Lebanon in shock after killing of Christian politician

November 22, 06
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk

The normally jammed-packed streets of Beirut during rush hour were even more frantic as residents scrambled following the news that Christian politician Pierre Gemayel had been gunned down and killed in the streets of a Beirut suburb on Tuesday 21 November 2006 – reports Ecumenical News International.

Horns blared, sirens screeched and a thick air of apprehension took hold as people struggled with the news. For a while, mobile phones were inoperable as hordes of people tried to dial out at once.

Other commentators confirm 34-year-old's cabinet minister's killing was especially jarring for some in the diverse Christian community here, with fears that the assassination may lead to more violence.

Beirut is one of the most religiously diverse cities in the Middle East, with Muslims (Sunni and Shi'ite), Christians (Maronite Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholics, Armenian Orthodox, Armenian Catholics, Roman Catholics, Syriacs, Copts and Protestants) and Druze all having a significant presence.

But tensions are now running high, criss-crossing ethnic, political and religious demarcations

The murder of Mr Gemayel comes as a deep political crisis grips the country following the resignation of six Shi’ite Hezbollah cabinet members.

Syria itself, which some have immediately accused of involvement, came out quickly to denounce the assassination, describing it as a “despicable crime”.

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair joined many other world and civic leaders in strongly deploring the murder of one of Lebanon’s leading politicians. “We condemn this murder utterly. It is completely without any justification at all,” he declared.

Matthias Gebauer of the German paper Der Speigel, writing from Beirut, observed poignantly: “It doesn't take long to become a martyr in Lebanon. It is Wednesday morning, ten o'clock. Minister of Industry Pierre Gemayel hasn't been dead for 24 hours, but his larger-than-life picture is already displayed at every street corner in Beirut and its suburbs.”

“In the picture, the politician - just 34 when he died - is smiling. It is a product of Lebanon's ubiquitous cynicism that such an appearance is usually only accorded to the dead. And Gemayel is only the most recent Lebanese politician to be murdered in the last couple of years.”

The assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in 2005 also shook the whole country. The last Syrian troops withdrew from Beirut in April 2006, but its influence is still powerful. Over the summer the country was racked by Israeli attacks following a dispute with Hezabollah and has had little time to recover before the latest blow.