Al-Rahi Hails Suleiman's Stances: Those Adopting Autonomous Security Have No Faith in State
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi praised on Tuesday the stances of President Michel Suleiman that seek the interests of Lebanon and its constitutional institutions, criticizing powers that are skeptical of the army and security forces' competency in protecting Lebanon.
He said: “We have no need for autonomous security. Those who adopt such measures do not trust the state.”
He made his remarks before traveling to Rome on a week-long visit where he is scheduled to meet Pope Francis I.
“It is shameful for us to obstruct the role of the state and claim that it is unable to protect us,” al-Rahi added.
“We must all strengthen the state and pay the necessary taxes,” he continued.
“We must all abide by the law and preserve the state's institutions and security forces,” he remarked.
“We must abandon our personal and foreign interests for the sake of Lebanon,” he demanded.
Moreover, al-Rahi said that Suleiman needs the support of all sides in order to protect the country.
He said: “We must protect Lebanon through the Baabda Declaration.”
The patriarch added: “The president is the head of the country and he is calling for the assistance of all sides and we should therefore comply with his demands in order to complete the rest of the Lebanese body.”
“All sides should preserve the country and cooperate for the sake of the state,” al-Rahi stressed.
“A strong state protects us all, but a weak one won't be able to protect anyone,” he noted.
“We hope that Lebanon will be allowed to play its role as a message of diversity and act as an oasis in the Arab world,” he continued.
Hizbullah had set up checkpoints in and around its stronghold of Dahieh in Beirut's southern suburbs in light of a bombing in the Ruwais area.
Twenty-seven people were killed and 280 wounded in the bombing that took place on August 15.
A number of politicians have since criticized the party for its security measures, but Hizbullah officials have denied that they have adopted autonomous security measures with MP Mohammed Raad saying that the party had repeatedly urged the state's security forces to assume their duties in protecting Dahieh, but these demands were not fulfilled.
Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel had stressed last week that only the state's security agencies are entitled to set up checkpoints.
17 September 2013, 13:37
125
Errata: It should be: These who Have No Faith in State, and we all know who they are, are Adopting - AS USUAL -Autonomous Security.
Voila. daroure n3ich 100% 3al kezzeb ya3neh?
17 September 2013, 14:02
89
Should there be a Messiah (bi kel me3na el kelmeh) before we can have faith in Him or should we have faith in a Messiah and pray that He eventually comes? Philosophers, your feedback is desperately needed.
17 September 2013, 21:15
60
seems you too do not believe in the state.... amnesty was granted by the PRESIDENT of the republic which means legally the man has paid his debt to the society... but many of your friends still are at large and never went to jail....
so your lecturing is pure BS... or you just spit on the lebanese laws like your hezbi friends!!!
18 September 2013, 17:43
00
I agree with much of what you say. HA had a right to free South Lebanon where much of the country either did not care or supported Israeli occupation. The Lebanese state did not do much to free this land. I understand it was all a Syrian scheme, which happened under Syrian occupation in the rest of the country. But, it is "our" fault for allowing this to happen. Yes Aoun and Geagea both should have figured this out for the good of our country. We sold ourselves out for a dollar. At a minimum I admire the leadership HA has unlike "us" that change with the wind. Sorry gents, we all know Aoun is a flip flopper and Geagea with more recent questionable alliances, and unpopular Orthodox gathering stance.
