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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 - 31 March 1999 Issue No. 422 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 - 31 March 1999 Issue No. 422
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Profile Features Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Lahoud cracks
By Zeina Khodr
down on corruptionFollowing his swearing-in last November, President Emile Lahoud has faced the difficult task of fulfilling the trust inspired by his reputation as a reformer. Lahoud set out his agenda, promising to "fight corruption and bribery, carry out administrative reform as well as build a state of law and institutions."
Less than four months later, a former minister was taken into custody on charges of embezzling public funds. It was the first time a Lebanese minister had been charged with corruption and it was the first major prosecution as part of the new government's anti-graft crackdown. Former Minister of Oil Shahe Barsoumian, who served twice between 1995 and 1998 under former Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri, is now in jail awaiting trial. Other former officials of the ministry were also charged by the public prosecutor with financial fraud in connection with a case involving some 800 million dollars of oil imports.
Barsoumian, reputed to be close to former President Elias Hrawi, is believed to have conspired with an oil company executive to resell imported oil products abroad at inflated prices, falsely claiming them to be of a higher quality.
The incarceration of Barsoumian was described by the media as an historic precedent. "This is a victory for the independence of the judiciary and a good point for the president who pledged that no one will be above the law," said the Lebanese daily, An-Nahar.
But others questioned whether the authorities had the power to continue investigations even if other senior political figures were implicated.
"The arrest of the more venal representatives of the old regime is, or should be, primarily a judicial matter. For the regime to be taken seriously in its anti-corruption efforts, it will have to allow the judicial authorities to go as far as their investigations take them," Michael Young, a political analyst wrote. "Almost unavoidably, the investigation of as senior an official as Mr Barsoumian should lead upward in the political hierarchy. Will magistrates dare, or be permitted, to go that far?"
But the authorities have expressed their determination to continue the crackdown. "Lahoud told me that combating corruption would continue within the framework of the law," Deputy Zaher Khatib said after meeting the president.
Security sources said the oil case was opened after specific information was submitted to the public prosecutor's office leading to the filing of a regular lawsuit. "Unless something similar happens, no one [else] will be prosecuted," one source said. Observers believe a political decision has been made to look into a number of embezzlement cases.
In fact, not long after Barsoumian's arrest, an investigation was ordered into allegedly stolen antiquities some of which were found in the homes of former government officials. Nationwide police raids were staged to track down the missing artefacts. Over 2,000 were recovered in galleries, shops, and residences across the country. No arrests have yet been made.
A judicial source said: "The crackdown will continue to recover the missing treasures and those who come forth and voluntarily return illegally obtained antiquities will not be prosecuted."
Deputy Walid Jumblatt, Druze chief and former minister, criticised the anti-corruption campaign. "This amounts to a modern day inquisition and witch-hunt," Jumblatt, a close ally of Al-Hariri, said. "This is a political trial."
Al-Hariri has tried to defend himself after being criticised for not taking action against corruption in public bodies. "The removal of a known corrupt senior state official was too much of a prickly political problem to tackle," he said. But observers believe Al-Hariri could not have achieved his goals of bringing prosperity to Lebanon and attracting foreign investment if corruption was rife in public institutions.
Lebanese security authorities also uncovered a Lebanese-Syrian ring trying to sell around six kilogrammes of uranium at 25 million dollars per kilo. Reports said that authorities arrested members of the ring who had connections with Iran. They are now in custody pending the outcome of investigations. Experts said that six kilogrammes of uranium would be sufficient to make a nuclear bomb.
The government has been trying to gain the confidence of the people, and observers believe it will continue the anti-graft campaign. But opposition figures have criticised the crackdown, claiming that it is politically motivated.
