Independent March 14 Officials Slam Orthodox Law that 'Paves Way for Lebanon's Division'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Independent Christian March 14 lawmakers and officials lamented on Thursday the adoption of the Orthodox Gathering parliamentary electoral law, saying that it harms Lebanon's diversity.
The gatherers said after a meeting at MP Butros Harb's residence: “This law paves the way for the formation of sectarian statelets and the division of Lebanon in a manner that contradicts the country's diversity.”
“We announce our determination to confront the dangerous Orthodox Gathering law at parliament,” they stressed.
“We are determined to reach an agreement over an electoral law that preserves diversity and ensures fair representation and Christian rights,” they added.
“Our rejection of the Orthodox Gathering law represents our rejection of Christian isolation in Lebanon,” they explained.
Moreover, they voiced their concern that the discussions over a new electoral law “veered off their democratic course,” lamenting the fact that only this law was addressed at the joint parliamentary committees
In addition, the independent Christian March 14 officials accused the March 8 camp of exploiting the electoral law debate in order to maintain its position in power even at the expense of delaying the elections, which are set for June.
They added that the March 8 camp, led by Hizbullah, rejected various versions of the hybrid draft law and others based on small-sized districts, “which is a sign that it does not care for the interests of Christians, but only that of their parties.”
The gatherers then vowed confront the efforts of the Syrian regime and Iran to impose their control over Lebanon.
The meeting was attended by deputy Speaker Farid Makari, MPs Michel Pharaon, Fouad al-Saad, Dory Shamoun, Antoine Saad, Nicolas Ghosn, former MP Kamil Ziyadeh, Elias Attallah, Jawad Boulos, Samir Franjieh, Michel Mouawad, and Antoine Haddad.
Harb noted after the meeting: “The Orthodox Gathering law only serves to increase extremism in Lebanon.”
“We seek an alternative to this law that would help guarantee the rights of Christians,” he stressed.
“Fair representation can be ensured through the adoption of single or small-sized districts,” he explained.
For his part, Makari said: “Given the choice between Lebanon's diversity and gaining three or four more Christian lawmakers at parliament, we choose the former.”
“God forgive our Christian allies who approved the Orthodox Gathering law,” he added.
On Tuesday, the joint parliamentary committees approved the Orthodox Gathering proposal, amid a walkout by the lawmakers of al-Mustaqbal bloc, the National Struggle Front and some independent March 14 MPs.
The proposal calls for dividing Lebanon into a single electoral district and allows each sect to vote for its own lawmakers under a proportional representation system.
It has also been met by President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati's rejection.
21 February 2013, 14:58
96
narrow minded people do not see the result of such law.
each secte has now the right to ask for fair representation:
- shia already asked for dividing the parliament seats three ways based on numbers.
- now the sunnis will do the same.
who lost? the Christians.
so, although it might look like Christians won today, but tomorrow we will be the biggest loosers once more thanks to aoun.
furthermore, fair representation means each secte decides it head, and the sunnis have a right to decide who should be the prime minister and it can no more be decided by other sectes.
21 February 2013, 15:32
00
Do someone especially geha tell me what harb said about selling land ?
Geha Christians are demanding their right are u with this right or not ?
Lebanon for Lebanese
21 February 2013, 15:41
55
stupidest law ever. instead of moving forward this country is once again going back...
this stupid laws only means that MPs are working to defend the interests of their own sect and not the interests of lebanese...
better partition this country then in christian zones chia zones druze zones and so on and let each incompetent sect leader rule their zone!
if a christian wants to vote for a sunni or a chia his RIGHT IS DENIED! he will be forced to vote only for a christian....and they call that democracy? LOL!!!
the politicians should set the example and change things! they should be the progressive ones and work for secularism even against the will of the citizens if they are truly visionaires! but what do we have? middle aged politicians working for themselves only...
secularism is in the taef agreement but none seem to have read it in 30 years...
it s a shame to be lebanese.....
21 February 2013, 15:42
53
the only thing to do is become atheist or to do like khouloud and nidal, erase the mention of your religion...
or become jew then you can vote for whoever you want!
"In the name of God We, Muslims and Christians, Pledge that united we shall remain to the end of time to better defend our Lebanon"
we are far from what gebran tueni dreamed of...
this country has become schizophrene....
21 February 2013, 16:48
46
no my dear ft
the ennuque here is aoun and his followers like you who sold out the Christians to iran.
21 February 2013, 16:50
45
well if you are so much behind this law, then give the sunnis fair representation.
21 February 2013, 18:33
24
is it really? or is it you speaking nonsense?
according to the taef accord the prime minister should be sunni.
let the sunnis choose him then you stupid idiot.
21 February 2013, 19:26
31
then fair representation would mean less christian MPs as they have half the parliament seats and they represent around 35% of the population! LOL the parliament would then be 65% muslims ! LOL
those advocating fairness would they accept that? i guess not, then their "fair representation" is just hypocrisy....
21 February 2013, 23:51
10
"it was never about numbers except for idiots."
great then! you d accept the christian number of MPs to be reduced and the number of muslims to be increased then to better represent the fabric of lebanon!
21 February 2013, 16:54
00
Just have to say what a bunch of hypocrites , especially mr Boulos i say to you go and get lessons in politics both you and your fellow zghertwy allie , by the way your own family on australia dispise you they you seem to be like a cancer "hated"
21 February 2013, 18:09
41
Independent m14 christains!
LoL... Now we can just make up groups! U are either a slave to the mustaqbul m14 that owes their political life to them, or they are independent! The ones that have exercised their independence are not part of Boutros Harb's movement! Do we all forget that mr harb was the Syrian number one christain mp? When the christains boycotted the 1994 and 2000 elections, Boutros harb was the number one pro Syrian occupation winner! Now, when the christains are all pro orthodox election proposition... The christain slave savior arrives again!
21 February 2013, 20:34
30
It’s these lawmakers that make me proud to be Lebanese. They are fighting for us to be united as ONE country and not as sectarians. It’s a mockery on how people claim this law gives fair representation when it limits my right to vote. How is that fair representation????? It’s like someone is stabbing me in the eye with the fork and telling me that I should thank them for making me see clearer. It’s absurd at best!
Revolutionaries are always going to get attacked. I hope they survive any assassination attempts and stay true to their form. You have my support patriots.
21 February 2013, 22:53
00
lebanonfirst, lets call spade a spade! Find a law that allows the christian to have a say in choosing the Sunni and Shiaa MP and vise versa then problem solved. But going one way in allowing Sunni and Shiaa to have a say in Christian MP and NOT vice versa, now this is not fair.
Till this is found then the Orthodox is the way to go. Note that the LF proposed law gather the advantages of Orthodox and wehdeh watanieh but the FM refused it. So what do you want the LF to do???
22 February 2013, 00:43
00
My compatriots, my friends, my avid readers, what the "Orthodox" law slams is the hopes of these nobody-tag-alongs of al-Mustaqbal al-Ta3ees of becoming yes-sir-ee members of parliament. My elated condolences to al-Mustaqbla al-Ta3ees. Decent Lebanese, REJOICE.
22 February 2013, 01:11
00
Those who can't seen how this Orthodox draft law is anti-democratic and unpatriotic are sheep. If the crazy general came out against it tomorrow, the FPM supporters would come out against it. Disgusting.
