tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700183921884368962.post5038726189152396482..comments2008-05-02T08:11:10.504+01:00Arab Democracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17484561039671942435arabdemocracy@arabdemocracy.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700183921884368962.post-19268433444160605312008-05-02T08:11:10.504+01:002008-05-02T08:11:10.504+01:00Dear Joseph, <BR/>As a founding member of the Democratic Left I value your opinion and the effort of dedicating your article to the proceedings in the party since its inception. I do believe it is an unfinished story and experience for the left in Lebanon.<BR/><BR/>You did mention in one statement: "During this process the organisers failed to notice the absence of any significant representation of the working classes or the rural sectors. That omission would be at the root of a major flaw in the party’s identity." Unfortunately, we did notice, especially with the representation of the OLD-LCP guard who were used to the idea of unions and workers being organizers, yet by 2004 there was no labour movement or organization that could be recruited. We did have high ranking unionists with us in the teachers, engineers, lawyers, pharmacists, and doctors but it was small groups.<BR/>The labour element which you aspire to I can argue does not exist in Lebanon as the labour movement was crushed particularly after the end of the war. <BR/><BR/>As the labour movement rebuilds itself, I'm sure the Democratic Left will be a prime sponsor and activist in its ranks. <BR/><BR/>MorcosMorcoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228507843217788538noreply@blogger.com