achieve anything significant," Nasrallah said.
"Lebanon with its (sectarian) makeup cannot be administered by one side amid difficult internal conditions," Nasrallah said, adding that the answer is to form a broader-based Cabinet.
"Let us call for a national unity government," he said, adding "I call upon you all for a popular action to put pressure to achieve this goal".
The Lebanese opposition also called for a peaceful protest and sit-in in downtown Beirut on Friday to demand a national unity government.
The opposition includes Lebanon`s Hezbollah resistance movement and its allies which are demanding the rump pro-Western cabinet be replaced by a government of national unity.
Hezbollah and the Amal Movement of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the Free Patriotic Movement of Christian leader Michel Aoun say they want effective participation in decision making and better representation in government to reflect their political weight.
The call for peaceful street action came in a statement broadcast Thursday on the television stations of Hezbollah and other opposition groups.
"The opposition forces, on the basis of their constitutional rights, call on all Lebanese, whatever their religious confession, to demonstrate peacefully in an open-ended sit-in from 3 pm (1300 GMT) Friday for a national unity government," said an opposition statement carried by the Al-Manar television.
The statement said the main job of the new government should be to draw up a new electoral law.
The opposition factions had threatened to take to the streets last week but postponed their plans after the November 21 assassination of industry minister Pierre Gemayel.
The call for protests came after weeks of political tension between the groups in the opposition and factions supporting the Siniora government, which has wide Western backing.
Six ministers in the cabinet pulled out two weeks ago in protest at the failure of cross-party talks to agree to their demands for a national unity government.
The Lebanese army has said it would be neutral in the political standoff. Thousands of soldiers and police have been deployed in the streets of Beirut since the Nov. 21 assassination of Gemayel.
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