By Ghassan Karam, Special to Ya Libnan
It is paradoxical when the response to an effort to eliminate sectarianism is voiced in sectarian terms. That would be similar to countering an argument for integration in purely bigoted segregationist terms. Unfortunately that is the level or should I say the low level to which the standards of deconfessionalism discourse has fallen in Lebanon.
The major fault line on which the shaky Lebanese system is built, as we have discussed many times before, is the discriminatory sectarian structure. Speaker Beri has finally decided that it is time to appoint a commission , as called for by the Taef agreement, to study the process that is needed in order to eliminate sectarianism from the state. It should be obvious that it would be difficult to find fault with such a democratic call. Such a call has created oppositions from all across the political spectrum, as is to be expected, because if implemented then it will shake the current system of political leadership to its core; as it should. The opposition was to be expected and the bankruptcy of their arguments was to be expected as well. It has been very entertaining watching one leader after another walk down the plank by adopting nonsensical positions in an attempt to critique the Speaker’s plan. Ms. Mouawad even had the audacity to state with a straight face that eliminating sectarianism is similar to eliminating democracy. Does she really expect anyone whose IQ is above 60 to take such a position seriously? Apparently she did and it looks like she had the blessings of Patriarch Sfeir since she made her declarations after a meeting with him in Bkirki. That should serve as a strong argument , if there ever was a need for any, why people of the cloth should confine their utterings to that which they know best, myths of creation and intelligent design.
It appears that many of the same politicians who have opposed the Beri plan were not content with the level of derision that their counter plans have produced and so they proceeded to look for newer areas to show their ignorance and farcical powers of analysis. Low and behold they did find a new area to add to their ludicrous arguments in another Beri initiative which calls upon the legislature to put the finishing touches on the plan to lower the voting age in Lebanon from 21 to 18. And what do you think is the reason for their opposition? You guessed it, a purely sectarian mindset. The estimates by the Ministry of the interior is that if the voting age is to be lowered to 18 then the potential number of voters will increase by about 280,000; three quarters of whom are Moslems and the other one quarter are Christians. So one more time what do these Christian geniuses come up with to counter this other very democratic proposal? Why they come up with their own conditions to approve the lowering of the voting age. They will agree to vote for the new law provided that Lebanon adopts simultaneously a plan that grants everyone who is of a Lebanese descent the Lebanese citizenship and the right to vote.
Do they really want to offer the 12-15 million Lebanese scattered around the world the right to vote in both national and municipal elections? Do they really want individuals who have never been to the country , who cannot speak its language and who do not understand any of its problems to have the final say in what policies to adopt and what to reject? Of course not. This is another purely selfish and cynical stand calculated to disenfranchise 280,000 Lebanese the majority of whom belong to a different sect. Someone should remind these politicians to be careful what they wish for, their wishes might come true and the votes from their diabolical plan might come back to haunt them.
(The writer was in the past and remains a strong vocal critic of Mr. Beri with the exception of the above two initiatives)
APodcast of the above can be heard at: ramblings11.mypodcast.com
Unfortunately its impossible to eleminate sactarianism from the political system for one simple reason we dont have a fair and just constitution that protects and treats every lebanese citizen alike..
What we have now ‘tribal settings’ waving Democracy banners.
For Sfeir and other religious leaders ‘Enjoy the power while you can’. So who votes and who doesn’t becomes the hugest issue on the current political platform while the lebanes army sustanis its fragility and disempowered by all racist politicians in govenment, and to top all this mayhem the army cant even fend for itself let alone defend any lebanese civilian
whether 18 or 81..muslim or christian home or abroad these politians wont change anything the bloody civil war proved this ..Men of religion became spokesmen and MPs. You know what has changed, only ‘the size of their pockets’.
The Institution in Lebanon was built on the bases of sectarianism.And it is in the wildest dream of any one to think that could change.that is a myth.ALL Those politician running the country inherited their position from generations and many to come.The civil war proved one thing and only one thing that Lebanon will stay sectarian and there will be no group or religion will ever be able to eliminate another.The old days are gone and war never serve any one’s interest.The politician will fight with their teeth not to lose their grip on power they enjoy.They may come up with new law, modification or any kind of twist ,that would not change a thing.As a reminder to Ghassan Karam on Lebanese decent,they are the back bone of Lebanon.They support Lebanon economically,financially and politically.They should be credited for the growth of Lebanon and have the right to vote as well. By the way the picture of the street sign in Ghassan’s article assembles downtown New-haven,Connecticut,USA my home State.
