Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai said on Saturday that the essence of the problem in Lebanon lies in the lack of trust between leaders, and of the people towards their country, noting that this lack of trust is due to the pursuit of selfish interests by political officials.
Speaking at a dinner organized by Our Lady of Lebanon parish in Melbourne, Rai lamented that those in charge “don’t want to sit down at the table to find a solution to Lebanon’s problems. None of them wants to lose. The loss of trust carries a great danger, because it is an essential element of life, but it is absent in Lebanon, which is very regrettable.” He added: “The fundamental element mentioned in the preamble to the Constitution remains, stipulating that Lebanon is the ultimate homeland of all its children, but unfortunately, not all its children consider Lebanon as such, and this is shameful.”
Furthermore, the head of the Maronite Church insisted on the role of the Church in restoring this lost trust. “We are working assiduously to preserve this jewel of the East. Despite all the difficulties, we cannot abandon our faith and we work day and night to preserve our country, which God has made unique in its environment. As a Church, more than ever, we have confidence in Lebanon and in all Lebanese. We are working diligently to restore trust between all Lebanese”.
