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Article: The Decline of an Institution
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- October 17, 1988
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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If a single building could represent the agony of Lebanon, it
would be that of its parliament.
The grand old institution, where Christians and Moslems together
proclaimed Lebanon's independence from France 45 years ago, has like
so much else in this ravaged country fallen victim to more than a
decade of civil war.
A church-like, limestone structure that combines Gothic, Islamic
and French architecture, the parliament is located in Beirut's
downtown sector on Nejmeh Square, an area of gutted, bullet-scarred
buildings on the side of the divided capital dominated by Moslems and
controlled by Syria.
Christian legislators, who live on the eastern side of the city,
have long refused to meet in ...