Lebanon in mourning for funeral of slain MP (UN urged to investigate killing)

AFP ^ | September 21, 2007

[NYer]

Lebanon was in mourning on Friday for the funeral of anti-Syrian MP Antoine Ghanem whose assassination has stirred fears of more instability in the tense runup to a presidential vote in parliament.

Ghanem, a 64-year lawyer who served in parliament since 2000, was killed along with four other people in a massive car bombing on Wednesday in the Beirut surburb of Sin el-Fil.

The funeral procession for Ghanem and two of his guards who were killed with him is to head for the Furn el-Shebak district in mainly Christian east Beirut where he had his constituency and then to Sacre Coeur church in nearby Badara.

The other two victims of the blast, which also injured about 70 people, were a grandmother drinking coffee with the family on her balcony and a young executive driving home from work.

One was buried on Thursday. The other was to be laid to rest separately on Friday.

Ghanem belonged to the Christian Phalange party of former president Amin Gemayal, whose own son, industry minister Pierre, was killed last November.

The government declared a day of official mourning to coincide with the funeral, with flags on official buildings to be flown at half-mast. All schools and universities were ordered closed on both Thursday and Friday.

On the political front, Lebanon has vowed to go ahead with the controversial presidential vote scheduled for next Tuesday despite the assassination which drew condemnation from around the world.

The election comes amid political deadlock between the Western-backed cabinet and the pro-Damascus opposition.

US President George W. Bush condemned what he called "a tragic pattern" of attacks against champions of "an independent and democratic Lebanon" while UN chief Ban Ki-moon condemned a "brutal assassination."

Pro-government MPs in Beirut have pointed a finger of blame at Syria, which denied any involvement and said the bombing was a "criminal act" aimed at undermining efforts at a rapprochement with Lebanon.

Hezbollah, the leading party in the opposition, said the assassination was "a blow to the country's security and stability as well as any attempt at reconciliation" and called for feuding political parties to show unity.

Prime Minister Fuad Siniora urged the United Nations to investigate Ghanem's killing as part of its probe into similar murders of anti-Syrian figures including former premier Rafiq Hariri who was assassinated in 2005.

Fearing for his life, Ghanem had fled into exile following the assassination in June of another anti-Syrian MP, and returned to Lebanon only on Sunday.

He was the eighth anti-Syrian politician to be assassinated since the February 2005 murder of five-time prime minister and billionaire tycoon Hariri.

The authorities have prepared emergency accommodation for fearful MPs in a special high-security wing of a luxury Beirut hotel.

Ghanem's death reduced the government's support in parliament to 68 out of the remaining 127 MPs, with numbers set to play a key role in the presidential vote.

Senior Phalangist official Joseph Abu Khalil said the attack was clearly aimed at cutting the number of pro-government MPs to derail the vote.

A candidate, who by convention comes from the Maronite Christian community, needs a two-thirds majority to be elected president from a first round of voting, while a simple majority is enough in any later round.

An election can be held right up until the final deadline of November 24, but if the president's seat is left vacant, his powers are automatically transferred to the government.

[NYer]

Supporters of the Christian Phalange party carry the coffin of assassinated anti-Syrian legislator Antoine Ghanem during a funeral in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. Crowds gathered in Beirut on Friday for the funeral of Ghanem whose assassination has fuelled tensions ahead of Lebanon's bitterly contested presidential election. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)

Lola Ghanem, right, the wife of slain anti-Syrian lawmaker Antoine Ghanem weeps along with her daughter near the coffin of her husband during his funeral procession in a church in Beirut, Lebanon Friday, Sept. 21, 2007. Family, comrades and supporters marched Friday in a mass funeral procession for a slain Lebanese lawmaker, the latest victim of a campaign the country's anti-Syrian faction accuses Damascus of orchestrating to scuttle the upcoming presidential election. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Tawil)

[NYer]

The coffins of slain anti-Syrian lawmaker Antoine Ghanem, center, and of his two bodyguards sit in a church among their families and friends during their funeral procession in Beirut, Lebanon Friday, Sept. 21, 2007. Family, comrades and supporters marched Friday in a mass funeral procession for a slain Lebanese lawmaker, the latest victim of a campaign the country's anti-Syrian faction accuses Damascus of orchestrating to scuttle the upcoming presidential election. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Tawil)

A Christian nun waves to supporters carrying the coffins of assassinated anti-Syrian legislator Antoine Ghanem and his two bodyguards during a funeral in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. Crowds gathered in Beirut on Friday for the funeral of Ghanem whose assassination has fuelled tensions ahead of Lebanon's bitterly contested presidential election. REUTERS/Sharif Karim (LEBANON)

---

Eastern Catholic Ping List
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[Convert from ECUSA]

Our Lady of Lebanon, pray for them!