IN MEMORIAM, 13th October 1990

"In view of the actual military and political situations, and to avoid a blood bath, and to save what remains, I ask of the army command to execute the orders of General Lahoud" ( The last communique of General Aoun 13/Oct/1990)

"The military operation has been accomplished swiftly, during which the legal forces, helped by the Syrian forces whom we thank wholeheartedly, executed their sacred duty to safeguard the Nation, its institutions as well as the unity of the army and the people. (Extract of the speech of M. Elias Hraoui on 13/Oct/1990).

"The rebellion of Michel Aoun is terminated for ever. (Selim Hoss, first prime minister of the government of Elias Hraoui).

AND WHAT WAS THE RESULT? A new Constitution and a new Republic. Is it for this Republic that thousands of Lebanese (all groups) died?

In general, the second Republic, which logically follows the first, is born to positively change things, to bring forth a modern vision and a new history. Ours (our 2nd Republic) only returned us to the prehistoric era.

We ask ourselves if one single Lebanese is happy with the actual state of things? We ask ourselves too , if the political class is aware that not a single Lebanese abroad has returned to the native land, neither to live or invest? We ask ourselves as well, why the displaced haven't recovered their villages? why hasn't our country profited from the financial aid promised by the Arab states? Isn't it by lack of trust in the actual state of the situation in the country?

THEREFORE WHAT SORT OF 2nd REPUBLIC DID THE TAEF ACCORDS GIVE US?

Aberrant legislative elections, electors whose age surpassed the Guinness book record, weekly violations of the law, summary detentions, a democracy that is collapsing under the pressure of the occupier, more than 70,000 foreign soldiers on Lebanese soil while the national army does not even count 40,000 soldiers, ..etc... In short, the second Republic can be summarized by : OCCUPATION, ELECTORAL FRAUD, STAGGERING PUBLIC DEBT, EMBEZZLEMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS, ...

IS THIS THE RESULT WE WERE LOOKING FORWARD DURING THE 20 YEARS OF WAR?

(Weekly Nahar, 12 October 1996)