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Vatican – Pope Francis asked Lebanese politicians on Thursday to leave their own interests and work for the homeland and take responsibility for the Lebanese people mired in the worst crisis that the country has experienced since the civil war (1975-1990).
Pope Francis announced that he intends to visit Lebanon “as soon as possible”, in a message of support sent Thursday to all Lebanese of all sects on the occasion of Christmas.
And the pontiff wrote: “Dear sons and daughters of Lebanon, my pain is great when I see the pain and anxiety that suffocate the spirit of courage and vitality that broke out in the country of Cedars.”
He added: “Today I feel deep inside me the horror of their losses, especially when I think of many young people who have been deprived of all hope of a better future.”
The Pope considered that the identity of Lebanon carries “to the whole world the aroma of respect, coexistence and pluralism”, adding: “It is the identity of a people that does not abandon their homes and their heritage.”
He made a new appeal to the international community to help Lebanon “to stay away from regional conflicts and tensions”, as well as to “come out of the acute crisis and recover”.
The Pope appealed to Lebanese political and spiritual leaders, borrowing a passage from one of Patriarch Elias Howayek’s pastoral letters, which was printed with his strong religious and political presence at the beginning of the last century.
The passage says: “You oppressors are the judges of the land, you are the representatives of the people, who live in the name of the people. .
Lebanon is experiencing one of the worst years in its history, the country from the aftermath of a massive chemical explosion and economic collapse that appears to cause more problems in 2021.
The Lebanese crisis was formed as a result of the accumulation of economic and political problems, and in light of an economic recession and slowing capital flows, the government of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri faced pressure in 2019 to reduce the huge deficit. budgetary.
Proposals for pay cuts and a pension bill have met strong opposition. The government promised to enact long-awaited reforms, but failed to make progress that would open the door to external support.
In October, a government move to impose a tax on internet calls sparked mass protests against the ruling class in which Lebanese of all sects accused political leaders of corruption and mismanagement.
Hariri resigned on October 29, 2019. In light of the worsening financial crisis and a shortage of foreign exchange in banks, which led to the imposition of strict restrictions on cash withdrawals and the pound begins to collapse.
In 2020, Hassan Diab, an unknown academic, became prime minister with the support of Hezbollah and its allies, and soon resigned after the bombing of the Beirut port on August 4.
After that, Lebanon defaulted on its sovereign debt last March, and then talks with the International Monetary Fund failed to make any progress as the major parties and major banks rejected the financial recovery plan.
The financial collapse accelerated in Lebanon, the pound lost about 80 percent of its value and poverty rates rose to their highest levels.
On August 4, a large amount of ammonium nitrate exploded in the port of Beirut, killing 200 people, injuring 6,000 and destroying large swaths of the city, prompting the Diab government to resign.
The United Nations-backed court convicted a Hezbollah member of conspiring to kill Rafik Hariri, 15 years after his assassination.
Then Hariri returned, commissioned by President Michel Aoun, to form a new government, but disputes persist between the parties over the distribution of bags at a time when the World Bank warns that more than half the population may fall into the poverty in 2021, and the Central Bank of Lebanon reserves will be depleted.
