15 September 2008

BEIRUT: Nadim Gemayel, son of President Bachir Gemayel, urged Christians on Sunday to learn from past mistakes and put an end to divisions "if we want to contribute in building a sovereign state." Speaking during a memorial service commemorating the 26th anniversary of his father's assassination at the Lazarite Church in Achrafieh, Gemayel stressed that weapons must be restricted to the state, adding that Palestinian arms inside and outside of the country's refugee camps constitute a "constant threat to Lebanon."

In addition to the Gemayel family, representatives of the three top officials, as well as Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud and Lebanese Forces boss Samir Geagea attended the memorial. 

Gemayel called for the disarmament of Hizbullah, accusing the party of "occupying Beirut" during the May 7 events and representing a "threat to civil peace."

Violence in May erupted when the government moved to curtail elements of Hizbullah's private communications infrastructure. Street fighting between rival camps ensued, resulting in Hizbullah taking control of large swathes of mostly Muslim West Beirut. At least 65 people were killed in the fighting.

"The death of First Lieutenant Samer Hanna confirms the illegitimacy of Hizbullah's weapons, which serve the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Gemayel said.

Hanna was killed in late August when his military helicopter was shot at in the southern region of Sejod, a Hizbullah stronghold. 

Gemayel's comments came less than a week before a renewed national dialogue that aims to reconcile the government and the opposition in the wake of the May clashes.

The national dialogue set to begin on Tuesday will focus on forming a "national defence strategy" in which the relationship between armed groups and the army in defending the country is to be defined. A primary focus will be the arsenal of Hizbullah.

"We [the Phalanges] were never afraid of weapons but fear for the country's future and its identity," Gemayel said, adding that security zones must not exist within the state.

Gemayel also hailed all "Phalange and Lebanese Forces martyrs" and urged political leaders to bring an end to "massive" emigration."

"A central Christian national role preserves Muslims unity," he added.

Gemayel said his father was killed "for opposing foreign hegemony and intervention in Lebanese political affairs."

"We are the Lebanese resistance; we resisted the naturalization of Palestinians and the Syrian occupation," he added.

However, Gemayel welcomed unconditional dialogue and ensured his support to reconciliation efforts.

Concluding his speech, he asked the audience to maintain hope and "consolidate efforts to build a capable Lebanese state.

Former President Bashir Gemayel was assassinated, along with 25 others, on September 14, 1982, nine days before he was due to take office, in an explosion at the Phalange party headquarters in Achrafieh.

Gemayel headed, following the death of William Hawi in 1976 the Lebanese Forces, the armed wing of the Phalange.

Amine Gemayel, brother of Bachir and also former president of the Republic, currently heads the Phalange.

Bachir Gemayel's 18-month-old daughter Maya was assassinated on February 23, 1980, and more recently, his nephew former Industry Minister and MP Pierre Amine Gemayel was killed on November 21, 2006.

Copyright The Daily Star 2008.