Strategy for Youth groups and NGOs to end sectarianism in Lebanon

A suggestion to end sectarianism in Lebanon (1st version written for a meeting held in Beirut on March 6) 

The first demo against sectarianism, in front of Parliament in Beirut, 16.3.2011

The first demonstration of about 2,000 people in Beirut on 27th Feb 2011 calling for an end of sectarianism in Lebanon was wonderful news. Lebanon seems to be awakening from a phase of political cynicism and the belief that nothing will ever change. The demo showed that the potential to unite around one essential demand can bring Lebanese from all walks of life and from all sects together. They want to build a truly democratic Lebanon. They want to end the rule of incompetent family dynasties, corrupt businessmen and criminals of war.

In leaflets, the organizers demanded a “secular, civil, democratic, socially just and equal state”. Music! More demos followed, including a large one with some 10,000 people in Beirut. Sit-ins were organized in Saida (the first tents in Lebanon), Beirut, Tyre, Tripoli and in the valley Beqaa. This shows that there is a clear potential for a radical change.

Demo in Beirut on March 6. some 10,000 people were on the streets.

We all agree that the Lebanese sectarian system fails to provide peace and stability, social justice and a bight future for our children. We know that this anachronistic system allows regional powers like Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabia to interfere via their local cronies and degrade Lebanon to their fighting ground.

Almost all our current politicians – the above mentioned incompetent family dynasties, corrupt businessmen and criminals of war – are responsible for plundering the state, keeping institutions inefficient and corrupt, for impoverishing the people and for pushing the country into regular cycles of violence and war.

No, our problems and tragedies are not planned in Tel Aviv, Washington, Damascus, Tehran or Riyadh. They are home-made. Lebanese need to take their destiny in their hands. We need to take responsibility.

The end of the sectarian system is off course our core demand. But what is our strategy to make that edifice crumble. What main section of the foundations must be pulled down so that the rest collapses as a result?

The current election law!

Lebanon needs a modern and fair election law that gives secular parties and independent candidates a fair chance of getting into parliament. The current parliament must scrap the current elections law that monopolizes power into the hands of the current rulers and pass a law allowing proportional representation.

Secular parties and independents should be able to field candidates all over Lebanon to convince people vote for their policies to reform institutions and solve the many problems we suffer from – unfair taxation system, poor health care unless you are wealthy, weak public schools, deteriorating environment, chaotic transport system, energy cuts, anything but independent judiciary, etc.

The demand for a modern and fair election law would be the rallying point for all – even for many March 8 and 14 supporters. Yes, I truly believe that a large majority of the Lebanese would support this demand.

Intifada against sectarianism

Let more follow the example of the youth who on March 1 erected a tent in Saida’s Martyr Square and said they will not leave until the sectarian system is down.

First sit-in in Lebanon to end sectarianism. Saida, Martyr Square, 1.3.2011

Let us support and join them in Saida and other towns. Let us have sit-ins and tents in every town and vilage and ignite a non-violent intifada. So get your tents and sleeping bags and take action. Or at least spend a few hours per day with the ones on the ground. Donate food, whatever material they need, money. 

Suggested rules of the game:

_ All protests are peaceful and non-violent (the mother of all rules).

_ We are inclusive: People who support March 14 or March 8 parties, religious people, priests and sheikhs are more than welcome to participate and unite in the call to end sectarianism, separate religion from state and to demand a modern and fair election law.

_ Please, no party flags and no religious symbols.

Demo in Beirut on March 6, 2011.  

Focus on the following demands:

_ End sectarianism

_ Parliament must pass a modern and fair elections law now

_ MPs vote to hold parliamentary elections in maximum 6 months

_ Then parliament dissolves itself as it does not truly represent the people!

 Let us unite behind these demands!

Suggested broad lines for next steps:

_ Network with groups all over the country and agree on a strategy and an action plan.

