Speech of Mrs. Hind Hariri Karout

Speech of

Mrs. Hind AlHariri AlKarout

on the Fifth Anniversary of the

Martyrdom of Martyr Prime Minister Rafik Hariri

14-2-2010

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

I Would like to take a moment to express our deepest sorrow for the loss of so many precious lives in the Ethiopian plane Tragedy. A Tragedy that fell upon every Lebanese.

Our hearts and minds are with each and every family that is suffering the loss of its loved ones.

I would like to address  special thanks to Mr. President Chirac for always standing by our side in the most difficult times and attending today , as a great friend to our late father . Merci M. Le President.

I would also like to extend my deepest gratitude to UN Under-Secretary General Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka for her presence among us and for making the “Rafik Hariri UN-Habitat Memorial Award” possible . Thank You.

Thank you all for being here, to commemorate the day a great man , our father , Rafik Hariri was killed for his Vision of a Strong , Stable , Safe Lebanon .

Unfortunately , while Rafik Hariri was drawing a map for a New Greater Lebanon that History has ever witnessed , another Plan was being mapped with no intention for peace in the Middle East. And the first victim to be sacrificed was the one man that the plotters knew could actually make his Dream , Our Dream , بإذن الله , come true .

The 14^th February 2005 marked the beginning of the end of all our greatest aspirations .

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Whether they be Peace versus War , or Peace of Mind versus constant Anxiety not knowing what’s hidden behind every corner we turn.

The criminals knew what they were doing because unfortunately, not only did they succeed in assassinating our Emblem and Leader, but they even succeeded in coming between us. This was the ultimate achievement in their strategy.

Instead of uniting in the name of One cause that represented not one , or two or three factions of our Society , but all Lebanese People , we chose to awaken our differences and put them as walls between us .

We argued for over 30 years and we can argue for another 100 years , but whether we like it or not , we are all under the same roof and belong to one family , the Lebanese Family , just as Rafik Hariri envisioned for us , and sooner or later we will need each other .

But to guarantee that we can depend on each other’s help and support , we need to work hard to gain a mutual trust .

The saying is :

Forgive and Forget

What I believe we did was

Forget what War brought on us and Not Forgive each other

My suggestion is to :

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Forgive as much as our hearts are strong enough to forgive but Never Forget our Common Past.

Our History is not just a lesson to learn for a school exam , the History of the Lebanese Conflict , طريق الصراع في لبنان  , is a life lesson to learn and remember to ensure that this NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN and stays in the Past .

You might say that these words are simple easier said than done . But whoever said that Real Foundations are easy to build , and that Peace is easy to obtain , and more importantly to Maintain?

Rafik Hariri shed his blood for it . Is there anything more difficult than that ?

Q: Do we really want his sacrificed blood be shed in vain ? Do we really want the blood of all those who lost their lives because of our “disagreements” be shed in vain ?

Have all those painful years not taught us that we are all Lebanese , and that killing each other is killing ourselves and any hope for our children’s future ?

Rafik Hariri invested his life in each and every one of us , in all the People of Lebanon , it’s time we invest in ourselves and in each other.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Let us begin with the right intentions to build a country together . Nothing constructive can come out of hatred . But a true sincere intention to Unite can build a World , let alone a Country.

As for the Justice for our father’s assassination , the International Tribunal will take it’s course and إن شاء الله shed light on the Real Truth , we are all waiting for .

But on a personal level , as a daughter who lost her father “her hero” (as I would call him) ,

I truly , deeply , believe , that no matter how long the killers hide and smile at their unpunished deed , in this life (for now) they cannot run away from their آخرة  , their Afterlife .    

Because what they will suffer, and they will suffer إن شاء الله , is far beyond what our minds and  their minds could ever imagine.

Remember

إن الله يمهل ولا يهمل

That is the Real Justice.

To my mother Nazek Rafik Hariri, to my brothers and sister , Bahaa , Saad , Ouday , Ayman , Fahed , Joumana , to your children and to our child I carry : I guarantee you , our father’s and your grandfather’s sacrifice will not go in vain . We just need to be patient …. As he was ….

Each one of you inherited a piece of our father :

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Whether it be determination , strong enough not let any obstacle come in the way of realizing ambitions , the kind of drive that made a man of modest beginnings become Rafik Hariri .   

Or whether it is Courage to carry the responsibility of a Country and choosing to reach out to all Lebanese ready to turn the page and write a New History of a Great Lebanon .

Or Diplomacy , having the “fitness” to know how to make everyone content with the compromises they agree upon .

Or Patience , to overcome challenges and use them as opportunities to grow stronger.

Or whether it be perseverance and optimism, always seeing the sun through the cloudy sky , never losing hope in visions truly believed in .

Or having the Strength, always ready to defend your loved ones, no matter how big the sacrifice , just as he defended his , whether it be his own flesh and blood or his country , his Nation.

This is a small part of the Heritage our father has given to his small family . What about the heritage he left for his larger Family : all of you, all the People of Lebanon .

In every corner of Lebanon , is a footprint of  Rafik Hariri reminding us never to give up on our Dream .

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

And it’s up to us all to make sure that Heritage is passed onto our children , and onto our children’s children and so on ….

And I cannot think of a better example than the Lebanese People to have the Strength and will to always rise again Stronger than ever and more Determined to make their Common Dream come true.

Yes. Ladies and gentlemen , we Lebanese shall always rise again, nothing will put us down , بإذن الله تعالى  .

في اصعب الظروف صمدنا

وبعد أقصى الحروب نهضنا

أهدافنا واضحة

هاماتنا شامخة مهما كانت التحديات

هذا هو الشعب اللبناني

كل الشعب اللبناني

هذا ما علمني أياه أبي

هذه رؤية رفيق الحريري

والدتي الغالية نازك

To my precious mother Nazek,

You have been steadfast in your commitment and devotion to our father ensuring that his name , his vision of a Great Lebanon sustains . You have always remained moderate in every word spoken and every gesture made .

You are the True Guardian of Rafik Hariri’s Vision .

   بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

I need you to know that not only are we all so Proud of your Courage and Commitment, but Baba would have been the proudest among us all …..

ابي الحبيب

اشتقتلك كتير

Every year I would wonder what to get you on your birthday ...or on father’s day . و شو بينهدا لرفيق الحريري

But This year , إن شاء الله  , we offer you a priceless gift , our first child , your grandchild.

How hard it is baba,  to see our baby for the first time and not have you by my side ??

How hard it is baba not to see you carry our joy in your arms and that it not open it’s eyes to your warm smile ??

How hard it is baba not to be able to share the most precious moments of our lives with you ??

How hard it is baba to live without you ??????

But having to live without you does not mean that you are no longer in our lives .

Yes baba, you will be in every story we tell your grandchildren…. And in every story we tell our grandchildren . إن شاء الله

We will tell them who …. IS….. their grandfather,

Rafik alHariri,

We will NEVER tell them who …. WAS….their Grandfather, Rafik alHariri

May the 5^th year of Rafik Hariri’s Death,

Be the first year of a United Lebanon.