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Lebanon In Shock After Killing Of Christian Politician

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  • Lebanon In Shock After Killing Of Christian Politician

    LEBANON IN SHOCK AFTER KILLING OF CHRISTIAN POLITICIAN

    Ekklesia, UK
    Nov 22 2006

    The normally jammed-packed streets of Beirut during rush hour were
    even more frantic as residents scrambled following the news that
    Christian politician Pierre Gemayel had been gunned down and killed
    in the streets of a Beirut suburb on Tuesday 21 November 2006 -
    reports Ecumenical News International.

    Horns blared, sirens screeched and a thick air of apprehension took
    hold as people struggled with the news. For a while, mobile phones
    were inoperable as hordes of people tried to dial out at once.

    Other commentators confirm 34-year-old's cabinet minister's killing
    was especially jarring for some in the diverse Christian community
    here, with fears that the assassination may lead to more violence.

    Beirut is one of the most religiously diverse cities in the Middle
    East, with Muslims (Sunni and Shi'ite), Christians (Maronite Catholics,
    Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholics, Armenian Orthodox, Armenian Catholics,
    Roman Catholics, Syriacs, Copts and Protestants) and Druze all having
    a significant presence.

    But tensions are now running high, criss-crossing ethnic, political
    and religious demarcations.

    The murder of Mr Gemayel comes as a deep political crisis grips the
    country following the resignation of six Shi'ite Hezbollah cabinet
    members.

    Syria itself, which some have immediately accused of involvement,
    came out quickly to denounce the assassination, describing it as a
    "despicable crime".

    UK Prime Minister Tony Blair joined many other world and civic
    leaders in strongly deploring the murder of one of Lebanon's leading
    politicians. "We condemn this murder utterly. It is completely without
    any justification at all," he declared.

    Matthias Gebauer of the German paper Der Speigel, writing from Beirut,
    observed poignantly: "It doesn't take long to become a martyr in
    Lebanon. It is Wednesday morning, ten o'clock. Minister of Industry
    Pierre Gemayel hasn't been dead for 24 hours, but his larger-than-life
    picture is already displayed at every street corner in Beirut and
    its suburbs."

    "In the picture, the politician - just 34 when he died - is smiling.

    It is a product of Lebanon's ubiquitous cynicism that such an
    appearance is usually only accorded to the dead. And Gemayel is only
    the most recent Lebanese politician to be murdered in the last couple
    of years."

    The assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in
    2005 also shook the whole country. The last Syrian troops withdrew
    from Beirut in April 2006, but its influence is still powerful. Over
    the summer the country was racked by Israeli attacks following a
    dispute with Hezabollah and has had little time to recover before
    the latest blow.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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