Report: Asphalt Roads Built on Disputed Territory in Lassa
Around 15 trucks loaded with Asphalt headed Sunday to the predominantly Shiite town of Lassa in the Jbeil district and began building roads on property owned by the Maronite patriarchate, Ad-Diyar daily reported.
The newspaper said Monday that Maronite bishops were surprised by the move, wondering how the asphalting could take place over the weekend.
They said the project was an effort aimed at circumventing the agreement reached with Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi while he is abroad. “Is there an attempt to create a new status quo?” the bishops asked.
They called al-Rahi, who is on a tour to the U.S., and informed him about the new developments, Ad-Diyar said.
The residents of Lassa are caught in a land dispute with the church. The March 14-led opposition accuses Hizbullah of allowing the residents to build on church land and providing a cover for the property violators.
The dispute over the property has flared up in recent months, leading to clashes between residents and members of the church and TV crews.
An agreement was reached in July between al-Rahi and Lassa residents, including a Hizbullah delegation, to suspend construction on controversial properties.
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