The Cedar Revolution (Arabic: ثورة الأرز, romanized: thawrat al-arz), known in Lebanon as the Independence intifada (انتفاضة الاستقلال, intifadat al-istiqlal), was a chain of demonstrations in Lebanon (especially in the capital Beirut) triggered by the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. The popular movement was remarkable for its avoidance of violence, peaceful approach, and its total reliance on methods of civil resistance.
The primary goals of the activists were the withdrawal of the Syrian troops which had occupied Lebanon since 1976, the replacement of a government heavily influenced by Syrian interests by more independent leadership, the establishment of an international commission to investigate the assassination of Prime Minister Hariri, the resignation of security officials to ensure the success of the plan, and the organization of free parliamentary elections. More generally, the demonstrators demanded the end of the Syrian influence in Lebanese politics.
At the start of the demonstrations, Syria had a force of roughly 14,000 soldiers and intelligence agents in Lebanon. Following the demonstrations, the Syrian troops completely withdrew from Lebanon on 27 April 2005. With the resignation of the pro-Syrian Karami government on 19 April, the 2005 general election, and the establishment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the main goals of the revolution were achieved.
The opposition used the white-and-red scarf and the blue ribbon as its symbols. The most popular motto of the movement was Hurriyyeh, Siyedeh, Istiqlel (Freedom, Sovereignty, Independence).
Goals
The main goal of the Cedar Revolution was the ending of the Syrian military occupation of Lebanon, which had lasted about 30 years (since 1976). In addition, many Lebanese called for the return of former president Michel Aoun, in exile since 1991, and the release of the imprisoned Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.
Additional goals of the revolution are:
- Ousting Karami's Pro-Syrian government
- Firing the six Lebanese commanders of the nation's main security services, along with the State Prosecutor
- Unmasking the killers of former prime minister Rafic Hariri
- Running free and democratic parliament elections in spring 2005 free from Syrian interference
Origins of the name
The name "Cedar Revolution" is a term that was coined by the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula J. Dobriansky in a news conference, and used to draw a comparison with the Rose Revolution of Georgia, the Orange Revolution of Ukraine, and the Purple Revolution of Iraq. Other names include the Cedar Spring (Arabic: ربيع الأرز – Rabi' el Arz), referring to the season when protests first broke out, and also as an allusion to famous freedom and independence movements such as the Prague Spring and Damascus Spring. The names used by the local media, like the LBC and Future TV, to describe this event include Lebanon Independence (Istiqlal Lubnan), Lebanon Spring (Rabi' Lubnan), or Independence 05. It was also known as Independence Uprising (Arabic: انتفاضة الاستقلال, romanized: intifāḍat al-istiqlāl).
The word Cedar refers to a national emblem, the Cedar of Lebanon, a tree featured on the flag of Lebanon.
Groups involved in the revolution
Civilian groups and organizations
- Qornet Shehwan Gathering (Liqa' Qornet Shehwan): Gathering of Christian Lebanese politicians ranging from center left to center right.
- Democratic Forum (Al Minbar Al Dimokrati): Multi-confessional gathering of Lebanese politicians from different political parties with leftist tendencies, led by Habib Sadek
- Citizens for a Free Lebanon: A Non-governmental organization
- The Center for Democracy in Lebanon: A non-governmental grass-root movement
- The Global Organization of Democratic Believers: An all volunteer group of various religious backgrounds
Main political parties involved in the revolution
In Alphabetical Order:
- Democratic Renewal Movement (Harakat Al-Tajadod Al-Dimokrati) Multi-confessional Movement Leader: Nassib Lahoud, former MP and presidential hopeful.
- Democratic Left (Al Yassar Al Dimokrati) Multi-Confessional Movement Leader: Elias Atallah, former MP and former member of the communist party
- Free Patriotic Movement (At Tayyar Al-Watani Al-Horr) Movement Leader: Michel Aoun, MP. Also presides the "Change and Reform" coalition. He was one of the first to demand the Syrian withdrawal. The movement left the 14 March coalition before the 2005 elections after General Aoun came back from his Paris exile.
