BEIRUT, Lebanon: Shia population of Lebanon has been neglected in one way or another by governments, lawmakers and the rest of the population for at least the past 75 years.

As a result, the community as a whole lagged behind others in terms of economics, education, health, public services and career opportunities. The community was eagerly looking for a leader. This leader came in the form of Musa Sadr and the Amal Movement, which took it upon itself to improve the horrid conditions facing Lebanon's Shiites.

Since Sadr's mysterious abduction while on a trip to Libya during the early part of the Civil War, Amal and what began as its harder-line offshoot, Hizbullah, have militarized and to some extent caused their own ostracism from mainstream politics. Although this has led to considerable military power and better political representation, the Shiite population is now facing some serious problems.

Below-average rates of income and higher education are common in Hizbullah and Amal strongholds like Beirut's southern suburbs, much of the Bekaa Valley and many Shiite towns and villages in South Lebanon. This can be attributed at least partially to the unstable Lebanese economy, declining agricultural markets within the country and a shortage of institutions of higher education in the aforementioned areas. The underlying reasons, however, lie in a lack of government access and facilities in Shiite areas, Iranian/Hizbullah financial support which is creating a babysitter pseudo-government, and militancy.

The Iranian support also has another unfortunate side-effect: lack of trust in and/or desire for the Lebanese government. Many members of the Shiite population have come to see Hizbullah and its Iranian allies as better providers and care-givers for their families and neighborhoods, and rightly so. Today, Hizbullah extends considerable educational, economic, medical and social support to large parts of the Shiite population, while the Lebanese government is watching from the sidelines.

This is not sustainable and the Lebanese government has finally begun to realize that. In order to help integrate the Lebanese Shiite population, it must stop fighting Hizbullah and Amal supporters, and start helping the impoverished Shiite population that makes up their bases of support. Only when the government has established itself as a legitimate one that the people can depend on to provide jobs, security and services can normalcy be restored.

As is the standard with any grand scheme in Lebanon, this one will be much easier said than done. Restoring the Lebanese government's position as the sole legitimate and effective service provider for all Lebanese will be a giant task, to say the least. The only imaginable method is a grassroots solution, spanning decades, that incorporates rather than ostracizes.

The first step should include government steps to limit and/or monitor the Iranian regime's direct funding of Shiite families within Lebanon. This marginalizes the Lebanese government and overshadows any efforts by the government to win back the support of its people. It will be very important however, to pay special attention in order to prevent cutting off foreign funding while offering no practical alternative for disadvantaged Shiite families, as that would only worsen their views regarding the government. Suitable jobs and small-business funding (possibly through micro/mini loans) would be a great incentive to wean communities off financial aid and help empower them financially.

The second step, although ideally parallel to the first, needs to be educational reform. Currently most poor Shiite children receive their elementary and secondary education from below-average public schools or Hizbullah-funded institutions. Improvement of these conditions will better inform and therefore empower young Shiites to question and demand more from their political leaders. It will also instill a sense of loyalty, through education, to the rule of law and the primacy of the state. Essential to the success of this campaign is the mixing of teachers from different geographical locations, religions and backgrounds in order to expose students to a variety of political and sociological views that may differ from those of parents and neighbors. Naturally, this is equally applicable to all regions throughout Lebanon, although the need might be more acute in mostly Shiite areas.

The third and most important step is strong and continuing government attention and support for the Shiite population. This means more police stations, government hospitals, services and infrastructure investments. The key element in the campaign to win back Shiite trust is demonstrating that the government is not simply helping from a distance or only superficially. Government employees, industry professionals, businesspeople and even politicians must be on the ground meeting with Shiites, understanding their needs and problems and addressing them.

It must be made clear that there is no quick fix to this problem, and it will take years if not decades of investment in money, time and effort on the part of all Lebanese. The end-result, however - a unified, prosperous and peaceful country - is well worth the investment several times over. Economically, sociologically and politically these advances will exponentially improve the quality of life for all Lebanese 15 or 20 years down the line.

The steps above are simple, common-sense approaches to significant but clearly identifiable symptoms, but they will not rectify the underlying problem. Our government and its leaders cannot neglect an entire segment of the population without serious long-term consequences that can lead to failure of the nation as a whole. By ignoring the Shiite population, the Lebanese government effectively invited a foreign regime to come in and take over, a mistake that must not be repeated. The Lebanese Shiite population must now become an active and viable part of the Lebanese population and share in the associated benefits as well as responsibilities.

The Lebanese government must now take responsibility for the mistakes of the past, acknowledge them, and move forward. This must be followed by immediate action that demonstrates long-term commitment and dedication to the future of all Lebanese. In return, the Shiite population and its political leaders must truly give the legitimate Lebanese government complete access to their areas, trust and loyalty to operate within their communities and, most importantly, time in order to make good on their promises.