BEIRUT: Over 3,000 politicians, diplomats and activists from around the world are expected to gather at Beirut’s BIEL next week to mark the seventh anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.Rafik’s son, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, will address the gathering in a live televised speech from Paris and speeches are expected to focus on events in Syria.
Unlike past popular rallies in Martyrs Square to commemorate Hariri’s assassination on Feb. 14, 2005, the March 14 coalition and Future Movement will limit the number of people attending this year’s gathering.
Official invitations have been sent to President Michel Sleiman, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
The gathering will also be different because of the significant events that have taken place in the Arab world over the past year, according to several officials.
March 14 General Secretary Fares Soueid told The Daily Star that the gathering would be an opportunity to announce the coalition’s “unanimous support” for the popular pro-democracy demonstrations in Syria.
“After hearing the official stance of March 8 led by Hezbollah that they fully back the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad, we are now to announce our full support for the Syrian people who are facing a brutal crackdown and massacre in all parts of Syria,” Soueid said Friday.
The U.N. estimates that some 6,000 people have so far been killed in Syria in the 11-month-old uprising.
Soueid said that most speeches will center on the ongoing developments in Syria and the bloodshed there, for which most in the international community hold Assad responsible.
“We will voice our support to the revolution in Homs ... to the revolution and the people of Hama ... to Idlib and all the victims of the Syrian revolution,” said Soueid.
According to Soueid, the so-called Arab Spring will be the main theme of the seventh commemoration of Hariri’s assassination. “Hariri’s assassination led to the Cedar Revolution ... and the Cedar Revolution was followed by the Arab Spring.”
A Syrian opposition source told The Daily Star that the Syrian National Council was not planning to send a representative to the Feb. 14 rally but did not rule out the possibility of some SNC members attending the ceremony.
While Hariri will not attend the gathering personally due to security concerns and as a result of a recent ski injury, he will deliver a televised speech from Paris. Hariri will also tackle developments in Lebanon and the region during an interview on Future TV Monday evening.
Akkar MP Hadi Hobeich said there would be three key speakers in next week’s gathering at BIEL. “Hariri will give a televised speech along with separate speeches made by Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel,” said Hobeich.
Officials from the Progressive Socialist Party are also likely to attend Tuesday’s commemoration.
Rami al-Rayyes, the PSP’s media spokesperson, said that the party had still not decided on what level it would participate at BIEL, saying that the party would likely decide on the matter within the next two days. “It is not clear yet whether PSP leader Walid Jumblatt will personally attend or a representative will be sent to BIEL.”
Rayyes said that despite the break with the March 14 coalition for the past three years, the truth behind Hariri’s assassination was a primary concern for the PSP and its supporters. “We reiterate that that the PSP is greatly concerned with this cause [Hariri’s assassination] and in the next two days we will have an announcement of the level of our participation,” said Rayyes.
Since he quit the March 14 coalition three years ago, Jumblatt has not participated in popular and official gatherings of March 14 or the Future Movement. “We received the invitation to take part in the gathering at BIEL, and officials within the party are currently discussing to reach a final decision [regarding our involvement],” he added.