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Last Updated: Sep 13, 2011 - 5:19:48 PM |
Bachir
Gemayel Founder of the Lebanese Forces
Some people worshipped him; some
disliked him. He was a leader to many; to others, he was an
enemy to be eliminated. But above all, he was a man who carried
a dream and who had conviction, strength and popular support to
make that dream a reality. He had already begun weaving the
threads of a new fabric for his country when his life was cut
short by those who feared the changes he proposed. But his
spirit lives on in those who knew and loved him. Out of the
wound in our bleeding hearts, out of the tears in our children's
eyes, out of our strong attachment to our land, he emerged and
struck lightning in the sky giving us hope and a dream, a
beautiful dream of a free 10452km2; Lebanon. Free of all foreign
occupation and brotherly presence. He gave us the dream of a
strong unified Lebanon whereby all its different ethnic and
religious groups could coexist in peace and harmony.
After the Cairo Agreement, the situation in Lebanon was steadily
deteriorating, with continued violent outbreaks of fighting
between the armed Palestinians and the Lebanese Army. Attacks by
the armed Palestinians against Israeli targets across the
Lebanese-Israeli border grew more numerous and deadly. After the
Lebanese-PLO war broke on in April 1975, Bashir joined his
fellow militia members of the Kataeb party in defending the
Christian areas against the PLO attacks.
When William Hawi, Commander-in-Chief of the Kataeb Military
Council was killed in the Lebanese Forces siege of the PLO
stronghold in Tell Zaatar in July 1976, Bashir was chosen to
succeed him. By August 30, he was appointed head of the unified
command of the Lebanese Forces, a coalition of the Christian
militias of the Kataeb Party, National Liberal Party, the Tanzim
and the Guardians of the Cedars.
On July 7, 1980, these Christian militias were unified into one
as the Lebanese Forces with Bashir Gemayel as their
Commander-in-Chief. By January 1981, Gemayel also held positions
as Chief of the Kataeb Security Council and member of the Kataeb
Political Bureau.
As Commander-in-Chief, Bashir went on strengthening the military
branch of the Lebanese Forces, instituting military training in
schools of the Christian sector to build up reserves. He also
gave the Lebanese Forces a broader political dimension and
popular basis. He organized public services in the liberated
areas (Eastern Region) to substitute for the lack of government
provided services. These included a public transportation
system; a popular committee to provide the daily needs of the
population such as water, electricity, road maintenance, garbage
collection, sewage, social relief services, etc.; two radio
stations and a television station; and a small airport.
Under President Elias Sarkis, a Council of National Salvation
was formed in June 1982 which grouped the major militia and
political leaders in an effort to draw up measures to end the
seven years of war which had shaken Lebanon. Gemayel
participated on the short-lived Council as the representative of
the Lebanese Forces.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Forces, Bashir had many
opportunities to meet foreign officials both abroad and in
Lebanon to discuss his vision of Lebanon. Most notably of these
were several trips he made to the United States, where he
consulted with officials from the State Department, the White
House, Senators and Congressmen; his visit to Saudi Arabia in
July 1982 to consult with King Fahd; his meeting with European
Christian Democrat Parliamentary groups; and his meetings with
US, UN and Arab envoys who were working on finding solutions to
the Lebanese crisis.
Bashir officially announced his candidacy for President of the
Republic of Lebanon on July 24, 1982. On August 23, 1982,
Gemayel was elected President of the Republic in a second ballot
by a vote of 57 for with 5 abstentions.
During the next few weeks, he held countless planning sessions
and intensive meetings with Christian and Moslem leaders,
preparing plans for the rebirth of Lebanon. He began rallying l
Lebanese people, Moslems and Christians alike, around him as no
other leader in Lebanon had been able to do since independence.
Nine days before he was to be inaugurated President, Bashir
attended his usual discussion session at the Kataeb office in
Ashrafieh. A powerful explosion on the second floor ripped
through the building, killing Bashir along with 26 others. The
hero and hope of Lebanon was dead and all Lebanon mourned.
It was later discovered that two members of the National Syrian
Socialist Party one of whom was related to the owners of the
building in which the Ashrafieh Kataeb offices were located,
were the instigators of the bombing and that Syria was behind
the assassination.
Bashir was frank and direct in his dealings with people. His
zeal for the Lebanese cause, an independent Lebanon free of all
foreign occupation, inspired many. This goal took him around the
world, meeting with Arab and Western leaders, in search for
solutions and support. He was a bold man, charismatic, decisive.
He maintained a clear political course, attracting young,
dynamic and specialized individuals to the cause. He was
forthright and realistic, a man who refused compromise or
half-way solutions. He was open to dialogue and not afraid of
criticism.
The Lebanese emigrants had a major role to play in supporting
the Lebanese cause, Bashir believed. He instituted offices in
many countries overseas, including the Unites States, France,
Brazil, West Germany and Italy to keep those governments
informed about the Lebanese communities there active in working
for the liberation of their mother country, Lebanon.
Gemayel consistently worked for free, democratic, independent
Lebanon, pluralist in nature and strong, secure state. He
believed that Moslem and Christian can live together in peace
and that Lebanon need to maintain good relations with the
Western World as well as the Arab World. He advocated the
withdrawal of Syrian forces occupying Lebanon since 1975, the
withdrawal of Israeli forces occupying Lebanon since June 1982
and disarming of the Palestinians while on Lebanese soil. When
Bashir Gemayel announced his candidacy for the presidency, he
went beyond confessional conflicts and personality quarrels. He
pursued a very sublime goal to unite all the Lebanese, defend
the country's sovereignty and champion a modern and democratic
Lebanon. Exhausted by so many years of war and terror under
foreign occupation, the Lebanese yearned for independence,
freedom and peace. This could only build upon a country at peace
with itself. For this purpose, Gemayel ordered the Lebanese
Forces as they prepared to reenter their villages to refrain,
under heavy penalty, from any wrong doing to their Lebanese
brothers. He firmly warned against any breach of discipline.
