Claude Hajjar: Open Letter to President Joseph Aoun/A Call for Justice: Acknowledgment, Apology, and Reparations for the Southerners in Enforced Exile

An Open Letter to His Excellency, the President of Lebanon, General Joseph Aoun/A Call for Justice: Acknowledgment, Apology, and Reparations for the Southerners in Enforced Exile

Claude Hajjar, Founder & Coordinator. of The Committee of Support for the Lebanese Southerners in Enforced Exile in Israel and Overseas

January 11/2025

Mr. President,
As Lebanon stands on the brink of renewal, we address you not just as the leader of our nation but as the guardian of its spirit and values. Your presidency presents a historic chance to confront long-standing injustices and heal wounds that have mislead and divided our people for decades.

The exile of Southerners was not the result of lawful governance but a consequence of death threats and demands from foreign occupiers, like Yasser Arafat, Hafez and Bashar Assad, and their Iranian ally Hassan Nasrallah. Their aim was clear: to label these Southerners as collaborators with Israel in order to justify their invasion and subjugation of Southern Lebanon for their own ambitions. That is exactly what happened on May 25, 2000.

I write on behalf of the Committee of Support for the Lebanese Southerners in Enforced Exile in Israel and Overseas. I represent the men, women, and families who were forced to flee their homes, HEROES who once stood resolute in defense of Lebanon under the leadership of Major Saad Haddad and General Antoine Lahad, both officially appointed by the Ministry of Defense. At the head was Etienne Sakr (Abu Arz), who, alongside other Southerners, dedicated their lives to safeguarding our nation and standing in solidarity with the Lebanese Army.

Their so-called “crime” was their choice to survive and remain loyal to Lebanon rather than surrender to foreign oppressors. Their forced exile is not only an unresolved injustice but a stain on our nation’s conscience.

Mr. President,
Let this be a turning point. Let Lebanon rise to reclaim its dignity and honor by addressing this injustice. We call upon you to take bold steps for justice, reconciliation, and unity:
1. Draft and Pass a Historic Bill of Acknowledgment and Apology
• Recognize the suffering and sacrifices of the Southerners in enforced exile.
• Issue an official state apology for the injustices committed against them.
2. Provide Compensation and Reparations
• Compensate for decades of displacement, lost homes, livelihoods, and the emotional toll endured by these families.
• Create a dedicated fund to support their reintegration into Lebanese society if they choose to return.
3. Restore Their Rights and Dignity
• Reaffirm their status as honorable citizens of Lebanon, free from persecution or prejudice.
• Guarantee their safety and freedom upon their return to the homeland they have always loved and defended.

We stand firm in our declaration: our Southerner heroes will not return until these demands are met. They must not return as defeated exiles but as proud citizens restored to their rightful place in Lebanon’s society. They will not return under a presidential pardon or amnesty but with their honor restored and their sacrifices acknowledged.

This is a defining moment for your leadership. Will you take the bold step to write this chapter of justice and reconciliation into Lebanon’s history? Will you lead our nation toward healing, unity, and restored dignity in the eyes of its people and the world?

Let Lebanon be the nation that confronts the truth, no matter how painful, and moves forward with courage and honor.

***Claude Hajjar, Founder & Coordinator/The Committee of Support for the Lebanese Southerners in Enforced Exile in Israel and Overseas