Gebran Tueni all alone
Leaders of the Lebanese March 14 Alliance sent representatives to attend a memorial service for slain politician Gebran Tueni, signalling weaknesses within the alliance in the face of the conflict in Syria.
2 min read
Relatives mourn for Gebran Tueni at his funeral in 2005 [AFP]
Nine years ago, Gebran Tueni paid the ultimate price for opposing Syrian intervention in Lebanon. Born to an influential family, he was the son of veteran journalist and former minister, Ghassan Tueni. His paternal grandfather was also named Gebran Tueni, and it was he who set up the daily Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar.
As a member of parliament, Tueni was also a leading figure in the 2005 Cedar Revolution, which ended with Syria's military withdrawal from Lebanon on 27 April 2005.
Tueni was assassinated just months later, on 12 December 2005, when he was being driven from his home in Beit Meri, Mount Lebanon, to An-Nahar's offices in Beirut. A remote-controlled car bomb went off, throwing his two-tonne armoured Range Rover off the road and down a steep valley, and turning it into a flaming pile
of scrap metal.
The MP's family and the political party he co-founded, the Qornet Shehwan Gathering, which is part of the March 14 Alliance, are still paying the price.
On this year's anniversary of his death, members of the March 14 coalition gathered in a small hall in Beirut's Alexandre Hotel in Achrafieh to commemorate his death.
None of the leading figures of March 14 attended the event, with politicians such as Saad al-Hariri, Fouad Siniora, Amin Gemayel and Samir Geagea sending representatives instead.
March 14 leaders have stopped attending political events due to the cold war in Lebanon created by the situation in Syria. Events in Syria have deepened divisions in Lebanon between the Shia dominated pro-Syrian regime March 8 Alliance, and the Sunni dominated pro-Syrian opposition March 14 Alliance.
The memorial sums up the current condition of March 14. It is as if the custodians of this alliance do not realise people still believe in them, and they are scared of Hizballah and its weapons.
Lebanon's sectarian divides are hurting the Lebanese people, and weakening the political power of their representatives.
This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.
As a member of parliament, Tueni was also a leading figure in the 2005 Cedar Revolution, which ended with Syria's military withdrawal from Lebanon on 27 April 2005.
Tueni was assassinated just months later, on 12 December 2005, when he was being driven from his home in Beit Meri, Mount Lebanon, to An-Nahar's offices in Beirut. A remote-controlled car bomb went off, throwing his two-tonne armoured Range Rover off the road and down a steep valley, and turning it into a flaming pile
 |
A remote-controlled car bomb went off throwing his two-tonne armoured Range Rover off the road and down a steep valley. |
The MP's family and the political party he co-founded, the Qornet Shehwan Gathering, which is part of the March 14 Alliance, are still paying the price.
On this year's anniversary of his death, members of the March 14 coalition gathered in a small hall in Beirut's Alexandre Hotel in Achrafieh to commemorate his death.
None of the leading figures of March 14 attended the event, with politicians such as Saad al-Hariri, Fouad Siniora, Amin Gemayel and Samir Geagea sending representatives instead.
March 14 leaders have stopped attending political events due to the cold war in Lebanon created by the situation in Syria. Events in Syria have deepened divisions in Lebanon between the Shia dominated pro-Syrian regime March 8 Alliance, and the Sunni dominated pro-Syrian opposition March 14 Alliance.
The memorial sums up the current condition of March 14. It is as if the custodians of this alliance do not realise people still believe in them, and they are scared of Hizballah and its weapons.
Lebanon's sectarian divides are hurting the Lebanese people, and weakening the political power of their representatives.
This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.
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