What do we know about the Cedar Revolution?

Though the Lebanese Civil War ended in 1989, Syria’s role in Lebanese politics did not. In fact, it only escalated.

Rafik Hariri who was the Lebanese prime minister is credited for rebuilding Beirut after the Civil War. On 14th February, 2005, Hariri and twenty others were killed in a bomb blast. The bombing targeted Hariri’s motorcade; he was conducting a massive political event. The Cedar revolution was triggered by the assassination. The revolution was named after the cedar tree featured on the Lebanese flag.

Just like the Rose Revolution, the Cedar Revolution too chose a path of nonviolent civic engagement. This was despite Lebanon’s bloody political history. The objectives of the Cedar Revolution were as follows:

a. resignation of the ruling Lebanese government

b. withdrawal of the Syrian military

c. an international UN tribunal to investigate Hariri’s death, and

d. resignation of the heads of the intelligence services.

On 2 March 2005, Bashar Al-Assad, the Syrian leader announced that Syrian forces would withdraw completely from Lebanese territory, ending more than 30 years of occupation.

Picture Credit : Google

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