Ekklesia, UK
Jan 13 2007

Armenian church leader calls Lebanon back from the brink of collapse
-13/01/07

The former moderator of the World Council of Churches, Catholicos
Aram I of the Armenian Apostolic Church, says Lebanese leaders need
to sustain the democracy they have and not continue fomenting
insecurity that could easily trigger more unrest in Lebanon, reports
Ecumenical News International.

"Lebanon is again in conflict," said Aram. "Despite the
self-constraining efforts of parties to restrain the current conflict
to political and democratic boundaries, a small spark can ignite the
tense atmosphere and lead the country towards unpredictable and
uncontrollable situations."

Aram, who is Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, conducted a Mass
for the Armenian church’s celebration of Christmas on 6 January 2007
and delivered a sermon in the St Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in
Antelias, where government officials and a large number of faithful
were gathered.

Lebanon’s opposition-backed labour unions on 11 January suspended
protests against government economic reform plans, but the Hezbollah
movement said it would soon step up a campaign to topple the
government.

Protesters have since 1 December camped outside Prime Minister Fuad
Saniora in Beirut seeking to pressure him to give more power to the
opposition in a new government of national unity or to call early
elections.

"We are destroying Lebanon. We are driving the people towards
hopelessness," Aram warned in his sermon. "Where are we as spiritual
leaders? Where are the government officials, where are the civil
society, the political and party leaders? There is a lack of
political maturity and common responsibility. Political culture is at
the doorsteps of bankruptcy."

Aram said nobody had the right to drag Lebanon into "uncertainty and
polarisation". He said, "This people only witnessed war, poverty and
blood for 30 years. A whole generation was formed in these
circumstances. Let this people live in peace and dignity."

The Catholicos said Lebanon could no longer be a stage for regional
and international conflicts. "Let’s not allow others to meddle into
our internal affairs. No matter how respectable others are, Lebanon’s
prime interests are not up to bargaining," said Aram.

[With grateful acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International
is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran
World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the
Conference of European Churches]

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