BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai opposes anti-government street protests planned by MP Michel Aoun’s supporters for this week while the country is gripped by political tension and divisions, a senior source in Bkirki said Monday.
The patriarch fears that the Free Patriotic Movement’s street demonstrations might be exploited by some people to undermine the fragile security and stability in the country, the source said.
“In this politically tense situation, divisions, the escalating violence in the region, and the people’s fears of the future, Patriarch Rai is against the use of people in the street to achieve political objectives,” the source told The Daily Star.
“Patriarch Rai fears that although the people know how these matters [street protests] begin, no one can predict how they will end,” the source said, referring to the possibility of infiltrators joining the protests to destabilize the country.
The source confirmed reports that Rai had spoken by telephone with Aoun over the weekend to advise him against resorting to street protests after the Cabinet refused to address the issue of military and security appointments during last week’s session.
Aoun has called on his supporters to stage street demonstrations against the government for passing a decree last week allotting $21 million to help export agricultural and industrial products by sea, while ignoring the FPM’s demand to discuss the appointment of senior military and security officers.