Opposition hopefuls have used the campaign to denounce each other

Nayla Assaf
Daily Star staff

Opposition leaders traded accusations and pleas for unity Thursday, making a consensus over the Metn by-election seem even more uncertain.
Following a visit to Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir in Bkirki Thursday, Gebran Tueni told reporters that he deplored the fact that the struggle for
the Orthodox parliamentary seat had become fueled by spite. Tueni, who withdrew from the Sunday vote this week and now supports Ghassan Mokheiber, was especially critical of the coalition backing Gabriel Murr.
The general manager of An-Nahar newspaper questioned the motives behind a coalition grouping former President Amin Gemayel, Metn MP Nassib Lahoud, former army commander Michel Aoun and George Hawi, the former head of the Communist Party.
Tueni accused Aoun of behaving hypocritically toward the opposition, saying the former army commander “was the one to insult the Qornet Shehwan Gathering by declaring that it was working under Syrian cover.”
Despite his remarks, Tueni denied that there was a rift in the gathering, calling the divisions “a divergence in opinions.”
For his part, Mokheiber issued a statement Thursday affirming his stance as a true opposition candidate.
He cited his calls for a “withdrawal of all Syrian forces from Lebanese territory” and the building of a sound democratic society through free and fair parliamentary elections.
Mokheiber also vowed to remain in the race until the end, despite rumors to the contrary.
“In spite of all of the problems, I confirm my openness
to cooperate with all sides,” Mokheiber said.
Meanwhile, Lahoud called on the opposition to back behind Gabriel Murr.
“We hope all of the opposition’s forces unite behind Gabriel Murr,” Lahoud said from the Starco headquarters of his Democratic Renewal Movement, where Gabriel Murr also made an appearance. Lahoud added that this unity would “guarantee its victory” and create a broad-based opposition coalition ahead of the 2005 elections.
Lahoud denied that divisions over the Metn by-election had crippled the opposition, saying it was more united than ever.
“The opposition, in all its history, has never been as united as it is today over the candidacy of Gabriel Murr,” he said, adding that time will prove that the by-election strengthened the opposition, rather than destroying it.
Answering allegations that the battle had become a personal, Lahoud said the electoral contest was political from day one.
In reply to Tueni’s allegations, Lahoud said: “We are surprised because since the beginning of this battle, Gebran Tueni has been leading a war on all the members of the opposition, each in his own turn.”
Lahoud also played down Tueni’s call for the Qornet Shehwan Gathering to revise itself after the election. “I believe that some Qornet Shehwan members ought to revise their own priorities,” Lahoud said, adding that “the gathering did not part from its national priorities.”
Both Lahoud and Gabriel Murr also condemned the authorities for interfering in the by-election through threats and other illegal tactics. Lahoud said such tactics had become a tradition, while Gabriel Murr called for an end of what he dubbed, “the carrot and stick method.”
Nassib Lahoud also called on President Emile Lahoud and the Cabinet to order a halt to the interference by public servants, saying: “We don’t want to drag the president into this battle, but the other side should first stop dragging the president and all the government apparatuses into this battle.”
Also, Chouf MP Walid Jumblatt told a French-language weekly, Magazine, that he will back Mokheiber, “in order to stay at an equal distance from everybody,” namely the authorities and the opposition.
Jumblatt, who has been a close ally of the gathering since its creation last year, said that he will not be part of a coalition behind Gabriel Murr.
“Despite all the esteem and respect that I hold for Nassib Lahoud, I will not be part of the Gemayel-Aoun coalition in the Metn by-election,” the Druze leader added.
Jumblatt also enjoys strong ties with Carlos Edde, the head of the National Bloc, which is backing Mokheiber.
But Gabriel Murr on Wednesday evening picked up the endorsement of Solange Gemayel, the wife of slain President-elect and Lebanese Forces founder Bashir Gemayel. She had earlier supported Tueni.
Meanwhile, the National Audiovisual Media Council met Thursday and endorsed the withdrawal of electoral ads from all television stations in order to prevent legal problems in light of possible judicial moves against Murr Television, owned by Gabriel Murr.
The Beirut Public Prosecutor’s Office did not issue any decision on the MTV tapes, which were transferred by State Prosecutor Adnan Addoum Wednesday after accusations that the station is improperly supporting Gabriel Murr’s candidacy.

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