On October 4, the Lebanese National News Agency carried the following speech delivered by General Michel Aoun, the head of the Change and Reform Bloc, to Free Patriotic Movement graduates who passed the technical baccalaureate exams of 2008-2009.
“I am happy to be addressing young people because I was once like them, i.e. a school student. I used to think and have ambitions, parts of which I tried to implement and some of which were indeed implemented. In any case, these things are linked to your personal assessments and to history. You are the generation that will continue what we started, for we inherited a country which made us very tired and prevented us from being happy with our lives. I hope we will offer you a more comfortable country where you will be able to achieve positive things and not just live a negative life. Today, you are on the threshold of a new stage in your lives and it might be the most important one because you will choose the career through which you will enter the wider community. In university, your environment will expand and you will meet a lot of people. I therefore advise you not to address the others with preconceived ideas so that you can get to know each other. The environment in which we live raises people to fear the other, while we are a country of multiple sects and parties. Believe in sound principles and act upon them, so that you become an archetype mobilizing the others and a [mobilizing] community that could build a nation.
“The lies, the misleading and the accusations of corruption you are hearing in the news today are unacceptable. Every cleric, politician, lawyer or professor who says that all are corrupt is the one who is corrupt, for had he not been so he would not have accused everyone of being so... Good societies were never built by the opportunists but by the rebels, and those [rebels] that created something new in their communities were never ordinary men adjusting to the prevailing situation. They speak of pragmatism or realism, and based on that, you must reject what is wrong and reuse to succumb. In university, they place boundaries preventing us from raising your awareness and preparing you to enter social and political life, while you have reached the age allowing you to express your political positions, while you are excluded from political culture and facing it as individuals. The goal behind that is to prevent the emergence of a public opinion wishing to see change, since each is pleased with his position and is concerned about change. We, the Free Patriotic Movement and the Change and Reform bloc want to instill concerns, for it is not normal for people not to be concerned about the violations occurring before them and the deterioration of the social values. So how can we achieve this reform?
“Today, I call on you to enter the university community, learn, be successful and develop your political culture so that you can differentiate between what is right and what is wrong and acquire the power to choose between the two. Good people do not say that the entire community is corrupt, sterile and lacking in values, instead they are the archetype mobilizing the majority which will achieve what should be achieved. Today and in large part, reality is misleading. They are accusing Michel Aoun of sabotaging all the solutions. What did I sabotage? Let each of you ask himself this question, not just because you are part of the Free Patriotic Movement. I never spoke or issued statements, so what did I sabotage?
“They are also saying that so-and-so are using me, but who has caught me red-handed? I say to you that you will never be shamed by history, because I exploited all my energies to be a model and I know how successful I have been. I did nothing to be ashamed of or that would bring you shame and none of my actions, whether successful or not, will do so. However, I hold you responsible for my success...
“Mobilization and the instigation of strife were due to the non-respect of the right to differ with the other, and this was the basis on which our opponents relied during the elections.
“However, we have overcome that because our culture and program are founded on the enhancement of solidarity and peace within the community and not just on the non-assault of the other. We are not merely seeking coexistence but unified existence, because we in the Movement have an educational plan which we hope to implement and you will see many things changing. You are the emissaries who will spread and preach about these principles, because this community cannot be reformed without the efforts of your likes. Our community is one of cocoons that should be opened to one another so that people can meet and realize they are alike and are seeking to achieve the same ambitions.”
Lebanon news - NOW Lebanon -Michel Aoun
Aoun speech to fpm graduates -
5th October 2009
