Posted on 03/14/2005 11:07:01 AM PST by NYer
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators chanted "Freedom, sovereignty, independence," and waved a sea of Lebanese flags in Beirut on Monday, the biggest anti-Syrian protest yet in the opposition's duel of street rallies with supporters of the Damascus-backed government.
Crowds of Druse, Christians and Sunni Muslims flooded Martyrs' Square and spilled over into nearby streets — responding to an opposition call to turn out for the removal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.
"We are coming to liberate our country. We are coming to demand the truth," said Fatma Trad, a veiled Sunni Muslim woman who traveled from the remote region of Dinniyeh in northern Lebanon to take part.
The assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri exactly one month ago sparked the series of protests against Syria, the dominant power in Lebanon.
The throngs fell silent at 12:55 p.m. — the exact time Hariri was killed four weeks ago by a huge bomb in Beirut. The silence was broken only by church bells tolling and the flutter of flags.
Later, thousands of red and white balloons were released above the teeming crowd, many of whom wore scarves in the same colors that have come to symbolize the country's anti-Syrian movement in what the U.S. State Department has dubbed the "Cedar Revolution." Brass bands playing patriotic and national folk songs and Lebanon's national anthem were regularly drowned out by deafening chants from the crowd.
Monday's protest easily surpassed a pro-government rally of hundreds of thousands of people last week by the Shiite Muslim militant group Hezbollah. That show of strength forced the opposition to try to regain its momentum.
While there were no official estimates of the size of the crowd, police officers privately estimated it at about 1 million people. The officers refused to speak publicly because it was an opposition rally. An Associated Press estimate by reporters on the scene put the number at much higher than the approximately 500,000 who attended the March 8 pro-Syrian rally.
Syria's military withdrawal continued Monday, with intelligence agents closing two offices in the northern towns of Amyoun and Deir Ammar, on the coastal road between the port of Tripoli and the Syrian border. Intelligence agents also dismantled two checkpoints in the Akkar area. About 50 intelligence agents in all departed for unknown destinations, although it was believed to be northern Syria.
Most intelligence offices, the widely resented arm through which Syria has controlled many aspects of Lebanese life, remained in northern and central Lebanon after Syrian troops moved east, closer to the Syrian border. Last week, intelligence officers left the central towns of Aley and Bhamdoun and headed to Syrian-controlled areas of eastern Lebanon. The redeployment is the first stage of what Damascus says will be a full withdrawal, although it has not given a timetable.
The opposition is demanding a full Syrian withdrawal, the resignations of Lebanese security chiefs and an international investigation into Hariri's Feb. 14 assassination.
"We will accept nothing short of an international inquiry as our way to the truth," said Hariri's sister, Bahiya, a lawmaker, repeating demands for the resignation of Lebanese security chiefs and refusing any possible postponement of parliamentary elections.
Many in the crowd were also particularly offended by pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud's reinstatement last week of Prime Minister Omar Karami, who was forced to resign on Feb. 28 by a giant opposition protest.
"They are challenging us, and we are here to show them that we will not accept," said banker Farid Samaha as he joined the demonstration. "We are determined to liberate our country and we will not stop."
A line of people in the square carried a 100-yard-long white-and-red Lebanese flag with the distinct green cedar tree in the middle, shaking it up and down and shouting, "Syria out."
Protesters chanted "Truth, freedom, national unity!" or "We want only the Lebanese army in Lebanon!"
"Syria out, no half measures," read a banner, borrowing from President Bush (news - web sites)'s description of Damascus' gradual withdrawal from this country of 3.5 million.
In addition to packing Martyrs' Square, thousands of other protesters spilled into the nearby Riad Solh Square and outlying streets.
It came in the wake of U.N. envoy Terje Roed-Larsen's string of meetings with Syrian President Bashar Assad and top Lebanese government and opposition officials to ensure the implementation of a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding Syria's withdrawal.
Roed-Larsen indicated he had extracted further details of a pullout timetable from Assad during their meeting Saturday and would take those details back to U.N. headquarters this week.
