BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir said Friday the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) probing the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was necessary to end the string of political murders in the country.
“If we want to put an end to political assassinations then the tribunal should issue its indictment naming those who committed the crime,” he said. “If we want matters to continue the same way, then assassinations will continue, which is harmful to Lebanon and other countries as well,” he added.
In an interview with Al-Jazeera satellite channel, Sfeir said claims that Hizbullah wanted to take control of the country, “draw worry for those who are not affiliated with the party.”
Sfeir denied that Hizbullah had plans to take control of Lebanon. “However,” he said, “methods that the party adopts are powerful, and power eventually leads to control.”
“Lebanon should remain the way it is, for all its sects, which should be awarded equal power,” said the prelate. “If one [sect] were to overpower the others, this goes against the principles upon which Lebanon is founded.”
The patriarch said while Christians had been in control of the decision-making process ahead of Lebanon’s 1975-90 Civil War, “decision-making was now in the hand of others.”
The patriarch said while Christians had been in control of the decision-making process ahead of Lebanon’s 1975-90 Civil War, “decision-making was now in the hand of others.”
Sfeir, however, admitted that Christians in Lebanon had more “power” than Christians in other countries of the region.
Sfeir said the Maronite Church stood at an equal distance from the rival March 8 and the March 14 camps.
He voiced dissatisfaction with the share allotted to Christians in the public administrations.
Sfeir also said he would visit Syria “when circumstances are appropriate.” “So far it is not clear whether ties between Lebanon and Syria are back on track because one country has interests in the other,” he added.
“If Syria wants to befriend Lebanon in order to control us, then we do not want this friendship,” he added. –The Daily Star
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