BEIRUT: Dozens of students and teachers from Lebanese University’s Business and Economics faculty in Tripoli renewed protests Monday against the appointment of a Christian director.
Classes have been suspended at the school since LU President Adnan Sayyed Hussein appointed Antoine Tannous, known to be close to the Marada Movement, to head the faculty five weeks ago.
Hussein was accused of ignoring the tradition of maintaining an equal number of Sunni and Shiite LU directors, a norm which had prevailed in previous years.
Students shouted slogans denouncing him and calling on him to replace the Christian appointee with a “genuine director.”
“We condemn the indifference, negligence and procrastination shown by the university president by not appointing a genuine director for the branch, and not finding a solution to the crisis resulting from violating the conventional balance in directors’ appointments,” the students said in a statement.
In Monday’s protest, which was also joined by a number of professors, the students called for resumption of the strike until the director is replaced.
They held their usual banners with the slogan “not at our expense,” referring to the harm imposed by suspending classes.
Education Minister Elias Bou Saab, who spoke at a conference celebrating Teachers' Day in UNESCO Palace in Beirut, denounced Tripoli’s protests.
“It is unacceptable that students leave their classes and close the faculty for 35 days because some have a problem with the appointment of a Christian director,” the minister said.
The movement against the appointment was supported by rival Sunni factions, including the Future Movement and supporters of former Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
They complain that Hussein does not discuss the appointment of Sunni directors with Sunni parties.
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