LEBANON: ELECTIONS WILL ENTRENCH CHRISTIAN
MARGINALISATION
Islamisation of Lebanon Continues
CHRISTIANS MARGINALISED BY ISLAMISATION
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Arab Muslims sought an Arab
super-state where Jews and Christians would remain a repressed minority under
Muslim domination in Islamic territory.
While Israel was created as a Jewish state, Lebanon was created not as a
Christian state, but as a secular Arab state to showcase to Christian-Muslim
co-existence.
The creation of Lebanon, independent and separate from Syria and Palestine, with
a prosperous, pre-eminent Christian majority and religious freedom, was a
painful blow for many Arab Muslims, and something they could not tolerate.
Arab Muslims who become apoplectic at the very thought of a Jewish state
existing in what they regard as the dar-al-Islam (land of Islam) are equally
opposed to the presence of a secular state, especially one dominated by
Christians, and offering full religious freedom.
The program of Islamisation that ensued has been advanced by Muslims both inside
and outside Lebanon. As Muslims have poured in, tensions have escalated and
Christians have poured out. Christians are now a minority, around 30%-40%.
Furthermore, the Naturalization Decree introduced by the pro-Syrian regime in
1994 granted citizenship to some 400,000 mostly Syrians and Palestinians (80% of
them Muslims) whilst denying the Lebanese diaspora (who are mostly Christian)
their citizenship right. This illegal decree, which increased Lebanon's
population by around 10% almost overnight, was opposed by Lebanese of all faiths
as not being in the national interest.
CHRISTIANS MARGINALISED BY ELECTORAL LAW
Lebanese will soon head to the polls. Voting will take place over four
consecutive Sundays from 29 May to 19 June, and will be done in accordance with
the electoral law enacted in 2000 by the pro-Syrian regime to ensure the
election of pro-Syrian candidates. Lebanese Christians have opposed the
pro-Syrian electoral law since its inception, as it entrenches the
marginalisation of Christians through a gerrymander whereby Christian
constituencies were divided up and redistributed amongst large Muslim
constituencies, severely diluting the Christian voice.
In accordance with the 1989 Taif Accord, Lebanon's 128-member legislature is
split equally between Christians and Muslims. However, the 2000 electoral law
ensures that Muslims elect about 49 of the 64 Christian seats.
Lebanese Christian leaders fear that if elections are held using the unjust,
discriminatory 2000 electoral law, it will be a decisive blow to
Christian-Muslim co-existence. Lebanon's Maronite Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir has
rejected the 2000 electoral law as unfair and requested that it be revised
before the parliamentary elections. According to Lebanon's 'Daily Star', it
would be possible to delay the parliamentary elections. "Former Speaker
Hussein Husseini told The Daily Star: 'Any MP could propose a draft law that
demands the extension of the Parliament's term.'" (Link 1)
However, pressure is being exerted from the UN, the USA, and France to proceed
with the elections on time despite the electoral law being discriminatory.
Lebanese Muslims on the other hand, are generally unconcerned about the
injustice of the electoral law because it is not the Muslim voice that is
diluted. What's more, they are confident, given the huge swell of nationalism,
that they will defeat the pro-Syrian candidates at the polls, except in the
south where Hezbollah is entrenched and dominant. (See link 2)
While the current Parliamentary Speaker, Nabih Berri, has acknowledged that the
country's current election law is unjust, he is not complaining. Berri, leader
of the pro-Syrian Amal militia, is teaming up with the Shiite Muslim guerrilla
group Hezbollah for joint tickets likely to sweep votes in south Lebanon and
return many of Syria's allies to parliament. (Link 3)
When Lebanon's Maronite Bishops Council recently criticised the pro-Syrian
election law, warning that it "violates coexistence between Christians and
Muslims and does not allow for fair elections", Beirut MP Atef Majdalani, a
member of Hariri's parliamentary Dignity Bloc, responded by labeling the
Maronite Bishops Council's "strong words" as a "violent
reaction" and "sectarianism". (Link 4)
A CALL TO INCLUDE THE DIASPORA
As noted by the Christian Science Monitor, "The Lebanese abroad, who are as
a whole, rich, educated and influential, are not allowed to vote in the Lebanese
elections. The majority of the Lebanese diaspora is Christian.
"The international diaspora is vital to Lebanon's future. There are as many
Lebanese outside the country as there are in it, if you consider the last number
of Lebanese who have emigrated over the past three or four generations.
Expatriate Lebanese are hesitant to invest heavily in their country as long as
its future is in great doubt.
"The Lebanese reform movement of the winter and early spring has weakened.
There has been a rapid softening of political demands of nation building:
elimination of militias, control on the escalating national debt, dealing with
corruption and communal reconciliation. The approaching elections are fueling
sectarian tension rather than serving as an opportunity for the empowerment of
the state.
"There are no easy ways to deal with sectarian power sharing since
religious and family loyalty rival interests of the state in Lebanon and the
entire Middle East. But there are ways to make representation of the various
religious communities fair and communal rather than a zero-sum destructive game.
"Creating a rotating formula for a 'cabinet of presidents' (a smaller group
that would take turns as president) representing the major religious communities
may reduce sectarian rivalry. Allowing the diaspora to vote would reduce
demographic tension within Lebanon itself.
"A gradual formula of secularization of the country through popular
education, civil marriage, and party-based representation are some long-term
measures that the Lebanese should discuss to free their country from structural
and attitudinal barriers to nation building. Finally, Lebanese politicians would
do well to listen to the voices of the youth, who are determined to change the
nature of current tribal politics." (Link 5)
Links
LEBANON: A CALL TO PRAY FOR ITS FUTURE
Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin - No. 325 - Wed 11 May 2005
http://www.worldevangelical.org/persecute/325_persec_update_11may05.html
1) Lebanon can still delay polls
By Nada Raad, Daily Star staff, 12 May 2005
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=15024
2) Lebanon Church Seeks New Election Law
By SAM F. GHATTAS, Associated Press Writer
BEIRUT, Lebanon, 11 May 2005
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4999463,00.html
3) Lebanese Parliament Speaker Calls Election Law Faulty,
Says He Will Run in Legislative Elections
By ZEINA KARAM, The Associated Press, 15 May 2005
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=758322
4) Lebanon's Maronite Bishops slam 'unjust' electoral law
12 May 2005
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=15023
5) The invisible occupation of Lebanon
By Ghassan Rubeiz, 18 May 2005
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0518/p25s01-cogn.html
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