In late April 2009, the Syrian authorities banned distribution of the Lebanese daily Al-Diyyar in the country. Al-Diyyar is owned by Lebanese journalist Charles Ayyoub, who was until recently very close to the Syrian regime. This move against Ayyoub was accompanied by an unprecedentedly vicious attack on him by the Syrian website Champress, which is known to be close to Syrian regime circles.
The background to the Syrian regime's measures against Ayyoub is the latter's decision to run in the Lebanese parliamentary elections against Michel Aoun, one of the Syrian regime's close associates. As part of his election campaign, in an interview with Akhbar Al-Mustaqbal TV, which is owned by a leader of the Lebanese anti-Syrian camp, Sa'd Al-Hariri, Ayyoub accused Syria of interfering in Lebanon's elections, and attacked Aoun and other Lebanese figures close to the Syrian regime.
As election day in Lebanon approaches, there have been numerous media reports of attempts by various countries, headed by Syria and Saudi Arabia, to intervene in the elections and to influence their outcome; the attempts have primarily taken the form of monetary aid to the various political elements in Lebanon. However, it seems this intervention has expanded to include actual measures against a candidate.
Following is the unfolding of events, as reflected in Syrian and Lebanese media reports:
Syria Bans Distribution of Al-Diyyar
On April 26, 2009, Elaph.com reported that the Syrian authorities had permanently banned the Lebanese daily Al-Diyyar from being distributed in Syria. Unofficial Syrian sources estimated that the ban was motivated by owner Charles Ayyoub's decision to run in the Lebanese parliamentary elections against senior Lebanese pro-Syrian oppositionist Michel Aoun. Other sources accused Ayyoub of changing his positions, and of joining the Lebanese March 14 Forces camp. [1] It was also reported that Ayyoub had stopped printing the newspaper at the Al-Wahda Syrian Government Institution for Printing and Publications, which publishes some of the Syrian government daily papers, including Al-Thawra. [2]
Ayyoub on Akbar Al-Mustaqbal TV: Syria Is Interfering in Lebanese Elections
In an April 16, 2009 with Akhbar Al-Mustaqbal TV, Ayyoub accused Syria of interfering in Lebanon's elections, and claimed that it was running its own candidates in the lists of the opposition. He said that senior Syrian officials were behind his defeat in the 1996 parliamentary elections. Ayyoub also attacked Michel Aoun, calling him corrupt and arrogant and accusing him of receiving funds from Qatar and Iran. In addition, he lambasted senior pro-Syrian Lebanese figures, including former Lebanese minister Michel Samaha, whom he called "an advisor to the Syrian regime" and "more Syrian than Lebanese." [3]
Champress Attacks Ayyoub, Praises Aoun
On April 21, 2009, the Syrian website Champress, which is close to Syrian regime circles, published a vicious article attacking Ayyoub for his interview with Akhbar Al-Mustaqbal TV. It read: "[Charles Ayyoub] - the man who, according to little [Sa'd] Al-Hariri and his cronies... was involved in the assassination of 21st-century prophet Rafiq Al-Hariri... - recently received a character reference from [Sa'd] Al-Hariri, after he became a mouthpiece 'subordinate' [to Sa'd Al-Hariri], in exchange for a fistful of dollars.
"Charles Ayyoub, [he] of the free and brave words, sold his soul to the devil - as could be seen in this miserable interview, for which he was paid in advance...
"[In the interview,] Charles Ayyoub scattered accusations left and right, to satisfy the Lebanese political boys - yet it was he, the pioneer, who exposed their idiotic and dirty deeds [in the past].
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"As I watched this disgraceful interview, it seemed to me, for a few moments, that the man who was spilling out his honor on the screens of [Akhbar] Al-Mustaqbal TV, which has a Salafist tendency, was a [mere] counterfeit copy of that celebrated and brave writer [Charles Ayyoub], known for his bold positions and just vision. But the voice was his voice, and the image was his image... The smell of filthy money wafts even via the television screens. Oh, the shame!
"Charles Ayyoub, I am very sad for you. Your appearance on [the channel of] those wolves was nothing but a declaration of the death of your honor... May Allah curse the forbidden, corrupt, and corrupting money that kills [a man's] conscience and strength... May Allah curse the money of the Al-Hariris' debauchery, which turned Charles Ayyoub, who was known for his courage, into a petty clerk in Qouraitem [Palace, Al-Hariri's home], similar to mercenaries and rabble.
