Charles Helou
Since his arrival in Lebanon, Imam Musa al-Sadr opened a new phase of social and political action. Since 1966, Sadr began his political project, including helping disadvantaged areas and their rights, and demanding fairness on the basis of citizenship not on sectarian basis, and the start of process for the establishment of a separate council or organization for the Lebanese Shiites. Soon with pressure, Sabri Hamadé became a founder of Higher Islamic Shiite Council. On February 17, 1966, a Shiite delegation including both Imam Sadr and Sheikh Hussein al-Khatib for the Shiite clerics, attended by Lebanese House Speaker and Shiite political leader Sabri Hamadeh and all the nineteen Shiite deputies in the Lebanese Parliament launched the Council. A special declaration was prepared to present during a visit to the Lebanese President Charles Helou, a manifesto of demands on behalf of the Shiite community.