A new political movement announced here Monday is aiming to offer voters an original alternative when casting their ballots during parliamentary elections slated for later this month. For voters who wish to make a statement this election, instead of abstaining from voting or submitting a blank ballot they will now be able to cast a ballot detailing a political program rather than a list of candidates. Behind the initiative is Hayyabina, a small group of independent individuals rallied under the slogan "Let's go for a secular republic."
| While I sympathize with them, even applaud their goals, wasting a ballot is a dumbass way to go about it. You achieve your goals by forming political alliances as needed. |
During a press conference held Monday at Zico House in central Beirut, the members of Hayyabina expressed their belief in the right of all citizens to participate in the public arena outside the boundaries imposed by current political parties. The group's mission statement is to make heard the voices of those who do not adhere to "the assumption that citizens can be represented on the basis of confession alone." In this context, Loukman Salim, a publisher and one of the founders of Hayyabina, rejected all present "entrenched political elites," insisting "leaders of the opposition who continue to uphold the confessional structure are just as guilty ... as the Syrian loyalists." Hayyabina has summarized its political program on a small mock-ballot, hoping voters who do not wish to support any candidates during the coming parliamentary elections will instead drop this cut-out into the ballot box. Of course, the mock-ballot will not be counted as a vote. But, according to group member Fadi Touffic, "submitting the program of Hayyabina as a vote will be an active way for people to express their rejection of today's dominant retrograde confessional politics." |