Status of General Michel Aoun

General Michel Aoun was Lebanon's interim prime minister until he was fired in 1989 (BBC 13 June 2005). Refusing to step down, Aoun fought back against the Syrians, but six months and thousands of deaths later he was forced into exile in France (ibid.), where he remained until his return to Lebanon on 7 May 2005 (Christian Science Monitor 20 June 2005; see also BBC 27 May 2005).

Upon his return to Lebanon, Aoun began putting together

...an intensive electioneering campaign, adopting the color orange and the Greek letter omega (the symbol of resistance in electrical terms), and publishing a 43-page manifesto outlining a comprehensive overhaul of Lebanon's political, judicial, and economic system, ridding it of 15 years of Syrian influence (Christian Science Monitor 20 June 2005).

In the third electoral round of the parliamentary elections held on 12 June 2005, the "fiercely anti-Syrian" Aoun, representing the Free Patriotic Movement (BBC 27 May 2005), emerged victorious in the Christian heartland of Mount Lebanon (Reuters 20 June 2005). His alliance won 21 seats (ibid.), while Aoun himself became a newly elected member of the Lebanese parliament (AP 19 June 2005). According to two news sources, this victory has turned Aoun into the major Christian political player (BBC 20 June 2005; Reuters 20 June 2005).

Status of Samir Geagea

Samir Geagea (BBC 27 May 2005; AI Dec. 2004), whose name is sometimes spelt Ja'ja (US 12 June 2005; Country Reports 2004 28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 1.c), is the leader of the Lebanese Forces, a "former Christian militia and anti-Syrian opposition group" (BBC 27 May 2005) that was banned in 1994 (Freedom House 23 Aug. 2004) and, as at December 2004, continued to be banned (AI Dec. 2004). Geagea was imprisoned in 1994 for murdering or attempting to murder politicians during and after the civil was in Lebanon (Country Reports 2004 28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 1.c; BBC 27 May 2005). He continued to be imprisoned as at 12 June 2005 (China FBIS 12 June 2005). Geagea was held in solitary confinement in the basement of the Ministry of Defense from 1994 to September 2004, when he was moved to a "more comfortable ground level cell" (Country Reports 2004 28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 1.c).

Relationship Between Michel Aoun and Samir Geagea

During Lebanon's civil war, Aoun and Geagea fought against each other (BBC 18 May 2005). However, in May 2005, following his return to Lebanon, Aoun visited Geagea in prison, after 15 years of not having seen one another, as "'an expression of solidarity with him [Geagea] in his jail because his continuing imprisonment is injustice'" (US 20 May 2005; see also BBC 18 May 2005). Aoun is quoted as saying: "'I believe that even if the basis of his imprisonment were right, the period that he has spent in jail is sufficient'" (US 20 May 2005).

Treatment of Lebanese Forces Members by Authorities

According to Amnesty International, in 2004,

[s]cores of people, mostly Sunni Islamist activists and members of opposition groups, were arrested for political reasons. Among them were members of two banned opposition groups, the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces, most of whom were released after short periods (2005).

Additional and corroborating information on the treatment of Lebanese Forces members by the authorities could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Amnesty International (AI). 2005. Annual Report 2005. "Lebanon." (AI Index: MDE 18/003/2004) http://web.amnesty.org/report2005/lb-summary-eng [Accessed 20 June 2005]

_____. December 2004. "Worldwide Appeal. Lebanon: A Decade in Detention." http://web.amnesty.org/appeals/index/lbn-011204-wwa-eng [Accessed 20 June 2005]

Associated Press (AP). 19 June 2005. "NY Nwswk Intl Edition Photo PRN1 06 19." (Dialog)

BBC. 20 June 2005. "Lebanon Voters 'Welcome Change'." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4107706.stm [Accessed 20 June 2005]

_____. 13 June 2005. "Profile: Michel Aoun." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4086828.stm [Accessed 20 June 2005]

_____. 27 May 2005. "Who's Who in Lebanon's Election." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4580075.stm [Accessed 20 June 2005]

_____. 18 May 2005. "Lebanese Opposition Leaders Meet." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4559909.stm [Accessed 20 June 2005]

Christian Science Monitor. 20 June 2005. Nicholas Blanford. "From Exile to Lebanon's Political Dynamo." (Dialog)

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2004. 28 February 2005. "Lebanon." United States Department of State. Washington, DC. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41726.htm [Accessed 20 June 2005]

Freedom House. 23 August 2004. "Lebanon." http://www.freedomhouse.org/research/freeworld/2004/countryratings/lebanon.htm [Accessed 20 June 2005]

Reuters. 20 June 2005. Nadim Ladki. "Triumphant Hariri Pledges Reforms in Lebanon." http://today.reuters.com/PrinterFriendlyPopup.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=uri:2005-06-20T200254Z_01_N2068711_RTRIDST_0_INTERNATIONAL-LEBANON-DC.XML [Accessed 20 June 2005]

_____. 13 June 2005. "Key Facts About Lebanon's Michel Aoun." http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L13379534.htm [Accessed 20 June 2005]

United States (US). 12 June 2005. China FBIS Report. "FYI -- Lebanese Media Coverage of Third Round of Lebanese Elections (1) Corrected Version: Lebanon Elections; Correcting Date in First Graf." (WNC)

_____. 20 May 2005. "Awn Holds News Conference After Visiting Ja'ja, Urges Lebanese to Forget 'The Past' News Conference by General Michel Awn, Leader of the Free National Current, to Unidentified Lebanese Reporters at His Home in Beirut Following His Visit to Imprisoned Lebanese Forces Leader Samir Ja'ja -- Live." (WNC)

Internet sites, including: European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), Free Samir Geagea Website, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN), Lebanese Forces Official Website.