Maronite Church Warns against Electing Christians by Muslim Vote
The Maronite Church on Wednesday warned of holding Lebanon's upcoming parliamentary elections under the 2000 law, saying it would bring about "grave consequences that we do not want to happen."
"Pardoned is the one who has forewarned," were the alarm words used for the first time by the Maronite bishops in an official statement summing up the outcome of an emergency meeting they held under Patriarch Sfeir in Bkirki at midmorning.
The statement said the 2000 law, which was promulgated under Syria's tutelage, constitutes a 'cruel injustice' for Lebanon's Christians, who are entitled for one half of parliament's 128 seats under the 1989 Taif accord, which halted the civil war and later became the nation's constitution.
"Instead, the current law enables the Christians to elect only 15 members to the new parliament from the 64 seats they are entitled for," the statement said. "The other 49 Christians will be elected by Muslim votes and thus they will owe allegiance to the Muslim leaders on whose lists they were elected."
The Maronite Church said the elections should be held under a new law making the precinct an electoral constituency to ensure a true representation of the Christians. "Otherwise there will be a Christian disenchantment with which Lebanon will be in discomfort."
The statement did not propose a way out of the current impasse, admitting that time has run out for promulgating a new law in time for the May-June elections. It added: "We call on all Lebanese officials to act and prevent the harmful repercussions of this law."
"Pardoned is the one who has forewarned," were the alarm words used for the first time by the Maronite bishops in an official statement summing up the outcome of an emergency meeting they held under Patriarch Sfeir in Bkirki at midmorning.
The statement said the 2000 law, which was promulgated under Syria's tutelage, constitutes a 'cruel injustice' for Lebanon's Christians, who are entitled for one half of parliament's 128 seats under the 1989 Taif accord, which halted the civil war and later became the nation's constitution.
"Instead, the current law enables the Christians to elect only 15 members to the new parliament from the 64 seats they are entitled for," the statement said. "The other 49 Christians will be elected by Muslim votes and thus they will owe allegiance to the Muslim leaders on whose lists they were elected."
The Maronite Church said the elections should be held under a new law making the precinct an electoral constituency to ensure a true representation of the Christians. "Otherwise there will be a Christian disenchantment with which Lebanon will be in discomfort."
The statement did not propose a way out of the current impasse, admitting that time has run out for promulgating a new law in time for the May-June elections. It added: "We call on all Lebanese officials to act and prevent the harmful repercussions of this law."
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