AOUN'S DEPARTURE CHRONOLOGY
- Author: Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada
- Document source:
-
Date:
1 November 1990
1. THE WAR OF ATTRITION: 1988-1990
With the Parliament unable to decide upon the choice of his successor, President Amin Gemayel appoints, on 22 September 1988, General Michel Aoun as acting head of government (Europa 1990 1990, 1597). Michael Aoun, a Maronite Christian and professional soldier, has been Commander in Chief of the Lebanese Army since 1984 (Libération 15 Oct. 1990; Le Monde 14-15 Oct. 1990a). His appointment is rejected by Muslims, who continue to recognize Selim Hoss, a pro-Syrian Sunni, as acting Prime Minister. The 30,000 strong Lebanese Army regroups along religious lines (Le Monde 14-15 Oct. 1990a; Cordellier et al. 1989, 326-28). Two governments are set up: one in East Beirut, led by Michel Aoun, the other in West Beirut, led by Hoss. The partition of Lebanon thus becomes official (Cordellier et al. 1989, 327).
In March 1989, Aoun attempts to extend his borders beyond "Christian country" into those sectors of West Beirut controlled by Selim Hoss, who enjoys Syrian support (Europa 1990 1990, 1597; Keesing's 1989 1989, 36538). To this end, he tries to close the illegal ports operated by Muslim and Druze militias south of Beirut. Pro-Syrian militias retaliate immediately. During the fighting, General Aoun declares the "war of liberation," announcing he will take all necessary steps to drive Syrian troops from Lebanese territory. Over 900 people die in the six months of violence which follow, further destabilizing an already unsound economy (The New York Times 14 Oct. 1990; Cordellier et al. 1989, 327-28). In May 1989, a tripartite committee with representatives from Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Algeria meets in Morocco under the aegis of the Arab League to draw up a peace plan designed to end the civil war. The committee meets again four months later in Taif, Saudi Arabia, and adopts the "Charter of National Reconciliation" (Le Monde 14-15 Oct. 1990a). This document provides for a renewed balance of power in the Lebanese government in favour of the Muslims (limiting the prerogatives of the President, who had the majority of powers under the 1943 Pact, and distributing seats equally between Muslims and Christians, who in the past had made up the majority). It also calls for the dismantling of all militias within six months and the withdrawal of the Syrian Army from Lebanon (Le Monde 14-15 Oct. 1990a; Cimade information - Nouvelles du Liban Apr.-May 1990, 23; Delury 1987, 664-67; Europa 1989 1989, 1613).
Michel Aoun refuses to ratify the Taif agreement because it does not set a deadline for the withdrawal of the Syrian troops which have been stationed on Lebanese soil since 1976 under an Arab League mandate (The Associated Press 13 Oct. 1990). He further isolates himself by refusing to recognize the presidency of René Mouawad, whose election he deems unconstitutional, as well as the November election of Mouawad's successor, Elias Hraoui, who maintains close ties with Damascus (Le Monde 14-15 Oct. 1990a).
In January 1990, General Aoun launchs an offensive against the Lebanese Forces. East Beirut becomes the scene of violent confrontations between Christians. Over 1,000 people are killed in the months that follow (Reuters 13 Oct. 1990). In March, Aoun declares a halt to the fighting and says he is ready to accept the Taif agreement with certain amendments. The following month, fighting finally stops (Le Monde 14-15 Oct. 1990a; Libération 20-21 Oct. 1990; Europa 1990 1990, 1599). Samir Geagea, Commander of the Lebanese Forces, decides, given the unequal strength of the forces, to soften his position with regard to Syria and to join with President Hraoui's army (Libération 20-21 Oct. 1990).
At the end of August 1990, the Lebanese Parliament votes to adopt the constitutional amendments put forward in the Taif agreement. The following month, Hraoui proclaims the advent of the Second Lebanese Republic (Le Monde 23-24 Sept. 1990).
2. THE EXPULSION OF GENERAL AOUN
On 17 September 1990, the Lebanese Army of President Elias Hraoui completes the reinforcement of its military strength around the stronghold of General Michel Aoun. Nearly 2,000 soldiers, supported by armoured vehicles, are deployed along the "green line" dividing East and West Beirut, and along the northern and eastern boundaries of Christian territory (Le Devoir 17 Sept. 1990). General Aoun has some 15,000 men, while Hraoui's army has only about 10,000 (Reuters 12 Oct., 13 Oct. 1990; Libération 12 Oct. 1990; Le Devoir 12 Oct. 1990).
About a week later, taking advantage of events in the Gulf and having obtained the support of Syrian President Hafez el-Assad, Hraoui blockades the Christian enclave controlled by Michel Aoun. The roughly 500,000 inhabitants of this area are soon faced with fuel and food shortages (Le Monde 3 Oct. 1990). Furthermore, the blockade cuts off military supplies from Iraq. But it takes more than these actions to shake the determination of Aoun's partisans (Le Monde 14-15 Oct. 1990a; Libération 12 Oct. 1990).
On 11 October, President Hraoui, determined to put down General Aoun's "rebellion", calls on Syrian military aid. Syria has about 40,000 men on Lebanese soil (The Sunday Times 14 Oct. 1990; The Associated Press 13 Oct. 1990; La Presse 21 Oct. 1990). In the night of 11 to 12 October, troops faithful to President Hraoui and thousands of Syrian soldiers tighten the noose around the Christian enclave (Le Monde 13 Oct. 1990a). Tanks and armoured vehicles are deployed in the Shiite suburbs and around Souk-el-Gharb, south of Baabda (Le Monde 13 Oct. 1990b).
