|
|
General Michel Aoun
Interviews
Press Releases, Articles & Letters
Speeches, Lectures & Conferences
English Press Releases, Articles, Messages & Letters
English, French & Arabic Articles
(Archives-Ananachra)
Articles, speeches,
releases, interviews, letters translated to English By: Elias Bejjani
General Aoun visit to Canada 15-20/3/03
General Aoun, Prime Minister
In 1988, President Amin
Gemayel's term of office was nearing its end , and the different Lebanese factions could
not agree on a candidate to be his successor. Consequently, when his term expired on
September 23rd of that year, he appointed Army Commander General Michel Aoun as
Lebanon's Prime Minister. General Aoun formed a government that worked toward the
reunification of all parts of Lebanon, freeing Lebanon from all foreign armies, and the
restoration of democracy and freedom in Lebanon. Meanwhile, Gemayel's acting prime
minister, Salim al Huss, also continued to act as the de facto prime minister. As a
result, Lebanon was divided between a Syrian-backed government in west Beirut, and the
constitutionally legal government of General Aoun in east Beirut.
In March 1989, an attempt by Prime Minister General Michel Aoun to close all illegal
seaports, and stop all kinds of drug production and smuggling, led to what has come to be
known as "Hareb al Tahreer" or Liberation War. Syrian forces in the occupied
parts of Lebanon opened fire on the liberated areas in order to bring down the Lebanese
government's agenda. Lebanon's army under the command of Prime Minister General Michel
Aoun defended the liberated areas against the Syrian attacks. Shelling by the Syrians and
their counter-parts caused nearly 1000 deaths and several thousand injuries, and further
destruction of Lebanon's economic infrastructure.
In May 1989, the Arab League empowered a High Committee on Lebanon, composed of Saudi King
Fahed, Algerian President Benjidid, and Moroccan King Hassan, to work toward a solution in
Lebanon. In July 1989, the committee issued a report accusing Syria of assailing Lebanon's
freedom and independence. After further discussions, the committee arranged for a
cease-fire in September, followed by a meeting of Lebanese parliamentarians in Taef, Saudi
Arabia.
After a month of intense discussions, the Lebanese deputies were forced and bribed by
Syria to agree on a Charter of National Reconciliation also known as the Taef Agreement.
In this agreement Syria would redeploy its soldiers in Lebanon, rather than withdrawing.
The Lebanese population residing within the liberated parts of Lebanon opposed the Taef
Agreement, as it violates national sovereignty. For this, Prime Minister Aoun issued a
decree in early November dissolving the Lebanese parliament, calling for elections under
the supervision of the United Nations.
In November the dissolved parliament met at the Qleiat Air Base in northern Lebanon,
where they approved the Taef Agreement and elected Rene Moawad as a president. Moawad was
assassinated on November 22 by a bomb planted in his armored car, although he was under
strong Syrian protection (guess who killed him!!!). The dissolved parliament met on
November 24 in the Beeqa Valley and elected Elias Hrawi to replace him.
The Syrians renewed their attacks on the liberated Lebanese areas. Meanwhile, hundreds of
Lebanese citizens rallied around the Lebanese Presidential Palace (Beit el Shaab) to show
their support of Prime Minister General Michel Aoun, and to defend it against Syrian
attacks. On October 13, 1990, a Syrian-led military operation, in which fighter planes
were used by the Syrians for the first time in Lebanon, invaded the liberated areas of
Lebanon. Prime Minister Michel Aoun was forced to take refuge in the french embassy. The
French President, Francois Mitterand, declared that General Aoun's safety was a matter of
honour to France, and negotiated Prime Minister General Michel Aoun's safe departure to
France along with members of his government.
Today Lebanon is still occupied by over 40,000 Syrian soldiers, contrary to what the
dissolved parliament had agreed upon in the Taef Agreement. The government in power in
Lebanon is a puppet in the hands of Syria, denying people freedom of speech. There are
daily arrests without warrants. There is an outcry as a result of the terrorizing methods
employed by the Syrian intelligence service against the Lebanese citizens, coupled with
the deteriorating economic situation in Lebanon. Prime Minister General Michel Aoun is
still in France, where he heads a number of international organizations, working
peacefully toward the achievement of a free Lebanon.
