UALM - Thank God we live in the era of Michel Aoun

[TAYYAR AL AOUNI]

I thank God I live in the era of Michel Aoun

By Labib Chemali - 8.12.08


Few figures throughout the pages of historical account have been able to stand out from the rest whilst maintaining their Integrity and Honour; I have had the privilege to meet with such a figure, General Michel Aoun (Lebanon’s Former Army Chief, Prime Minister and current Member of Parliament).

A quick glance at his history shows that he has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to hold together the Lebanese Army in the 1970’s, 1980’s and contributed to thwarting the regional plan to topple the Government of Lebanon and have it transformed into a substitute homeland for the Palestinians at the expense of the Indigenous Lebanese population.

At the end of the 1980’s when he was appointed as Prime Minister of Lebanon he worked on rebuilding the Lebanese state; free of militias and free of the Syrian and Israeli military occupation of this small Eastern Mediterranean Nation.

He fought for a Free, Sovereign Independent Lebanon and was thusly exiled by joint Syrian Army and a multiple Lebanese Militia military offensive that had the blessing of the International Community all the while insisting that he wanted the best relations with Syria; so long as it was out of Lebanon. He was able to inspire Lebanese of all faiths and denominations to rally around a United and Sovereign Lebanon.

During his 15 year exile he campaigned tirelessly; his testimony to the United States Congress and his diligent work resulted in the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003, and later United Nations Resolution 1559 in 2004.

These acts drew the ire of the ruling class that had embedded itself as Lebanon’s post war “mafiaocrisy” for it was during his 15 years exile from 1990 to 2005 that corruption was institutionalised and the Christians of Lebanon were marginalised. His work secured the withdrawal of Syrian troops in 2005 (a withdrawal that was accelerated to early 2005 as a result of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination in February 14 2005).

He returned to Lebanon to a hero’s welcome, stepping foot on Lebanese soil only after the last Syrian soldier had left Lebanon. He went about crafting a new vision for Lebanon of Change and Reform so that Lebanon would not fall to the same pitfalls as it had in the past. He was deserted by his new found “allies” that had found a spine once the Syrians withdrew from Lebanon, ironically the very people who were Syria’s prime advocates during its military presence.

It is significant to note that his most fierce critics against the stand that he took, and continues to take are the very proponents of foreign intervention in Lebanon and once camped out on the doorsteps of Syrian leaders in order to secure places for themselves in the Lebanese Parliament and Cabinet; they used to shower the Syrian occupation with praises and tenaciously defend its presence at the expense of their own people and their own country. We are still unsure to this day whether it is the fear of Change and Reform which would inevitably threaten the pockets of this ruling class or the preference for foreign intervention as a means to subjugate their own people and thus cement their positions of leadership; as a genuine democracy in Lebanon seems would strip them of that right. My belief is that it is a combination of both.

In 2006 Aoun signed the historic Memorandum of Understanding with Hezbollah that addressed all of Lebanon’s problems off the last 30 years including Hezbollah’s eventual disarmament. During the July war of 2006 he encouraged the Christian population take the million plus refugees into their homes; most of whom were of the Shiite faith for the duration of the war, a move that embedded national unity in the Lebanese psyche even further.

2007 signified his signing of the Christian Pact aimed at restoring the traditional Christian role in Lebanon and the East and the following year he led the opposition to achieving a fair electoral law, opposed to the previous laws that gerrymandered the electoral districts and deprived Christian voters of electing their own representatives.

In 2008 he visited Iran and met with many Christian figures in the Islamic Republic highlighting their right to live in dignity and with free will to practice their faith. He has recently made the trek to Syria, his former foe (on the premise Syria had agreed to establish Diplomatic Relations with Lebanon and accept it as a Sovereign State) with his head held high, as an equal - to candidly discuss the many outstanding issues from Lebanon’s war which spanned from 1975 to 1990. These issues include the rejection of permanently settling the Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon and the fate of the Lebanese Nationals that are believed to be missing in Syrian jails.

His reception in Syria was as profound as it was grand, where we saw the streets of Syria lined with Lebanese Flags and the populace greeted him with the fan fare of a true historical leader. He visited numerous holy sites in Syria, ancient Monasteries, Churches and the great Umayyad Mosque where he was hosted by the Mufti of the Syrian Republic.

Syria’s sizable Christian population came out en masse to greet him as he has cemented the right of Christians to live in the East, the birthplace for all three of the world’s major religions. What Aoun is working towards is not new, what is new however is his ability to stand true to his word after so many years and achieve tangible results on the ground.

There will come a time in the East where like in the West we can see Churches, Mosques, Synagogues and Temples lined side by side on the street; with coexistence and the right to live in dignity a secured right of the populace, and we will look back at this period in history and thank God we lived in the era of Michel Aoun.


Labib Chemali
The United Australian Lebanese Movement


http://www.ualm.org.au/articles.php?article=103