Al-Rahi Slams Politicians for 'Destroying' the Nation, Causing Arms Proliferation
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday urged officials to have loyalty to their country by ending its crises and keeping it at a distance from the sectarian turmoil, accusing them of having a “destructible” behavior.
“Politicians should respect Lebanon as a state and people, and only have loyalty to it,” al-Rahi said in his sermon during a mass he held in Bkirki.
He said the officials should work on resolving the country's political, economic and security crises in addition to distancing it from “confessional conflicts and regional axes in accordance with the National Pact and the Baabda Declaration.”
Al-Rahi pleaded for coexistence so that the Lebanese could be united.
The people should work on making the nation meet the expectations of the international community and mainly friendly countries similar to what President Michel Suleiman did when he met with world leaders and addressed the U.N. General Assembly, he said.
The patriarch felt regret at the death of Lebanese asylum-seekers in a boat accident in Indonesia.
“They were after a good livelihood in Australia which they couldn't find in Lebanon,” he said.
The vessel, carrying an estimated 120 asylum-seekers from Lebanon, mainly from the town of Kabiit in Akkar, Jordan and Yemen, sank in rough seas Friday. The death toll rose to 28 people on Sunday after more bodies were found in the sea.
They were heading for Australia's Christmas Island.
Al-Rahi blamed the “neglect” of the authorities and political leaders for the death of the asylum-seekers.
“They are obstructing the formation of a new all-embracing and capable government … and paralyzing constitutional institutions,” he said.
He also accused them of worsening the differences among the Lebanese and creating bad economic conditions.
Al-Rahi condemned what he called the “destructible political behavior” that tarnishes the nation's image.
“The proliferation of illegitimate arms that lead to security chaos are caused by their neglect and the differences between political parties,” he said.
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