Maronite Bishops: Extra-state weapons attract lawlessness, encourage chaos

Maronite Bishops held on Wednesday a press conference following their monthly meeting in which they tackled Lebanese social, national and ecclesiastical issues.

Following the meeting, Maronite Bishops said that Lebanon is going through difficult times, while the future seems vague, urging Lebanese to hold onto constitutional institutions.

They highlighted the security breaches in several areas which they said "undermine the role of the institutions", calling on politicians to hold dialogue.

In this context, they stressed that extra-state weapons are attracting lawlessness and encouraging chaos in the country.

On another note, they said that the Lebanese people were hit with disappointment after parliament failed to come up with a new electoral law, all the while facing though economic circumstances.

On Syria, Maronite Bishops called on the Arab and International Community "in the name of brotherly nations and humanity," to quell the Syrian crisis, reiterating the plea on the Syrian people to launch peaceful dialogue.

They also voiced their rejection to violations of other countries sovereignty "as the Lebanese refused the violation of their country's sovereignty."

The Maronite Bishops concluded by saying that the Syrian crisis is throwing its weight on Lebanon with the rise of refugee influx to the country, urging a swift and complete solution.