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Widespread condemnation of chauvinists and discriminatory amendments of nationality law
26-3-2018
The draft amendment to the current nationality law proposed by foreign minister Jibran Bassil on Mother’s Day has drawn wide condemnation and resentment from concerned mothers, human rights groups and feminist and women’s associations. To recall, the said suggestion allows Lebanese women to pass nationality to their children, just like men, with the exception of spouses from “neighboring states”, and it also applies to Lebanese men married to refugees or displaced women (c.f: https://bit.ly/2pHk2lB ). In this respect, Zoya Ruhana, Kafa director, described as ‘xenophobic’ Bassil’s initiative for it endorses a racist attitude towards Palestinians and Syrians and discriminates between women themselves, as well as, between men and women. Ruhana told AShark Al Awsat newspaper that Bassil, instead of playing fair to women, treated both men and women unjustly. Similarly, former justice minister, Ibrahim Najjar, said the draft legislation violates the Constitution, as it discriminates between men and women and the nationality of those who marry. Legal expert, former MP Salah Hnein, maintained that the legal rule is one that has no exception nor discretion, and any other interpretation is dubbed racist. On the other hand, Al Diyar daily cited informed diplomatic sources as justifying the purpose of Bassil’s proposal to prevent naturalization and permanent resettlement. It also facilitates the affairs of Lebanese women married to non-Lebanese, except for neighboring countries, to avoid uncalled-for trouble and added burdens on the country. The exception-clause, Al Diyar analyzed, can be understood under the fears of settlement of Syrians and Palestinians, but it remains a matter to be debated and discussed before ratification. (Al-Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, March 22, 25, 2018)
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A discriminatory draft amendment to Lebanese nationality law
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