Article 95 of the Lebanese Constitution provides the mechanism for annulling political sectarianism. Its presence in the constitution stresses the fact that annulment of sectarianism has become a national requirement. History has proven, especially during the war years, that sectarian feelings inflames crises and paves the way for foreign intervention. They help increase people's insecurities and uncertainties about the future, and usher in plans that do not serve the unity of Lebanon, its people, its land and its institutions. Sectarianism has disfigured Lebanon's democratic system and has been a formidable obstacle to the practice of democracy.

Yet, despite its enshrinement in the Taif Accord, the sectarian problem in Lebanon remains very strong. One example will suffice. Recently, a government minister decided that some schools in a specific area close on Friday and Sunday instead of Saturday and Sunday. For many, this might sound trivial, but it is not. The preoccupation of Lebanese politicians with such matters reflects a dangerous trend toward the very sectarian feelings which tore apart the fabric of Lebanese society on at least two occasions since independence in 1943. It is a blatant consecration of the division of Lebanese society along confessional lines and the transcendence of religious rights over the rights of citizenship.

Sectarianism is a danger that threatens the Lebanese entity, which is built upon sharing, balance, and harmony. Sectarian loyalty among individuals and groups obstructs national loyalty in its broad concept. Developing national loyalty on a non-sectarianism basis is the solution that enables Lebanon to benefit of its religions diversity and cultural richness.

Here we have to distinguish between religion and sectarianism. Religion is a relationship with the creator. It has one essence but different forms, and it calls for virtues among humans. As for sectarianism, it is the exploitation of religion or of a sect for private or political interests.

As much as one should respect religions and the nobleness of their mission, one should condemn sectarianism because it ruins the relationships between members of the same country. Commitment to religion demands commitment to the state, but driftage behind sectarianism leads to divisions and chaos.

Another difference is that, while sectarianism implies some intolerance of "others" and encourages feelings of competition with them, religiosity does not necessarily imply intolerance. Moreover, a sectarian person is not necessarily a religious person in practice, behavior, and attitudes. To the contrary, it is common to find people in Lebanon who have strong sectarian feelings and may exhibit sectarian behavior, but who are secular in terms of their daily conduct and general attitudes - including many who are non-practicing Muslims and Christians. It is also common to find a person who may act in a sectarian or religious way but have secular positions on some issues. Finally, Sectarianism does not necessarily reflect religious dogmas, although it may use them heavily at times. Sectarianism "is mainly a political tool whose advocates often exaggerate the significance of "ethnic" markers in sectarian communities in order to stress their differences and promote an identity of each community versus others. The proponents of sectarianism may shift tactics and arguments, sometimes drastically, to achieve power ends."

A recent study by the Future Movement of Rafic al-Hariri on the sectarian problem in Lebanon has noted:

This is all very nice, but it doesn't explain why the Future Movement failed to launch "a serious, mature and sustained dialogue at a national level" when its self-declared leader, Rafic al-Hariri, held the reins of power in Lebanon for almost a decade. In fact, Hariri's record in office is replete with behavior that tended to encourage rather than discourage sectarianism. For example, Hariri opposed various initiatives by the Syrian Social National Party and other groups to secularize the Personal Law in Lebanon, as a first step to eliminate sectarianism in the administration, in order to appease voters in his own sectarian community. This double-standard in the public and private life of Lebanese politicians, like Hariri, is hurting the Lebanese polity and retarding its progress toward secularism.

Like Hariri, Lebanese politicians are long on platitudes and short on vision. They don't have any practical policies for the eradication of sectarianism or the courage to face their constituencies with the problem.

One of the first and most important steps in this direction is to understand what kind of disease sectarianism is. The sect, by the nature of its life, "is introspective. It has mirrors where windows ought to be. Its concern is for its own housekeeping problems - how to maintain the orthodoxy of the sect, and how to bring others to it. It must constantly define and redefine its terms so as to guard against creeping heterodoxy. In this introspection, it loses significant relationship to the world around it. The sect is not only separated from other sects but is also cut off from the mainstream of secular life. Being absorbed in its own institutional purity, it becomes irrelevant to the social concerns of the world." In other words, sectarianism, as an end product of sect, lives in the backwater of life, talking of old questions and ancient issues but unable to come to grips with the contemporary urgencies. To try to live by a literal imitation of these old questions and issues is to be called from the living present to the dead past.