Syrian Cabinet minister Bouthaina Shaaban told CNN a "very fast timetable for withdrawal" was expected, with completion probable ahead of Lebanese parliamentary elections — as Bush has demanded. Election dates have not yet been set, but the current parliament's mandate expires May 31.
A senior Lebanese army officer said Sunday that 4,000 Syrian soldiers — more than a quarter of those serving in Lebanon just a week ago — have been brought back to Syria, but he said a date for a complete withdrawal won't be set until an April 7 meeting of Syrian and Lebanese officers.
It also requires a Lebanese government to be in place to negotiate with Syria on a full troop withdrawal, since Karami is leading a caretaker government and cannot negotiate foreign agreements. A final agreement on a Syrian withdrawal will have to wait for a Cabinet to be formed and approved by Parliament.
The political process is deadlocked, with the opposition refusing to join any government before their demands are met, and Karami insisting on a "national unity" government. Some opposition members accuse Karami of stalling to kill the chances of holding an election they believe the pro-Syrian camp, which has a majority in the legislature, will lose.
Karami is expected to begin consultations Tuesday on forming a Cabinet.
In Paris, meanwhile, former Lebanese Prime Minister Gen. Michel Aoun said Monday he will return from exile in coming weeks, with plans to help foster national reconciliation as Lebanon awaits parliamentary elections.
"My return ... will take place in the next weeks," said the former commander of the Lebanese army who fled the country in 1990.
He said he would be going back to Lebanon with Maj. Gen. Edgar Maalouf and Brig. Gen. Issam Abu Jamra, who were part of a government headed by Aoun that took over in 1988 at the end of President Amin Gemayel's term.
About 100,000 pro-Syrian demonstrators turned out Sunday in another Hezbollah-organized protest in the southern town of Nabatiyeh.
Syria has been Lebanon's main power broker for nearly three decades since sending troops to its smaller neighbor in 1976 to help quell what was then a year-old civil war. The troops, at times numbering more than 35,000, stayed after the war ended in 1990.
God forbid, but it may be only a matter of time before some scattered skirmishes between anti-Syrian protesters and the Hezbollah backers. Let's hope for a peaceful transition period.
Meanwhile, Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Cardinal Peter Sfeir, is scheduled to arrive in Washington DC today, at the invitation of President George Bush.
BKIRKI: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir said on Sunday that street demonstrations were useless and that Hizbullah should join Lebanese political life.
Speaking to members of the foreign media, the Patriarch urged the Lebanese to arm themselves with wisdom in order to stand up to the economic and financial problems threatening the country.
According to Sfeir, demonstrations and opposing demonstrations lead nowhere since the Syrians are already withdrawing from Lebanon.
He said: "It is useless to demonstrate in the streets, and we should stop this."
He added: "I led the resistance against the Syrian presence in Lebanon. However, today there is no excuse to maintain this position as the Syrian troops have begun to withdraw."
FULL TEXT
I am voting for more red tank tops.
Well, dang. I don't quite know what to think of this guy. Since Bush invited him to the WhiteHouse I was hoping that this guy would be a good force for FReedom in Lebanon, but comments like the one above are stupid, imho. Why should the Lebonese STOP their street protests when ProSyrian government leaders are still in office? If you resign, you get to come right back. Heck, I'd be protesting also!
Anyone know anything about this Sfeir guy?
I dunno, but, could she be a replacement for "belly girl"?
"Thousands March...." This AP report wouldn't be downplaying the event, would it? If other reports are right, the number is more like "thousands of thousands." Oh well, AP correct to within three orders of magnitude. About par for the course.
--not a million,
--not "hundreds of thousands,"
--not "tens of thousands."
By various accounts, it's 800,00, 1.3 million, or 2 million,
------but Yahoo reports it as "thousands."
Why does Yahoo have Deaniacs running it's news and headlines department? The Dems can't gey excited about freedom. They didn't care about freedom in 1860 and they still don't care.
According to Sfeir, demonstrations and opposing demonstrations lead nowhere since the Syrians are already withdrawing from Lebanon.