- Syrian Traces Leader: unknown
- Future Movement (Tayyar Al Mustaqbal) Muslim Sunni Movement Leader: Saad Hariri, MP and son of Rafiq Hariri
- Lebanese Forces (Al Quwwat al Lubnaniyya) Christian Party Leader: Samir Geagea, jailed 11 years by the Syrians
- Lebanese Liberation Movement Leader: unknown
- Lebanese National Bloc (Hizb Al Kitla Al Wataniya) Christian Party Leader: Carlos Eddé nephew of former leader Raymond Eddé. The Lebanese National Bloc left the 14 March Coalition in June 2009 after the parliamentary election
- National Liberal Party (Hizb Al-Wataniyin Al-Ahrar) Christian Party Leader: Dory Chamoun, son of former president Camille Chamoun
- Phalangist Party (Al-Kataeb Al-Loubnaniya) Christian Party Leader: Amin Gemayel, former president of Republic.
- Progressive Socialist Party (Hizb al-Taqadummi al-Ishtiraki) Druze Party Leader: Walid Jumblat, a sectarian leader was the first ally with Al-Asad, MP and son of former leader Kamal Jumblat; The PSP left the 14 March Coalition in August 2009
- Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Hizb al-Ramgavar) MP Jean Ogassapian.
- Social Democrat Hunchakian Party (Hizb al-Henchag) MP Sebouh Kalpakian.
Background
2001 Lebanon Protest
An Anti-Syrian occupation demonstration took place in Lebanon on 7 August 2001, which turned violent when the joint Lebanese-Syrian security System tried to repress the revolt, and resulted in the arrest of hundreds without legal justification, during the tenure of the pro-Syrian president Emile Lahoud. On that day, the security forces attacked hundreds of young activists, mainly from the Christian parties, including the Free Patriotic Movement, the Lebanese Forces, the National Liberal Party and other non-partisan neutral activists in front of the Justice Palace in Beirut and engaged in a campaign of beatings and arrests that was characterized by extreme ferocity.
Assassination of Rafic Hariri
On 14 February 2005, the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri was assassinated in a truck bomb attack, which killed 21 and wounded nearly 100. Former Minister of Economy and Trade Bassel Fleihan later died as well from injuries sustained in the blast. This attack sparked huge demonstrations that seemed to unite large numbers of citizens from the usually fractured and sectarian Lebanese population. It was the second such incident in four months: former minister and MP Marwan Hamadeh had survived a car bomb attack on 1 October 2004.
Within hours of the assassination, Lebanese prosecutors issued warrants for the arrest of six Australian nationals who flew out of Beirut to Sydney, Australia three hours after the explosion claiming that seats occupied by the men had tested positive for traces of explosives, and that they were traveling without luggage. The Australian Federal Police interviewed ten individuals in Sydney upon the arrival of the flight, and found the men they questioned did have luggage. Although Sydney airport security sniffer dogs trained to find explosives did react to aircraft seats occupied by the men, test swabs taken from three of the men by the Australian Federal Police tested negative for explosives. Within 48 hours, the Australian Federal Police absolved the six of any involvement in the assassination, giving little credibility to claims of the Lebanese officials.
Despite the lack, to date, of any actual substantial evidence implicating any party or individual, the Syrian government has borne the brunt of Lebanese and international outrage at the murder, because of its extensive military and intelligence influence in Lebanon, as well as the public rift between Hariri and Damascus just before his last resignation on 20 October 2004. The day after Hariri's resignation, pro-Syrian former prime minister Omar Karami was appointed prime minister.
Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, a recent adherent to the anti-Syrian opposition, emboldened by popular anger and civic action, alleged in the wake of the assassination that in August 2004 Syrian President Bashar al-Assad threatened Hariri, saying "[President of Lebanon] Lahoud is me. ... If you and Chirac want me out of Lebanon, I will break Lebanon." He was quoted as saying "When I heard him telling us those words, I knew that it was his condemnation of death." The United States, the EU and the UN have stopped short of any accusations, choosing instead to demand a Syrian pullout from Lebanon and an open and international investigation of the assassination. Jumblatt's comments are not without controversy; the BBC describes him as "being seen by many as the country's political weathervane" – consistently changing allegiances to emerge on the winning side of the issues de jour through the turmoil of the 1975–90 civil war and its troubled aftermath. He was a supporter of Syria after the war but switched sides after the death of former Syrian president Hafez al-Assad in 2000. His account is quoted, but not confirmed, in the UN's FitzGerald Report. The report stops short of directly accusing Damascus or any other party, saying that only a further thorough international inquest can identify the culprit. The Lebanese government has agreed to this inquiry, though calling for the full participation, not supremacy, of its own agencies and the respect of Lebanese sovereignty. (See international reaction below.)
On 21 February 2005, tens of thousands of Lebanese protesters held a rally at the site of the assassination calling for an end of Syrian occupation and blaming Syria and the pro-Syrian president Émile Lahoud for the murder. In the subsequent weeks, nearly every Monday, a demonstration was held at Beirut's Martyrs Square (also referred to by protesters as "Liberty Square"), in addition to the constant daily gathering of Lebanese there.
Similar demonstrations by Lebanese immigrants were also taken place in several cities across the world, including Sydney – Australia (where over 10,000 people demonstrated in the city), San Francisco, Paris, Düsseldorf, Montreal, and London.
Government resignation
Daily protests against the Syrian occupation attracted 25,000 people. While in the 1990s most anti-Syrian demonstrations were predominantly Christian and were put down by force, the new demonstrations were distinctly non-sectarian and the government did not respond with force or intimidation.
On 28 February, the government of pro-Syrian prime minister Omar Karami resigned, calling for a new election to take place. Karami said in his announcement: "I am keen the government will not be a hurdle in front of those who want the good for this country". The tens of thousands gathered at Beirut's Martyrs' Square cheered the announcement, then chanted "Karami has fallen, your turn will come, Lahoud, and yours, Bashar".
Opposition MPs were not satisfied with only Karami's resignation, and kept pressing for full Syrian withdrawal. Former minister and MP Marwan Hamadeh, who survived a similar car bomb attack on 1 October 2004, said "I accuse this government of incitement, negligence and shortcomings at the least, and of covering up its planning at the most... if not executing".
On 23 March, Michel Abu Arraj, the Lebanese magistrate responsible for the internal Lebanese investigation of the assassination asked to be excused, citing a heavy court schedule. The Judicial Council of Lebanon was expected to rule on his request the next day. His resignation and the consequent need to replace him raised the possibility of a delay in the investigation.
International reaction
Hariri's murder triggered increased international pressure on Syria. In a joint statement, U.S. President George W. Bush and French president Jacques Chirac condemned the killing and called for full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559, which requires the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and the disarming of Hezbollah thriving in Southern Lebanon.
At one point there seemed to be confusion about the extent to which Syria was willing to withdraw from Lebanon. Arab League head Amr Moussa declared that Syrian president Assad promised him a phased withdrawal over a two-year period, but the Syrian Information Minister Mahdi Dakhlallah said that Moussa had misunderstood the Syrian leader. Dakhlallah said that Syria will merely move its troops to eastern Lebanon. Since then, Syria has declared that Resolution 1559 will be fully complied with, and in a matter of months rather than years.
On 15 March, upon hearing purportedly leaked information that the United Nations' special investigation may have found that the Lebanese authorities covered up evidence of the murder, columnist Robert Fisk alleges that Hariri's two sons fled Lebanon, reportedly after being warned that they too were in danger of assassination.