Al-Rahi Backs 'Those who Defended Their Dignity' in Ain al-Remmaneh

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi has thrown his support behind Ain al-Remmaneh’s residents and those who were arrested in the wake of the deadly Tayyouneh clashes.

“With its legitimacy, institutions and judiciary, the state is asked to protect its people and prevent attacks on them and to act wisely, fairly and impartially. It should not implicate the judiciary and subject civil peace to danger, seeing as injustice produces oppression and oppression would lead to an explosion,” al-Rahi warned.

“We who believe in justice do not accept that those who defended their dignity and the security of their environment be turned into a scapegoat. These people, along with others, had defended Lebanon and offered thousands of martyrs for the sake of its unity and sovereignty,” the patriarch added.

As for those detained by security agencies, al-Rahi called for “respecting human rights” in the investigations without any “intimidation.”

“We do not want to acquit someone guilty not to accuse someone innocent. We are keen that the investigations should target all the parties, not a single party, as if it is responsible for the incidents,” the patriarch added.

He stressed that “everyone would be under the law when the law is above everyone.”

Moreover, al-Rahi emphasized that “despite their gravity, the Tayyouneh-Ain al-Remmaneh incidents should not eclipse the probe into the Beirut port bombing.”

“We warn against any attempt to make a bargain between the port bombing and the Tayyouneh-Ain al-Remmaneh incidents, seeing as continuing the port bombing investigations remains the path to justice,” al-Rahi added.

Seven people were killed on October 14 -- mostly Hizbullah and Amal Movement members -- during a protest organized by the two groups to demand Tarek Bitar, the judge investigating Beirut's devastating port blast, be removed.

Hizbullah and Amal accused the Lebanese Forces, which supports the probe, of being responsible for sniper fire against the protesters that ignited street clashes. The LF denies the charges.

Fadi Akiki, a representative of the military court, has "instructed the army intelligence to summon (LF leader Samir) Geagea and take his statement based on information provided by arrested LF members," a judicial official said.

Twenty-six people were arrested after the violence in the Tayyouneh-Ain al-Remmaneh area, most of them LF members, the official added.

Geagea has denied responsibility for the deaths, saying that residents of Ain al-Remmaneh had "defended" themselves against "Hizbullah militiamen who tried to enter their homes." He also said that four Ain al-Remmaneh residents were injured at the hands of violent protesters, some by handgun shots, before any rounds were fired from the neighborhood.