The Right to Choose
Civil Service as an Alternative to Military Service

Natalia Geha
Outlook

Tuesday, April 27, 2004

 

"The Right to Choose How to Serve Your Country," as stated by Mansour Omeira, president of the UNESCO Club, was the title of the lecture that took place last Wednesday in the honored presence of both Mgr. Gregoire Haddad and Dr. Ugaret Yunan.

After Hussein El Samra, president of the Human Rights and Peace Club, welcomed everyone to the lecture and introduced both guests, Omeira gave a detailed and well studied presentation of surveys conducted on AUB students' opinions of national service in Lebanon. The results revealed the awareness of students with regard to national service, their opinions on who should be exempted from military service and whether or not it could be substituted by other forms of service, and whether military service should be compulsory, voluntary, or abolished. Through the surveys, the students were also able to express what changes they think military service should undergo, such as its duration and gender discrimination.

After this lengthy account, Dr. Yunan began an informative lecture by introducing the six points that lead to the opposition of national service. After that, she gave a solution to each and every one of these opposing points. Throughout her lecture, Dr. Yunan showed a great deal of understanding concerning these problems.

The second part of the lecture was given by Mgr. Gregoire Haddad, who instead of giving his own account of the principles of national service, gave the floor to the students who began an interesting open discussion both amongst themselves and with the lecturers. Before the debate, however, Mgr. Haddad could not but help throw in an anecdote concerning women serving their country. He stated that women are already serving their country far better than men and that is why they do not need to enroll in military service.

The topics introduced during the discussion wavered around the presence of sectarianism within the grounds of military service, brainwashing school students through textbooks before they are 18 years old, comparing Lebanese and international military service, and many other issues. Both males and females participated in the debate which lasted for around an hour.

The lecture was concluded by Dr. Yunan, Mgr. Haddad, Omeira, and the presidents of both clubs, and proved to be a successful one. Despite the interesting topic and the heated debate, West Hall's Auditorium B was not as full as originally expected.

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