Maronite bishops call for power to be in hands of Lebanese government

Published: 2006-08-18

BKERKE, Lebanon (CNS) -- Lebanon's Maronite Catholic bishops criticized their nation's split in political authority and called for power to be in the hands of the Lebanese government. "The hardships endured by the Lebanese during this war, which lasted over a month, have taught them that the double-headed political decision-making cannot go on and that a sole political decision-maker -- the government that has the full trust of the democratically elected House of Representatives -- must be in a position of authority, to avoid the dilution of responsibility and further catastrophes that would crush the country," the bishops said in a statement issued after an Aug. 16 meeting in Bkerke, headquarters of the Maronite church in Lebanon. Hezbollah -- a political movement and a militia -- remains strong in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah militia members have said they will not disarm, and the movement controls seats from southern Lebanon in the country's parliament.

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