Independent March 14 Figures Reject Orthodox Gathering Electoral Draft Law
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Independent figures affiliated in the March 14 alliance rejected on Thursday the adoption of the Orthodox Gathering's proposed electoral draft law in the upcoming parliamentary elections, saying it harms Christians, national unity and coexistence.
“We reject any electoral law that doesn't rectify the political representation, in particular, for Christians,” MP Butros Harb told reporters after a meeting held at his residence in Hazmieh with independent officials in the opposition.
The lawmaker, who read a statement issued by the attendees, stressed that the Orthodox Gathering proposal harms Christians and national unity as “each sect will have its own state under this law.”
“The law wasn't adopted by any Christian spiritual leaders,” Harb said, arguing that it is a “very dangerous proposal as it incites division among sects.”
On Sunday, the Christian four-party committee on the electoral law agreed to endorse the electoral system proposed by the so-called Orthodox Gathering, under which each sect would elect its own lawmakers.
The four-party panel comprises representatives from the Free Patriotic Movement, the Lebanese Forces, the Phalange Party and the Marada Movement.
Harb noted that the Orthodox Gathering law will “transform a segment of Lebanese into second degree citizens,” criticizing it for opposing the constitution.
The attendees called on Christians to set straight their priorities and work hard to establish an electoral law that better represents them.
They also hailed President Michel Suleiman's stance over the matter, who rejected the law by describing it as “unconstitutional.”
The proposal was also criticized by Premier Najib Miqati, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat and al-Mustaqbal Movement.
Harb said that the gatherers insist on holding the upcoming polls on time.
The meeting included MPs Henry Helou, Michel Pharaon, Dory Chamoun, Fouad al-Saad, Antoine Saad, Nicolas Ghosn, former MP Samir Franjieh, head of Independence Movement Michel Mouawad and several other figures.
10 January 2013, 14:40
89
"Independent March 14 Figures" - in translation, taking money from saudi arabia but not openly betraying lebanon
10 January 2013, 14:51
78
it's really sad to see a christian figure doing everything to please it's Saoudi masters even betraying his own people
10 January 2013, 14:55
66
"The meeting included MPs Henry Helou, Michel Pharaon, Dory Chamoun, Fouad al-Saad, Antoine Saad, Nicolas Ghosn, former MP Samir Franjieh, head of Independence Movement Michel Mouawad and several other figures" now we know who to vote down during the next elections
10 January 2013, 15:29
64
I wonder how much these 2nd rate politicians got paid. Probably not much.
10 January 2013, 15:53
64
the filthy zionist hallucinate that he can say who deserve something and how much
10 January 2013, 15:56
34
I will be very generous and give you 2000 liras for a shoeshine !
10 January 2013, 16:55
33
first of all it's a picture of Pierre and Bachir. Second, if I support someone that does not mean that I have to blindly support every single one of their ideas. They are not GOD and it's my patriotic duty to oppose those whom I support when I feel they are not doing the right thing. When you grow some hair on your balls and start acting like a man, then you can come and have a debate with me. Untill then I wish you the best of luck of your current role as a mindless sheep!
10 January 2013, 16:59
43
the filthy zionist scum trash and filth want to hide the fact that their friends in lebanon are on payrol
10 January 2013, 17:00
34
the filthy zionist hallucinate about the leader of our glorious resistance licking iran's ring
however, the normal and civilized people use cleaning chemicals for that these day.
i know you zionists are not yet on that level
10 January 2013, 17:03
30
This law is aimed at putting the Christians in dog fight cage and get them to tear each other apart. When you have a bitter lunatic like Aoun on one hand and a castrated Geagea on the other, we're guaranteed to be heading for the exact disaster this law is leading us to.
10 January 2013, 17:03
21
This law is aimed at putting the Christians in a dog fight cage and get them to tear each other apart. When you have a bitter lunatic like Aoun on one hand and a castrated Geagea on the other, we're guaranteed to be heading for the exact disaster this law is leading us to.
10 January 2013, 18:18
21
@ the_roar
Instead of bad mouthing everyone with an opinion that differs from yours, why don't you address some of the real concerns brought forth about the repercussions of this law. I am ambivalent about it especially as I look and see Lebanon becoming more and more sectarian as time goes on.
So, some serious personalities warned that the future side effect of this law regarding emboldening the Shiites to start again demanding a three way political split, instead of the current two way Christian-Moslem one, once the law exposes the true representational weight of the Christians. What about that?
Also, Hussein Al-Hussaini - for whom I have a lot of respect - opined in An-Nahar that this law would be a good one for electing Lebanese Senators should the senate chamber envisioned in the Taif accord come to being.
