“A war starts with words:” Sfeir warns politicians to reconcile

 

Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir expressed concerns  on Sunday that Lebanon might be slipping into a civil war, after an Arab League initiative last week to solve the country”s long-standing crisis seemed to have hit a wall.

 

The proposal put forth by the Arab League last Sunday called for electing the commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, General Michel Suleiman, as president, the formation of a national unity government, and the promulgation of a new parliamentary election law. Lebanon has been without a president since November 24 and Premier Fouad Siniora”s Cabinet, which has assumed many of the president”s powers, is considered illegitimate by the opposition.

 

When Amr Moussa, the Arab league chief, arrived in Beirut last Wednesday to help the Lebanese translate the initiative into action, he found politicians unable to agree on how to distribute power among them once a president is elected.

 

Hence, a Parliament session to elect Suleiman scheduled for this past Saturday was postponed, for the 12th time. The session is now slated for January 21. Moussa is expected in Beirut again this Wednesday.   

 

“It has been said that a war starts with words,” Sfeir said during his Sunday sermon in Bkirki. “Some are drowning us with statements that could lead to harsh circumstances.”

 

Sfeir has routinely warned against prolonging the crisis, urging politicians to reach a resolution to save the country, but it was the first he suggested that the current bickering could be the beginning of a civil war.
 

His statement came a day after Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said that Lebanon would be “lost” and the Arabs would “wash their hands” of the whole country if the Arab initiative was not implemented.

 

Following the sermon, Sfeir met with a delegation from the Union of Kesrouan Municipalities and a delegation from Caritas, a charity organization.

 

Sfeir told his visitors that the Lebanese should stop depending on international players.

 

“Of course we have to seek help from the outside, but first it should come from within us,” said Sfeir. “We cannot let others accomplish our aspirations. People help us, but they help themselves before helping us.”

 

He added: “But as long as there are connections linking us to outside forces that prevent us from looking after our personal issues our situation will not improve … We cannot live in desperation and loose hope. We have to always have hope that our situation will get better and fulfill our duties toward each other and toward Lebanon.”