Al-Rahi Urges Support for Govt., Warns against 'Politicians-Banks Conflict'

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday stressed that “this is not the time for futile political conflicts and alignments” but rather for “common action to rescue the country and the people.”

“The people are not searching for loyalists and opponents but rather for rescuers,” al-Rahi said in his Sunday Mass sermon.

“Some are abandoning the state and some are seizing control of it and a few are caring about the people's economic, social and psychological pain and about the value of this great homeland,” the patriarch added.

“We have called for assisting the government so that it performs its duties and we are reiterating the call. Whether we admire or hate it, it is the existent authority in this extraordinary crisis and it cannot succeed unless we all monitor its actions and offer it assistance,” al-Rahi went on to say.

In return, he said the government should prove its ability, cohesion, competency and independence.

“It should shun any hegemony that would limit aid from donor countries and it must take brave and difficult initiatives to halt the deterioration, recover the stolen funds and regain domestic popular confidence and Arab and international trust,” the patriarch added.

Urging the government to speed up the implementation of its reform plan “for the sake of the people not at their expense or at the expense of their lifelong savings,” al-Rahi warned that the failure of Hassan Diab's government would “fire back against all Lebanese” while its success would also affect them.

“Let us succeed together,” he urged.

Commenting on the controversy surrounding bank deposits, al-Rahi cautioned against “turning the people into a scapegoat in the conflict between politicians and the banks.”

“The exchange of accusations we are witnessing with the aim of dodging responsibility is shameful. We urge officials to put an end to it, preserve deposits and let the judiciary do its job,” the patriarch urged.