The fear of renewed civil war appears on the faces of Lebanese common people in the wake of fierce clashes between pro and anti-government forces killed dozens of people in recent days.

The return of civil war to the country which suffered the worst sectarian killing and displacement during 1975-1990, is a taboo to everyone living here.

Ironically, the Christian community in Lebanon which is until now insulated from the military conflict was the main fighting group in the past civil war against the ally of Sunni, Shiite and Druze militants.

However, the internal fighting nowadays is labeled "Sunni- Shiite conflict" despite denial by both sides.

Supermarkets in the capital's eastern part were emptied by panic citizens, while the inhabitants of west Beirut have not taken any "bad times" measures so far.

"What do you fear it would happen, and there would be something serious in our area," said Grace Habib, a 38-year-old mother with two boys, lives in Christian community in Ashrafieh. She is packing her family's suitcases in order to go to a safe area in case something unhappy breaks out in the Christian part.

"I don't know anything about Hezbollah, but they say we will have to wear veils if they rule the country," she said, "I don't care who rules the country, as long as we are safe."

"I don't want my children to live in fear we have suffered," she stressed.

Lora Saker, a 53-year-old Christian housewife who lived the horrors of 15 years civil war, said: "I hope the Christians stay wise and do not get involved in the fighting," but "I fear we become another Iraq, and only then I will turn to my son who had left for Canada."