Lebanon Celebrates its 68th Independence Day
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Lebanon commemorated on Tuesday its 68th independence anniversary in downtown Beirut, marking the liberation from the French Mandate which was exercised over Lebanese soil for over 23 years.
President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Najib Miqati, and Speaker Nabih Berri headed the officials that joined the celebrations marking the country’s independence.
Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn, Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji, Brazilian Vice-President Michel Tamer and a number of politicians and security figures attended the military parade which was held at Shafiq al-Wazzan Boulevard in Downtown Beirut.
Suleiman placed a wreath on the monument of the Unknown Soldier.
At the end of the parade, the president, PM and speaker headed to the Baabda palace to receive congratulators.
Lebanon received its independence after French troops arrested Lebanese national leaders Beshara al-Khoury, Riad al-Solh, Pierre Gemayel, Camille Chamoun, and Adel Osseiran in Rashaya.
After national and international pressure, the prisoners were released on November 22, 1943 and that day was declared the Lebanese Independence Day.
On Monday, Suleiman addressed the nation urging the Lebanese to maintain national unity and civil peace.
22 November 2011, 13:57
01
No such thing as Lebanese independence with ruling policital partis taking their orders from abroad. Lame Lame Lame!
22 November 2011, 15:30
01
Lebanon? Independent? There is nothing yet to celebrate. Freedom from the French mandate only to succumb to the Syrian Mandate and the Iranian Mandate. What about the mandate of the Lebanese people, the true sovereigns of the country. That mandate is still usurped by foreign powers, so there is no independence.
There will be no independence in Lebanon until the Lebanese exercise their mandate over their own government. That does not means just elections. Elections mean nothing if they are bought and paid for by foreign money; if the people refuse to hold the elected officials accountable back to the people; and as long as the people see sovereign power vested in the political class.
Sovereign power is in the people, not the political class. The politicians are the servants of the people. It is not alien to them to be servants, as they serve many masters in Iran, Syria, France Saudi Arabia the US and elsewhere.
We will be independent when the people realize their power.
22 November 2011, 16:19
01
Do you call this independence? look up the word in the dictionary...
22 November 2011, 16:48
00
Real independence day will come when ASSad is done, and the Hezz are gone.
22 November 2011, 17:39
00
army people moukawama?????
the army is ridicalously saving the appearance,the people are secterian,and the moukawama is farsi/faqihi. so......
22 November 2011, 19:14
00
which day are they going to choose to celebrate the independence from the 30 years of syrian mandate?
