Shiite Council Hits Out at al-Rahi over 'Sectarian Incitement'

W460

The Higher Islamic Shiite Council on Sunday condemned what it called “the remarks voiced by a major religious leader against the Islamic Shiite sect,” in reference to Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi.

“The rhetoric has descended into sectarian incitement that stirs sentiments, distorts facts and hurls false accusations against a sect that offered the best of its young men and capabilities in the battle of the country’s liberation,” the Council said in a statement.

“If we are demanding to keep the Finance Ministry with the Shiite sect, that is out of our keenness on national partnership in the executive authority,” it added.

Noting that “no voices had condemned the violation of the National Pact when a government was formed without the Shiite sect,” the Council said any rotation of ministerial portfolios should be accompanied by a rotation of the so-called first degree posts in state administrations -- such as the army chief and the central bank governor.

“The policy of elimination, isolation and marginalization -- which Imam Sayyed Moussa al-Sadr had long warned against -- cannot build a country nor produce a state,” the Shiite Council cautioned.

“We have called and are still calling for abolishing political sectarianism and endorsing citizenship as the standard in political action, within a just state based on equality in rights and duties regardless of sectarian privileges,” it added.

Apparently referring to the club of former premiers, the Council said it regrets that “a corrupt political class” is trying to “impose its conditions.”

“It comprises those who bet on crushing the Resistance and prolonging the war against it,” the Council added, in a veiled jab against ex-PM Fouad Saniora.

“We consider that this group is responsible for the country’s current economic collapse… due to its policy of share distribution, shady deals, the waste of public funds and the violation of the Constitution,” the Shiite Council charged.

“Today it is trying to impose itself as a savior of the country,” the Council decried.

Al-Rahi on Sunday hit out at Hizbullah and Amal Movement without naming them, in connection with the ongoing row over the finance ministerial portfolio.

“What entitles a sect to demand a certain ministry as if it owns it, what entitles it to suspend the government’s formation until it gets what it wants, causing political paralysis and economic, financial and social damages?” al-Rahi said in his Sunday Mass sermon.

SourceNaharnet
Comments 13
Missing samiam 20 September 2020, 20:13

Must be getting paid by the duo to give their 'opinion'. They have completely sold themselves to the devils and have no legitimacy outside their own circles.

Missing ArabDemocrat.com 20 September 2020, 20:39

That is despicable. Argue politics. Do not engage in negative stereotyping. This is almost word by word what racists in Israel say about Palestinians. I am against Amal and Hezbollah and support Rahi position. But your post is not acceptable.

Thumb lebnanfirst 20 September 2020, 20:48

Oh palease, your sect - no religious offense intended - killed Rafik Hariri (Sunni), Jmayel (Christian) and many more and you have the gall to say patriarch’s words are incitement?
He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword - a reminder from your own religious truisms.

Default-user-icon USA-U (Guest) 20 September 2020, 21:10

we know who you are, you'll be among The first.

Missing mcessen1 20 September 2020, 21:40

Oh great! Religious bickering and division. Just what this country needs. Maybe we can have another civil war even? We never learn from our painful lessons of history!!

Thumb ansarullah 20 September 2020, 22:56

God bless the Shiite Council for standing up to shia and Iranian rights in Lebanon.

Shia Shia Shia !!!

Default-user-icon Beat It (Guest) 21 September 2020, 04:52

And you are living proof. What the hell does Iranian rights have anything to with Lebanon?
You are openly admitting your association to corruption and don’t have the country’s best interest at hand.
I’m glad though at least you are not a fake and open about it, but you are wrong in your thinking.
Go to Iran then. Maybe you can starve with all your friends over there cause, yeah, they are doing so well right now.

Thumb natour 20 September 2020, 23:20

How can anyone argue with such success
Lebanon recorded 1,006 new coronavirus cases and 11 deaths over the past 24 hour

Missing hammerhead1 21 September 2020, 01:01

The French took a gamble out of sheer ignorance, they failed to study the history of a leader who ordered his thugs to kill people in their beds, failed to see the connection between him and Bashar who killed and deposed 70% of his people, failed to see that he is under the control of a zeolite who purged, killed and isolated his nation just to stay in control.

Default-user-icon cocoman (Guest) 21 September 2020, 14:32

We want to abolish sectarianism but we want the finance portfolio for the shia... very logical!!! What a bunch of clowns

Default-user-icon cocoman (Guest) 21 September 2020, 14:33

Maybe all those religious figures can stfu

Missing easygoing 21 September 2020, 15:36

The Lebanese people should stand up with the help of France and international help and get rid of all this cancer: Aoun, politics & Hizbullah. Lebanon should be for the Lebanese and not controlled by Iran, Siria or other parties. Lebanon should have more personality.. but unfortunatelly doesn’t

Missing easygoing 21 September 2020, 15:36

It’s a pitty for this country. I have been able to see the degradation of this country over the last 10 years. While Hizbullah and those politics stay there they unfortunatelly they will be no future. They are the cancer of Lebanon. Politics stolen all the money of there own people while Hizbullah camps in Lebanon so that means no invests from the Gulf or EU expats countries etc, those who use to bring money to Lebanon. No one wants or care about Lebanon because there own people sold that country to the bastards. It’s a shame that a small country like that with so much potential is always messed up with religion problems. It perfectly could be the Saint Tropez of the Middle East! As it use to be in the past before the stupid war..It’s the perfect example of how bad sometimes religion and bad politics can be in real world, specially on the muslim side.