Mideast situation/Lebanon – Letter from Lebanon

GENERAL ASSEMBLY SECURITY COUNCIL

Fifty-first session Fifty-second year

Agenda item 33

THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Letter dated 7 July 1997 from the Chargé d'affaires a.i.,

of the Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the United Nations

addressed to the Secretary-General

I have the honour to transmit to you a letter dated 30 June 1997 from His Excellency Mr. Fares Bouez, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lebanon, on the subject of Lebanese detainees held in Israeli detention camps (see annex).

I have the honour to request that the present letter and its annex be circulated as an official document of the fifty-first session of the General Assembly and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Hicham HAMDAN         

Deputy Permanent Representative

Chargé d'affaires, a.i.    

ANNEX

Letter dated 30 June 1997 from the Minister for Foreign Affairs

of Lebanon addressed to the Secretary-General

I would like to focus once again on a painful aspect of the continued Israeli occupation of Lebanese territory, in defiance of Security Council resolution 425 (1978).  

I am referring to the tragedy of the 200 or so Lebanese in detention camps under Israeli control in south Lebanon and within Israel itself, many of whom have been held since 1984.

No legal charges have been brought against those detainees since their internment commenced.  They continue to undergo the most inhumane and unbelievable torture and suffering at the hands of the Israeli occupying force and the militia it controls, in contravention of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949.  This Convention, to which Israel is a party, offers protection to civilians living under occupation and proscribes arbitrary detention and torture.  Furthermore, many detainees have been refused contact with their parents or with the representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

I wish to appeal to you and, through you, to the competent bodies of the Organization of the United Nations, on the occasion of the remembrance day of the Lebanese detainees observed on 14 July in Lebanon, as well as by thousands of Lebanese and friends of Lebanon throughout the world, to exert your utmost endeavours to bring the ordeal of the detainees and the anguish of their loved ones to an end.

Khiam detention camp must be closed.  This shameful episode of Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon must be concluded and the detainees allowed to return to their homes.

The release of a small number of detainees and the parental visits which were conceded by the occupying force are but mere palliatives, which have only served to highlight the appalling conditions of their detention and to make our demands for their release even more pressing in view of the first-hand reports brought back by the released detainees of the horrific conditions of internment in Khiam, and the systematic and barbaric torture practised behind its walls.  Medical reports have corroborated the statements in those reports as did earlier medical examinations performed on those detainees who had been released earlier, some of whom died in hospital soon after their release.

The argument put forward by Israel, that the so-called South Lebanese Army militia is responsible for the detention camp of Khiam, is totally refuted and unacceptable and does not exonerate it from responsibility, since Israel is the occupying power in south Lebanon and is, in the final analysis, responsible in international law for acts committed on the territories it occupies.  The South Lebanese Army militia is but a tool of the Israeli occupying force and would not exist without its support.

In view of the above, the Government of Lebanon, the Lebanese detainees, the heirs of the detainees who died in internment and those who disappeared or are still missing or unaccounted for invoke their right to claim damages and indemnities, and to take legal action against the Government of Israel, its military officers and agents for their internment, torture and suffering.

I am enclosing for your attention an up-to-date list of names of Lebanese still in Israeli prisons or interned in detention camps under Israeli occupation (see appendix), which was provided by the Follow-Up Committee for the support of the Lebanese detainees in Israeli prisons.

I take this opportunity to reiterate to you our thanks for all the efforts of the United Nations to obtain the release of the Lebanese detainees, and invite you to exert new efforts on their behalf.

