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Christians Represent More than Half of Lebanese Expatriates Registered for Upcoming Elections

A Lebanese election official counts ballots after the polling station closed during Beirut’s municipal elections in Lebanon, May 8, 2016. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
A Lebanese election official counts ballots after the polling station closed during Beirut’s municipal elections in Lebanon, May 8, 2016. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
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Christians Represent More than Half of Lebanese Expatriates Registered for Upcoming Elections

A Lebanese election official counts ballots after the polling station closed during Beirut’s municipal elections in Lebanon, May 8, 2016. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
A Lebanese election official counts ballots after the polling station closed during Beirut’s municipal elections in Lebanon, May 8, 2016. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil is seeking to reopen the registration process for expatriates wishing to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, two months after it was closed, while his opponents and electoral experts are surprised with such move, which might lead to amending the electoral law a few months before the elections’ date.

92,810 Lebanese expatriates have registered to participate in the elections within the deadline set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, which began on the first of October and ended on November 20.

While the ministry described the number as an “achievement”, experts considered it “very low” especially since not everyone registered by the ministry may be able to vote in the days and locations to be determined later.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants has not yet circulated tables showing the sectarian and regional distribution of expatriates who registered to participate in the elections. However, MP Neamtallah Abu Nasr revealed that those registered are formed of 55 percent of Christians and 45 percent Of Muslims, pointing out that these figures were transmitted by Bassil.

“The data also indicates that a large number of those registered are from northern Lebanon,” Abi Nasr told Asharq Al-Awsat, calling on the ministry to publish the tables so that the candidates could build on them in their preparations for the elections.

In the event of re-opening the registration, Abu Nasr said that the number of those who had previously registered would be doubled.

He also said that the 20-day deadline would be sufficient and if there was a legal way to do so without delaying the elections.

Otherwise, the elections would be delayed by 15 or 20 days, he said.

On the other hand, sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the reopening of the registration process did not necessitate postponing the elections.

In a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat, the sources noted that Bassil was committed to his proposal within the framework of electoral reform.

Expatriates wishing to participate in the Lebanese elections will resort to a website and to a smart phone application dedicated by the ministry for this purpose.

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Hemedti Issues Strict Orders to his Forces to Protect Sudanese People

People collect clean water provided by a charity organization to people in Gedaref in eastern Sudan on August 30, 2024. (AFP)
People collect clean water provided by a charity organization to people in Gedaref in eastern Sudan on August 30, 2024. (AFP)
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Hemedti Issues Strict Orders to his Forces to Protect Sudanese People

People collect clean water provided by a charity organization to people in Gedaref in eastern Sudan on August 30, 2024. (AFP)
People collect clean water provided by a charity organization to people in Gedaref in eastern Sudan on August 30, 2024. (AFP)

Commander of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, also known as Hemedti, issued on Saturday strict orders to his forces to protect civilians and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid in line with the commitments his delegation made at the recent peace talks in Geneva.

In a post on the X platform, he said he issued an “extraordinary administrative order to all the forces” to protect civilians and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.

He called on all commanders to abide by the orders in line with international humanitarian law. Any violators will be held accountable.

The RSF has been accused of widespread violations against civilians in areas under their control. They have also been accused of committing massacres in Gezira state in central Sudan. The RSF have denied the accusations.

Hemedti announced in August the formation of a “civilian protection force” that immediately assumed its duties in the Khartoum and Gezira states.

According to head of the RSF delegation to the Geneva talks, Omar Hamdan, the force is formed of 27 combat vehicles, backed by forces that have experience in cracking down on insubordination.

Hemedti stressed last week his commitment to all the outcomes of the Geneva talks, starting with ensuring the delivery of aid to those in need.

The RSF and army agreed to open two safe routes for the deliveries and to protect civilians to ease their suffering after nearly a year and a half of war.

The mediators in Geneva received commitments from the RSF that it would order the fighters against committing any violations against civilians in areas under their control.

Meanwhile, aid deliveries continued through the Adre border crossing with Chad. They are headed to people in Darfur in western Sudan.

Fifty-nine aid trucks carrying aid supplies crossed from Chad to Darfur, said the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on Saturday.

“The supplies are estimated to reach nearly 195,000 people in acute need in different parts of the country,” it added.

“About 128 aid trucks carrying supplies for an estimated 355,000 people are being prepared to cross into Sudan in the coming days and weeks to ensure a steady flow of supplies. Despite the surge of supplies through Adre, humanitarian partners have warned that ongoing rains and floods have damaged three major bridges in the region, limiting movements within Darfur,” it revealed.

“While progress has been made on the Adre border crossing, funding resources are depleting, and humanitarian funding is urgently required to sustain the supplies chain,” it urged.