From: eliedw@hedda.uio.no (Elie Dib Wardini)
Subject: Re: pluralism
Organization: UiO
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 10:58:59 GMT

In article <1992Nov18.141408.14796@ccsun.strath.ac.uk>
ccav38@ccsun.strath.ac.uk ("I.Ballouz") writes:
>
>>
>I agree with what you had said about the need for tolerance. I don't think
>however that we did not have enough of it. People have lived together for
ages.
>There are and there were difficulties but this is a problem all pluralistic
>societies have. I don't think the problem is with our moral values, rather it
>is with the political system. The system has its negative influence on us.

If I did not believe that the Lebanese were able to live together peacefully I
wuld have called for some other solution. So I do believe that most Lebanese
are pluralist. What I want is that we have a clear cut policy on this issue, a
ploicy that reaches the home of every Lebanese.

>I would like a system that is fair to everybody and I'd like a system that can
>promote trust rather than suspicions but I am not sure that what you had said
>about the VETO right of some communities is a good idea really.
>I think that this prevents a good democratic system. This might lead to chaos.
>This does not mean that I'd like to see the largest sects to have their own 
>ways and the rest have to live with that.
>I don't have any desire to see any lebanese becoming
>underpriviledged and his voiced is unheard. I like a just and a fair system.
>
>The MAJOR issues you talked about above is a vague term. What is MAJOR? I can
>see some issues as essential and you may not share my opinion. I think you
need
>to be more specific.

MAjor issues for me are:

 education
 identity
 long term treaties or engagements
 civil freedoms
 human rights
 personal status

etc.

all of which I believe should be made clear in the constitution. Once this is
done, any change in the constitution would have to be made by consensus. THis
is where the veto comes in and not veto on every possible issue. THis can be
done by many ways, a senate (qualitatively representing all groups equally, ie.
not based on numbers). For a group to qualify to be represented, they would
have to meet some criteria, eg. represent the interests of LEbanese and none
els, collects the signatures of a certain amount of Lebanese etc.

this can be discussed. It is also posible to find other ways to do that.

To give you an example on  how this could work:

The constitution requires that all Lebanese be equal before the law and be
treated equally as far as public office is concerned. So if a certain person
applies for a job, and can prove that she is more qualified than the one who
got this job, she will be able to contest the appointment (of course in case of
clear cut bias), the coursts decide. If for some reason, the parliament decides
to make a law that decides that people of a certain group will be privileged in
certain cases, the senate can stop the law and decalre it unconstitutional. If
the senate unanimously accepts the proposal then it passes.

Another example, Elie Wardini as president, decides that it is in Lebanon's
interest to be united with France. THe senate can block such demarches if it is
not unanimoulsy accepted.

>I. Ballouz



Elie wardini
Newsgroups: soc.culture.lebanon