Christian Lebanese Rally against Syria

20/11/2004| IslamWeb

Some 3,000 Lebanese students and activists defied the government yesterday and demonstrated peacefully against Syria's domination of their country. Shouting "Syrians out," students from several universities and right-wing Christian activists converged on a central Beirut intersection. Hundreds of security forces watched, but did not intervene. Soldiers and police set up roadblocks to prevent protesters from travelling into the capital for the twin demonstrations called by the right-wing and left-wing opposition, causing massive tailbacks in the morning rush-hour. The government had declared that street protests would be illegal, but the police and troops seemed to heed instructions of maximum restraint from Interior Minister Suleiman Franjieh. The protesters dispersed after several hours without any violence reported. Called to mark the anniversary of Lebanon's independence, which falls on Monday, the protests objected to the role of neighbouring Syria, which stations some 14,000 troops in Lebanon and has long controlled the government and senior appointments. One demonstrator appealed to US President George W Bush, holding a placard that read: "Bush help us save Lebanon." A smaller group of protesters, followers of Druse leader Walid Jumblatt, chanted the national anthem near the prime minister's office and held placards reading: "No to hegemony" and "Freedom, Sovereignty, Independence." The government had earlier cordoned off the office of Prime Minister Omar Karami with tank traps and other obstacles. It deployed about 1,000 security forces outside the universities and at major intersections across the city in anticipation of the protests. The protests were called by opposition leader Gen Michel Aoun, a former commander of the Lebanese army. Aoun has been in exile in France since losing a military campaign against the Syrian forces in Lebanon in the early 1990's. Prominent members of the opposition had warned the government against using force to stop the protests, saying the world is watching. Previous protests against Syria have ended in clashes in the streets. Students and other members of the opposition opposed to Syria have been buoyed by UN and US pressure against Syria in recent months. In September, the US and France steered Resolution 1559 through the UN Security Council. It effectively demanded that Syria withdraw its forces from Lebanon and allow Lebanese presidential elections to take place as scheduled. But the Lebanese parliament, dominated by pro-Syrian members, ignored the resolution and amended the constitution so that President Emile Lahoud, a Syrian ally, had his term extended for another three years. **PHOTO CAPTION*** A group of Lebanese university students carrying pictures of exiled Christian opposition leader Gen. Michel Aoun chant anti-Syrian slogans during a protest in Beirut on Friday, Nov. 19, 2004, a few days before Lebanon's Independence Day. (AP)