I believe that the timing of these propositions is premature not their aspirations. First, we need to fix the unfairness and the backwardness of our system including a total separation of religion from the state before we eliminate political sectarianism. We need to rectify the rights of women to give the Lebanese citizenship to their foreign husbands and their kids, which, in my opinion, is more serious of an issue than the one discussed to lowering the age of voting. I have an adopted son who is from East Europe who already has the Lebanese citizenship, and when he becomes of age, he will be able to vote, although he never stepped foot in the country, and we both live in the United States, yet my cousin living in Lebanon with her French husband is found standing in line at the ministry with foreign nationals to secure work permits and residency to both of her kids who lived all their lives in Lebanon. Go Figure!
In addition, I really do hope that the laws are changed so Lebanese living abroad can vote so they save themselves the exuberant ticket price to exercise their right to vote.
Dalal,
The sectarian problem and the social injustice that you mention exist in Lebanon not because of the constitution but are a result of backroom agreements and budgetary allocations.
There is no mention of sectarian allocation except in the Taef agreement which stipulates that confessionalism must be removed from the political system.
Nazih,
The fact that a system has existed for a long time and the fact that it is well established does not mean that it cannot be eliminated. If that was to be the case then nothing in the world would ever change. It does mean that eliminating it will not be easy because of the inherent interests of the established political class.
Walid,
Not to allow a Lebanese female to confer citizenship on her children is simply a case of gender discrimination. It is a terrible practice and a great injustice that has to be remedied in addition to introducing the right to hold civil marriage.
No one has suggested that if sectarianism is banned from the political system then Lebanon will become an ideal republic but if we fail to ban it then there will be less pressure to implement other needed reforms of issues whose existence is justified by the sectarian system.
Nazih,
I neglected to mention in the above comment that there is a difference between those Lebanese citizens who are living abroad and those who are only of Lebanese descent. I believe that this issue deserves to be elaborated upon separately. Maybe I will share my views on this in the near future.
After giving the idea of voting while living abroad more thought beleive me I couldn’t find anybody who’s politically independent, balanced and a real leader who would strive to make a difference and heaps of changes to our corrupt system… I found no-one. I would not support or vote for the old deceiving faces we’ve seeing on front pages for the past 40 years or their look-alike sons who inherited same rotten mentalities..I would not definetely elect leaders of militias and gangs who go their posts today by using gun powder and spilling blood..
I didn’t find anyone who truly represent the average peace loving lebanese citizen!!! If this how I feel, then how would it be possible for my children who are over 18 and born In Australia to vote for people they know nothing about and don’t even understand the politics of the country…Unless of course we go for religion, something you do if you want a racist Lebanon
First of all, I’m sure that the writer and most viewers agree with me that the political sectarianist system is the “root of all evil” and the only way to save this country is by dissolving sectarianism and replacing it with secularism.
Now since the birth of this nation in late 1943 and before that period Lebanese political system is composed of feudal sectarian clans. These lords even survived the 1975 to 1990 civil war by constantly exploiting the issue of sectarianism and bringing it to their own benefit.
Finally, I think sectarianist political system can be abolished only if Lebanese people of all religions and sects unite and challenge the feudal aristocracy class and minimize the power of religious authorities.
After that transform Lebanon into an egalitarian secular state. This is the only way out.
Sebouh,
I am a strong believer that any real change must have wide grass root support. and so it is impossible to disagree with what you are saying. The only point that I would like to add is my equally strong believe that the current Beri proposal needs support from the Lebanese masses if it is to succeed.
federalism to protect the minorities. It has always been quality, not quantity.
Like Dalal I will not vote for any of the same rotten political class. I think on the next elections and if we are to choose once again from withi the same pool of incompetent thieves, we should all go and vote NONE OF THE ABOVE !
Having said if we ever manage to actually have a secular state, who would be qualified to lead it? Not Berri for sure !
Response to John,
John, with respect to your opinion I think Federalism cannot succeed in a country like Lebanon. Why?
In my opinion, Federalism is another way of reinstating Sectarianism in a different way more like sectarian cantons, and besides the geographical size of Lebanon cannot permit federalism.
We need secularism nothing else works
John,
Federalism will not work under the current Lebanese structure. The major differences between the parties are the differeing views over what kind of a defence policy and what kind of a foreign policy to follow. A federal state will still have to agree to one defence policy and one foreign policy.
sounds like a dream for state and religion to be separated from Government , especially in the middle east…