1.
GV & SV Etienne Sacre, known as 'Abu Arz' at news conference with armed guard standing by
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2.
CU Abu Arz speaking in English
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TRANSCRIPT (SEQ 2): ABU ARZ: "Arabs: Why do you not go back to your large countries? Why do you not leave my small country alone? Why do not the Syrians go back to Syria, and the mercenaries back to their respective homes? Why do you not let us live in peace? Now I wonder, until when shall we keep on fighting? Until when will our young people keep on dying? Until when will my parents by houseless and wanderers? Until when will my brother sleep in the shelter? When will the fear leave my children? Why not save them from the game of war and let them play children's games? Why are they pale? I am asking you again, do we have the right to live? If the answer is 'yes' so what are you waiting for? If the answer is 'no' so we have decided to die proudly. I would like you to know that the liberty we are........ defending today is dearer than life, and we prefer to meet death proudly rather than to see our enemy rejoicing."




Initials BB/1545



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In Lebanon, attempts to ease the crisis brought about by conflict in Beirut and in the south of the country continue. In Beirut the United States Ambassador Mr. Richard Parker has met President Sarkis (10 August), and shooting broke out as 150 Syrian troops of the Arab peacekeeping force withdrew from their positions surrounded by Christian militias. The Syrian withdrawal is part of an effort to defuse tension in the city. Meanwhile, at a news conference in Beirut on tuesday (8 August) a leader of a rightist militia group, Etienne Sacre, known as 'Abu Arz', accused the Syrians of using mass killings to try to suppress the Lebanese people.

SYNOPSIS: Abu Arz was closely guarded by members of his militia as he appealed to the conscience of the Arab world.