"Those against whom you fought; those who demolished your
houses, desecrated the tombs of our grandfathers... we must
respect their dead without any feeling of vengeance. They
destroyed our homes, but we shall protect their homes... We must
secure freedom and protection for every Lebanese without
discrimination." (June 17, 1982).
In the Middle East, where tyranny, fanaticism, turmoil and
intolerance exist, Lebanon was unique in his attempted to be the
country of stability, liberty and tolerance--peaceful by
vocation, democratic by tradition and liberal by civilization.
Bashir Gemayel was seen as the man to restore this freedom and
peace to his country. His candidacy was not only a bet on the
future of Lebanon, but also on the interests of the Free World
and above all the United States.
Bashir Gemayel's sole purpose from founding the Lebanese Forces
was that he wanted an organization, a party that would always be
ready, able and willing to stand in defense of Lebanon. He
wanted it a strong political party and a strong military power
whenever the Lebanese army failed to defend the country as was
the case in 1975. The Lebanese Forces was created to make sure
that what happened in 1975 never happens again and that the
reasons, which lead to the starting of the war be resolved in a
final and permanent way.
The Lebanese Forces was needed and Bashir saw to that need. When
the Lebanese army unwillingly was divided there was a strong
need for someone to protect the true and free Lebanese from
Palestinian fighters who sought their Palestine through our
Lebanon.
The Lebanese Forces and its allies resisted and liberated all of
what was once known as the liberated areas where no foreign
armies existed and where the Lebanese government and
institutions were working freely and where the Lebanese Army had
a presence.
The Lebanese Forces fought everywhere on the Lebanese soil
trying to resist both foreign and local threats to Lebanon and
its independence, in many cases our resistance was successful
and we liberated our land due to the fact that the people of
certain areas backed us and stood behind us and supported us and
unfortunately we were not successful in others due to the fact
that many local threats were a knife in our back working with
the invaders against their fellow Lebanese.
In the summer of 1978 Bashir Gemayel and the Lebanese Forces
launched the war that was later known as the one hundred days
war which ended in a great big victory for the Lebanese Forces
commanded by Bashir. Syrian and Palestinian forces were taken
out of East Beirut and from then on wards it BEGUN.
Bashir resisted the Syrians and Palestinians anywhere they
existed and anywhere he could attack them starting from the
north, passing through Beirut all the way to the south and the
mountain.
Bashir Gemayel gave his life for his dream and ours, he gave his
daughter's life and set the example. He paved the way and
believed in us to accomplish the mission.
LF Leaders :
Bachir Gemayel :
Articles and Interviews
جعجع: حكومة ميقاتي تشكل خطرا ونريد إسقاطها ضمن القانون - Jul 7, 2011 - 5:07:14 PM
 أكد رئيس حزب القوات اللبنانية سمير جعجع في مقابلة لتلفزيون "العربية" أن "القرار الإتهامي لم ينشر بعد وسينشر في نهاية تموز، أي بعد 30 يوما من إصدار مذكرات التوقيف"، وقال: "لكن حتى إشعار آخر، لدي ثقة بالمحكمة وأعمالها انطلاقا من كل ما شهدناه منذ انطلاقها".
أضاف: "الشك مسموح بالمحكمة، ولكن يجب أن نسير بالعكس، فالمحكمة صادقة وعلمية وموضوعية حتى إثبات العكس. عندما يرفض الإنسان أمرا معينا منذ البدء، فهو يكون يفتش على أمور صغيرة، قسم منها صحيح وقسم منها غير صحيح".
LF Leaders :
Bachir Gemayel :
Articles and Interviews
The voice of a commander and statesman: Bashir Gemayel - Sep 28, 2010 - 11:10:29 AM
 Bashir Gemayel, the leader of the Lebanese Forces (LF) militia and former Lebanese president-elect, had a vision to deliver Lebanon from the ashes of its civil war, leading some to dub him "The Phoenix."[1] Others have described him as being ruthless and convinced that he could reform and save Lebanon from the ravages of war.[2] Regardless of one's interpretations of Gemayel's motives, he developed a larger than life persona whose voice still resonates with the hopes and aspirations of a bygone era.
This multimedia feature aims to illustrate how Gemayel articulated his vision through media and the spoken word, and how these techniques developed over his political career.
News :
Local News
Riachi: Why Hasn't a Sentence Been Issued in Bashir Gemayel's Case? - May 13, 2010 - 6:18:50 AM
Special Tribunal for Lebanon Vice-President Judge Ralph Riachy criticized the Lebanese judiciary and wondered why the Judicial Council hadn't issued any ruling in the case of President-elect Bashir Gemayel's assassination in 1982.
"We wouldn't have needed an international court in the first place" if the Lebanese judicial system was flawless, Riachy told al-Akhbar newspaper in remarks published Thursday.
"They might say that (lack of a sentence) is due to the non-presence of the accused. But I wonder why the culprits couldn't be sentenced in absentia," he said about Gemayel's case.
About accusations that the STL is politicized, Riachy said: "What can we do to convince them that it isn't?"
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