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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=1 color="#9c0b0b" face=Verdana><span
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</span></font></b><span class=verblack21><b><font size=1 color=black
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Copyright (c) 2005 The Daily Star</span></font></b></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=1 color="#9c0b0b" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#9C0B0B;font-weight:bold'>Thursday,
April 28, 2005</span></font></b></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black;font-weight:bold'>Give
Lebanese living abroad the chance to vote</span></font></b></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span class=blue31><b><font size=1 color="#000066"
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:7.5pt'>By Chibli Mallat</span></font></b></span><b><font
size=1 color="#000066" face=Verdana><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:
Verdana;color:#000066;font-weight:bold'> <br>
</span></font></b><span class=links1><font size=1 color="#666666"
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt'>Commentary by </span></font></span></p>
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<p class=articletext><font size=1 color="#2a2a2a" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'>Lebanese citizens who find themselves abroad on
election day cannot cast a ballot at home, even if their name is on the
electoral rolls. They cannot vote even if they provide a power of attorney to
someone, nor can they vote by correspondence, through the Internet, or at a
Lebanese embassy or consulate. To return to Lebanon to vote, they must have
time, health, ready means of transportation and money, so that only a tiny
portion of overseas voters have the luxury of respecting their constitutional
duty. </span></font></p>
<p class=articletext><font size=1 color="#2a2a2a" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'>The continued disregard of the Lebanese authorities
for this central issue is no longer acceptable, and stands in open violation
to two clauses in the Constitution establishing a right for all Lebanese to
vote, regardless of where they reside. In the preamble, Lebanon is declared "a democratic, parliamentary republic, founded on the respect of
public freedoms, first and foremost the freedom of opinion and conscience; on
social justice; and on the equality in all rights and duties between the
citizens without any discrimination or preference." </span></font></p>
<p class=articletext><font size=1 color="#2a2a2a" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'>Article 7 of the Constitution states that "all
Lebanese are equal before the law. They equally benefit from civil and
political rights, and are equally bound to public charges and duties, without
any discrimination whatsoever." Both clauses, in underlining that
citizens must not be discriminated against and benefit from equality in all
rights and duties, clearly indicate that voters must be provided with the
means to avoid such discrimination, including being able to choose their
representatives. How is it possible to now redress this unconstitutional
state of things? </span></font></p>
<p class=articletext><font size=1 color="#2a2a2a" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'>Methods differ according to countries. In France voting can be delegated, so that a voter abroad can give someone in his district the
right to cast a ballot in his stead. While this method does not offer the
same conditions as a direct vote, it is easy to implement and provides the
easiest mechanism for people who are briefly abroad at voting time.
Safeguards can be introduced to avoid abuse and reinforce the legitimacy of
the process. </span></font></p>
<p class=articletext><font size=1 color="#2a2a2a" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'>There are also other means of voting abroad. For
example, in some states of the United States, voting can be done by
correspondence, or even through the Internet. </span></font></p>
<p class=articletext><font size=1 color="#2a2a2a" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'>It is also possible to open voting centers abroad, as
was done in the case of the Iraqi elections last January. This solution is
preferable to delegation when it comes to preserving democratic principles,
because it ensures the material connection between voters and their ballot,
with their physical presence providing further witness to their attachment to
constitutional duty. However, setting up overseas voting centers is more
difficult to organize than voting by delegation, because it requires the
availability of electoral rolls in embassies and consulates, which
necessitates their close cooperation with the civil status authorities and
the Interior Ministry back home. </span></font></p>
<p class=articletext><font size=1 color="#2a2a2a" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'>In the case of Lebanon, voters are attached by law to
their district of origin, in accordance with the civil status registers, not
to their place of residence. This peculiarity forces a Lebanese residing
abroad to be listed on the electoral rolls of his district of origin. Such
rolls are available, and have even been placed on CDs. This makes it possible
to organize voting in embassies and consulates for all those who have a valid
passport. </span></font></p>
<p class=articletext><font size=1 color="#2a2a2a" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'>It is sufficient, therefore, that the government
approve a short addendum to the electoral law, regardless of the size of the
voting districts that will be adopted for the upcoming parliamentary elections
in May, incorporating the right to vote abroad into the law under discussion.
