Confusion in Lebanon as dispute over daylight savings time causes sectarian divisions
Lebanon
Differing opinions on daylight savings time have caused wide divisions in Lebanon and the differences are appearing to take a sectarian turn. People in the country, which has witnessed a 15-year civil war between Christian and Muslim factions, are now mulling whether they should follow 'Muslim time' or 'Christian time'.
Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Makati on Thursday (March 23) decided to roll clocks forward by an hour on April 20, instead of entering daylight savings time on the last weekend of March as is usually the case in Lebanon, Europe and other regions.
Mikati, a Sunni Muslim, announced the decision after a meeting with Shi'ite parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who repeatedly insisted on the change, according to a video of the meeting published by Lebanese outlet Megaphone.
"Instead of it being 7 o'clock, let it stay 6 o'clock from now until the end of Ramadan," Berri said, according to the clip.
Although no reason was given for the decision, it was seen as an attempt to score a religious win by Muslims. The decision would allow those fasting during holy month of Ramadan to break their fasts an hour earlier.
But Lebanon's influential Maronite church, the largest Christian church in the country, on Saturday announced it would not abide by the decision, saying there had been no consultations or considerations of international standards.
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The church said that it would turn clocks forward on Saturday night. Other Christian organisations have indicated that they would also follow suit.
Meanwhile, Muslim institutions and parties appeared set to remain in winter time.
Businesses and media organisations, including two of Lebanon's main news channels LBCI and MTV, announced they too would enter daylight savings on Saturday night.
LBCI said in a statement that it would disobey Mikati's decision because it would have harmed its work, adding: "Lebanon is not an island".
Others have tried to adapt.
Lebanon's national carrier Middle East Airlines said its clocks and other devices would stay in winter time but it would adjust its flight times to keep in line with international schedules.
Many said the potential chaos was emblematic of decades of failed governance by leaders that led Lebanon into a 2019 financial crisis the World Bank said was "orchestrated" by elites.
(With inputs from agencies)
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