Tuesday, November 01, 2005

By Jessy Chahine
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: Five years after the Parliament endorsed legislation guaranteeing the
rights of disabled citizens, activists say the law still has not been applied. Many associations for the disabled met at the Lebanese Press Federation on Tuesday, to shed light on the "shameful social discrimination the disabled Lebanese are suffering from."

Representing the National Association for the Rights of Disabled People in Lebanon, Jahda Abu Khalil opened up the session blaming both the government and social organizations for not taking action to improve disabled people's quality of life.

"It's been fours years and we haven't seen a thing from what the government promised us.

"The legislation, presented in June 2000 as Law No. 220, read that the needs and rights of disabled people ought to be defined by a decree that will be issued by the Cabinet, based on a decision made by the Interior Ministry, after careful deliberations with the Social Affairs Ministry," he said.

This "decree" has still not been issued.

"Even after five years, we still haven't been able to realize our simplest dream, that of being an equal citizen and enjoying a minimum of civil rights, instead of feeling like a burden on society the whole time and having the feeling of being rejected," said Nabil Abed, head of the
Alliance of Handicapped People in North Lebanon.

Ibrahim Abdullah, president of the Lebanese Council of Disabled People, said: "It is very clear the law passed in 2000 regarding rights of the handicapped has not yet been implemented, except for some preliminary procedures such as the organization of a national committee for disabled people and printing special identification cards for people with special
needs."

Abdullah said the major clauses of this law are still pending. He added the "government's mood swings determine the implementation of this law, through the interference of many state administrative bodies."

He said the Higher Council for Customs and the Finance Ministry each "interpreted very differently the clause regarding car-tax exemptions for the disabled."

Nizar Saghieh, a lawyer and human rights activist, said there remain many unresolved issues regarding disabled rights.

"According to the law passed in 2000, any private organization consisting of 30 or more employees should hire a minimum of one disabled person to be included in its staff or it will be forced to pay a penalty," he said.

"So now, the private sector is not concerned anymore with the status of handicapped people in this country because of, they say, 'financial drawbacks,'" he added, explaining people think hiring a disabled person is more costly, "but this is wrong, as both wages are identical and both people can be equally productive."

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