MARCH THE FOUTENTH
By: Colonel Fayez Karam
(Free translation by: Elias Bejjani)

On March 14^th, 1989, the people of Lebanon renewed their blunt rejection of foreign submissiveness and subordination. They renewed their rejection for being submissive to a non-Lebanese will that was personified by pompous, humiliating Syrian officials' attitudes. The Syrians dealt with the people of Lebanon with superiority and they deliberately practiced ignorance, indifference and negligence towards Lebanon's need, dignity and national interests.

The Lebanese strongly rejected the subordination aiming to erase their nationalism, liquidate their entity and destroy the foundations of their Country. Thus due to Lebanon’s heroic rejection, Syria shelled their houses, streets, children, elderly, men and women. The shelling was haphazard, brutal, and did not differentiate between military or civilian targets. Every Lebanese was hit hard and made to suffer the pain and losses created by the vengeful Syrian bombs. People were killed, displaced, and forced to immigrate. No Lebanese was spared the ordeal, and every Lebanese family had to pay a price. Some lost a beloved member, or members, and many lost their properties... It was a massacre inflicted by Syria on Lebanon, and on its peaceful, civilized people.

General Michel Aoun, the leader, led the uprising and revolted against the imposed status quo. With him the people revolted heroically. Those who supported the leader were from all walks of life, from all denominations, families, parties and aspirations. Lebanon revolted through the Leader's voice, rejected the imposed misery and unveiled the international conspiracy. A heroic public spirit prevailed, and the liberation war was declared against the Syrian occupier and the conspiracy he represented.

The declared liberation war was initially against the peoples' own fears and hesitation, and then against the occupier, for a man has to tame his own fears first, before engaging in any fight. The war sprung from deep inside the Lebanese peoples' will and conscience to favor goodness over evil, honesty over connivance, principle over compromise, and law over illegal practices. The Liberation war was, and still is, a struggle for the better. Only those who once lived in freedom can recognize what betterment means.

The Lebanese people lived freedom, fought for it, gave their lives for its cause and experienced what was better. They understood that freedom does not emerge from emptiness, and that it is the outcome of oppression, injustice and awkwardness. They knew too, that it dwells only inside the liberated minds and hearts, and that it is the foundation of the justice scale and the essence for principles of Human rights.

The intention in this article is not to remind our fellow Lebanese of their miseries loses or heroism. It is not to provoke grudges, hatred, or to create problems. The intention is to learn from our painful past experience and look at its positive side. A positive side that revealed a heroic leader, a great people, and the fact that freedom has a very high price: a price that could be paid only by those who deserve it.

Lebanon is a torch in its milieu, and a role modal that illuminates civilization, education and openness. Lebanon through the Liberation era renewed its radiation of freedom and cemented its national pride, honor and dignity.

Let us all remember that freeform can attract and appeal to all theLebanese people, while ignorance, submissiveness, subordination and collaboration disperse them. For those mercenary politicians, appeasers and opportunists who fear freedom, for it might jeopardize their personal interests, we say:

The torch today is in the hands of your sons and daughters, the youth of great Lebanon. The youth are eager to claim Lebanon's sovereignty, freedom and pride. The youth have found the Free Patriotic Current to be the right venue for their heroic struggle for liberating Lebanon, all Lebanon, for all the Lebanese. Remember that our, and your youth, shall not pardon traitors or collaborators.
Long Live Free Lebanon
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