War of words as Lebanese set to mark Hariri killing

Feb 13, 2008, 14:17 GMT

A huge billboard carrying the picture of slain premier Rafik Hariri with Arabic word \'He can\'t grip our Lebanon\' stands in downtown Beirut, 11 February 2008. Hariri pledged to stand firm against what he termed as Syrian and Iranian attempts to undermine Lebanon\'s independence, and called on the people to mass on Thursday in Beirut to demonstrate their backing on the third anniversary of his father\'s death. EPA/NABIL MOUNZER

Beirut - The streets of Beirut a day before a scheduled mass rally to mark the February 14, 2005 assassinaton of then-premier Rafik Hariri, were tense Tuesday and anger could be heard in peoples' comments about the political speeches they hear daily from the country's leading rival parties.

'We want to be governed by the state and not by religious warlords, sheikhs, or priests,' shouted Ahmed Mortada, a moderate Lebanese Shiite in one of Beirut's streets.

'Both the opposition (led) by Hezbollah and the majority (anti- Syrian) are now threatening each other with war ... as if we (people) are their war toys and they can play with us as they like,' said Souad Hamdan, a Sunni Muslim who does not belong to any rival party.

'The political life in this country has gone below zero. The leaders are using radio and television to lash at each other, and the streets are boiling (over) with their followers,' she added.

Souad was referring to fiery speeches by the head of the ruling majority, Saad Hariri, and his ally Walid Jumblatt, who threatened the opposition 'if you want war...we are ready for it.'

The tough rhetoric has ignited tensions between the followers of both parties in a country already tense over a long-standing political deadlock. Clashes between Sunni followers of the late Hariri and Shiites loyal to Hezbollah have erupted here and there.

At least two people were wounded on Sunday in a gunfight between Druze supporters loyal to Jumblatt and a pro-Syrian Druze group in Aley, east of the capital.

The streets also witnessed clashes between Hariri supporters and followers who support pro-Syrian parliament speaker Nabih Berri.

Christian opposition leader General Michel Aoun has accused the ruling majority of having created 'a climate of fear' which can trigger clashes at any moment and push the situation out of control.

But some people who heard the speeches now feel motivated to try to change things in a peaceful way by calling on others to start ignoring the confessional clashes and also do away with the confessional system which makes Lebanon.

A new group has begun urging the Lebanese to start working on improving the situation by visiting a newly established house called Maison Laique (house of laicite).

Laicite has no English equivalent, though it is derived from the same root as the word 'laity.' The concept is akin to secularism, but it encompasses far more.

The newly established organization focuses on working hard to try to save what they say 'is left of Lebanon.'

Maison Laique founder Nasri Sayageh said 'it is mainly a gathering place to discuss issues.' All are welcome - students, intellectuals, journalists, 'everyone as long as they don't practice division by religion and race,' he added.

Sayegh defined the laicite campaign in Lebanon 'as a project to revise confessionalism ... to move toward a civil society, in which citizens are citizens not confessionalists. We must start at the human level and then move to politics.'

But his message still has a long way to reach to all Lebanese streets and alleys to prevent daily tensions between the Lebanese who belong to various groups and are loyal to their sects' leaders.

Lebanon was hit with a sectarian civil strife between 1975-1990 during which 150,000 people were killed.

Politicians are currently divided over how to share power at the heart of government plunging the country into its worst political crisis since the end of the civil war in 1990.

Sessions to elect a successor to pro-Syrian president Emile Lahoud have been postponed 14 times, with MPs now scheduled to meet on February 26.

Tensions are expected to be further heightened with demonstrations planned for Thursday to mark the third anniversary of Hariri's killing n a massive bomb attack which killed 20 others as well.

At the same time, Shiite followers loyal to Hezbollah will be mourning their high-ranking military commander, Imad Mouganiyh, who was killed in car bomb blast in Syria late Tuesday. Hezbollah has accused Israel in the attack, but Israel has denied it.

The majority of Lebanese hold Syria responsible for Hariri's killing, which is the subject of an international investigation. Damascus denies it was involved.