December 12, 2005: A date forever etched in memory. That day, the forces of darkness assassinated a fearless journalist who wielded the power of words as a revolutionary tool. He defended Lebanon with unwavering resolve, fighting for freedom, sovereignty and independence. That man was Gebran Tueni, the eternal rebel for the cause of a “Great Lebanon.”
From December 12, 2005, to December 8, 2024: Two defining dates intertwined. The anniversary of Gebran Tueni’s assassination coincides with the collapse of the Syrian regime and the downfall of Bashar al-Assad and his inner circle – the very figures who carried out the Syrian president’s orders to silence anyone who dared to challenge his tyranny and crimes.
The list of victims is endless. Dozens of Lebanese politicians and activists who stood against the regime’s oppression were killed while defending Lebanon’s freedom and sovereignty, refusing to accept Syria’s occupation of their homeland. Thousands of Lebanese detainees, from across political parties and religious confessions, endured the horrors of imprisonment, terror, torture and death.
Syrians who opposed the Assad family's rule faced the same brutal fate. The history of human suffering bears witness to unprecedented forms of torture – killings, dismemberment, acid burns and other barbaric methods that defy even the instincts of wild beasts.
In short, it was decades of brutal ruling that collapsed in a matter of days. The regime that once boasted about its power was exposed as nothing more than a paper tiger, securing only illusory victories over its own people through violence, while the Syrian Golan Heights remain occupied to this day, with no one left to fight for its liberation.
On December 8, the souls of all the heroic martyrs who fell at the hands of this regime found peace – from Kamal Joumblatt, to Bashir Gemayel, Mufti Hassan Khaled, René Moawad and Rafic Hariri, as well as all the martyrs of the Cedar Revolution, and every freedom fighter who stood up and said “no” to the forces of darkness.
Today, Gebran Tueni, the steadfast defender of the cause of “Great Lebanon,” rests in eternity. On the 19th anniversary of his martyrdom, we reaffirm that true heroes leave us standing tall. And Gebran was one… the martyr who fell with unwavering resolve, becoming a symbol and a guiding light for those who continue on his path.
With deep sorrow, we remember the painful absence of one of the founders of the Cedar Revolution, a man who never compromised by rejecting any settlement that came at Lebanon's expense – the Lebanon he dreamed of. Today, we long for Gebran’s revolution and the oath he made: “We swear by Almighty God, Muslims and Christians alike, that we will remain united for all eternity in defense of Great Lebanon.” This oath became the cornerstone of his vision for a strong state.
After all these years of painful absence, we remember Gebran amid our ongoing, unending crises. Yet, despite these hardships, there are those who guide us with hope, reminding us, “Don’t be afraid, Gebran’s voice still resounds, defying death.” Years have passed like fleeting moments, but he remains with us.
Gebran’s dream was to build a state where every individual could live with dignity and justice. His destiny was to walk the path of sacrifice and service, and with each passing day, his absence becomes harder to bear.
Finally, we say to Gebran, “You are more alive than many of the disillusioned living. You left us the torch, and it is our duty, in loyalty to you, to keep it burning, so Lebanon may triumph and rise. There is no doubt that the new Lebanon is coming...”
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