(Signed)  Fares BOUEZ         

Minister for Foreign Affairs

APPENDIX

List of Lebanese hostages in Khiam Concentration

Camp and in Israeli prisons

A.  Partial list of hostages in Khiam Concentration Camp

Date of

Name Town Profession Detention Health condition

______________________________________________________________________________________

 1-Souha Beshara Deir Mimas 7/11/88

 2-Mahmoud Khashish Khiam 1/10/85 Weak Vision

 3-Jihad Awada Khiam 1/10/85 Allergic

 4-Hassan Awada Khiam 3/88 Stomach Pain

 5-Ali Ahmad Qashaur Khiam 27/9/93

 6-Hussain Moukashar Beit Yahoun Laborer 9/1990

 7-Abdel Amir Khakish Khiam 27/9/93

 8-Adel Kalakesh Debbine Laborer 1993

 9-Riad Kalakesh Debbine 1986

10-Nimr Al-Ghaddaf Debbine 1993

11-Moufid Abboud Houla Laborer 1988

12-Nagib Abboud Houla Soldier 25/3/93 Allergic

13-Nazih Moustafa Houla Student 3/10/92 Weak Vision

14-Samer Hijazi Houla Student 18/3/94

15-Ziad Ghanouni Houla Student 3/1994

16-Hassan Moussa Hussain Houla 3/1992

17-Abdel Rahman Abboud Houla Student 10/8/1994

18-Hussain Awad Awad Houla 10/2/94

19-Issam Awada Naquora 2/2/94

20-Hassan Awada Naquora 2/3/94

21-So'oud Abou Hadleh Yarin Laborer 29/3/89 Injured

22-Nehmeh Dakdouk Ita Al-Shaab Laborer 6/92

23-Moussa Nimr Moustafa Ramieh Laborer 1986

24-Taissir Shaaban Beit Yahoun Laborer 10/91 Allergic

25-Ali Fou'ani Kounin Laborer 9/92 Weak Vision

26-Abdel Gharib Beidoun Bint Jbail 7/86

27-Ali Ghazi Alsaghir Bint Jbail Laborer 11/85

28-Jaafar Harish Bint Jbail Student 15/9/85 Blood Allergy

29-Abdel Karim Hmaid Bint Jbail Student 7/85

30-Nasser Abou Eleiwa Bint Jbail Laborer 7/85

31-Nehmeh Youssef Bazzi Bint Jbail Laborer 1985 Sick

32-Akram Ali Eleiwa Maroun Al-Rass Student 15/9/85 Disk

33-Mohammed Taleb Hejazi Ayteroun Laborer 15/12/95

34-Ali Hamadeh Aytaroun Student Stomach Pain

35-Kamal Hamadi Aytaroun Laborer 3/92

36-Hassan Deeb Hammoud Maiss Al-Jaal 1/9/86

37-Lafi Al-Masri Maiss Al-Jabal Artisan 1/89 Nervous System

38-Abbass Kabalan Maiss Al-Jabal Student 5/9/87 Injured

39-Sharif Atwi Markaba Carpenter 8/86 Weak Vision

40-Hajar Zaraket Markaba Driver 6/86

41-Ali Hijazi Debbine Laborer 21/8/89

42-Youssef Termess Tallousa 20/8/89 Lost one leg

43-Amin Termess Tallousa 5/8/88 Stomach Pain

44-Moujib Termess Tallousa 5/8/88 Sick

45-Raja'i Abou Haimen Hibbarieh 9/90 Sick

46-Fadi Ahmed Ali Hibbarieh Laborer

47-Nazih Abou Quaiss Hibbarieb Student 3/93

48-Mohammed Hammoud Hibbarieh Student 3/93

49-Mahmoud Mzannar Kfar Kela Student 1991

50-Samir Quassem Yohmor Student 4/88 Lost one Eye

51-Moustafa Arabieh Sarafand Laborer 1991

52-Houssain Mortada Hermel Laborer 10/90 Weak Vision

53-Zaid Barakat Shwaya 1993

54-Hamir Hamadi Nabatieh 10/85 Stomach Pain

55-Ghassan Moussa Daher Sheb'a Student 12/87

56-Zouhair Daher Sheb'a 20/1/91

57-Ali Abdallah Hazimeh Sarbin Laborer 2/86

58-Mohammad Ali Hazimeh Sarbin Student 10/85 Weak Vision

59-Ali Abdallah Hazimeh Kfar Hamam Laborer 2/86 Back Pain

60-Wasfi Taher Houla Soldier 19/3/92

61-Afif Hammoud Kfar Hamamm Laborer 5/88

62-Abdul Halim Yassin Majdal Silm Laborer 9/85

63-Suleiman Ramadan Baalbeck Laborer 7/1/86 Lost one Leg

64 Ammar Youness Houla 7/94

65-Izzat Yassin Houla 8/94

66-Hussain Ali Youness Houla 7/94

67-Jaafar Deeb Blat Student 12/91

68-Mohammed Nayef Kfar Kela 4/94

69-Hussain Hammoud Debbine 1/2/93

70-Jawdat Ismail Kounin Driver 1991 Stomach Pain

71-Moussa Akashah Yarin Soldier 4/89

72-Na'man Nasrallah Ibl Al-Saki Student 9/89

73-Mohammad Khraiss Khiam Laborer 2/88

74-Abbas Hijazi Aytaroun Soldier 6/92

75-Ahmad Abdul-Hassan Hassan    Debbine 8/93

76-Moussa Tarraf Debbine Plasterer 27/93

77-Tarek Quansou Kfar Roumman Studeny 6/11/91

(Aramti)

