The anniversary of the killing of Al-Hariri was also a time to settle political scores among the Lebanese, writes Hicham Safieddine One year on from the assassination of Rafik Al-Hariri, hundreds of thousands commemorated the slain Lebanese former prime minister at the Martyrs' Square on Tuesday. From the early hours of the morning, flag-waving Lebanese descended on the central Beirut from all over the country, gathering near Al-Hariri's grave. The crowd fell silent around 12:55, marking the exact time a huge bomb exploded in Downtown Beirut and hit Al-Hariri's motorcade. For several hours, participants also listened to a roster of speakers who renewed the spirit of a similar massive gathering on 14 March 2005 when close to a million people thronged to the same square to call for the withdrawal of Syria from Lebanon and to create a new movement, dubbed the Gathering of 14 March. They also cheered Al-Hariri's son Saad as he stepped on the podium behind a protective glass screen. He spoke of the hopes of the young generation for a democratic and independent Lebanon and told protesters that they were the guarantee of Lebanon's sovereignty. But the domestic political agenda was also high on the minds of both speakers and attendees, with anti-Syrian sentiments indirectly targeting Lebanese political groups like Hizbullah. Indeed, following the pullout of Syrian troops and the bulk of its security apparatus last April from Lebanese territory, much of the rhetoric against Syria has been part and parcel of conflicting visions of an independent Lebanon and the power struggle to implement differing visions. And yesterday's rally served to further highlight the emergence of two camps among the sects that make up the Lebanese society. The first camp, backed by Washington, includes the majority of Sunni Muslims, Druze and Christians under the guidance of Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea. Leaders of this camp, including outspoken Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, launched a viscous attack on Damascus and called for the removal of Syria's ally Lebanese President Emile Lahoud. In a reference to the controversy over liberating the southern Shebaa Farms, Jumblatt said the farms of Baabdaa, home to the presidential palace, is the "farm" that ought to be liberated. He did not mince his words when pointing fingers at the alleged killers of Al-Hariri. "Oh Beirut, we want revenge from Lahoud and [Syrian President] Bashar Al-Assad," Jumblatt told an ecstatic crowd. Many blame Syria for killing Al-Hariri, something Damascus vehemently denies. "We tell the ruler of Damascus you are a slave and we are the free," he added. Jumblatt also criticised what he called the "Syrian-Iranian axis" and its allies in Lebanon, including Hizbullah. The Shia party Hizbullah forms the backbone of the second camp taking shape today. It is composed of the majority of Shias and Christians loyal to General Michel Aoun. The septuagenarian was a longtime opponent of Syria and is calling for a moderate stance against Damascus now that its army is out and its direct rule of Lebanon, if not intervention, is over. Groups of young protesters chanted anti- Hizbullah and anti-Aoun slogans at the demonstration. "We are here to tell Aoun and Hizbullah that we are the majority in Lebanon," 19-year-old Mustafa Haggar, who was among thousands of university and high school students attending the event, told Al-Ahram Weekly. The government, headed by Al-Hariri's Future movement had cancelled classes and called on public and private businesses to shut down and participate in the rally. Meanwhile the opposing camp had a gathering of its own last Thursday, when Hizbullah organised a mass rally in the militia's stronghold Addahiya, Beirut's southern suburbs. The show of support came as part of a Shia religious ceremony in which tens of thousands of participants chanted anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans. Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah gave a fiery speech at the rally, and reaffirmed his party's commitment to holding on to weapons as a means of defending Lebanon, something his opponents say should be the onus of the government and not of one party or group. Commenting on the anniversary of Al-Hariri's death, Nasrallah called for the continuation of investigations into the crime, but warned of its falling hostage to political struggles between local and regional players. "This occasion should remain a national occasion. All the Lebanese want to know the truth and punish the culprits," he said. "But let this case take its legal and investigative course instead of politicising it." The competing street mobilisations came against a backdrop of an ongoing United Nations-led investigation into Al-Hariri's killing. The report issued by former chief investigator Detlev Mehlis last year pointed fingers at Damascus but was inconclusive. Indeed, thus far, despite a build-up of pressure against Damascus, there has been no smoking gun in the UN investigations, though the initial report did inadvertently contribute to the status quo the country is now stuck in. Several witnesses cited in the report changed their testimonies and damaged the credibility of the investigation in the eyes of many Lebanese. Earlier this year, the UN Security Council appointed Belgian prosecutor Serge Brammertz as new head of the investigation, yet little has been officially announced about any progress his team has achieved. Tuesday's rally also coincided with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Al-Siniora's visit to Saudi Arabia to discuss the current Lebanese situation. It remains to be seen whether the high-pitch rhetoric that prevailed at Martyrs' Square will scuttle any Saudi-led Arab initiative to mend relations between Syria and Lebanon and bring the different Lebanese factions closer to opening a serious and constructive dialogue among each other. Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri has been spearheading efforts to initiate such a dialogue in the house of parliament and Aoun has repeatedly called for a roundtable discussion between all groups. Among the youth, a mixed mood of optimism and fear of dwindling chances for reconciliation among the different Lebanese groups prevails. Very few harbour fears of a return to the state of fighting and bloodshed of the 1975-1990 civil war. But some are concerned the opportunity of dialogue between the different factions which was opened right after Al-Hariri's death is shrinking with the passing of time.
