Speach to the US House of Representatives
Nov 02, 2004
Tribute to his Beatitude Mar Nasrallah Boutros Cardinal Sfeir, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East: Hon. Nick J. Rahall II of of West Virginia in the house of representatives, Wednesday, March 7, 2001.
Mr. RAHALL: Mr. Speaker, today at a Congressional Luncheon hosted by myself and Rep. Ray LaHood, and attended by many Members of the House, we had the privilege of hearing remarks made by His Beatitude Mar Nasrallah Boutros Cardinal Sfeir, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East. This is the Patriarch's first visit to the United States since 1988, and he is here on the occasion of the elevation of the first American born Maronite Bishop Ralph Shaheen. While in the United States, the Patriarch expressed his vision of peace for Lebanon and the Middle East Region.
Lebanon, the homeland of my grandfathers and its people, cherish the same values of democracy, respect for human rights, independence and sovereignty cherished by the people of America. That is why the Patriarch, the Church and the people and government of Lebanon have supported the Middle East peace talks of the past, and hope for a resumption of those talks in the near future.
Mr. Speaker I submit the words of His Beatitude, the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East be entered in the Record, so that my colleagues will be enabled to hear his urgent plea on behalf of a continued alliance between the United States and Lebanon:
[italic]“I am honored to be here among members of the legislative body which makes laws for the United States and which have an influence on the whole world. I thank you for all the support you have given and are giving to Lebanon and its people. I wish to speak about Lebanon, a country of 10,000 square kilometers and 4 million people, but a country whose historical roots extend more than 6,000 years.
It is the country where the alphabet was invented by the Phoenicians, who spread its knowledge not by war, but through trade and human interaction. Lebanon is a peace loving country which wants to live in peace with all its neighboring countries, including Syria and Israel. As a matter of fact, the Maronite Church and the Lebanese people cherish the same values of democracy, respect for human rights, independence and sovereignty cherished by the American people.
The entry of the Syrian troops into Lebanon in 1976 was done without the request or permission of anyone, as stated by former President Hafez al-Assad in his speech of July 20, 1976. This was also noted by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in his book. From that time Syria has established its hegemony over Lebanon. While we have always advocated good relations between Syria and Lebanon, true international relations are possible only when the countries involved relate to each other on an equal footing. They cannot be established if one country dominates the other.
Within the country, the people of Lebanon seek to be democratic, where Christians and Moslems live in peaceful co-existence, unless an outside element provokes a conflict. We seek human and religious values--faith in God, justice, equality, respect for human rights. Lebanon stands in the Middle East between Israel and Syria, and has suffered difficulties for a quarter of a century--17 years of war, thousands of victims, and terrible destruction.
The Taef Agreement of 1989 was supposed to bring an end to the war. The United States was a principal sponsor. However, Taef has been implemented only partially and in a discriminatory fashion. As a result, Lebanon has yet to recover its institutional foundations. If the cannons are silent, anxiety still remains. The country suffers from a succession of crises due to the political situation in Lebanon, in which Lebanon lacks sovereignty, independence, and freedom in its decision-making.
The South of Lebanon is still in a state of instability. A large number of its citizens are either in exile, displaced or in prison, leaving their families in dire straits. The Israeli-Palestinian negotiations raise the question of the final settlement of the Palestinian refugees, who have a right to a just solution. However, no agreement should be made at the expense of the Lebanese people. Imposing on tiny Lebanon a large foreign population would have dire demographic effects, since Lebanon already has the highest population per capita in the region.
It destabilizes the balance between Christians and Moslems, and even among the Moslems themselves. It is in the interest of the United States to help Lebanon for the following reasons:
(1) Lebanon seeks to be a democratic country and to enjoy freedom.
(2) Lebanon has always had one face toward the East and the other toward the West. It possesses the culture of both East and West.
(3) The credibility of the United States requires that it help Lebanon, and to liberate it from all foreign troops, according to the Taef Agreement, sponsored by the United States.
(4) There is a large number of Lebanese immigrants in the United Sates who have achieved success in the higher levels of business and politics, and thereby can make an impact on the American political system.
(5) Christian influence is diminishing in the Middle East and in Lebanon which has always been a stronghold of Christianity. If there were no more Christians there, this would be a catastrophe for Christianity, but would also undermine respect for human rights.
I know that you have the same view as we, namely, that there should be no outside hegemony over Lebanon, even after the departure of non-Lebanese troops. Lebanon should remain an oasis of democracy, freedom, human values, and respect for human rights.
Again, thank you for your welcome and support. May God bless you in your important work.”
Speach to the US House of Representatives