Bsharri held a requiem mass, led by the Maronite Patriarch, Beshara al-Rai, in memory of Haitham and Malik Tawk at the Mar Saba Church on Tuesday.
Several prominent political figures were present, including Caretaker Minister of Information Ziad Makary, MPs Sethrida Geagea, William Tawk, Tony Franjieh, and Michel Douaihy. The assembly representatives were Sleiman Frangieh, leader of the Marada movement; MP Sami Gemayel, leader of the Kataeb; and MP Gebran Bassil, head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM). Also in attendance was General Jamal Naji on behalf of MP Ashraf Rifi.
During the service, the Patriarch asked the Lord to liberate Lebanon’s justice and judiciary “from the interference of politicians and influential people, from giving it a sectarian or doctrinal color, and from obstructing its practice with illogical, illegal, or unrealistic formal responses.”
He urged that justice “should be applied impartially, void of sectarian or religious biases, and untainted by illogical or unlawful procedural hurdles.” He said, “We resort only to the justice of the law and the judicial authority within the state. Unbiased judicial justice, free from any political interference, religious affiliation, sectarianism, or denomination, forms the backbone of the state’s life and safeguards the rights and duties of its citizens.”
The Patriarch called upon municipalities linked to the Qornet al-Sawda area to collaborate with the investigative judge responsible for matters related to the demarcation of the region’s boundaries. He emphasized that “it is well known that these processes were initiated by a judicial decree dating back to June 13, 1978, according to the decree issued on October 27, 1947. This implies that no one has the right to obstruct or delay these processes to avoid disputes, conflicts, violations, and attacks that lead to serious consequences.”
As a reminder, the Qornet al-Sawda victims, Haytham and Malek Tawk, were killed on July 2. The murder was related to a dispute between the districts of Bsharri and Dennieh over land delineation and the exploitation of water resources. These disagreements are common, especially during the summer, between the two regions. Many people have condemned the crime, blaming the executive and the courts for their inaction.
