Member of the "Kataeb" bloc, Deputy Nadim Gemayel, affirmed that the issue of detainees in Syrian prisons concerns all Lebanese and is primarily a humanitarian issue before it becomes a judicial or security one, as every region has someone missing due to the Syrian regime—be it abducted, detained, or disappeared. Gemayel, in a talk with "Voice of Lebanon" regarding the reluctance of some Lebanese deputies to sign the petition concerning the missing, noted that some deputies consider themselves close to the Syrian regime and pledge loyalty to it; thus, they did not sign the petition. The government also did not vote on the decision to establish an independent institution to search for the missing in Syria, and Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib abstained from voting at the United Nations.
He pointed out that successive governments have often formed committees to follow up on the detainee issue, and today we see the Foreign Minister imposing prior censorship on himself and refraining from voting at the UN for political reasons or because someone else is making foreign decisions on his behalf. He added, "In this same context, we see what is happening at the UN regarding the renewal for UNIFIL and how the Foreign Minister is behaving. For me, the issue is greater than politics; it is purely humanitarian, and we signed not out of a desire for settling scores but from a humanitarian standpoint."
Gemayel emphasized that "closing the file on detainees opens the way for reconciliation, goodwill, and memory purification." He stated, "Anyone whom the Syrian regime claims is imprisoned in Lebanon has committed crimes, and no one in Lebanon is missing, unknown, or unaccounted for, in contrast to Lebanese detainees in Syria." He pointed out that the Syrian regime has infringed on Lebanese territories and engaged in battles, thus it must bear responsibility for its actions in Lebanon. The process is not a trade-off but rather a golden opportunity today through establishing a UN institution to search for the missing on Syrian soil, and we want to add Lebanese missing persons in Syria to the institution's agenda.
Regarding the Syrian regime's denial of the existence of Lebanese detainees, Gemayel said, "We are accustomed to the lies of the Syrian regime, which has always denied the presence of detainees. Yet, we have seen many detainees who were released in succession as clear proof that the regime is lying. Many who have exited the prisons confirmed the existence of Lebanese detainees in Syria, and if Syria has nothing to hide, it should open the door for the independent UN institution."
Gemayel concluded by asserting that closing the file on the missing in Syria opens a door for reconciliation and gives hope to families who seek certainty about their loved ones.