_ Formulate a draft election law along the lines of the recommendations made by the Boutros Commission (see annexes 1 and 2)

_ Organize workshops and lectures to educate activists about this law

_ Mobilize, plan and prepare

_ Start the peaceful intifada to end sectarianism

To read, see and learn how to topple Arab dictators

_ From Dictatorship to democracy: A book about how to practically oust dictators though peaceful actions. Download book for free in Arabic, English and French, http://www.aeinstein.org/organizations98ce.html

_ How to create a peaceful movement to topple Arab dictators:

Non-violent revolutions must be fun, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1_-P016Ns

A personal note/flashback:

From my experience in setting up the Greenpeace office in Lebanon from 1994-1999 I formulated the following analysis: Greenpeace activists managed among other things through non-violent campaigns to shut down polluting waste incinerators, prevent new ones from being set up, return toxics waste to Europe and stop the use of water pipes with Asbestos. But we failed to change the structures that have been destroying Lebanon’s environment. See the state of our coastline and mountains. Have a look at the unchecked urbanism and the failed energy and mobility/transport policies. We and other NGOs on the ground regularly hit the walls of a sectarian system that did not allow crossing a deadly red line. Time has come to pull down these walls Check: http://www.fouadhamdan.org/cms/upload/pdf/GreenpeaceLebanon_and_democracy_Speech_FouadHamdan_ARABIC_23March1999.PDF 

ANNEX 1

The current Lebanese Election law, passed in 2008, is an amended version of a 1960 law. It

- alters the boundaries of voting districts,

- calls for elections to be held on one day, rather than over several days,

- gives expatriates the right to vote in elections in 2013,

- regulates the role of the media publicity in elections and sets a limit on some costs incurred by candidates (despite the importance of this measure, it did little to make campaign financing more transparent),

- gives candidates equal time to promote their electoral programmes, while a media "silence" will be observed between midnight on the day before polling stations open until the last votes are cast,

- bans opinion polls in the ten days leading up to elections,

- sees to it that transparent ballot boxes are used and fingers are inked

Several proposed reforms were rejected, including a lowering of the voting age to 18 from 21 and quotas for women in parliament.

The Lebanese MPs approved this law in September 2008 and discarded the most crucial reforms recommended by the Boutros Commission (see annexes 1 and 2).

They failed to adopt the commission's proposal to introduce proportional representation. Instead, the law retained the system as is, while revising the demarcation of electoral districts. The law replaced the 14 electoral districts established with 26 smaller districts that largely coincide with the existing qadas (small administrative district).

This provision was adopted to ensure that the proportion of Christian candidates elected in majority Christian districts is roughly en par with the proportions for other sects. Under the previous electoral law, 38 of 64 Christian seats were in majority Muslim districts, while only 8 of 64 Muslim seats were in majority Christians districts. Under the law, just 17 Christian seats are in Muslim districts.

This increased number of mono-confessional electoral districts has the effect of further strengthening sectarian dynamics, as is it is no longer necessary for candidates to appeal outside of their own confessional constituencies to win election.

Rather than reducing the role of sectarianism in politics, the current election law serves to strengthen it.

Annex 2:

A modern and fair Lebanese election law

In August 2005, the Lebanese government appointed a National Commission for a New Electoral Law, comprised of academics, lawyers, and civil society activists, under the chairmanship of Fouad Boutros. The Boutros Commission released in May 2006 a draft law outlining an array of electoral reforms.

Structural Reforms

The most sweeping proposal of the Boutros Commission was the introduction of a mixed system of electing the 128-member parliament. Although confessional quotas would remain the same, 51 representatives were to be chosen with a proportional system at the muhafaza (governorate) level, while the other 77 deputies would be selected according to the current majoritarian system at the qada (small administrative district) level.

The introduction of proportional representation would work to the advantage of secular groups that do not have enough support within any one confessional group to win election. Candidates would be able to appeal outside of their own confessional constituencies to win election, thus reducing the role of sectarianism in politics.

Procedural Reforms

The most important procedural reform in the Boutros draft law was the introduction of uniform official ballots. Under the current system, voters are allowed to use any piece of paper so long as the names of the candidate they select are clearly legible. This seemingly innocuous innovation is a critical enabler for rampant vote buying and intimidation of constituents.

Political coalitions distribute their own specially tailored ballots to clients and supporters, using different colors, dimensions, and fonts for different voting blocs (e.g. particular villages and families) so that their poll monitors can trace where votes are coming from when ballots are counted. This greatly compromises the secrecy of the vote, makes it easy to ensure that the money invested in buying votes does not go to waste, and strengthens the power of local political bosses by making the "services" they provide to candidates verifiable!

The introduction of a uniform official ballot is critical to the integrity of the electoral process.

The commission recommended counting votes at the qada level, rather than at individual polling stations, because this greatly impeded the ability of party poll monitors to track bought votes.

It also called for setting up an independent electoral commission.

The major weakness of the recommendations made by the Boutros Commission is that a maximum of 7-10 secular candidates would be able to make it. What is needed is at least the possibility of 60 secular candidates to enter parliament.

The new law must guarantee a true proportional representation.