Ollaik condemns Ghanem and his distorted media: We stand by the victims’ families in our work and attitude, not in media deception

Ollaik condemns Ghanem and his distorted media: We stand by the victims’ families in our work and attitude, not in media deception

Lawyer Rami Ollaik responded to the journalist Marcel Ghanem, and it was broadcasted on the UFL Facebook page this afternoon, August 5, 2021.

At the beginning of his speech, Ollaik stated that as long as the proper judiciary is broken, let the words express the ideas, and let it be a public prosecution by the people, wanting it to be equal as there are those who own the media, televisions, and money, and those who work with “limited resources” and they are honest and do not give up their rights. He hopes that the principles of respect for opinion, freedom of expression and democracy will cross everyone to safety at a time when the language of communication has reached its bottom and everyone is in the era of prejudice and the tinsel of media broadcasts. He also said: “Despite all that, I want people to pay attention, for there are four fingers between truth and falsehood, and there is a big difference between hearing and spreading news, watching and making sure of any matter, and we may start from here the correct judgment on matters.”

Regarding Ghanem’s words, Ollaik mentioned some facts related to the relationship that brought them together, while considering that words outside the ethics of communication will not responded to. He believes in equality amongst people, and there are no servants and masters, and he wonders about the backgrounds of those who think as such. Here, Ollaik recalled key details about the nature of the conversations with Ghanem when his book "The Bees Road" was published, and how the latter was focusing on getting financial benefits from his work as a journalist, and tried to go in that direction with Ollaik, who refused to "pay" for media appearances.

And he continued, "Do you remember, Marcel, when Ghassan Tuaini called me after the publication of my book “The Bees Road” and what he wrote in Annahar newspaper back then: "And this believer, whose name is Rami Ollaik, walks “on the bees “road” to a Lebanese monotheism - deeply humane, expressing its essential truth with love that shines in the eyes, and the humility of the guards, yet excess of honesty.” Ghassan Tuaini did not lie, but the truth is expensive, and personally I am not one of those who pay the media.

Ollaik stressed that he did not betray his friendship with Ghanem but the latter stabbed him under the pressure of the funders of his program, considering that at the beginning of Ashura, all the tragedy that occurred in Karbala can be summed up in one word, “reform.” Al-Hussein said: “and I only came out to seek reform”, and Ollaik stressed that this is the basis in Lebanon “the reform”, and he alongside with all the activists will stand hand in hand with the reformers.

In the context, he recalled a reform paper of 11 pages mentioned in his book “The Bees Road” presented 25 years ago to officials in Hezbollah and he said: “Yes, I am the son of this environment, but reform was my destination, and it is not acceptable for us to remain motionless and accept injustice, queues and anything in the midst of this humiliation”.

As to yesterday’s events, during the episode of “Sar El-Waet” (IT IS TIME) Ollaik considered that “what was said is not only by Rami Ollaik, but by the suffering people, the “Depositors’ Cry”, UFL, the suffering citizens, and the families of the port victims, pointing out that corruption in Lebanon has five pillars: Greedy politician, a wealthy person or a bank owner, a judiciary protecting corruption, a judicial police who executes orders and media that promotes and misleads people, and these media games are played on the families of the victims. The episode that was staged in the port of Beirut is nothing but a mere dance over the corpses and an exploitation of the families of the victims.

Ollaik believed that the movements towards banks and others are armed with the right of public defense that is legitimate in Article 184 of the Penal Code, and these movements are supported by the people in the “depositors’ cry” association, UFL, and a number of activists. He saluted the clean judiciary and the few judges trying to achieve justice, such as Tarek Bitar and Ghada Aoun.

In conclusion, Ollaik considered that whitewashing the criminals’ page in the name of money and politics and directing matters to polish the black images of those corrupt people is a mistake, and to preserve the blood of the martyrs on August 4, is by demanding and standing side by side with the victims’ families and not by trading in their blood and their needs. In the context, we were heartened by the presence of such few judges who are clean and want the truth.

To view the full speech of lawyer Ramy Ollaik, visit the following link:

 https://www.unitedforlebanon.com/en/videos/kVTdjusHUfI

On Facebook, visit:

https://fb.watch/7bQAnmjqAW/