Another step in fighting sectarianism would require an acknowledgement of the complexity of the problem. Most Lebanese would readily admit to the problem but think that sectarianism can be eradicated from their life through simple ad hoc reforms. Sectarianism, as a social disease, requires radical solutions and a program of intense national education to overcome the existing psychological barriers before it can be removed. Such education would have to go further than merely pointing out the problems and contradictions of sectarianism. It has to consist of making the Lebanese more aware of their social responsibility and their stake in it.

Thirdly, beating sectarianism would require a clear plan of action. Ensuring a shared future is the major challenge for any society. It is not enough to share power. We need to share life. Growing segregation represents a loss to us all, as well as a threat to our stability. Building a shared future requires a number of complementary steps.

Achieving these goals requires political leadership and concerted action to achieve a more shared and pluralist society where sectarianism and other forms of intolerance are effectively tackled. This process can be started by introducing, for example, a Sectarian and Hate Crimes Act to include:

- tougher sentences for crimes motivated by sectarianism or other forms of intolerance, backed up by proper enforcement.

- a requirement on the police to monitor sectarian offences.

- a total overhaul of present laws on incitement to hatred to make them effective.

A prescriptive approach for the elimination of sectarianism, at the very least, should include the following:

- banning groups (political parties and associations of any form) that promote hate speech or use sectarian symbols from public life.

- outlawing of sectarian gatherings.

- outlawing the showing from public and private property of sectarian symbols.

- repeal of laws that recognize the sect as a separate entity in any form or substance.

- devising a common strategy on removal of sectarian manifestations.

- promoting secular education and secular schools.

- Outlawing sectarian discrimination in all fields of public and private life.

- establishing annual and local policing plans to include action against sectarian crime.

- introducing a non-sectarian fair employment monitoring regime.

- creating a Good Relations Commission or an independent body of some sort to approve strategic plans, carry out investigations and research, and advise and challenge government and other bodies on good relations.

- Bringing together political parties, religious institutions, business and the community/voluntary sector to agree to action across society to promote sharing and combat sectarianism.

- Rewarding promoters of non-sectarian activities.

- Coordinated action by the Ministry of Education involving schools, teacher training, and curricular development.

Sectarianism can and will be changed in Lebanon but it will take time; time for the communities to build trust and understanding of each other, time for the parties to gain enough courage to lead people away from the hatred of the past and to look to the future free of fear and intimidation. Hopefully, the net result would be a social nationalist society based on respect for each tradition no matter how painful that maybe. The problem of sectarianism is not insurmountable but it takes great courage to bring about the revolutionary change which is needed to tackle the phobias and prejudice which emanate from it.

There are no quick fix solutions to the problem of sectarianism and extremism: they are to be tackled in a systematic and methodical manner. The first task is to understand where the roots of the problem lie. It is impossible to believe that, as a society, the Lebanese are born with violence and religious bigotry and sectarianism in their hearts. We see these problems in large part as the result of children being educated into ways of thinking that makes them susceptible to these things. Some children take these lessons to heart in ways that have terrible consequences when they are adults. If we are right, then there is a critical need to reform the educational system that produces this worldview.

It is clear to us that the identity and value system of children is strongly shaped by the national curriculum and textbooks. Among the key subjects are Social Studies, Arabic, Geography and History. This is where children are taught about who they are, how to think about society and about relationships, how to understand their fellow citizens in different parts of the country and those with different religions, and about the rest of the world.

The Lebanese cannot depend on the family and/or polity to stamp out sectarianism: both of these institutions are riddled with sectarian feelings. The key is to start educating the next generation how values of mutual respect, equality, justice and peace that can contribute towards a just, peaceful and democratic Lebanon. Day after day, year after year, our children are taught to despise and hate peoples of other faiths and nations, to accept bias against women and minorities, to glorify violence and to celebrate prejudice. This all has to stop and there is no better way than education.

In order to eliminate the scourge of sectarianism it is vital to have a real understanding of its nature, uses and real character. Political campaigns to stop sectarian prejudice and anti-sectarian rhetoric go some way to obscuring the problem but do little to solve it. The practical way to eliminate sectarianism is to educate the public about the problem and to raise awareness of its harmful effects not only for the present generation but also for the future ones. Education leads to awareness and awareness to action.

Sectarianism has to be eliminated first from the human hearts and minds and then from the laws of the country. The law books can be re-written anytime with the most modern and up-to-date concepts, and the administration of the state can be revamped many times over, but it will not wotk if the people remain immersed in sectarian sentiments.