We Are Not the Target of Excommunication Threats
MP Michel Aoun said Monday recent remarks on excommunication was not targeted at his parliamentary bloc adding that he is a faithful Catholic and knows his limitations when it comes to attacking the church.
Aoun was referring to last week”s comments by Maronite Bishop of Jbeil Beshara Rai, who said that those who slander Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir will be punished by excommunication.
"We are not the target of Rai”s statement. We are well aware of the limitations of faith and the church. We are still within the fold of the Catholic faith and are practicing (Catholics)," Aoun said a weekly meeting of the Change and Reform bloc.
Aoun earlier attended the fifth round of national dialogue to discuss progress on the defense strategy file and security-related measures ahead of the July 7 parliamentary elections. The session was rescheduled till April 28.
"The rescheduling of sessions is not meant to waste time, but rather to make use of it," Aoun argued. He said the meetings served as "security valve that helps overcome obstacles especially that these sessions maintain contact among sides from across the political divide thus relieving tensions."
Aoun pointed out that President Michel Suleiman had the "sole right" to keep the meetings minutes and to release them to the public.
On the elections, Aoun said the Free Patriotic Movement was drafting electoral lists of eight candidates in the northern Metn district.
Aoun slammed the current state of the Lebanese judiciary calling on those who want reform "to start with reactivating the role of the judiciary and awaken it from its slumber." He warned that Lebanon was heading toward "(social) degradation unless we stir up our values."