Shi'ite Muslims have been quietly joining the anti-Syrian
opposition in Lebanon.
Shi'ites have been seen at demonstrations that called for the withdrawal
of Syrian soldiers and intelligence agents in Lebanon. The Shi'ite
demonstrators were said to have rejected pressure from the Iranian-sponsored
Hizbullah to form a Shi'ite bloc in support of Syria. Shi'ites form the largest religious group in Lebanon.
On Monday, thousands of Shi'ites reportedly participated in
the largest demonstration in Lebanon since the assassination
of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in February. The demonstration was
called by the opposition and eclipsed the pro-Syrian
demonstrations organized by Hizbullah over the last 10 days, Middle East Newsline reported.
The protest came to mark the month anniversary of Hariri's
assassination, widely attributed to Syria. At the demonstration, Shi'ites
joined Sunni Muslims, Druze and Christians in demanding an investigation of
Hariri's killing and the expulsion of Syrian forces.
"You want the truth?" Druze opposition parliamentarian Marwan Hamadeh,
who escaped an assassination attempt in October 2004, said. "It's clear. The
world and Lebanon know them [the assassins] well, know them one by one, name
by name, rank by rank."
[In Paris, exiled President Michel Aoun said he would return from exile
over the next few weeks. Aoun said he would return with Maj. Gen. Edgar
Maalouf and Brig. Gen. Issam Abu Jamra, who participated in the government
while Aoun was president in 1988.]
The Lebanese opposition and local officials said nearly 1 million people
participated in the protest in downtown Beirut. Last week, Hizbullah
recruited more than 300,000 people in a demonstration of solidarity with
Syria and its dominant role in Lebanon.
Analysts said the demonstrations could mark a war of the streets that
could pit Shi'ites against other denominations. But opposition sources said
Hizbullah would not seek to renew the civil war in Lebanon, which lasted
from 1975 to 1990.
Syria has withdrawn about 4,000 of its 14,000 troops in Lebanon.
Lebanese officials said Syrian military intelligence has evacuated four of
its offices in northern Lebanon.
