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Strong and irresistible, Samir Geagea
can be compared to the majestic cedars of Lebanon that
have characterized the Lebanese Mountains since Biblical
times. These trees, arguably the most beautiful in the
world, growing for thousands of years on the pinnacles of
his hometown Besharri, are not dissimilar to his robust
physique and principles.
Brought up in a modest family, Samir
Geagea was born on the 25th October 1952. The son of a
sergeant in the Lebanese Army, Samir Geagea began to
concern himself with his country's problems when the war
broke out in 1975, cutting short his studies in medicine,
which he started in 1972. His perseverance and unwavering
belief and faith in his country have placed him in an
integral position on the political chessboard.
Samir Geagea was one of the first
members of the Resistance to defend the sovereignty and
independence of Lebanon from ridicule and corruption. It
is against this backdrop that he forged his path,
initially within the Christian Resistance, and then on a
national scale. Just as straight and haughty as the great
Cedars of Lebanon against storms and attacks of the
elements, he too resisted the obstacles of those that
tried to derail and humiliate him. Samir Geagea, a true
stalwart, maintained the true vision, the right vision for
his country.
The assassination of their founding
member, Bashir Gemayel, considerably weakened the Lebanese
Forces. Consequently, the Lebanese Forces were under
considerable pressure from hostile rogue elements from
within Lebanon and externally. On the 12th March 1985,
Samir Geagea embraced the challenge to save the honor and
indeed the very existence of the Lebanese Forces. As the
legitimate successor to Bashir, he assured the
continuation of the Resistance and supervised the
preservation of the legacy they fought so hard to defend.
On the 15th January 1986, Samir Geagea put the tri-party
treaty, signed under the aegis of Damascus, in check, and
on the 31st January 1990, he succeeded in combating an
attempt to liquidate the Lebanese Forces.
This man, the imposing stature, with
black piercing eyes, bare forehead and moustache that
crosses a constantly smiling face, has a faith that can
move mountains. Able and determined, preferring
occasionally to compromise to avoid the worst and achieve
a positive result, Samir Geagea has never confused
strategy with tactics. Before all political steps, he
analyses local, regional and international factors with
perspicacity and intelligence. He consults and works with
others. Calm and serene, especially in moments of crisis
and tensions, he is at the same time Cartesian and
pragmatic. He reacts as an intellectual and thinks as a
man of action. He hardly forgets the past but never takes
refuge in it. He knows how to apply the past to present
situations in such a way as to achieve a better future.
His appreciation of silence stems from his belief that
"silence is an element at the heart of all that is
great". He loves and knows how to listen, he never
ceases to repeat the proverb: "it is in listening and
not through speaking that we learn".
Samir Geagea, known by those close to
him as the "Hakim", is a fierce enemy of
political feudalism, autocracy and suppression of the
people. A democrat through to the core, he is enamored
with liberty and justice. An adversary to fixed ideas,
prejudices and politics that are opposed to progress; he
has the gift of pricking sleeping consciences. Neither
revolutionary nor anti-revolutionary, Samir Geagea strives
to set Lebanese society back on track for the next
century. He fights for the freedom of all, regardless of
the many differences. In a composite society, the right to
be different is for him, an essential element of
democracy. He often repeats that, "power in Lebanon
should come from addition and not subtraction". He
campaigns to end the practice of individualistic, deranged
politics whose only goal is to evade problems and assure
maximum economic profits for a well determined class.
Patriotic, Samir Geagea is a man of courage, lucidity and
peace. He is and remains, a man of the future.
All the legal files and proceedings
brought against him and the Lebanese Forces are without
foundation. Samir Geagea is today, the only political
prisoner in Lebanon. His crime is that of exercising his
democratic rights.
No matter what they say, no matter what
they do, we will never lose hope, we will never bow, nor
will we ever give up the cause. We will always be faithful
to the one man who showed everyone the meaning of courage,
honor and loyalty, to our great leader who did not abandon
us, who stood by us shoulder to shoulder. To the person
who has become the cause, to you Dr. Geagea we promise to
always be strong and never lose faith no matter how hard
things get, because in the end the righteous will prevail,
and we are the righteous ones. We have sacrificed our
blood for the freedom of our country and our people. We
gave our country our best and that is why we will prevail.
Dr. Geagea we are proud of you and we are proud to have
you as our leader.
Samir Geagea, current leader of the
Lebanese Forces. The only person in the history of my
country who was given a choice to either leave Lebanon and
never come back or to go to prison. Samir Geagea chose to
go to prison. Why? Because Samir Geagea fought for
something he believed very dearly in. Samir Geagea bled
for his country. Samir Geagea was not ready to dishonor
all the martyrs that died for our cause. He was not ready
to dishonor their memories. For they did not die in vain.
Samir Geagea said clearly we did not bleed for 20 years so
in the end we are asked to leave and never come back.
Samir Geagea has become the symbol of heroism, the symbol
of courage and honor. Samir Geagea has proven that the
cause comes first, he has sent a clear message for all of
us and that message is Lebanon is worth the sacrifice and
all our martyrs don't expect less. They thought that by
striking the shepherd, the sheep would be lost. We were
lost, we did lose faith, we did despair but his resistance
from his cell revived us. His continuous struggle from
within his prison gave us hope, strength and guidance.
They imprisoned him in the hope that we would be finished.
Yet we remain. They took him in the hope of scaring us.
Yet we don't allow any occasion to pass without clearly
sending them a message that we are still here. They took
him in the hope that they could alter history and falsify
facts. But they were impotent. They thought they could
accuse him and everyone would believe their lies. They
thought wrong and here is the world condemning them, The
Australian courts condemned them for fabricating evidence;
the United Nations Human Rights Committees condemned them;
and all those people who value the rule of law condemned
them.
Samir Geagea is an example of a man who
is unselfishly devoted to a significant cause. He is a
true model for all who believe in a just and reconciled
Lebanon
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