During the day of 12 October, fighting breaks out in East Beirut between the soldiers of Aoun and those of Samir Geagea's Lebanese Forces (which rallied to Hraoui the previous spring). Aoun himself survives an assassination attempt while he speaks to his supporters who have come to form a human shield around the palace in order to defend him (Reuters 12 Oct. 1990).
On Saturday, 13 October, at six in the morning local time, Hraoui's army and Syrian forces launch an offensive against Aoun's stronghold, forcing him to seek refuge at the French Embassy in Mar Takla (Libération 15 Oct. 1990; Le Monde 14-15 Oct. 1990b). Scarcely more than two hours of bombardment by Syrian air force and artillery are needed to force Aoun to surrender. At about 9:30, he asks his soldiers, in a message broadcast on radio, to take their orders in future from General Emile Lahoud, Commander of President Elias Hraoui's army. One hour later, Hraoui's troops have a pincer hold on the Ministry of Defence in Yarzé and the Presidential Palace in Baabda. The fighting leaves over 700 dead and 1,500 wounded (The Associated Press 18 Oct. 1990; Le Devoir 20 Oct. 1990; The New York Times 22 Oct. 1990).
On 16 October, Lebanese Army bulldozers begin dismantling the "green line," the twelve-kilometre line of demarcation which has, since 1976, separated Beirut and its suburbs since 1976 into a Christian sector and a sector with a Muslim majority (Agence France Presse 16 Oct. 1990).
Nearly a month later, on 13 November, most of the militias complete their withdrawal from Beirut, before the 19 November deadline provided under the Taif agreement (The New York Times 13 Nov. 1990).
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Agence France Presse. 16 octobre 1990. « Démonstration de force devant l'ambassade de France et début de démantèlement de la "ligne verte" ».
The Associated Press. 18 October 1990. Salam, Mohammed. "Syrian Troops Withdraw From Buildings Seized From Aoun."
The Associated Press. 13 October 1990. Nassar, Farouk. "Rebel Lebanese General Surrenders Under Attack."
Cimade Information - Nouvelles du Liban. April-May 1990. "17 cantons pour une patrie," p. 23.
Cordellier, Serge and Lennkh, Annie, ed. L'état du monde 1989-1990. 1989. Montréal: Éditions du Boréal, 1989, pp. 326-28.
Delury, George E., ed. World Encyclopaedia of Political Systems & Parties. 1987. 2nd ed. New York: Facts on File, Inc., pp. 664-67.
Le Devoir [Montréal]. 20 October 1990. "Aoun retenu, sa famille file en France."
Le Devoir. 12 October 1990. "Des soldats syriens assiègent Aoun."
Le Devoir. 17 September 1990. "Hraoui renforce ses armements autour de Michel Aoun au Liban."
The Europa World Year Book 1989. 1989. Vol. II. London: Europa Publications Ltd., pp. 1609, 1613.
The Europa World Year Book 1990. 1990. Vol. II. London: Europa Publications Ltd., p. 1597.
Keesing's Record of World Events (1989). 1989. "Moslem-Christian confrontation." London: Longman Group UK Ltd., p. 36538.
Libération [Paris]. 20-21 October 1990. "Le serpent de mer libanais."
Libération. 15 October 1990. "Au Liban, Aoun mis hors-jeu par l'armée syrienne."
Libération. 12 October 1990. "Liban : la Syrie concentre ses troupes face au général Aoun."
Le Monde [Paris]. 14-15 October 1990a. "De la `guerre de libération' au blocus du réduit chrétien."
Le Monde. 14-15 October 1990b. "Le général Michel Aoun s'est rendu pour éviter un bain de sang à Beyrouth."
Le Monde. 13 October 1990a. "Avertissement ou prélude?"
Le Monde. 13 October 1990b. "Le réduit chrétien du général Aoun cerné par les Syriens."
Le Monde. 3 October 1990. "Une fusillade fait de nombreuses victimes parmi les partisans du général Aoun."
Le Monde. 23-24 September 1990. "Le président Hraoui annonce l'avènement de la IIe République."
La Presse [Montréal]. 21 October 1990. "Assad aidera Hraoui à désarmer les milices."
The New York Times. 13 November 1990. "Lebanese Split on Potential for Peace."
The New York Times. 22 October 1990. Jaber, Ali. "Leader of a Major Christian Clan in Beirut is Assassinated With His Family."
The New York Times. 14 October 1990. "Mideast Tensions."
Nouvelles du Liban [Paris]. November 1989. No. 3. Achcar, Paul. "La cavalcade." pp. 17-18.
Reuters. 13 October 1990. "Major Events in Lebanon's 15-Year Civil War."
Reuters. 12 October 1990. Nakhoul, Samia. "Aoun Escapes Assassination, Syrian Forces Ring Enclave."
The Sunday Times [London]. 14 October 1990. Van Lynden, Aernout. "Fleeing Beirut General Caught in a Tug of War."
Disclaimer: This document is published with the permission of the copyright holder and producer Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). The original version of this document may be found on the offical website of the IRB at http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/. Documents earlier than 2003 may be found only on Refworld.
This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.