The former world Secretary General and the Representative of the World Lebanese Cultural Union to the United Nations- Department of Public Information -, Dr. Nick Kahwaji declare that the Lebanese abroad lost confidence long ago in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, specifically since the early nineties, adding that the Ministry of Expatriates and later the Directorate General of Lebanese expatriates , worked with a reactionary approach behind an attempt to control the decision making of the Diaspora, and assign to themselves the right to recognize or not the Lebanese clubs around the world, armed with Article 12 of the Law of the Ministry of Expatriates .
He denounced the decent act against the president of the WLCU in Ghana Mr Chakib Rammal where the Lebanese Consul tried to forbid him from participating at a reception made for the Lebanese President in the Ghanaian Palace. The Ghanaian authorities intervened and informed the consul that Mr. Rammal was invited to the palace as a Presidential consultant in Ghana for Arab and Islamic Affairs .
Kahwaji pointed out the reasons that negatively influenced the expatriates in terms of participation in the elections this year: failing to approve an electoral law that meet the approval of the majority of the Lebanese people and guarantees the equal rights of all the components of the Lebanese society
He Said: The lack of seriousness of the Ministry of Expatriates and the reluctance to carry out its duties towards census the Expatriates and register them, had a negative impact, in addition to the lack of enthusiasm of the ambassadors and consuls to register the Expatriates by using limited and classical call for registration .
Added Kahwaji : failure to approve or put the idea of creating a voting centre in all cities inhabited by Lebanese and suggest that elections, if acquired, would be only in the embassies and consulates and this makes it imperative for some to travel by plane from two hours to six hours if they wanted to participate
…There is a sort of Bargaining ,and lack of commitment to give them what they deserve, explaining that, when the capital transferred from abroad to Lebanon reaches more than $ 7 billion annually, you find politicians proposing to give 6 or 10 deputies for the diaspora, and these numbers are not new and unrealistic and unacceptable .
. Kahwaji demanded for the expatriates to vote in every city they reside and not only in the capital or official consulates (in Canada there are 6 hours travel between Vancouver and the Lebanese Embassy in Ottawa, same apply to Brazil .
He also demanded that elections to be made in the original constituencies of the registered family, to connect the descendant with their original hometown.
Kahwaji expressed that he is pleased for the serious work of the Lebanese clubs in western Canada, and confirmed –on the occasion of the eighteenth anniversary of the establishment of the WLCU- British Columbia Council – Canada, that this Council has become the great heart of the WLCU, its Cultural face, and its United Nations compass for the relationship with – Department Information Division .
About the Activities of the Council, Kahwaji explained that the council is working constantly – locally and globally – at all levels of cultural, social and Worldwide, and said: We the first who called and support the establishment of : –
“Phoenician International Research center, PIRC”. Founded in 2009.
Same for the – International Lebanese Titanic Committee. founded in 2012 in collaboration with the Irish-Lebanese foundation, and the Lebanese emigration research centre.
He pointed out that the most important activities carried out by the Council of British Columbia are:
1)Honoring the Lebanese Diaspora by lobbying the Ministry of Communications in Lebanon for issuing a stamp to commemorate the Lebanese emigrants in cooperation with the Lebanese business Club in France (HALFA) – and the CENTRO LIBANES in Mexico- and in this context, we thank, the support of the Communications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui.
2)WLCU-BC Council supports the project to establish a museum of trains in Rayak in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Lebanese NGO “Train – Train” Also the WLCU-BC Council is responsible for the global Website, and the monthly online magazine (“The Lebanese Heritage” from BC to the world) ,and the WLCU official Facebook.
Lebanon Debate (Google translation)