"On this occasion, I don't think there's any need to remind the honorable Syrian Communications Ministry that the Lebanese Al-Diyyar newspaper is infected, and that the Syrian reader no longer needs it." [4]
Another article published by Champress stated that, in contrast to Ayyoub's claim that Syria was interfering in Lebanon's elections, the Syrian regime had "cut back its involvement in Lebanon's political life to the most minimal level..." It added: "With regard to Mr. Ayyoub's claims regarding Champress's support for Gen. Michel Aoun, this never occurred to us, and we never thought this. Moreover, Charles Ayyoub knows well... that if Syria wanted to support Michel Aoun, it would not give [the job] to a journalist who [merely] expresses opinions. Syria is a state, and it has tremendous and well known capabilities - but it decided to distance itself from the bazaars of Lebanon's hated politics... and it is not interested in supporting a particular candidate.
"On the other hand, we don't think that Michel Aoun needs Syria's support, because he is a figure with weight and popularity... Michel Aoun rivaled Syria in bravery, and conducted a bold dialogue with it; when he visited, the Syrians welcomed a Lebanese leader who knows how to defend the interests of his people. The Syrians welcomed him and made sure that this welcome was an expression of their esteem for this man...
"Charles Ayyoub, why do you drag your reputation in the dirt? Why do you bury your history? Why do you sell your honor on the slave market?" [5]
Ayyoub in Al-Diyyar: Syria Has Faked Lebanon's Election Results for 25 Years
In response to the vicious articles attacking him published by Champress, Ayyoub wrote in his paper Al-Diyyar, on April 23, 2009: "To the journalists on this website: You [live] under a [non-democratic] presidential regime, [while] Lebanon has a democratic parliamentary regime - and under Lebanon's regime a journalist is entitled to criticize any MP or faction in parliament. I feel sorry for anyone who writes against me on Champress, because he is a tool in the hands of someone who [tells him what] to write. He doesn't write for the conscience of people, and he doesn't know what democracy is - instead, he writes to satisfy someone who [tells him what] to write...
"Why doesn't Champress talk about the hundreds of millions of dollars stolen in the past 20 years by Syrian officials, acting in coordination with Lebanese officials who are allies of Syria? Michel Aoun - who once spoke of breaking the head of Syrian president Hafez Al-Assad and of pounding a nail into the coffin of the Syrian regime, and who acted [to promote the passage of U.N. Security Council Resolution] 1559 against Syria, and [even] claimed to be [the resolution's] spiritual father - has [today] become the symbol of nationalism, in Champress's eyes... I challenge any senior Syrian official [who claims to have] served Syria more than I have in the past 21 years to compete against me [in loyalty to Syria]. Even though [the Syrian officials] brought me down in the [1996] elections, and lied to me, I did not change my position - [a position of] support and love for Syria...
"[Champress] says that I have changed from a tiger into a mouse... We saw you [Syrian officials] during the investigation of [then-commissioner of the U.N. International Independent Investigation Commission on the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Al-Hariri, Detlev] Mehlis, and how you sat for hours as he interrogated you - we did not see tigers in front of Mehlis. You owe Charles Ayyoub and Al-Diyyar for their toppling of Mehlis... It was I who brought about the downfall of the Mehlis commission, which investigated the most senior Syrian officials on every tiny detail. To Champress I say: You [Syrians] faked the [results of] elections in Lebanon for 25 years. Stop interfering in the elections, let us [hold] free elections...
"If Syria wants to tell me something, let them tell me directly, not through Champress... I don't care what Champress and those behind it say. My nationalism is far superior to the corruption of those behind Champress. My nationalism and Arabness will continue to be much more deeply rooted than [those] of the mercenaries who have no right to choose for themselves.
"Congratulations to Champress for its support for Michel Aoun. [Such support] stands in contradiction to [Syrian President] Bashar Al-Assad's declaration that Syria will not interfere in Lebanon's elections. Voila, we are witnessing blatant [Syrian] intervention in the parliamentary elections, and support for one element against another. Twenty-five years of faking election [results] was enough for us...
"We say to Michel Aoun, who relies on his popularity and on Syrian websites and their ilk: Your victory in the elections will not be a victory, but rather a stain of ignominy - because you change your positions like you change your socks..." [6]
Ayyoub: I Received Threats Telling Me Not to Run against Aoun
In an April 25, 2009 interview with the March 14 Forces website, Ayyoub revealed that he had received many threats advising him to quit the race against Aoun. He also said that Aoun had received explicit instructions from Syria regarding the makeup of his candidate list. [7]
Endnotes:
[1] www.elaph.com, April 21, 2009.
[2] www.thisisisyria.net, April 22, 2009.
[3] www.thisissyria.net, April 22, 2009
[4] www.champress.net, April 21, 2009.
[5] www.champress.net, April 23, 2009.
[6] Al-Diyyar (Lebanon), April 23, 2009.
[7] www.14march.org, April 25, 2009.
