Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elias Audi stated that Lebanon has an “abundance of leaders, politicians and officials, but few of them are concerned with the salvation of the country and its people, and with spreading a national awareness that unites rather than divides. Very few work for the public interest and fulfill their national duty with integrity and sincerity.”
In light of the recent events in Qornet al-Sawda, Audi asked: “If everyone was fulfilling their duties, would we witness the conflicts, disputes and divergences that contribute to the dismantling of our society? If the boundaries between regions, properties and common spaces were clear, would citizens fight and kill each other due to disputes over borders and water? Why don’t the relevant authorities determine property ownership and demarcate all borders so that everyone can live in peace?”
Audi emphasized that “rights are not obtained through exaggeration or transgression and annulment, but through resorting to the law and implementing its provisions, which prevents internal strife,” calling on the state to “realize the risks of neglecting matters that affect people’s lives because negligence can lead to a crime, and failure to hold criminals accountable leads to chaos and possibly worse.”
Latent tension between the regions of Bsharri and Denniye have been arising for several years due to a chronic conflict over land ownership and water sharing in Bekaa Sofrine, an area located between the two regions.
The problem escalated Saturday July 1, and led to armed clashes resulting in the murder of Haytham Tawk and Malek Tawk in Qornet al-Sawda.
