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PART 4  (Translated freely: By Elias Bejjani) After the unsuccessful coup d'état of the Syrian Socialist National Party (SSNP) on New Year's Eve of 1961, Lieutenant Junior Michel Aoun was assigned responsibility for the two arrested captains (coup d'état leaders), Chawki Khair-Allah and Fouad Awad. A few days after the coup, the Intelligence Bureau came to take the two arrested Colonel's for torture, but Aoun refused to allow it, and considered the act illegal. Aoun's stance annoyed the Lebanese army leadership, who failed to mistreat the two officers while under Aoun's custody. To change Aoun's assignment, the leadership sent him on a meaningless mission to the City of Sidon. Aoun, on discovering the nature of his sudden redirection, and on learning about the torture of the two officers in his absence, became extremely angry, and described the act as Nazi and unacceptable. Dr. Chauki Khair-allah remembered with gratitude Aoun's noble conduct. He wrote an article in February 1989, under the title "Aoun is the army spiritual leader", in which he said: "Some officers in the Lebanese army refused to supervise the torture inflicted on the SSNP members, like Abdel Latief Hajj, Michel Aoun, Khalil Khanaan, Issam Bu Jamra and Kana Kanaj". Colonel Fayez Karam told me this incident: In 1988, in the midst of the liberation war against the Syrian occupation troops, and while the area under Aoun's control was under heavy shelling, Aoun called Colonel Karam at 1 a.m. in the morning. Karam thought something very urgent must have forced Aoun to call him at that time, but was surprised when Aoun asked him to investigate an alleged report stating that a Lebanese army officer had assaulted an Egyptian worker at a gas station. Aoun asked Karam to reprimand and punish the officers if found guilty. Michel Aoun was humane in his life, and in all his acts and conduct. He did not believe in revenge, or in injustice. He refused adamantly to be involved in the assassination dirty game. He always said: "Blood inherits blood, and nations cannot be built on avenge and revenge". In 1969, Captain Michel Aoun protested against the Cairo Accord (signed between the Lebanese government and the Palestinians). Aoun said openly and loudly the agreement was an infringement on the Lebanese sovereignty. He was the only Lebanese army officer to protest against the Accord in writing. He wrote to the army leadership saying: "my acceptance of this illegal Accord means dishonoring my military oath". When Aoun's protest letter reached the headquarters of the army leadership, his supervisor was called and exposed to a lengthy investigation. The supervisor after the investigation called Aoun to say: "What is going on, Captain Aoun, why you are talking politics and creating problems?" Aoun response was: "Sir, I had no intention to talk politics, or to create problems for you. What I wrote was in response to your request for the army officers to give their opinion in the Accord. If you do not like what I wrote, tear up the letter, and put an end to this issue". After the approval of the Cairo Accord, the Lebanese army had to fight with the armed Palestinians in 1973, The fight ended after reaching a new Accord between the two sides, known as the "Melcart Accord". Aoun found this new accord to be a new infringement on the Lebanese sovereignty, and a fragile truce that will fall apart soon. Aoun was right and the clashes between the two sides escalated. Aoun even wrote a play based on the ongoing clashes between the Lebanese army and the Palestinians. Al Sherah Magazine spoke about Aoun's play in an article it published. It said in the artillery day in 1974, a group from the Lebanese army presented a play written by Lieutenant Michel Aoun. The play portrayed a story of tourists who were visiting numerous historical locations in Lebanon. They saw a group of armed men in training. They were not soldiers in the Lebanese army. The tourists asked the Lebanese guide who was escorting them, are these armed men soldiers in the Lebanese army? The guide answered no, they are not, they are Lebanon's enemies and have made themselves a substitute for the army. One of the tourists responds, what is your army doing? The guide said, our politicians want the army to do everything, but without providing him with anything. Lieutenant Michel Aoun clashed with the Palestinians several times and in more than one location. He wrote in his diary: "My battles were not with the Palestinian revolution, but those with infringing on the law, and jeopardizing security and peace in my country". Aoun in his capacity as an army officer arrested many Palestinians breaking the law, but to his surprise all of them were released by the second day, without being exposed to any legal measures. He always respected those he arrested and refused to infringe on their human rights, he respected rights and never humiliated or tortured any of them. Aoun's noble conduct left positive impressions among many Palestinians. Many of them still maintain friendly relationship with him. Even in the midst of the Tal-Zaatar Palestinian siege and fierce battles between the Lebanese Arm and Palestinians, Aoun kept his good relationship with the Palestinians and was able with their cooperation to solve many mutual problems, and to rescue and save many of them. Long Live Lebanon Australia, February 5, 1999 |