Re: Decentralization


In article <60af7f7c-9f62-4f4e-8523-57598cb68eb9@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
JosephMo <josephmouhanna@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I agree with you that decentralization may be confusing de-
centralization with sectarian divisions, or sectarian-based
federalism, both bad ideas. The line gets to be very thin though, and
decentralization may create politically-sectarian islands where
minority rights are trampled. Hence the need for a strong secular
constitution first and foremost (something to replace Taef), followed
by de-centralization.

It's interesting that Amin justifies decentralization on the basis
that the trust is lost in the central government and so
decentralization in this case would gradually restore trust in
government.

I posted in the past on SCL decentralization proposals whereby
people elect local legislative and executives at the several
vertical levels (village/town, Caza, Mohafatha). I think that
if we do that we solve many problems:

- The trust issue that Gemayel is talking about
- Corruption of the center
- Diffusion of power away from a few that can paralyze the country
(witness the opposition holding the country hostage by withdrawing
from cabinet and shuttering the parliament)
- Regionalism will break sectarian boundaries. People in one locality
will have more common local interest (with locals possibly from different
faiths) than co-religionists in a neighboring locality.
- Eliminate the single point of failure in our system of government.
There is more to Lebanon that Riyadh Solh Plaza.

As far changing the constitution, yes you have to do that to implement
the above, at which point individual rights can be strengthened and
political sectarianism abolished.

Example: Batroun will be absorbed into a de-
centralized zone where the will of the people of Batroun is subverted
relative to the Zgharta/Aoun coalition.

Batroun can have its own local administrative governments (town and caza
levels) that is independent of Zgharta, no? At the Mohafatha level,
Batroun is with Zgharta.

bassem
.