Amin Gemayel: Independence intifada underway
(VIDEO) Former Lebanese president and father of slain minister says during mass funeral for his son, ‘death of Prime Minister Hariri is what triggered the current intifada, and today the second intifada was launched; it will not end until there is real and true change’
VIDEO - The funeral ceremony and wake for the slain Industry Minster Pierre Gemayel were held Thursday afternoon with tens of thousand of Lebanese paying their last respects. Despite the intention to hold the funeral as an official event, the speakers turned the funeral into a political event with a clear anti-Syrian tone.
Amin Gemayel, the father of the slain minister and former president of Lebanon, addressed the crowd and said at the outset of his speech at the "Martyr's Square" near the St. Georges Church that the mass funeral was a warning for Lebanon to assert its true sovereignty over the land.
"Just like (slain former President Bashir Gemayel) is living among us, all the martyrs of this intifada of independence are living among us. The death of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is what triggered the current intifada, and today the second intifada was launched. It will not end until there is real and true change. The change will come from the top, from the election of a new president for Lebanon. Whoever agrees to that - place your hands with ours."
'Powers of hell will not win'
In his speech, Gemayel spelled out his new vision in order to not allow extremists from taking control of Lebanon: "We demand reform and a new president for Lebanon. It is impossible that Lebanon will compromise without the truth. I promise you that the countdown towards achieving the truth and the establishment of the tribunal has begun. We will not rest until we will bring to justice everyone who has committed a crime against our sons, our loved ones, and our leaders and against Lebanon. Pierre's spirit is still among us and it will strengthen our wishes until we will reach all our goals for which all our heroes have died for."
During the funeral ceremony, the supporters of the Christian faction called out against Syria and blamed it for the assassination and torched the pictures of Syrian President Bashar Assad and his Lebanese counterpart Emile Lahoud.
Israel's place in the events was also mentioned, as one of the signs read, "We are hostages of Iran, Syria, and Israel." Another sign sent the message that there is a need to implement the decisions of the United Nations: "1559, 1680, 1701 – What don't you understand?!"
Christian Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea told mourners that only the international court could stop more killings. "That is why they (Syria and its allies) want a confrontation over the international trial," he declared. "We are not afraid, and nothing will frighten us or run us down. We will not give up until the crimes in Lebanon are stopped and the criminals are arrested. This can be done only through an international tribunal," said Geagea.
Geagea also referred to the decision of Hizbullah to quit the government last week because of the UN decision to create the international tribunal to investigate the Hariri murder. "They wanted a fight over the tribunal but they didn't have the guts to say it, so they justified it with a fight over political representation, but the masks were unveiled today. This is our government – it is the government of Lebanon, and it takes its power and legitimacy from the blood of our martyrs. We will not accept its replacement with another puppet government. The powers of hell will not win."
'Only solution - national unity government'
The cheers of the crowd grew louder when Geagea aimed the following sentence at the pro-Syrian President of Lebanon: "History will judge President Lahoud and his friends for their crimes against all Lebanese. We promise you today again that we will continue the struggle until the tribunal is established; until the truth and justice will be seen; until there will be one state with one gun."
Druze leader Walid Jumblatt also spoke with enthusiasm, saying acts such as the assassination of Gemayel would not shake Lebanon's aspirations to live as a free nation. "They (Syria) will not suppress our demands for the truth, justice and the international court," he told the crowd, speaking behind a bullet-proof screen. He stressed this was no time for strife. "At this moment, and above the pain and wounds, we are for dialogue," he said.
During his speech Jumblatt added more words aimed at Damascus: "For the third time in less than two years you (the crowd) arrive here from all parts of Lebanon to this square and tell the world that the national unity which was dedicated to the blood of Rafik Hariri and Pierre Gemayel and all the martyrs of independence - is established and completed. The national unity is stronger than terror, the weapons, and their crimes."
Amar al Mussawi, a member of Hizbullah's political wing, responded to the statements in an interview with al-Jazeera and said that "they (the anti-Syrian camp) did everything accept what they had to do. They threw out slogans that have no connection to reality. Of course they are demanding the tribunal like there is any disagreement between the Lebanese, but all Lebanese agreed to it around the discussion table.
“The only way out of this crisis is with a national unity government,” he added. “We do not demand portfolios in the government, but we are interested in the general interest. We think that this government cannot manage the country and the only solution is to create a national unity government."