The Patriarch is advocating for the removal of the Syrian leadership in Lebanon. He has worked diligently over the past few months with other world leaders, seeking their support for this UN resolution. The point is that demonstrations keep people away from their jobs and lead to confrontations on the streets. They have been protesting for one month now. Read more here:
Patriarch Sfeir slams Syrian influence on constitutional changes
Thanks NYer, I'll go check your link out right now. You know, while I LOVE Free Republic, it is a SAD commentary on our MSM when I get BETTER news HERE, than I do at a regular news source, sigh.
This is GREAT to see.
I can't wait to see this repeated in Iran.
Cedar Revolution - March 14, 2005
I stopped watching the MSM months ago - they now depend on us for their news ;-D! You asked about Patriarch Sfeir. Here is some background information, compliments of AP.
"President Bush has invited the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir for a meeting at the White House on March 16.
He is Patriarch of the powerful Maronite Catholic Church and a leader of opposition to Syrian occupation.
The White House spokesman said the cardinal is "respected throughout Lebanon and around the world for his religious leadership and for promoting intra-communal harmony among the different faiths in his country. "He is an important voice for Lebanese independence, freedom and democracy," the White House spokesman said.(AFP) "
The tentative schedule of events is as follows:
Mon. 3/14: Arrival of Patriarch in evening to Washington, DC
Tue. 3/15: Honorary Doctorate at Catholic University
Wed. 3/16: Private Meeting with President Bush
Thu. 3/17: Private Luncheon with Members of both Houses; Inter-Eparchial celebration: Mass at 6:00 pm at the National Shrine, banquet to follow
Fri. 3/18: Arrive in Brooklyn: 12:00 pm Private Lunch with Archbishop Migliore at United Nations; 7:00 pm Lenten devotions at Cathedral; Honorary Doctorate from Fordham University, followed by Lenten meal
Sat. 3/19: (Feast of St. Joseph): 5:00 Liturgy at Cathedral; 7:00 pm Banquet
Sun. 3/20: 11:00 am Palm Sunday celebration at Cathedral
Mon. 3/21: Return to Lebanon
His Beatitude Cardinal Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir,
Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East
Born on May 15, 1920, in the Maronite town of Rayfoun in Kesrouan. Son of Maroun Sfeir and Hanneh Fahd (From Ghosta) with five sisters: Matilla, Jawhara, Audith, Laure, Milaneh.
Status: Cardinal Sfeir is the 3rd Maronite Cardinal and the 76th Patriarch of the Maronite Church.
Education: Completed his Primary and Complementary studies at Mar Abda School in Harharaya and his Secondary studies (i.e. High School) at St. Maron Seminary in Ghazir. Holds a Doctorate degree in Philosophical and Theological studies from Saint Joseph University in Beirut, Lebanon
Career: Ordained Priest on May 7, 1950. Priest of Rayfoun Parish, in charge of the secretariat of the Maronite Bishopric of Damascus (1951 - 1955). Secretary of the Maronite Patriarchate in Bkerke and Professor of Translation in Literature and Philosophy at the Freres Maronite School in Jounieh (1956). Appointed Titular Bishop of Tarse and Patriarchal Vicar (June 19,1961). Appointment confirmed by His Holiness Pope John XXIII (July 3, 1961). Ordained Bishop (July 16, 1961). Patriarchal Vicar and Secretary of the Maronite Patriarchate (1961 - 1986). Elected Maronite Patriarch for Antioch and all the East (April 19, 1986). Entrusted by His Holiness Pope John Paul II with the "ecclesiastic communio" (May 7, 1986). Created Cardinal by His Holiness Pope John Paul II (November 26, 1994). Delegate President of the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Lebanon (1995).
Languages: As the case is with most Maronite Patriarchs and monks, his Eminence is fluent in Arabic, Syriac/Aramaic, French, Italian/Latin, and English .
NYer, thank you!! I now see why Dubya has invited him to the WH. I've printed off your schedule, and will be keeping a very close eye on this meeting. Exciting times to be sure!!! :-)
Publius Pundit
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