78-Moussa Mazra'ani Houla Laborer 10/93

79-Ali Mohammed Ali Aita Al-Sha'b 11/93

80-Ali Daher Debbine 7/6/94

81-Mohammed Qutaish Houla 14/9/95

82-Yassir Awada Houla 14/9/95

83-Mohammed Khalil Terness Talloussa 23/1/95

84-Ali Moustafa Nab'a Sheb'a 1995

85-Mahmoud Jaffal Rshaf 21/3/95

86-Abdul Hamid Yehia Rshaf 14/11/95

87-Ali Hussain Quazan Al-Taibeh 1/95

88-Ali Ibrahim Hussain Aita Al-Sha'b 10/94

89-Moustafa Moustafa Houla 9/94

90-Hussain Moubarak Markaba 7/93

91-Ali Ibrahim Hammoud Kfar Kela 1/95

92-Samih Al-Attar Rshaf 2/95

93-Omar Suleiman Al-Ahmad Al-Wazzani 1987

94-Ali Salman Rammal 'Edaisseh 9/95

95-Adham Rammal 'Edaisseh 9/95

96-Ghassan Abdul Hassan Tarraf    Debbine 7/95

97-Saleh Salman Rammal 'Edaisseh 9/95

98-Mohammad Mahmoud

     Al-Shartouni Maiss Al-Jabal 7/8/95

99-Mohammad Fakih Khiam 9/95

100-Moustafa Mohammad

      Sadakah Khiam 1996

101-Hassan Ahmad Amin 'Edaisseh 7/1/96

102-Ali Ibrahim Quassem Houla 19/1/96

103-Ahmad Wanseh Debbine 13/6/96

104-Ahmad Deeb Debbine 2/96

105-Hamzeh Ayash Debbine 2/96

106-Hussain Ibrahim Abdallah     Khiam 13/8/96

107-Hussain Mohammad Daher Debbine 20/8/96

108-Hassan Daher Debbine 22/8/96

109-Ali Mohammed Kalakesh Blat 22/8/96

110-Shawki Jaber Bint Jbail 27/8/96

111-Youssef Mohammad Said

       Bazzi Bint Jbail 27/8/96

112-Hussain Jaafar Akil Al-Jebbain 15/9/96

113-Ahmad Hassan Al-Amin Khiam 9/96

114-Sami Mahmoud Harb Bint Jbail 9/96

115-Husssain Mohammad

        Abou Abbas Khiam 11/96

116-Ali Mohammad Hasssn

      Barakat Rab Thalathin 7/96

117-Maher Ghanem Naji Rashia Al-Wadi 6/96

118-Ghanem Mer'i Naji Rashia Al-Wadi 6/96

119-Mohammad Ibrahim

      Quassem Al-Rihan 6/96

120-Mohammad Quassem    Army

       Al-Sha'ar    Hibbarieh   Officer 4/1/1996

121-Mahmoud Al-'Abd Sourour Tayr Harfa 6/96

122-Hussain Nasrallah Khiam 5/96

123-Boutrous Rhaiem Jezzine 26/11/96

124-Moussa Ataya Tayr Harfah (Brazilian 11/96

Nationality)

125-Radwan Ataya Tayr Harfah (Brazilian 11/96

Nationality)

