|
Lebanese around
the world call for Syrian withdrawal
February 2005
Lebanese around the world
took to the streets to call for the Syrian withdrawal from
Lebanon. In New York, some 200 demonstrators gathered in front
of the UN. Sponsors of the protest, a grass root organization
formed as the Independence Uprising commenced in Lebanon, said
that their movement has a single goal "Stand up for Lebanon."
Protestors held banners urging the UN to sponsor an
international investigation into the murder of former Lebanese
premier Rafik Hariri and the implementation of UN resolution
1559 which calls for the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon and
the disbanding of the Hizbullah militia.
"At
these critical times, I wish I were in Lebanon to participate
in the Independence Uprising," said one of the protestors.
"It's time for them (the Syrians) to leave. This time they
committed the two biggest mistakes in their Lebanon policies."
"First," the protester argued, "they forced an extension of
the mandate of Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, a very
unpopular figure in Lebanon," and "second, they killed one of
the popular figures."
She
also said that the Syrians "underestimated the intensity of
the Lebanese reaction."
Other
protesters expressed sorrow for Hariri's demise saying that at
the same time, "the event made the Lebanese from different
sects realize that they have one common ultimate goal: Syrian
withdrawal."
"If it
takes demonstrations for them to leave our country alone, we
will sleep in the streets then," according to Hassan Hodroge,
a student at the New York University.
"The
Syrians will try to depict these demonstrations as the
frustration of a minority of Christians, but not anymore,
we're all joining in and we hope the world community will
support us in restoring our democracy, which is the oldest
democracy in the Middle East." And, as Chouf MP Walid Jumblatt
said, "they can't kill all of us." Hodroge, a Lebanese Shiite
from Bazouriyeh, called on his co-religionist to join in. "The
Shiites are now seen as the only sect supporting Syria, but
this only apply to the few corrupt Shiite leaders."
|
