Lebanese Christians support decentralization . . . for Lebanon.
Iraq is not the only Middle Eastern country thinking about decentralization.
Lebanon, like Iraq, was the creation of a European power. But in Lebanon's case, the power was France, not Britain. It was originally carved from Syria to serve as a home for Maronite Christians. But over the years, Shiites became the plurality with an estimated 32% to 45% of the population. Maronites came to comprise less than 25% with the remainder being Sunnis and others.
But with the rise of Hezbollah and its acting as a state within a state, most dramatically illustrated by the recent war with Israel, a number of Maronite Christian leaders have expressed the desire for decentralization.
" 'I don't see Lebanon surviving as it is today,' said Dori Chamoun, leader of the Maronite-based National Liberal party and son of a former president and longtime political figure, the late Camille Chamoun. 'It is inevitable that the Christians will have a smaller share of the country. I only see one solution, cantonization. Everybody wants it. Nobody says it out loud.' "
"In a recent book, [former Maronite Christian president of Lebanon, Amin al-Gemayel] proposed abandoning Lebanon's current system and replacing it with election of the president by popular vote and decentralization along the geographical lines that largely define where Muslims and Christians live in any case. 'The institutions of Lebanon are tired,' he said. 'They are drained of their blood.' "
Meanwhile, Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah has said recently that " 'Lebanon is a pluralistic country . . . It is not an Islamic country. It is not a Maronite country. It is not an Orthodox country. It is not a Shiite country. It is a country of consensus. You have nothing to fear from anybody from Hezbollah.' "
source
The Washington Post. Lebanon Left to Face Most Basic of Issues: War Exposes Deep Conflicts About the Nation's Identity and Its Future. September 10, 2006.
related posting
Al-Sadr party member does not object to federalism, but not for awhile. September 09, 2006.
posted: monday, september 11, 2006, 8:07 PM ET
update: monday, september 11, 2006, 8:23 PM ET
Lebanon, like Iraq, was the creation of a European power. But in Lebanon's case, the power was France, not Britain. It was originally carved from Syria to serve as a home for Maronite Christians. But over the years, Shiites became the plurality with an estimated 32% to 45% of the population. Maronites came to comprise less than 25% with the remainder being Sunnis and others.
But with the rise of Hezbollah and its acting as a state within a state, most dramatically illustrated by the recent war with Israel, a number of Maronite Christian leaders have expressed the desire for decentralization.
" 'I don't see Lebanon surviving as it is today,' said Dori Chamoun, leader of the Maronite-based National Liberal party and son of a former president and longtime political figure, the late Camille Chamoun. 'It is inevitable that the Christians will have a smaller share of the country. I only see one solution, cantonization. Everybody wants it. Nobody says it out loud.' "
"In a recent book, [former Maronite Christian president of Lebanon, Amin al-Gemayel] proposed abandoning Lebanon's current system and replacing it with election of the president by popular vote and decentralization along the geographical lines that largely define where Muslims and Christians live in any case. 'The institutions of Lebanon are tired,' he said. 'They are drained of their blood.' "
Meanwhile, Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah has said recently that " 'Lebanon is a pluralistic country . . . It is not an Islamic country. It is not a Maronite country. It is not an Orthodox country. It is not a Shiite country. It is a country of consensus. You have nothing to fear from anybody from Hezbollah.' "
source
The Washington Post. Lebanon Left to Face Most Basic of Issues: War Exposes Deep Conflicts About the Nation's Identity and Its Future. September 10, 2006.
related posting
Al-Sadr party member does not object to federalism, but not for awhile. September 09, 2006.
posted: monday, september 11, 2006, 8:07 PM ET
update: monday, september 11, 2006, 8:23 PM ET
posted by eric at 6:16 PM
1 Comments:
Muslims and Christians do not appear to be doing much better in Europe either.
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