The Sunni / Shiaa divide

Taken from a conversation I had on Friday Jan 4th, 2007, in a Beirut Mosque with the local Sheikh (Imam) after the prayer.

Note: the conversation and logic described below can also apply to any Lebanese sect or community.

Me: Samahet el Sheikh, what were those hidden allusions to the Shiaas near the end of your sermon today? What is this about?

Sheikh: That phrase can be interpreted in various ways. It doesn’t necessarily point to the Shiaas.

Me: With all due respect, Sheikhna, I think it does. Any man will interpret it the same way I did, and I think it was intentional from your part. Anyway, this is not the first time I hear this kind of talk. Can you please tell me what is going on?

Sheikh: Where are you from?

Me: Beirut, Sheikh, not far from here, but I live in Switzerland. I’m here on vacation.

Sheikh: Didn’t you hear about what’s happening here? The threats against our community, the provocations in Basta, Tarik el Jdide, our very streets and neighbourhoods, the tearing of pictures and flags, the insults against our people and leaders.

Me: But there have been provocations from both sides, Sheikh…

Sheikh: Of course, but who started? We never openly insulted their leaders, they started first. We never started a war with Israel, they did. We did not threaten to take the country over, they did. More dangerously, we respect the foundations of this country, we don’t have a private army, do not claim ourselves to be “Divine”, and we do not follow a warrior’s agenda which doesn’t take into consideration the others in this land…

Me: I’m wondering if this can justify the arousal of sectarian feelings between them and us.

Sheikh: This is not about religion. We tried everything; talks, dialogue… but it has lead to nothing. They took the decision of going to the streets, have invaded our neighbourhoods, and ultimately, they and their allies want to minimize our role in this country by taking over the Prime Ministry. What do you expect us to do, sit silently and watch, or regroup as a community? Yes, it is sectarian but this is the only way we can react.

Me: How come this is happening now? Are we importing the Iraqi conflict into our land?

Sheikh: Ask them (Hezbollah). Do you think we want this? Don’t you think we’d rather live normally? But can we stay passive when all the others (Lebanese) have united around their leaders and are claiming their part of the country?

Moreover, how can we stay silent when they tell us that we are traitors, Zionists? Zionists, yes, we who have always stood by their side, Hariri included, taking sides with the Resistance and defending it internally and externally.

But after Hariri’s death and their (Hezbollah’s) position with the Syrians against the international tribunal, and their Iranian support, everything has taken a new turn.

Me: Where is this all going?

Sheikh: Again, ask Hezbollah. Where do they want to take the country? Why are they standing by Assad, who is against us? Why have they started the July war? Why are they against the (international) tribunal?

We told them (Hezbollah), we even wrote them letters saying: don't go to the street, don't do it, because you will force us to retaliate (by uniting against you). But they didn't listen.
They and their allies want to topple the Prime Minister, but we will never allow that, even if we don't like him. They didn’t give us another choice!

Will they accept if we topple Berri or Lahoud? The Maronites shut their mouths when the Patriarch warned that the Presidency is a red line, and all the Christians obliged, even though they hated Lahoud. Why then will we, the Sunnis, accept what no other community accepts?

Do you know what Siniora’s toppling will mean for future generations? It will mean that any future Prime Minister is liable to be toppled by another community, simply by demonstrating and camping downtown. It will create a dangerous precedent.

Well, we can’t accept that, whatever the cost. If they succeed, this means we lost. And we cannot lose. This is the rule of the game in this country and unless it changes, we have to play by the rules."