Lebanese Independence Day
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| Lebanese Independence Day | |
|---|---|
| Official name | استقلال لبنان |
| Date | November 22 |
| Next time | 22 November 2024 |
| Frequency | annual |
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Lebanese Independence Day (Arabic: استقلال لبنان) is a national holiday celebrated on November 22 in remembrance of the ending of the French mandate over Lebanon in 1943, after 23 years of colonial rule.
Contents
Pre-Independence period
When the Vichy government assumed power over French territory in 1940, General Henri Fernand Dentz was appointed as high commissioner of Lebanon. This new turning point led to the resignation of Lebanese president Emile Edde on April 4, 1941. After 5 days, Dentz appointed Alfred Naccache for a presidency period that lasted only 3 months and ending with the surrender of the Vichy forces posted in Lebanon and Syria to the Free French and British troops. On July 14, 1941, an armistice was signed in Acre ending the clashes between the two sides and opening the way for General Charles de Gaulle's visit to Lebanon, thus ending Vichy's control.
Having the opportunity to discuss matters of sovereignty and independence, the Lebanese national leaders asked de Gaulle to end the French Mandate and unconditionally recognize Lebanon's independence. After national and international pressure, General Georges Catroux (a delegate general under de Gaulle) proclaimed in the name of his government the Lebanese independence on November 26, 1941. Countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, the Arab states, the Soviet Union, and certain Asian countries recognized this independence, and some of them even exchanged ambassadors with Beirut. However this didn't stop the French from exercising their authority.[1]
On November 8, 1943, and after electing president Bechara El Khoury and appointing prime Minister Riad al-Solh, the Chamber of Deputies amended the Lebanese Constitution, which abolished the articles referring to the Mandate and modified the specified powers of the high commissioner, thus unilaterally ending the Mandate. The French responded by arresting the president, the prime minister, and other cabinet members, and exiling them to an old citadel located in Rashaya. This incident, which unified the Christian and Muslim opinion towards the mandate, led to an international pressure demanding the Lebanese leaders' release and massive street protests.
Government of Bechamoun
After the imprisonment of the Lebanese officials, the Lebanese MPs reunited in the house of the speaker of parliament, Sabri Hamadé, and assigned the two uncaught ministers Emir Majid Arslan (Minister of National Defence) and Habib Abou Chahla to carry out the functions of the government. The two ministers then moved to Bechamoun and by so their government became known as the Government of Bechamoun. The Government was provided shelter and protection in the residence of Hussein El Halabi, a recognized leader in Bechamoun and Patriarch of the Halabi family. This residence was strategically located providing optimum protection to the ministers.
The newly formed government refused to hold talks with General Catroux or any other mandate official; stressing that any negotiation should be done with the captured government. It also formed a military resistance under the name of the "National Guard", whose supreme commander was Emir Majid. This military group fought the battle of independence and later became the core of the Lebanese Army that was later formed in 1946 under the leadership of Emir Majid and General Fouad Chehab.
Finally, France yielded to the augmenting pressure of the Lebanese people, as well as the demand of numerous countries and released the prisoners from Rashaya in the morning of Monday November 22, 1943. Since then, this day has been celebrated as the Lebanese Independence Day.[2]
This historic site of Lebanese Independence and residence of Hussein El Halabi, where the first Lebanese flag was raised on 11 November 1943, continues to welcome tourists and visitors throughout the year to celebrate national pride.
Post-Independence period
After the independence, the Lebanese state was founded in 1943 by an unwritten agreement between the two most prominent Christian and Muslim leaders Khouri and al-Solh and which was later called the National Pact (al Mithaq al Watani الميثاق الوطني ).
The National Pact had 4 principles:
- Lebanon is a completely independent state. The Christian communities should cease hamza with the West; in return, the Muslim communities should protect the independence of Lebanon and prevent its merge with any Arab state.
- Lebanon has an Arab face and another facing the West as it could not cut off its spiritual and intellectual ties with the West, which had helped it attain such a notable degree of progress.
- Lebanon, as a member of the family of Arab states, should cooperate with the other Arab states, and in case of conflict among them, it should not side with one state against another.
- Public offices should be distributed proportionally among the recognized religious groups, but in technical positions preference should be given to competence without regard to confessional considerations. Moreover, the three top government positions should be distributed as follows: the president of the republic should be a Maronite; the prime minister, a Sunni Muslim; and the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, a Shia Muslim. The ratio of deputies was to be six Christians to five Muslims.
In 1945, Lebanon became a member of the Arab League (March 22) and a member in the United Nations (UN San Francisco Conference of 1945). On December 31, 1946, French troops withdrew completely from Lebanon, with the signing of the Franco-Lebanese Treaty.
See also
References
- ↑ http://countrystudies.us/lebanon/21.htm, World War II and Independence.
- ↑ www.lgic.org, (1920-1943) Mandate Period and Independence. URL accessed on June 7, 2008.
