Naharnet

Qabalan, al-Rahi Discuss Lassa Land Dispute

The Vice President of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council Abdul Amir Qabalan telephoned on Tuesday Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi to discuss the land dispute at the town of Lassa and the nearby areas and ways to end the problem.

On Sunday, three vehicles with tinted car windows forced a police patrol from turning back after trying to end construction work in Lassa in the Jbeil district, An Nahar daily reported Monday.

Last month, locals from the predominantly Shiite village confronted a delegation from the Maronite patriarchate, accompanied by topographical experts, who were surveying lands belonging to the church in line with a judicial order.

The delegation’s visit came following news that illegal structures were being built on archdiocese property.

Following a meeting chaired by al-Rahi in Bkirki, church officials, lawmakers and a delegation from Hizbullah agreed to put an end to construction on disputed land and ask the Internal Security Forces to follow-up on the implementation of the resolution.

The conferees reached an agreement under which the committee tasked with surveying lands would resume its work in two months.


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