Daher's Remarks on Christian Symbols Stir Controversy as Shaar Says Black Flags Represent IS

Remarks voiced Sunday by firebrand al-Mustaqbal bloc MP Khaled al-Daher about Christian statues and symbols have sparked a storm of religiously-charged controversy in the country.

The uproar started overnight Saturday, when the Internal Security Forces removed from the entrance of the northern city of Tripoli black-colored Islamic flags carrying the Muslim declaration of faith “There is No God but Allah and Mohammed is His Prophet”.

The flags had been raised there by the currently pro-Damascus Islamic Unification Movement, which fought fierce battles against Syrian forces in Tripoli in the eighties of the last century.

However, the removal decision also drew the ire of other Tripoli-based Islamist groups, most of which are vehemently opposed to the Damascus regime.

The ISF's step was part of a plan aimed at removing the flags and banners of political parties from all areas in the cities of Beirut, Sidon and Tripoli and along the coastal highway. The decision was taken during the fifth dialogue session between Hizbullah and al-Mutsaqbal movement last Monday.

The conferees said the move aims to “defuse Sunni-Shiite tensions” in the country.

But on Sunday, although a member of al-Mustaqbal bloc, MP Daher spearheaded an angry protest in Tripoli's al-Nour Square to condemn the removal of the Islamic flags, which had been hoisted around a huge sculpture of the word “Allah” that was installed there in the 1980s by the Islamic Unification Movement.

“We would sacrifice our lives to prevent the removal of the 'There is No God but Allah' flag,” the MP said, claiming that “the security plan has turned into a provocation against our people, the Sunni people.”

“If they want to remove religious symbols, let them start in Beirut. Let them start with the Christ the King Statue (in Keserwan). Let them start with the pictures of some saints 'who are opening their arms wide' in Jounieh,” Daher added.

“We will never tolerate this clear and flagrant insult against the Sunni community,” the lawmaker said.

He also vowed launch a major campaign against Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq, himself a member of the al-Mustaqbal movement, “if he has a hand in this issue.”

Daher's fiery remarks sparked a major uproar on social networking websites, with the majority of netizens condemning his stances.

Several Mustaqbal ministers and lawmakers have also deplored the MP's statements.

These remarks “are rejected,” Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi said, noting that “one must not tackle such highly sensitive topics in this critical period.”

For his part, al-Mustaqbal bloc MP Jean Oghassabian said Daher's remarks contained “an unjustifiable insult,” pointing out that “these statements do not in any way represent al-Mustaqbal movement's stance and its rhetoric that is keen on coexistence.”

“Daher's remarks are rejected,” said MP Mohammed Qabbani, another member of al-Mustaqbal bloc.

Mufti of Tripoli and North Sheikh Malek al-Shaar meanwhile told LBCI television that he supports the removal of Islamic flags from the northern city.

“It was decided to remove the black flags and banners that have become a symbol for a political group called Daesh (extremist Islamic State group), which has been denounced by all Lebanese,” Shaar added.

He also called for “removing all political banners and black flags from all streets and squares in Tripoli,” stressing that Tripoli is “the city of coexistence.”

Meanwhile, North Governor Ramzi Nohra told MTV that he tasked the security forces to start removing banners “in line with the interior minister's recommendations.”

The storm of responses prompted MP Daher to hold a press conference on Monday to clarify his remarks.

“My words were taken out of context and I respect all religions and all Lebanese from all sects,” the MP said.

He denied calling for the removal of “crosses … the Christ the King Statue or the Virgin Mary monument.”

“I meant to say that if you want to start removing religious symbols, that means that you want to remove both the Islamic and Christian symbols, and this is something we can't tolerate,” Daher added.

Y.R.