'History will not forgive those who block solutions'
Maronite bishops blast 'political bickering'

Thursday, January 03, 2008

BKIRKI: The Council of Maronite Bishops warned on Wednesday that history would not forgive states or individuals who block solutions to Lebanon's ongoing political crisis. "The hateful political atmosphere and the political bickering which prevailed in Lebanon over the past months won't help in easing the current impasse," the bishops said in a statement following their monthly meeting headed by Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir in Bkirki.

"History will not forgive perpetrators. All states or individuals who block solutions are responsible for the tragedies the Lebanese people are enduring," warned the statement, which was read by the council's secretary, Monsignor Youssef Tawk.

The bishops noted that "the constitutional controversy over the presidential elections even after agreement on a candidate ... reveals the vast differences between politicians."

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has postponed for the 11th time a parliamentary session to elect a new president to January 12.

The country has been without a head of state since Emile Lahoud's term expired on November 23.

The government and the opposition have agreed on Lebanese Army commander General Michel Suleiman as the man for the job, but remain at odds over the election process and the shape of a new administration.

The opposition is demanding a "basket" of guarantees on the new government line-up ahead of any vote.

The majority has insisted that the make-up of the government is within the prerogatives of the president, traditionally drawn from the Maronite Christian community, many of whose members now fear marginalization.

"Some politicians serve their own interests rather than those of their country," the bishop's statement said.

The bishops reminded the Lebanese that the past year "was full of assassinations and disasters which didn't spare even the Lebanese Army." They also expressed hope of a "new beginning ... in the New Year."

Meanwhile, Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Beirut Elias Aoudeh expressed concern over insulting religious leaders after head of the Free patriotic Movement Michel Aoun said in his latest speech that Sfeir "does not represent public opinion."

Aoudeh, during New Year's Mass Tuesday, criticized "low-standard morals" and "insulting" religious leaders.

Aoun on Monday said Sfeir represents the Church and not public opinion.

The patriarch, Aoun added, "is free to express his opinion regarding the political situa-tion ... but he does not decide our constitutional powers on our behalf."

He asked Sfeir to "clarify what is being said" about Bkirki's support for Premier Fouad Siniora's government.

Sfeir, however, refrained on Tuesday from directly mentioning Lebanon's presidential crisis during his sermon. He rather focused on Pope Benedict XVI's appeal for world peace.

On Wednesday, Maronite Bishop Bechara al-Rahi said a Sunni-Shiite power struggle was at the essence of the political impasse in Lebanon.

"Christians are caught in the Middle and are either siding with the Sunnis or with the Shiites," Rahi told Doha-based Al-Jazeera satellite news channel.

"Syria, the United States and Saudi Arabia have become the decision-makers in Lebanon," he added.

Rahi said he paid a visit to Aoun over the weekend "in order to dissipate some worries and defuse tensions."

Rahi had earlier described Aoun as a tool in the hands of the opposition.

"We discussed pending problems but did not reach a final solution," Rahi said, adding that his opinion of Aoun "has still not changed."

He also revealed that he had plans to meet Berri "in a bid to discuss recent political developments and to clarify the Church's stance concerning the situation in Lebanon."

"Common friends are seeking to set up a meeting with the speaker ... however, no positive signs have emerged from the latter," Rahi said.

02 كانون الثاني 2008 عقد مجلس المطارنة الموارنة إجتماعه الشهري في الصرح البطريركي في بكركي، برئاسة البطريرك الكاردينال مار نصرالله بطرس صفير حيث تم التدارس في الشؤون الوطنية والكنسية.
	وصدر عن المجلس بيان تلاه امين سر البطريركية المونسنيور يوسف طوق وجاء فيه الاتي: 1- إن الجو السياسي البغيض الذي يسود لبنان منذ عدة أشهر، وما يتخلله من تراشق حاد بين أهل السياسة، لا يساعد على حلحلة العقد التي يشكو منها اللبنانيون والتي حملت عددا منهم ليس بالقليل على مغادرة لبنان الى حيث تمكنهم مواهبهم من العمل والعيش بكرامة وفي جو طمأنينة، وهذا مفقر لبلدهم. 2- إن الجدل الدستوري القائم حول انتخاب رئيس الجمهورية، بعدما صار الاتفاق على اسم المرشح لهذا المنصب الكبير، فيما تعذر الاتفاق على انتخابه، وقد مضى على ذلك ما فوق الشهر، وهذا ما يحدث لاول مرة منذ نشأة الجمهورية في لبنان، كل هذا يظهر مدى الخلاف القائم بين اهل السياسة الذين يسعى بعضهم الى مصالحهم الخاصة قبل سعيم الى مصلحة بلدهم. 3- إن الشلل الذي أصاب مختلف المرافق الاقتصادية وما يرافقه من غلاء معيشة وخصوصا بالنسبة الى الطبقات الفقيرة، يبدي للعيان ما وصلت اليه الحالة من ترد في لبنان، وقد توافد اليه العديد من المسؤولين في الدول الصديقة للمساعدة على إيجاد حلول للاوضاع السائدة في البلد الصغير، ولكن دون فائدة، على ما هو ظاهر حتى اليوم.
4- إن التاريخ لن يرحم. وكل الذين يتسببون بمنع الحلول المرتجاة من بلوغ أهدافها، دولا كانوا ام افرادا، مسؤولين في لبنان وخارجه، سيبقى اسمهم مقترنا بالمآسي التي يقاسي منها الشعب اللبناني. 5- إن السنة الفائتة التي ودعناها كانت ملأى بالفواجع والاغتيالات التي وصلت الى النيل من الجيش اللبناني، لذلك إنا ندعو اللبنانيين في العام الجديد ان يسألوا الله ان يجعله عام خير وبركة وسلام يتيح للوطن الصغير المجال لانطلاقة جديدة تعيد ثفة ابنائه وثقة العالم، وتعيده الى سابق عهده بالطمأنينة والازدهار، وليس عند الله أمر عسير".