São Paulo – The former president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, criticised on Monday (21), the actions of the international coalition led by the United States, France and Great Britain in Libya, the North African country in which rebel forces are in conflict with the Muamar Khadafi regime. "I am solidary to the Brazilian position, as the country abstained at the UN (United Nations) regarding the invasion. These invasions only take place because the UN is weakened," said Lula, at a ceremony in his honour promoted by the Federation of Muslim Associations in Brazil (Fambras), at Mount Lebanon Club, in São Paulo.
The former president suggested that, instead of attacks, there should be dialogue. "Instead of sending aircraft to bomb, they should have sent the UN secretary general [Ban Ki-Moon] to talk," said Lula to those present. The coalition’s attacks began after UN authorisation for international forces to take the necessary measures to protect the Libyan population.
Despite criticism to the actions of the coalition, however, Lula defended democracy, sending a message to the leaders in the region. "My Arab friends, nobody is irreplaceable. Alternation in power is sacred," said the former president, recalling that he himself could have fought for a third term in office, but did not.
At the ceremony, the former president pointed out the relations he built with the Arab world. "It is good to know, after the [end of the] term in office, that we managed to maintain solid friendship," said the president to the audience. Lula recalled his first trip to the Arab world and how criticised he was for investing in Brazilian participation in a fair in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. According to him, the critics did not believe that the Arabs were interested in doing business with Brazil. "It was not possible for the Arab world to like Brazil if we did not travel there," said Lula, recalling that the country’s relations were much cantered on the United States and European Union.
That is why, according to Lula, he suggested the establishment of the Summit of South American-Arab Countries (Aspa), which took place for the first time in Brazil in 2005 and had a second edition in Doha, Qatar, in 2009. He recalled how these initiatives caused trade between Brazil and the Arab world to advance, but stated that relations between the country and the Middle East and North Africa go beyond the economic aspect. "The Arabs helped us build the Brazilian way of life," said Lula, recalling the migratory and cultural ties and how several different religions coexists peacefully in Brazil.
According to Lula, it is good for Brazil to have diversified international relations. The former president said that currently nobody can say that Brazil has not "built strong relations with the world".
In an address during the ceremony in honour of Lula, Fambras president Mohamed Hussein El Zoghbi stated that Lula behaved as a true travelling salesman while in the presidency, in his work for promotion of exports of Brazil. And Lula liked the statement. "I am not embarrassed to say that I was a travelling salesman, because that was my desire," said Lula to the audience, that included mainly descendants of Arab immigrants, mostly the offspring of men who started their businesses in Brazil as travelling salesmen.
Lula received a plate in his honour from the Fambras and had his work, heading Brazil from 2003 to 2010, praised by representatives of the Arab community. "We are thanking you for all you did in your term in office," said Zoghbi, also recalling that Lula always focussed on good and peace among all peoples. Mohamed Habib, the dean for Community Affairs at the University of Campinas (Unicamp) and also the vice president at the Institute of Arab Culture (Icarabe), spoke about Lula’s trajectory in government and recalled that he was the first Brazilian president to visit the Arab countries.
"You are in our hearts as a brother," said Habib, stating that Lula ended his government on a high by helping elect a woman, current Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff.
The ceremony, followed by a dinner, brought together national leaders at Mount Lebanon Club. The event included the former ministers of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Miguel Jorge and Luiz Fernando Furlan, the current minister of Education, Fernando Haddad, the mayor of São Paulo, Gilberto Kassab, and senators Marta Suplicy and Eduardo Suplicy. Also present were the president at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Salim Taufic Schahin, the organisation’s Marketing vice president, Rubens Hannun, the Foreign Relations vice president, Helmi Nasr, director Mustapha Abdouni and secretary general Michel Alaby.
*Translated by Mark Ament
