Rahi at 'Maronite Summit': National Unity in Jeopardy, National Awareness is Required
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi sounded the alarm on Wednesday during a “consultative” gathering in Bkirki, that brought the main Christian party leaders and deputies together, on the Lebanese unity and highlighted the need for a “national unified awakening” in order to protect the republic.
In opening remarks he made at the beginning of the meeting he said it aims to take into consideration the interests of Lebanon and the Lebanese.
“This edifice is home to all the Lebanese. Our meeting today is for Lebanon and all the Lebanese, and we have no intention to dwell on affairs that only concern us,” Rahi said.
“Nobody ignores the criticality of the financial, economic, social and livelihood conditions and the seriousness of the presence of more than one million displaced Syrians in Lebanon,” he continued.
“One of the reasons behind the current political crisis is the failure to implement Taef Agreement and the Constitution,” he explained, stressing that non compliant practices and norms have been as well introduced.
“People are expressing their pain in demonstrations and they have started to lose trust in the state and its rulers,” he indicated.
“I have reckoned that it is my duty to invite you to this meeting to discuss the unification of opinion on how to exit the danger,” he said.
“The Lebanese unity is in jeopardy today and we seek a national unified awakening to build upon and to protect the republic,” he underlined.
Maronite lawmakers and leaders of the main Christian parties met in Bkirki to participate in the consultative meeting called by Rahi.
Caretaker Social Affairs Minister Pierre Bou Assi told MTV reporter that the meeting is an opportunity to discuss the “unsound” situation in the country in light of a “serious political crisis.”
“We came to Bkirki today with the aim of reviving the constitutional and political institutions. Adhering to the constitution and the state’s institutions in practice are the only means to achieve that,” added Bou Assi.
The meeting brought 33 officials, out of 36 invited, together. It was held in the absence of Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, MP Sethrida Geagea, for travel reasons, and MP Jean Obaid who cited “personal” reasons.
Source: Naharnet
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