126-Mahmout Sa'd Tayr Harfah 25/11/96

127-Hanan Hussain Muaissi 'Edaisseh 19/7/96

128-Mounifeh Abdul Hussai

       Yehya Al-Taibeh 8/96

129-Hanan Karim Deir Yassin 12/12/96

130-Ghenwa Loubani Deir Yassin 26/12/96

131-Mahmoud Hassain Barakat Rab Thalathin 7/96

132-Bilal Afif Al-Qassem Yarin 7/96

133-Salem Abou Naja Shwaia 1/12/96

134-Ahmad Barakat

       (15 years old) Rab Thalathin 7/96

135-Ali Ghanwi Houla 1995

136-Ali Ghrayeb Tayr Harfa Student 7/9/92

B. Hostaqes in Ashkelon Prison

Date of Length of

Name Town Detention Term Note

___________________________________________________________________________________________

 1-Anwar Mohammad Yassin Al-Dalaqua 16/9/87 30 years Glantitis

 2-Kayed Mohammad Bandar Deir Kifa 10/9/87 20 years Injured

 3-Abdel Karim Al-Ali Tripo1i 29/9/87 15 years

 4-Ali Quassem Hamdoun Faroun 10/9/87 15 years Injured

 5-Ahmad Sami Ismail Zawrar Al- 10/9/87 17 years Rheumatism

Sharkieh

 6-Nabih Awata Aytaroun 10/9/87 20 years Rheumatism

 7-Mohammad Ali Al-Barzawi Baalbeck 5/12/87 18 years

 8-Moustafa Abdul Karim Markaba 20/10/88

      Hammoud

 9-Hussain Mohammad Ankouni Mashghara 1987 18 years

10-Ali Hassan Balhas Saddiquine 5/10/92 Life Injured

11-Mohammad Ali Badir Al-Nmairieh 13/6/91 10 years

12-Youssef Abd Wazni Tebnine 15/12/88 25 years

13-Jawad Quasfi Al-Soultani 15/12/88 Life

14-Fadi Jazzar Beirut 1990 20 years

15-Quasse, Quamas Quabrikha 21/2/86 13 years

16-Mahmout Hammoud Yarin 1/7/93

C. Hostaqes still-under administrative detention

   in Alon Prison who finished their sentences

Date of Length of

Name Town Detention Term Note

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 1-Bilal Abdul Hussain Administrative

      Dakroub Tebnine 17/2/86 2.5 years Extension

 2-Mohammad Abdul Hadi Administrative

      Yassin Majdal Silm 21/2/86 9 years Extension

 3-Ali Hassan Ammar Maiss Al-Jabal 1/9/86 4 years Administrative

Extension

 4-Ahmad Mohsen Ammar Maiss Al-Jabal 1/9/86 4 years Administrative

Extension

 5-Kamal Mohammad Rizk Maiss Al-Jabal 31/8/86 3 years Administrative

Extension

 6-Hassan Hijazi Maiss Al-Jabal 1/9/86 3 years Administrative

Extension

 7-Abdul Hassan Hassan Administrative

      Sourour Aita Al-Sha'b 15/4/87 3 years Extension

 8-Abbas Hassan Sourour Aita Al-Sha'b 15/4/87 3 years Administrative

Extension

 9-Ahmad Hassan Sourour Aita Al-Sha'b 15/4/87 3 years Administrative

Extension

10-Youssef Ya'qoub Sourour Aita Al-Sha'b 15/4/87 3 years Administrative

Extension

11-Hussain Fahd Dakdouk Aita Al-Sha'b 15/4/87 1.5 years Administrative

Extension

12-Ahmad Hikmat Oubaid Jebsheet 28/7/89 No Trial

13-Hashem Ahmad Fahs Jebsheet 28/7/89 No Trial

14-Quassem Fares Nahleh 15/7/93 No Trial

D.  Lebanese citizens turned in by the "Lebanese forces" to

    Israel in 1990 and currently held hostage in the

    Alon Prison without trial

Name Town Date of Detenion Length of Term

___________________________________________________________________________________________

1-Ghassan Fares Al-Dirani Quasr Bana May 1990 No Trial

2-Hassan Mohammad Tlaiss Brital May 1990 No Trial

3-Ahmad Mohammad Taleb 'Edeisseh May 1990 No Trial

4-Ahmad Bahij Jalloul Bourj Al-Barajneh May 1990 No Trial

5-Hussain Bahij Ahmad Ghbeiri May 1990 No Trial

6-Hussain Ahmad Rmaiti Al-Majadel May 1990 No Trial

E. Four younq men held in the Kfaryouna Prison and accused of

Name Town Date of Detention Length of Term

__________________________________________________________________________________________

1-Ramzi Nouhra Qulai'a 22/2/96 No Trial

2-Maher Touma Qulai'a 22/2/96 No Trial

3-Bassam Al-Hasbani Qulai'a 22/2/96 No Trial

4-Salim Salameh Qulai'a 22/2/96 No Trial

F. Hostaqes held in the Sarafand, Nafha, Al-Jelmeh, Shatta

     and Nablus Prisons

Date of    Length

Name Town  Detention  Prison    of Term ______________________________________________________________________________________

1-Sheikh Abdul Karim Oubaid Jibsheet 28/7/89 Sarafand No Trial

2-Moustafa Al-Dirani Quasr Bana 20/5/94 Sarafand No Trial

3-Asef Moustafa Haidar Tripoli Al-Jelmeh

4-Moussa Hassan Al-Zain Shoukin Shatta

5-Samir Al-Quontar 'Ebeih 4/1989 Nafha 4 Life Sentences

6-Abdul Majit Zaltouni Deir Kifa 5/3/93 Not Known Life

7-Adel Bahij Termes Tallouseh 21/2/86 Nafha 25 years

8-Ismail Mahmoud Al-Zain Quabrikha 16/6/87 Nafha 13 years

9-Khalil Ja'arah Not Known

10-Hussan Mohammad Al-Mokdad Faroun 12/4/96

11-Ali Ahmad Naim Banjak Al-Sh'aitieh l5/8/96 Al-Jelmeh

12-Nazih Zain Eddine Ain Quanya 11/96 Al-Jelmeh

13-Wajih Zain Eddine Ain Quanya 11/96 Al-Jelmeh

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