Comment on that instead of trashing people please.
10 January 2013, 19:36
21
unless you are claiming that in the USA whites are only allowed to vote whites, blacks for blacks and hispanics for hispanics then your comparison is invalid (apply same concept for Australia and Europe). we are talking about a law that forbids you from voting for whom you choose. explain to me how that is freedom? I am a big supporter of both Kataeb and LF and disagree with them on this wholeheartedly. This law moves us back rather than forward.
10 January 2013, 23:25
21
habibi Flamer- what you said is the biggest problem in Lebanon. the shiaa candidate, the sunni candidate, the maronite candidate. All wrong! it should be the district's candidate. we have to start somewhere my friend. I can see why they proposed this law, beleive me, I do. I just don't like it. It takes us backwards. I really hope this law does not pass as it will be an excuse for everyone to point to anytime someone tries to make the country more secular. This may give us Christians more controll in the upcoming election but this will hurt us for a very long time afterwards. This is a bad idea!
10 January 2013, 21:02
21
The purpose of this law is to tell each religion "go fight" within you. Are the Shia going to fight within them, of course not, even though Amal and Hizbullah fought bloody battles in the past, they know when to stand by each other when they need to. Are the Sunnis going to fight each other? maybe. Are the Christians going to fight each other? well that's guaranteed. This law will do nothing but polarize and sow even bigger divisions among Christians. Why don't they put forth a law that will unite the Christians? They only put forth laws that will pit the Christians against each other. If we're going to fight each other and divide the country politically along confessional lines, we might as well divide it geographically too. At least this way we would not have to live with Hizbullah so it becomes kind of worth it.
10 January 2013, 21:25
13
I actually agree with Harb here, I've been saying this Orthodox Law will only create more divisions amongst ourselves. We all know the problem in Lebanon is sectarianism and division, and we have to work to put those notions behind us but yet, this proposal only makes our divisions worst.
11 January 2013, 05:15
10
Currently the Hizb will do anything to protect its weapons. Do you think the Shia community in the long run will accept such a law? Or is this a one time thing to destroy al mustaqbal and m14? Use your brain people.
10 January 2013, 21:27
12
I hope they vote against it and I will certainly have more respect for them if they do. This is a mistake and takes a real leader to admit they made a mistake and correct it. BTW you are not fooling anyone "kesrweneh". Kind of sad really.
10 January 2013, 23:33
10
Flamer- what you are saying makes no sense whatsoever. Aoun wants secularism but before we do that we should go hardcore sectarian. Sorry that bs don't fly.
11 January 2013, 01:08
10
Khalil Gibran “Pity a nation divided into fragments, each fragment deeming itself a nation”.
11 January 2013, 04:35
10
Really! And you think that only Muslims get to vote for Christians and Christians do not get to vote for Muslims??? Come on man think what a pandora box this is opening. You are supporting an anti-democratic law! You will also open the way for others to demand the removal of sectarian allocation of MPs (which is democratic) or that the numbers of MPs for each sect reflects its demographic weight (which is undemocratic but not as much as the plan you are supporting).
11 January 2013, 06:07
10
And what is that truth? Or just padding someone ego? The truth is that the only reason the Hizb would accept such a law (as a one time thing) is to destroy the mustaqbal. The Shia community (the largest and fastest growing one) in Lebanon would not accept such a law in the long term. The interest of Christians anD Muslims in Lebanon is to get rid of Sectarianism, build a modern country, enhance economic opportunity. This is the only way for everyone to win.
11 January 2013, 09:55
11
this is a country where you can find a prophet on every street corner. this is how the romans used to describe this region of the middle east.
this is sadly the state of the lebanese christians these days.
despite being a minority which any reasonable mind would asume them being united against adversity and an hostile middle eastern environment but on the contrary we find them with too many heads boasting contradicting diversity and spewing conflicting opinions bordering on chaos.
without taking sides with anyone in particular i would like to ask this question:
11 January 2013, 09:57
11
1-since the meetings for electoral laws discussion took place in bkerki, why the patriarch did not invite ALL the christian representatives to attend (the more the merryer) including the president's representative, harb, murr,baroud, moawad, etc... to discuss the important issue of voting laws???? he could have have invited all the christian deputies in the parliament for example.
2- why those objecting to these laws did not raise their voices from day one of bkerki's meeting????
11 January 2013, 10:04
11
obviously there is a flagrant lack of good will from both sides to do some thing constructive and beneficial for the whole country and an obvious lousy attempt to score some meager points for the coming elections.
