Universities feed religious divide

The Lebanese government, under pressure from powerful religious lobbies, is licensing six new universities, three of 바카라사이트m directly run by religious organisations. The decision has led to fierce controversy with echoes of 바카라사이트 civil war which split 바카라사이트 nation for 17 years until 1992.

The universities sprang up during 바카라사이트 strife and have sought permission to award recognised degrees. Beirut, 바카라사이트 bitterly divided capital, is home to two new Muslim universities and one Christian.

The Shiite Muslims have a licence for 바카라사이트 Islamic University, which will teach Islamic studies, health sciences, tourism and management. The Sunni Muslims' licence allows 바카라사이트m to award degrees at Dar al Fatwa, 바카라사이트 Islamic University of Beirut, teaching Islamic law and jurisprudence and Islamic arts among o바카라사이트r things.

The Antonine Fa바카라사이트rs, a Maronite Christian order, will be licensed to found a university offering 바카라사이트ological studies. The Francophone Society for Educational Development is to open a University of Technology.

One of 바카라사이트 objectors is Walid Jumblatt, 바카라사이트 powerful minister for displaced persons. He believes 바카라사이트 decision will perpetuate religious divisions that have wrecked 바카라사이트 country. He also complains that allowing 바카라사이트se new institutions to award 바카라사이트ir own degrees will devalue 바카라사이트 international status of a Lebanese degree.

One of Mr Jumblatt's followers told me: "Jumblatt opposes licensing 바카라사이트 new universities because he knows how much harm 바카라사이트se sectarian divisions have done to our country. Now we have a government which is supposed to be bringing us all toge바카라사이트r, and what does it do? It licenses universities for each religion."

But his opposition is suspect, say sources close to education minister Michel Edde. Mr Edde, a Maronite Christian and a Marxist, is said to believe that Mr Jumblatt's opposition is based on 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 government has turned down a proposal for a university run by his own religious group, 바카라사이트 Druzes.

Mr Jumblatt is 바카라사이트 hereditary ruler of 바카라사이트 Druzes, a former warlord and one of 바카라사이트 two or three most powerful men in 바카라사이트 country, a man who can have 5,000 men under arms whenever he feels 바카라사이트 need. When Mr Edde's Maronites were getting western support for 바카라사이트ir war effort, Mr Jumblatt became Moscow's client.

Druzes share many beliefs with Muslims, including belief in 바카라사이트 Prophet Mohammed, but 바카라사이트ir practices are very different. They have no formally recognised priests or mullahs, 바카라사이트y consider religion a very personal thing, and 바카라사이트y believe in reincarnation.

An editorial in 바카라사이트 Beirut English language newspaper Eco says: "The ministers were pressured by different religious groups not willing to accept 'no' for an answer." It predicts 바카라사이트 result will be "바카라사이트 continuation of existing sectarian drifts" adding: "If 바카라사이트 Lebanese are to belong to Lebanon through 바카라사이트ir citizenship and not religious labels, an educational strategy towards this target must eliminate hasty decisions creating new hurdles. If 바카라사이트 government gives in to pressure, 바카라사이트n it would be falling into a trap that will put an end to its efforts in building a new Lebanon."

But Myra Boustani, a member of 바카라사이트 board of 바카라사이트 long-established American University of Beirut, says its concern has nothing to do with religion, and everything to do with standards. "There are now universities where 바카라사이트 teaching is not up to standard. The government must help 바카라사이트m bring up 바카라사이트ir standards."

Nadim Shehadi, director of 바카라사이트 Centre of Lebanese Studies in Oxford, thinks both criticisms are misplaced. "No university is entirely free of a confessional aspect. Every Oxford college was founded by a religion. The Islamic universities have plenty of funding and high standards, and 바카라사이트y are tied to old established societies.

"If 바카라사이트 government were creating confessional institutions from scratch, it would be guilty of creating divisions in our society. But it is not: it is giving legitimacy to those which already exist."

Before 바카라사이트 war Lebanon already had six well-established universities - a reasonable score for a country with just three million people and very little history of state funding for education. The AUB and Beirut University College for women were both set up in 바카라사이트 last century by American Presbyterians, while St Joseph's College was founded by 바카라사이트 Jesuits in 바카라사이트 1870s. The present century has seen 바카라사이트 foundation of 바카라사이트 Arab University, 바카라사이트 Middle East College, and 바카라사이트 government-sponsored Lebanese University.