Whether the project of the “Orthodox Meeting" for the Lebanese parliamentary elections is passed or not – and we sure hope it does not pass – the identity of the people calling for this project has revealed a certain level of hypocrisy, a characteristic of most Lebanese politicians and something that the citizens must have noticed. This is a sectarian project par excellence. In the event it is passed, it will only bring additional sectarian dismantlement in a country that has already had enough of that. The project was suggested by sides, the majority of which have always claimed to be calling for revoking political sectarianism and achieving real equality between the citizens. A prominent member of a “bloc" claiming to strive for “reform" is very supportive of this project and, at the same time, quite vocal about the “secularism" of his group and “their belief in a civil state." However, the law that this man and his team are calling for will exclusively produce MPs that represent the sects that elected them while, constitutionally, a Lebanese MP is supposed to represent “the entire nation." Old sectarians, neo secular hopefuls, and defenders of the concept of the “Faqih rule" and the religious state: a mosaic mix is standing behind this project, which was unjustly pinned on the Orthodox sect, a sect whose followers never defended any sectarian project. The reason for this injustice is that a man who belongs to this sect happens to be one of the designers of this project. This man has recently discovered that the sectarian way is the only way for him to return to parliament since he lost the regional cover that he once had and that used to allow him to obtain parliamentary posts. This cover can no longer support anyone, now that it is drowning in its own internal concerns. The supporters of the “Orthodox project" justify their ideas by saying that they are keen on allowing the Christian voters to elect MPs who truly represent them, especially in the districts that have a Muslim majority. This project further appeals to a class of Christian citizens who believe that they are not well represented at the moment. However, this project will result in revoking the MP's real “job" as a Lebanese representative who is supposed to consider the interests of all citizens when studying and passing legislations. The project will turn the MPs into sectarian representatives who only consider the laws from the angle of their own sect's interests, even if these interests are in contradiction with the other sects. This will obviously result in harming the concept of citizenship and “coexistence" that the Lebanese have always been proud of. This project paves the way for a confederation of the sects in Lebanon rather than a civil, non sectarian state as per the claims of the project's supporters. Thus, the President of the Republic, Michel Suleiman, took a sound and national stand by refusing to sign this project. It is not easy for a prominent official like him to see his country in 2013 regressing 200 years back to the era of the Mutasarrifs and Qaimaqams when the citizens' sects governed their political rights and their area of residence. As for placing the project of the “Orthodox Meeting" under the cloak of the Maronite patriarch, this is quite unjust for this religious post that has had a pioneering and historical contribution to the establishment of the modern Lebanese state. Patriarch Elias Houwayek was a staunch supporter of the establishment of Lebanon with its present borders. He was even nicknamed, the “Patriarch of Lebanon," in reference to his role back then in cooperating and partnering with the Islamic leaders. It is not fair to force Patriarch Al-Rahi today to defend an electoral project under the pretext that it protects the Christians' interests. The only interest and long term role for the Christians is for them to play a pioneering rather than an isolation role.
