Maronite Christians in Lebanon - 08/21/2006
The exact number of Maronites and other Christians in Lebanon is a
mystery. Currently, the Muslims award Christians the country's
presidency and half the seats in the parliament. Since the end of
Lebanon's 16-ear civil war in 1991, Christians have steadily lost power
to Shiite and Sunni Muslims, whose population have grown. If a census
were taken, it would decidedly favor the Muslims, and Christians risk
losing the power they now hold in parliament, so a count is never taken.
The CIA believes the nation's population of 3.8 million is roughly 60%
Muslim and 40% Christian.
If Christians make an exodus from Lebanon as a result of lingering
tensions over the recent 34-day war, they could upset the delicate
balance of power. The Maronite villages along Lebanon's southern border
towns such as Debel, Rmaich and Ain Ebel, are sandwiched between
Hezbollah-controlled towns to the north, and the heavily fortified
Israeli border in the south. These Christian villages, some less than a
mile from the Israeli border are recognized by statues of the Virgin
Mary in town squares and crosses atop churches.
Maronites, who
constitute most of the Christians in southern Lebanon, are members of an
Eastern Rite church in communion with the Roman Catholic Church.
Christians in southern Lebanon experience unemployment and job
shortages. The Maronite Church is unable to compete with the vast social
welfare net that Hezbollah has built for the Shiites.
Based on an article from...
Rick Jervis, USA TODAY "Archbishop tells church to stay in Lebanon" USA
TODAY 21 August 2006, Sec. 7A
United Nations struggles to form peacekeeping force - 08/22/2006
The United Nations wants 3,500 peacekeeping troops in southern
Lebanon by next week, with up to 15,000 being placed along the border to help
Lebanese troops enforce the cease-fire. Nations are balking in sending their troops because of the vaguely defined rules of engagement and a historic reluctance to be a part of the United Nation's forces that face the possibility of combat.
When U.N. Resolution 1701 was unanimously passed by the Security Council on August 11, France was expected to lead the new force by contributing thousands of troops to create a buffer zone between
Israel and Hezbollah. Instead, France is sending only 200 soldiers.
The issue of disarming Hezbollah is not dealt with in Resolution 1701
and Condoleezza Rice says that force would not be required to disarm
Hezbollah. Yet the resolution says that in the southern zone occupied by
Hezbollah, "there will be no weapons without the consent of the
government of Lebanon and no authority other than that of the government
of Lebanon."
The ambiguous and ugly language used in the mandate that confuses the use of force, is similar to the issues that led to the failure of a UN force to stop ethnic violence in the former Yugoslavia.
Under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, the use of force is allowed to
accomplish a peacekeeping mission. The Lebanon resolution, however,
makes no mention of Chapter 7 and says only that the U.N. force should
"take all necessary action...as it deems within its capabilities."
Based on an article from...
Bill Nichols, USA TODAY "United Nations struggles to form peacekeeping force" USA
TODAY 22 August 2006, Sec. 7A
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