Earlier this week, we urged a number of Lebanese political leaders to adopt
this idea. Under the proposal, Lebanese living abroad would have to register
a week ahead of the elections in the nearest consulate or embassy where they
would cast their vote. Before then, the relevant embassies will have received
the electoral rolls on CD to properly account for the vote. </span></font></p>
<p class=articletext><font size=1 color="#2a2a2a" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'> The right to vote is a fundamental right
guaranteed by the Constitution. To facilitate its exercise for the many
people living abroad represents a major democratic advance, one that is
widely recognized throughout the world. More elaborate solutions could also
be considered ahead of future elections, but the nonviolent revolution Lebanon recently engaged in demands an immediate enlargement of the democratic circle. This
does not pose a problem beyond making the political will of the Lebanese
leadership match the quality and demands of the democratic demonstrations. </span></font></p>
<p class=articletext><font size=1 color="#2a2a2a" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'>More than 13,000 people have signed a petition
spontaneously expressing their support for the right to vote overseas.
Approving this measure would create a real link, at last, between Lebanese at
home and abroad. Lebanon is proud of its diaspora, but has not provided those
outside the country who are eligible to vote with the means to show their
attachment to their homeland. </span></font></p>
<p class=articletext><strong><b><i><font size=1 color="#2a2a2a" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;font-style:italic'>Nada Abouzeid</span></font></i></b></strong><em><i><font
face=Verdana><span style='font-family:Verdana'> is a lawyer and </span></font></i></em><strong><b><i><font
face=Verdana><span style='font-family:Verdana;font-style:italic'>Nasri Bejani</span></font></i></b></strong><em><i><font
face=Verdana><span style='font-family:Verdana'> is a businessman, both living
in Paris. </span></font></i></em><strong><b><i><font face=Verdana><span
style='font-family:Verdana;font-style:italic'>Gebran Karam</span></font></i></b></strong><em><i><font
face=Verdana><span style='font-family:Verdana'> is an engineer and teaches at
the Lebanese-American University. </span></font></i></em><strong><b><i><font
face=Verdana><span style='font-family:Verdana;font-style:italic'>Chibli
Mallat</span></font></i></b></strong><em><i><font face=Verdana><span
style='font-family:Verdana'> is a lawyer and law professor at St. Joseph University. The proposed bill for the Lebanese vote abroad can be found at </span></font></i></em><u><font
color=blue><span style='color:blue'><a href="http://www.mallat.com"><em><i><font
face=Verdana><span style='font-family:Verdana'>www.mallat.com</span></font></i></em></a></span></font></u><em><i><font
face=Verdana><span style='font-family:Verdana'>. Two petitions on voting
abroad that have received wide support can be consulted on </span></font></i></em><u><font
color=blue><span style='color:blue'><a href="http://www.lebanese-abroad.com"><em><i><font
face=Verdana><span style='font-family:Verdana'>www.lebanese-abroad.com</span></font></i></em></a></span></font></u><em><i><font
face=Verdana><span style='font-family:Verdana'> and on </span></font></i></em><u><font
color=blue><span style='color:blue'><a
href="http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/Lebanese_elections"><em><i><font
face=Verdana><span style='font-family:Verdana'>www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/Lebanese_elections</span></font></i></em></a></span></font></u><em><i><font
face=Verdana><span style='font-family:Verdana'>. Today, at 12:00 p.m.,
supporters of the initiative will hold a news conference at the Press
Federation building. This commentary </span></font></i></em><i><span
style='font-style:italic'>was written for THE DAILY STAR.</span></i></p>
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font-weight:bold'><img border=0 width=232 height=26
src="cid:image001.gif@01C54C70.A3CCE710"><br>
</span></font></b><span class=verblack21><b><font size=1 color=black
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Copyright (c) 2005 The Daily Star</span></font></b></span></p>
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