by Joussef Hourani

Bishops criticise Lebanon’s membership in Convention on the Rights of the Child in Arab Societies because it contradicts the constitution in matter of religious freedom. Lebanese newspaper reports that Syrian troops have taken up positions inside Lebanon’s territory.

Beirut (AsiaNews) – Lebanon’s 14 parties seemed inclined to accept a French proposal to meet together on July 14-16 in Paris to find a solution to the country’s ongoing crisis. This is a small ray of hope. Maronite bishops instead are concerned about a possible Lebanese membership in the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Arab Societies which they view as a threat of islamisation to the country. Similarly, there are concerns about a report published in the An Nahar paper that Syrian troops have taken up positions inside Lebanese territory.

In the press release at the end of their monthly meeting the bishops explain that their refusal to accept Lebanon’s membership in the Convention is due to the fact that it violates Art. 9 of the Lebanese constitution which guarantees religious freedom and freedom of thought. In it they express their hope that the government will be pull out of any commitment undertaken when the Convention was signed despite the reference in the latter of Lebanon’s special status and the need to respect the beliefs of non-Muslim children.

The bishops’ statement finally praised the army, stressing that the “cohesion shown by the regular forces in the necessary battles in which they are involved calls for special tribute from all Lebanese.”

• lebanon
• 14
• parties
• france
• discussion
• political
• crisis
• maronite
• bishops
• convention
• on
• the
• rights
• of
• the
• child
• in
• arab
• societies
• islamisation
• an
• nahar
• constitution
• art
• 9