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National Bloc commemorates the 21st anniversary of the death of late leader Raymond Eddé

On the 21st anniversary of the death of leader Raymond Eddé, the Lebanese National Bloc Party held a prayer for the repose of his soul in the chapel of late Ibrahim Eddé, in the family cemetery in Ras El Nabeh. The party’s Secretary-General, Pierre Issa, and members of the Executive Committee, the party’s Senate, and the Party Council participated in this prayer, along with family and friends.

Lawyer André Nader delivered an address on behalf of the party’s Senate, in which he stressed that the National Bloc is a role model for the revolution, as it brought down Bechara El Khoury, the intelligence service (aka the Second Bureau), and the Cairo Agreement, confirming that Lebanon “is in dire need that its officials, particularly the Maronite officials, overcome the ‘Presidency of the Republic’ complex that has ruined the nation,” and “you were right when you were saying that ‘Maronite leaders ruined the country.’ Yes, they ruined the country to gain access to the Presidency,” he said.

He pointed out that "it is frightening to imagine that there is a Lebanese who is ready for all concessions, starting from signing the Cairo Agreement to the Mar Mikhael Agreement in order to reach the Presidency," underlining that "Lebanon needs officials who admit the necessity of resigning from office whenever they do not achieve goals.” We are certain that “from heaven your eyes are shedding tears of blood over Lebanon after you predicted this black fate we are living in,” he concluded.

For his part, the Party Council member Joe Daou gave a speech on behalf of former leader Carlos Eddé, in which he confirmed that late Raymond Eddé had, in his will, expressed his hope that the National Bloc would continue the struggle for a sovereign, free, independent, and united Lebanon, emphasizing that "he was hating the ad hominem approach that exists in our society,” and that “loyalty to his memory means to continue and maintain the values ​​that were at the heart of his life, namely honesty, freedoms, Lebanon's independence and sovereignty, the rule of law, and building a civil state in which the sects in power are not constantly in conflict with each other.”

 

Read the full text of the two speeches below:

 

Carlos Eddé: His will is to continue National Bloc's struggle for a sovereign, free, independent, and united Lebanon

Dear friends and comrades, thank you for coming and paying homage to the memory of Raymond Eddé. I am unable to be among you at the present time, but I feel comfortable for being well-represented by faithful people like you. Twenty-one years have passed since the "Conscience of Lebanon" passed away. In his will, the late leader expressed his hope that the National Bloc would continue the struggle for a sovereign, free, independent, and united Lebanon.

Fidelity to the memory of Raymond Eddé is not only by reviving his name, knowing that he was never interested in such matters.

He was hating the ad hominem approach that exists in our society. Loyalty to his memory means to continue and maintain the values ​​that were at the heart of his life, namely honesty, freedoms, Lebanon's independence and sovereignty, the rule of law, and building a civil state in which the sects in power are not constantly in conflict with each other.

These phrases are used as slogans by many politicians, but in reality they act in ways that contradict their meaning.

These values ​​were deeply rooted in Raymond Eddé and guided his personal and political life. He had a big concern, which was honesty and transparency, and he paid a heavy price for them. One day, during a discussion, I asked him if he regretted a certain job he had done. “I have always wanted to be true to myself. If I made mistakes, I do not regret them because I did them according to my convictions and by being faithful to my values. Hence, I will be proud to leave this world with a clear conscience,” he replied.

 

Nader: National Bloc is a role model for the revolution... Late leader anticipated this black fate we are living in

We meet today in memory of your death. We feel as if you are looking at us and asking: What did you do? Where is the country? Where is my homeland? Why did you not revolt? The National Bloc is a role model for the revolution, as it overthrew Bechara El Khoury, the intelligence service (aka the Second Bureau), the Cairo Agreement...

You were right when you stood alone, along with the party’s MPs, against the Cairo Agreement. After 18 years, the Lebanese Parliament unanimously approved that you were right and decided to cancel the Cairo Agreement, but Lebanon is still suffering from the implications of this agreement.

You have called for international forces since the 1970s. If they had agreed with you and did not accuse you of betrayal, the Cairo Agreement would not have been signed. This would have prevented the Israeli attacks, and Hezbollah's weapons would not have emerged.”

You were the only one who set conditions for accepting the position of the Presidency, while others were subject to imposed conditions.

You linked your return to Lebanon to the withdrawal of foreign forces, and when a journalist asked you about your conditions for accepting the Presidency of the Republic, you said: "If I receive firm pledges of foreign forces’ withdrawal from Lebanon, I return to Lebanon and announce these pledges. Only after that I will take the oath of office. Otherwise, I will resign after my election.”

How much we need today your famous call that you addressed to the Lebanese on June 8, 1976 and concluded it by saying: "Lebanese, when you put aside your differences, you can save Lebanon.”

How much we need today your words, which everyone remembers and brags about on social media. They were proud of their rivalries with you, and even wanted to assassinate you.

How much we need to overcome internal disputes, as people are overburdened by darkness and hunger.

Today, Lebanon needs Raymond Eddé, and the spirit of Raymond Eddé, who launched the famous appeal on July 28, 1978 to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kurt Waldheim, asking him to expand the mission of international forces to all of Lebanon.

My country needs to declare adherence to the principles laid out by Raymond Eddé, namely:

- The withdrawal of the Israeli and Syrian armies from Lebanon.

- Prevent the division of Lebanon and secure national sovereignty over all the Lebanese territory.

- Protect the coexistence between the various sects of the Lebanese society.

 

My country is in dire need that its officials, especially the Maronites, overcome the “Presidency of the Republic” complex that has ruined the nation.

You were right when you were saying that “Maronite leaders ruined the country.” Yes, they ruined the country to gain access to the Presidency.

It is frightening to imagine that there is a Lebanese who is ready for all concessions, starting from signing the Cairo Agreement to the Mar Mikhael Agreement in order to reach the Presidency.

Lebanon needs people like you who are renowned for their honesty in ruling. At that point, we will disregard the forensic audit and international companies, as he was behind the famous "where did you get this from” law.

Lebanon needs officials who admit the necessity of resigning from office whenever they do not achieve goals.

His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, said in his patriarchal letter: "The great late leader spent his life trying to fight hypocrisy, proclaim justice, and reveal the truth. This made him a national leader, a revered parliamentarian, and a statesman who looks to the future with insight, which made him a potential candidate to assume the position of President of the Republic. He would have reached the Presidency, had he wavered an inch in his constant beliefs, made for a second concessions on his principles, or changed a bit of his convictions.

Lebanon needs a statesman like the late leader, who keeps pace with the events of Lebanon. Leader Raymond Eddé had, at every historical juncture, a prominent position, whether on the Cairo Agreement, the Tripartite Agreement, or the Taif Agreement. He did not allow freedoms to be violated and he was the only legislator.

We are certain that from heaven your eyes are shedding tears of blood over Lebanon after you predicted this black fate we are living in.

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