By Michel Moawad
As I stand here today, the last few Christians who still reside in the Iraqi city of Mosul are leaving it, bringing to an end a presence that dates back to the birth of Christianity 2000 years ago. The number of Christians in the Syrian city of Homs has dwindled from 160,000 three years ago to as few as 1000 today. Not to mention the declining numbers and fading role of Christians in Palestine Jordan and Egypt. Christians in Lebanon, however, still stand firm in face of today’s challenges.
What’s so different about Lebanese Christians? Why did we succeed in preserving our freedom, democracy and pluralism at a time when other Christian communities in the region could not?
Why did we demonstrate such resilience despite all the tragedies that Lebanon and the region have been going through?
The answer is simple. Our presence and attachment to this land are not only the result of a historical coincidence. We chose this land, fought for it and paid a heavy price to turn it into a land of the free not only for us but also for all those seeking freedom, diversity and democracy.
We should never forget that if we are today in Lebanon equal partners in decision making, free to express our opinion, to practice our faith, to choose our way of life, to go to beaches and parties, to enjoy freedom of press, a free-market economy and proper education… we owe it to the vision, choices and sacrifices of your and our ancestors.
It is in these mountains right behind you that our ancestors chose to resist Islamic conquests, spending more than 1100 years relocating from one grotto to another in defiance of persecution, while all other non-Muslim communities across the region succumbed to one of three choices– to convert to Islam, to flee or to be second-class citizens, Dhimmis with no or few rights.
Our ancestors chose instead the path of resistance to live freely but not in isolation. It is indeed in these mountains that the Maronites envisioned a model of social, economic and political coexistence that paved the way for the creation of a democratic, plural and modern nation: Lebanon.
Under oppressive Ottoman rule, Maronites introduced as early as 1585 the first printing press in the Middle East at the Qadisha valley. Lebanese Christians, who were at the heart of the Nahda in the 19th Century (The Arabic cultural renaissance), also protected cultural diversity by preserving the Arabic language.
In line with the same vision, Maronites established a partnership with the Druze community in Mount Lebanon to lay the foundations for the creation of Greater Lebanon in 1920, the only pluralistic democracy in the region that Pope John Paul II described as “more than a country. It is a message of freedom and an example of pluralism for East and West.”
This is how the land of the free became the nation of freedom.
Enough with history. Where do we stand today? What are our options? And how can you help? There is no need to tell you particularly after what we have witnessed over the past few days, weeks and months that Lebanon’s entity, like Iraq and Syria, is at risk. In the case of Lebanon, It is not only our entity, borders, sovereignty and state institutions that are at stake, but also our nation’s unique model and identity.
This veryidentity that makes us so proud to be Lebanese. This identity that your parents and grandparents have taken with them thousands of miles across the world, yet remained engraved in your genes and hearts and brought you back home decades later.
An identity that is being threatened today by extremism, intolerance, violence, the collapse of present states and the alteration of borders along sectarian lines.
Will we accept during our time to surrender and give away what our ancestors fought to preserve and build throughout centuries? Is it true as some are claiming that we have no choice but to take sides with either Shiite extremism represented by Iran and its proxy Hezbollah or Sunni fanaticism represented by the likes of ISIS (Daesh), Nusra and other al-Qaeda inspired groups, or Jewish radicalism represented by Israel’s apartheid-like projects?
Or will we remain defiant and refuse to succumb to the sectarian madness that is engulfing our region and threatening our very existence?
Just like our ancestors before us, we should take action during these critical times. Our top priority today should be to prevent the collapse of state institutions, which starts with the election of a new president, the only Christian head of State from Afghanistan to Morocco. It is unacceptable by any standards that political leaders and particularly Christian lawmakers continue to intentionally obstruct the election of a president by boycotting electoral sessions. Our second priority should be the organization of parliamentary elections due since June 2013 and the formation of a government that would:
1. Protect our borders and strengthen our army to prevent the flow of arms and fighters in and out of Lebanon.
2. Restrict the possession of weapons solely under the authority of the Lebanese Armed Forces.
3. Implement UN resolutions and distance Lebanon from regional conflicts.
Just like our ancestors before us, we are demanded today to hold on to the values of freedom, pluralism, moderation and modernism.
Despite the dramatic events and mounting extremism that we have witnessed over the past few months, I stand firmly by what I had stated last November on the 24th anniversary of the assassination of my father President Rene Moawad: We, the moderates represent a clear majority. Nevertheless, a moderate majority can be irrelevant if it remains passive and silent in the face of an active extremist minority.
Therefore Lebanese Christians should join hands with moderate Muslim Arabs both Sunnis and Shiites to play an active role in combatting extremism. We should by no means fight fire with fire or extremism with extremism but rather join forces with moderates to fight all forms of extremism.
While a strong state and moderation are the main two pillars of the Christian presence in Lebanon, the Lebanese Diaspora can play a more active role in supporting the third pillar that is economic growth knowing that today Lebanon’s expat community contributes close to 8 billion dollars annually in capital inflows to their homeland which represents more than 20% of our GDP.
While Lebanon’s role as a trade hub between the west and the east has faded over the past few decades with cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi rising, the country could still offer much in high value-added services to the Lebanese Diaspora mainly in the banking, tourism and IT sector.
However, this requires bridging the gap between the Diaspora and their motherland. The Lebanese Diaspora has rights in Lebanon, and we need to further pressure the Lebanese state for it to meet its obligations especially when it comes to issues related to the re-acquisition of the Lebanese nationality, the right to vote abroad, and land ownership.
But beyond the unfulfilled duties of Lebanese public institutions, we should all -the church, the diaspora, the private sector and NGOs – join forces to preserve, enhance and protect Christian presence in Lebanon and give Lebanese Christians the opportunity to succeed at home as they have been doing so well across the world.
We should all join forces to invest in Land in our country. This for us is a question of survival. We indeed largely owe our survival in this part of the world throughout centuries of oppression to our attachment to land, and we should do all what it takes to preserve and enhance that sense of belonging.
We should all join forces to invest in Lebanon’s economy, and to support our families, villages and hometowns not only by building churches, but also by creating jobs, building schools and a decent infrastructure.
We should all join forces to organize the Lebanese diaspora into a strong, diverse and united network across the world that rather than export our differences, would lobby for the Lebanese cause.
My fellow Lebanese,
Don’t give up on Lebanon, don’t give up on your homeland.
Thank you