Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri paid tribute on Wednesday to slain MP Gebran Tueni marking the 13th anniversary of his assassination.
A former MP and a leading figure in the March 14 movement, Tueni was killed by a car bomb while driving through Mkalles en route to the An-Nahar building in Downtown Beirut Monday, Dec. 12, 2005.
“On the 13th anniversary of the martyrdom of Journalist Gebran Tueni, we remember his brave words and free oath in defense of Lebanon and the unity of the Lebanese,” said Hariri in a remark on Twitter.
The Oath of Independence:
“I swear to God As a Muslim and a Christian To defend my dear country ‘till the death And to stay united with my brethren (to stay muwahadeen) Until my last days on earth Defending my great Lebanon (Al A3zeem) “- (March 14, 2005 – during Lebanon’s biggest Independence March in Downtown Beirut. Marking one month exactly to the day of former Lebanese Prime Minister; Sheikh Rafik Al Hariri’s assassination)
Tueni, was among a series of anti-Syrian tutelage officials who were assassinated or escaped murder in the aftermath of the Feb. 2005 murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
He had returned to Lebanon from Paris less than 24 hours before the bombing, after attending a ceremony in which his father Ghassan was awarded a Legion of Honor medal.
Many Lebanese know the name but how many remember what he stood for? 13 years after his assassination his ideas and his words are as relevant today as they were back then.
Tueni stood alongside former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri as a leader of the opposition to Syria’s occupation of Lebanon, which ended amid popular pressure in 2005.
![Politicians Wednesday commemorated the 13th anniversary of the assassination of leading Lebanese anti-Syrian-tutelage figure Gebran Tueni, who was editor-in-chief of An-Nahar newspaper when he was killed in 2005. “On the anniversary of the assassination of the martyr Gebran Tueni, we remember his courageous [words] and his oath of freedom vowing to defend Lebanon and the unity of the Lebanese people. A salute to Gebran’s soul and the souls of all of our martyrs,” Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri wrote on Twitter. Kataeb Party head MP Sami Gemayel in a tweet described Tueni, an outspoken critic of Syria, as “the martyr of an incomplete sovereignty.” In its Wednesday issue, An-Nahar included a special supplement of editorials commemorating Tueni. A former MP and a leading figure in the March 14 movement, Tueni was killed by a car bomb while driving through Mkalles en route to the An-Nahar building in Downtown Beirut Monday, Dec. 12, 2005. He had returned to Lebanon from Paris less than 24 hours before the bombing, after attending a ceremony in which his father Ghassan was awarded a Legion of Honor medal. At the time of Tueni’s return, he told those close to him that he had chosen to come back to Lebanon after being assured it was “safe” by foreign intelligence agents. A mass to commemorate the occasion was held at the St. Dimitrios Church in Ashrafieh, in the attendance of his family and politicians sympathetic to the now-defunct March 14 coalition, including former longtime lawmaker Boutros Harb. Tueni was one of many March 14 figures whose assassinations are thought to have been orchestrated by pro-Damascus factions. Tueni stood alongside former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri as a leader of the opposition to Syria’s occupation of Lebanon, which ended amid popular pressure in 2005.](https://yalibnan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/tueni-commoration-13th-anniversary-e1544670299296.jpg)
Phalange party chief MP Sami Gemayel also paid tribute saying Tueni has always sought for Lebanon’s sovereignty but was assassinated before his dream came to fruition.
He is the “martyr of sovereignty that never came to fruition,” he said on Twitter.
“On that very sad day 13 years ago, a Hero from Lebanon was martyred… a hero that impacted my life in many ways..Gebran you will never be forgotten..we miss you.the country misses you… Annahar misses you… God bless your soul,” one tweet also read.
In its Wednesday issue, An-Nahar included a special supplement of editorials commemorating Tueni.
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