Patriarch Rahi Urges Aoun to Start Consultations to Meet ‘People’s Demands’

Maronite Patriarch Beshara el-Rahi raised calls Wednesday upon President Michel Aoun to start consultations with the political and spiritual leaders "to make the necessary decisions regarding the demands of people" with whom he expressed solidarity.

"We call the ruling power to take serious and courageous measures to pull the country out of what it is currently witnessing," Rahi said following an emergency meeting for Christian spiritual leaders in Bkriki.

Rahi said that Lebanon had been witnessing since October 17 a "popular historic and exceptional uprising which requires exceptional positions and measures."

Accusing the ruling class of corruption and deviance, Rahi maintained that spiritual leaders must take immediate action amid the current situation.

"It is high time the state meets the just demands and people's life returns to normal," he stressed.

"We salute the revolting people and we express solidarity with their peaceful uprising," he said.

"We call this people to preserve the purity and peacefulness of their action to prevent anybody from taking advantage," he added.

Rahi finally said that the citizens' right to transportation must be respected, and valued the efforts of the Lebanese army in protecting the protests.

Source: Naharnet