LEBANESE CHRISTIAN VOICES

Story from BBC NEWS:
g_point/6933465.stm
Published: 2007/08/06 19:50:23 GMT

Three people from different Lebanese Christian communities reflect
on Sunday’s by-elections, which saw a government seat fall to an
opposition candidate.

Sunday’s battle in the Maronite Christian district of Metn was seen as
a key test between the two main Christian candidates for the upcoming
presidential election: Amin Gemayel and General Michel Aoun.

In one key battle, the candidate representing General Aoun won by
a slim margin over Mr Gemayel, a former president who was hoping to
win the seat held by his murdered son, Pierre Gemayel.

FREDDY ZRAICK, 36, BANKER, GREEK ORTHODOX, BEIRUT

I certainly don’t support the Lebanese opposition, but I don’t really
support the government either. I see both sides as losing this election
[in the Metn district].

You get really fed up with the same names fighting for power

Amin Gemayel managed to lose, despite people feeling sorry for him
that his son was killed. He is an ex-president from a big political
family – and he still failed to secure the seat.

On the other hand, Michel Aoun cannot talk about a victory
either. His candidate won very narrowly. As Aoun pretends to be the
sole representative of the Christian community, this is not the sort
of victory he hoped for.

This result will divide us further.

I would love to see someone very new come through for the presidency.

You get really fed up with the same names fighting for power. Gemayel,
Aoun – they failed in the 1980s and here they are again.

We have many great figures outside Lebanon who could lead us to
consensus.

hassan Salame, who works for the United Nations, or the CEO of
Nissan, Carlos Ghosn. These are the sort of people who should lead
this country.

I don’t know if they’re Maronite Christian, Muslim, whatever – and
frankly I don’t care.

ANNIE TABAKIAN, 26, MASTERS STUDENT, ARMENIAN ORTHODOX

I don’t belong to any political party, but I support the opposition.

Of course this is a victory for the opposition – for the opposition
as a whole, not just one person.

However, I think the Syrians are the happiest people in the world
right now.

When they see us fighting like this, they like it.

But I don’t think Syria’s interference in Lebanon is as great as the
interference from France or the US.

In our Christian community our greatest fear is al-Qaeda in
Lebanon. The government denies the existence of al-Qaeda here by
saying that it’s the fault of Syrian intelligence.

We Armenians support the opposition because [the late Prime Minister]
Rafik Hariri tried to divide our community. And his son is continuing
the same agenda his father had.

I would be happy if the opposition got the presidency. I don’t
necessarily want General Aoun to be president, I just want the
president to represent the opposition.

JOHN DOW, 44, BUSINESSMAN, MARONITE CHRISTIAN, BEIRUT

Politically, I’m indifferent. The election was very close and I think
it proves that no one person is in control.

We whine and whine about our politicians – and then vote the same
people back in

I’m a bit scared of General Aoun’s behaviour. He may be a good man
and nationalistic, but I’m not much in favour of army people being
in power.

In the Christian arena especially, politicians are not acting in
the national interest. The elections should be about ethics, not
selfishness.

We Lebanese don’t hold our politicians accountable enough. We whine and
whine and whine about them, but then we vote the same people back in.

Most politicians here are from historically powerful families; their
grandfathers and great grandfathers were in politics.

Our political culture doesn’t create opportunities for newcomers.

We’d like to be without Syrian influence; we have to get permission
from Syria before we can even breathe. Would you like to live like
this?

But it will end. I like to think we can light the candle and see the
end of the tunnel.