Lebanon has rich traditions of inter-religious and inter-ethnic tolerance and cooperation, and could become a model for reconciliation in the Middle East. Instead the country has turned into a troublespot itself. GPPAC recently arranged activities in Beirut and Baalbek together with the local host NGO "Permanent Peace Movement" (PPM) chaired by Fadi Abi Alam.
The situation in Lebanon left a grim impression on us, particularly after our visit to the Palestinian refugee camp "Shatila", with a huge picture of Saddam Hussein at the entrance and totally inhuman condition for the people inside. It is one of 12 camps in Lebanon housing altogether more than 400,000 people. ICCN was represented on that trip by Director Dr George Khutsishvili. We had a brief opportunity to dicuss these topics with Mr Akram Chehnyeb, Minister for the Displaced, at whose office we also held a press-conference for the local media on the GPPAC visit to Beirut, and with MP Shant Chinchinian, chair of the parliamentary committee on the displaced. We all agreed that there are untapped opportunities that might lead to a breakthrough in the peace-making efforts in the area.
