Lebanon's latest assassination underlines the need for reason as political crimes are investigated, writes Ibrahim Nafie Things that happen in this region are often linked in mysterious ways, by accident or intent. On the day Detlev Mehlis, chief of the team investigating the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri, was scheduled to submit his report to UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan, another assassination took place. A powerful bombing claimed the life of Lebanese journalist and parliamentarian Gibran Tueni. Again, a horrendous crime has been perpetrated against one of Lebanon's most cherished public figures. The next day, just as Lebanon was paying its last respects to Tueni, the UN Security Council convened to discuss Mehlis's report. The horror felt in Lebanon was echoed in New York, with Mehlis voicing shock over Tueni's murder. Tueni was one of the people Mehlis had met in Beirut in the course of his investigations. The Lebanese envoy to the UN demanded that the investigation in Al-Hariri's case be broadened to cover Tueni's murder. I was deeply disheartened by the news of Tueni's killing. I knew him closely and I came to appreciate his profound insight and dynamic energy. He was a man of strong beliefs and not one to mince his words, as my friend Jihad Al-Khazen said. Many of those who knew Tueni and his father, the veteran journalist and politician Ghassan Tueni, often voiced fear for his safety. As soon as the crime took place, the finger of accusation was pointed at Syria. The charge was repeated by regional and international parties alike, which made me think yet again: is Syria being targeted by a well-orchestrated scheme aiming to isolate and blackmail it so that it accept regional deals it has rejected in the past? Syria was offered the chance to stay in Lebanon in return for disarming Hizbullah, and it preferred to pull out of Lebanon instead. Syria refused to play a supporting role in the US occupation of Iraq. As a result, it was accused of failing to control its border with Iraq, and was threatened with sanctions. Syria was asked in no uncertain terms to end the presence of Palestinian resistance organisations on its soil, support the roadmap, and become part of the political settlement in its current version. It has refused to do any of the above. Forcing Syria into accepting what it has rejected in the past is the goal that inspires the current spate of killings in Lebanon. The Syrian leadership believes the blackmail it is now experiencing constitutes a major threat not only to Syria but also to the future of security and stability in the region. On the one hand, the current pressure impedes the process of change and reform the Syrian leadership is trying to implement. On the other hand, mounting tension hampers economic reform efforts and obstructs the flow of foreign investment into Syria and the region. Meanwhile, those who resist reform and democratisation in the region are using the current crisis to resume their subversive activities. For example, extremist groups are surfacing once again, benefiting from the tension that clouds Syria's relations with some regional and international powers. Syria is experiencing a wave of violence and terror on a scale unknown for decades. I believe that the relations between Syria and Lebanon are so interwoven that any distressing event in one of the two countries reverberates throughout the other. Security and stability are essential for both countries. It is unimaginable that the lack of security or the continued tension in Lebanon would benefit Syria, just as it is unimaginable that the loss of security and stability in Syria would benefit Lebanon. The ongoing killings in Lebanon constitute a crime against Lebanon and all Arabs, as well as against humanity. But let me remind all that we need to look into this matter with the utmost self-restraint. Let's not be carried away by emotions. It's wise to wait until the situation is clear and the truth is fully uncovered. Meanwhile, let's not do or say anything that enemies of Syria may use in blackmailing, isolating, or imposing sanctions on Damascus, for this is exactly what they're waiting for. Our Syrian brothers are entitled to expect the Lebanese to act sensibly and remain aware of the dimensions of the scheme aimed at undermining their country. I was immensely moved by the words Ghassan Tueni said at his son's funeral. That man, who has already lost a son and a daughter, called on the Lebanese to bury all their hatred just as he was burying his son. This is a plea that I hope all Lebanese, from across the political spectrum, heed. The Lebanese need to press on with the process of reconciliation, settle their differences, and turn over a new leaf. Lebanon is an Arab country with a vision and a future. It is a country that has been, and should always remain, a beacon of freedom.
