From: ayman@eecs.umich.edu (Ayman I. Kayssi)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.lebanon
Subject: Low turnout in Christian by-elections
Date: 11 Oct 92 14:28:45 GMT
Article-I.D.: engin.wB6-0_B
Organization: The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]

[ Article crossposted without permission ]
[ Author was DALAL SAOUD ]
[ Posted on Sun, 11 Oct 92 5:06:17 PDT ]

	BEIRUT, Lebanon (UPI) -- By-elections in the Christian district of
Kesrouwan, the last stage of the country's general polls, began Sunday
amid tight security and a low turnout.
	Some 220 polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time in the
mountainous and coastal areas of Kesrouwan for 78,200 eligible voters.
	Witnesses reported a low turnout in the morning but said more voters
were seen heading to the station polls at mid-day.
	The majority of Kesrouwan residents remained indoors in line with a
two-day general strike called by Christian opposition groups that
boycotted three phases of general elections between Aug. 23 and Sept. 3.
	The opposition, spearheaded by Christian Maronite Nasrallah Sfeir,
claimed the vote, the first in 20 years, would not be fair until Syria
withdrew its troops from Beirut. They feared the vote would be biased in
favor of Syrian-backed groups.
	The elections in Kesrouwan were orginally scheduled for Aug. 30 but
were postponed after all but one candidate withdrew and almost all
voters refused to cast their ballots.
	But following the defeat of some of Syria's main allies in the
earlier rounds, some 22 Christian candidates have announced their
candidacy for Sunday's ballot.
	The candidates, including former Foreign Minister Fares Boueiz, were
competing for five seats. Boueiz resigned after his efforts to postpone
the earlier elections failed.
	Some 7,000 Lebanese soldiers and policemen erected checkpoints and
walked foot patrols to maintain law and order in the Christian region.
	Police officers said the voting was generally peaceful with some
minor exceptions.
	Witnesses said roads were blocked by tires and stones in the Wata Al
Jouz area to prevent voters from reaching the polling stations. Fuel was
spilled in the village of Ghazir and nails were thrown on the roads to
delay the arrival of the voters.
	``Army troops were dispatched immediately to remove all obstacles and
restore order,'' a police officer said.
	The witnesses said flyers were distributed and placards raised,
calling on the Kesrouwan inhabitants to boycott the by-elections.
	``Boycott the voting and avoid false testimony,'' said one placard. 
``Woe unto those who would vote,'' said another.
	A number of clergymen refused to receive ballot boxes in their
churches, prompting soldiers to erect tents for the voters.
	The Christian-run ``Voice of Lebanon'' radio station said an army
force was dispatched to the village of Ghadir to disperse tens of
demonstrators who blocked roads to protest the elections.
	The radio said ``today is a mourning day, marking the death of
democracy in the country.'' It said church bells tolled and black flags
fluttered in sign of mourning.
	``Some candidates are even paying between $100 to $200 for each vote
to secure their success,'' the radio claimed.
	Prime Minister Rashid Solh said the voting was taking place in ``a
very normal atmosphere.''
	``By the end of the day, the electoral process would have been
completed over all Lebanese territories,'' Solh said.
	According to the constitution, Solh's Government must resign in order
to pave the way for the formation of a new Cabinet and the new 128-
member parliament should convene on Oct. 15 to elect a new House
Speaker.

--
Ayman I. Kayssi                               |    ayman@eecs.umich.edu
EECS Department                               +------------------------
University of Michigan                        |          (313) 764-8033
Newsgroups: soc.culture.lebanon