LEBANON: Citizens demonstrate on the 33rd anniversary of the civil war, which killed more than 150,000 people

Record ID: 212677

  • Title: LEBANON: Citizens demonstrate on the 33rd anniversary of the civil war, which killed more than 150,000 people
  • Date: 13th April 2008
  • Summary: (BN11) BEIRUT, LEBANON (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FIGHTING DURING LEBANESE CIVIL WAR
  • Embargoed: 28th April 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Reuters ID: LVAEDECW19GY7YCH9OG4GPQ5GEMN
  • Story Text: Hundreds of Lebanese demonstrated on Sunday (April 13) on the 33rd anniversary of their country's 1975-1990 civil war, several of them hoping that the current political deadlock does not become another costly conflict.
    The demonstration, which was organised by civil society groups, called on Lebanese politicians to resolve the political crisis in the country.

    "I think what we are doing today is to say that Lebanon is still beautiful and there is still energy in this country to live and we don't want to return back to April 13," said Melhem Khalaf, a civil society activist and organiser for the rally.

    "This gathering on the anniversary of April 13 is for all the young people who are rejecting the civil war to return back and that's not meant that those youths don't have political opinions, everyone has his own political opinion," added Nadim Saad, another civil society activist.
    The civil war began shortly after a bus carrying Palestinian fighters came under attack by Christian militants.
    It killed some 150,000 people, destroyed many areas of Beirut and the country and led to the emigration of hundreds of thousands.
    Tensions began to rise again in Lebanon after the assassination in 2005 of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. Several explosions have rocked Beirut neighbourhoods since and seven anti-Syrian politicians have been assassinated.
    For the past 16 months, political tension has been the highest in Lebanon since the civil war as the two main political camps struggle for authority.
    The conflict between the Hezbollah-led opposition and the government coalition, has paralysed much of government and the subsequent deadlock has left Lebanon without a president for more than four months.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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