Marouni urges annulment of decision to revoke citizenship November

2-marouni_634570026650090086_main1.jpgKataeb (Phalange) MP Elie Marouni.
BEIRUT: Kataeb (Phalange) MP Elie Marouni denounced Tuesday a recent government decision to revoke Lebanese citizenship from some Syriac families in the eastern city of Zahle, calling on President Michel Sleiman to annul this decision.

In an interview with the Central News Agency, Marouni, an MP for Zahle, said the government decision was “illogical” and harmed genuine Lebanese citizens. He vowed to show solidarity with those families “because they are genuine Lebanese.”

“The families, whose citizenships were revoked, were born, grew up and owned houses in Lebanon and they had martyrs in it,” Marouni said. He added that among those whose citizenship was revoked was an officer in the Internal Security Forces.

Members of the Syriac community voiced outrage over the weekend at the state’s decision to revoke citizenship from nearly 200 people, including some two dozen Syriac families.

Dozens of Syriac Lebanese gathered at Zahle’s Lady Mary Church Sunday to protest the decision. Some affected, Syriac officials said, have lived their entire lives in the country and have served in the Lebanese Army.

Sleiman, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Interior Minister Marwan Charbel signed a decree last month to revoke citizenship from those who, according to a Shura Council ruling, attained it fraudulently

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2011/Nov-16/154220-marouni-urges-annulment-of-decision-to-revoke-citizenship.ashx#ixzz1ds9NN7H5
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)