Lebanese Amnesty Law in 1991

Lebanese Amnesty Law 1
Imad Antar
Lebanese Amnesty Law of 1991
In the period between 1975 and 1990, a bloody civil war was committed in
Lebanon between Lebanese militias and parties. This war cost many thousands of killings
and injuries, and at least 17000 disappearances. Moreover,” the course of the Lebanese
civil war was neither exclusively internal nor exclusively external, nor was its settlement”
(Ghosn, n.d). The Lebanese war caused a huge damage in the infrastructure in all over the
cities in the country. After this bloody war, the Lebanese Amnesty law of 1991 granted a
general amnesty for those responsible for crimes committed before 28 March 1991, and
of course with few exceptions such as the existence of the Lebanese resistance Huzbullah
(Amnesty International, 2005). Even though many people consider that the amnesty law
is a good decision after a conflict, I am strongly against giving any amnesty law after any
conflict for several reasons.
First of all, amnesty law encourages the culture of impunity for many
people after any conflict over the country. Amnesty law gives the freedom for many
leaders and war criminals who were participated in the civil war from prison and this is a
serious problem for the society (Mallinder, 2009). For example, many members from Al
Tawhid Al Islami who committed many massacres in Al Mina and in Maaraka in South
Lebanon were released from jail and that would affect negatively on the society by
redoing some filthy and dangerous activities such doing new massacres and wars and also
threatening the security of the country. So, we should never release criminals from jail
wherever are the conditions or the laws. In addition to that, amnesty law protects
combatants and leaders from investigations and prosecutions (Mallinder, 2009). For
example, if any person has committed serious crimes during anytime without any
prosecution, he would probably recommit without frequency. So, every person who
committed crimes should prosecute without separating one from another. Furthermore,
some of the leaders and war criminals who had committed crimes during the civil war are
now parts of the government, and that is one of the serious violations of international
humanitarian law because every person who committed crimes against humanity
shouldn’t be in the government and serving people as ministers (“Amnesty International
criticizes…”, 1997). For example, Antoine Zahra, one of the participants in the civil war,
is now participating in the government as well as Walid Jounblat and Michel Aoun, who
have many massacres between them, are now partners in the parliament. In addition,
Samir Geagea who is responsible for the massacres of Ehden in 1978 and the death of Pr
Rashid Karameh, were released in 2005 and he is now participating in the government
indirectly by leading the Lebanese forces which is a certain part into the parliament.
Moreover, the truth plays an important role in this part. When the
amnesty law protects leaders from investigations and prosecutions, there will not be truth
anymore. For example, if someone killed a person and the law protects him, so the
society will never know who killed this innocent person. Furthermore, “a big amount of
money have been stolen behind our backs, and a huge members of people are missing and
dead” (Cassidy, 2008), and we don’t know the truth, and all of these is because of one
thing” Amnesty law”. In addition, there are many disappearances during the civil war and
about 200 Lebanese nationals detained in Syria, and we still till now don’t know the
truth. For example, there are thousands of parents of those who went missing during the
civil war, demands from the UN the truth about their children’s destiny. Furthermore,
what are the feelings of the parents when they see the killers of their children are not
prosecuted? This attitude affects negatively the society because the parents will get the
revenge of their children when the law is not applied, and that will lead to another
conflict and war instead of peace. So finally, “granting amnesty encourage impunity,
threaten the rule of law and lead to no reconciliation apology” (“Knchr position…”, n.d).
On the other hand, many people consider that giving an amnesty law
is the right decision after a conflict. Thus, amnesty law is the best solution to end a
conflict or war. For example, amnesty law ended many conflicts and wars all over the
world such as civil war in Lebanon, America, South Africa and Greece. The Lebanese
amnesty law of 1991 was very successful in ending the war between the Lebanese
civilians at the first part and between the Lebanese people and other external forces such
as Syria and the Palestinian refugees from the other part. In addition, this law was applied
on all the militias and parties in Lebanon which led to a peace agreements between them
since 28 March 1991. At the end of the civil war and with the implementation of the
amnesty law, the Lebanese government was nearly capable to ensure and protect human
rights in the country. Furthermore, according to “Lebanon: Human rights developments
and violations” (2009), “ the Lebanese amnesty law provides for elaborate guarantees
designed for the preservation of individuals rights and their protection from any act of
arbitrary deprivation of their freedoms”.
To conclude, I think that no amnesty should be granted for serious
crimes against humanity, torture, genocide and other violations of international
humanitarian law. Finally, there are other available options instead of amnesty such as, “
the law should be equally applied without separation and make some investigations about
the activities of politicians who used some violence ways and all the criminal brought to
justice without exceptions” (“Knchr position…”,n.d).

Reference list:
Amnesty International.(2009). Lebanon: human rights developments and violations.
Retrieved Aug 14, 2009 from http://www.amnesty.org/eng/library
Amnesty International.(2005).Lebanon: Mass graves. Retrieved Aug 12, 2009, from
http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGMDE180092005
&lang=e
Amnesty International criticizes human rights violence in Lebanon.(1997). Arabic news.
Retrieved Aug 12, 2009, from http://www.arabicnews.com/ansule/Daily/
Day/971018/1997101826.html
Cassidy,K.(2008). The search of truth-amnesty or vengeance. Project Avalon.net. Retrieved
Aug 14, 2009, from http://www.projectavalon.net/forum/showthreat.php?t=
3264
Ghosn,F.(n.d). Lebanon after civil war: Peace or the illusion of peace?. University Of Arizona.
Retrieved Aug 14, 2009, from http://www.u.arizona.edu/awbrayon/global
societyjustice/papus/ghosn.pdf
Knchr position of amnesty for alleged perpetrators of post-election violence.(n.d). Kenya
National Commission on Human Rights. Retrieved Aug 12, 2009, from
http://www.knchr.org/dmdocument/amnesty.pdf.
Mallinder,L.(2009). The role of amnesties in conflict transformation. Queen’s University
Belford. Retrieved Aug 12, 2009 from http://papers.cou.ssm.com/sol3/
Papers.cfm?abstract-id=1375048.

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Lebanese Amnesty Law 1

Lebanese Amnesty Law of 1991

conflict for several reasons.

shouldn’t be in the government and serving people as ministers (“Amnesty International

rights in the country. Furthermore, according to “Lebanon: Human rights developments

arbitrary deprivation of their freedoms”.

To conclude, I think that no amnesty should be granted for serious

crimes against humanity, torture, genocide and other violations of international

justice without exceptions” (“Knchr position…”,n.d).

Amnesty International.(2009). Lebanon: human rights developments and violations.

Retrieved Aug 14, 2009 from http://www.amnesty.org/eng/library

Amnesty International.(2005).Lebanon: Mass graves. Retrieved Aug 12, 2009, from

Amnesty International criticizes human rights violence in Lebanon.(1997). Arabic news.

Retrieved Aug 12, 2009, from http://www.arabicnews.com/ansule/Daily/

Cassidy,K.(2008). The search of truth-amnesty or vengeance. Project Avalon.net. Retrieved

Aug 14, 2009, from http://www.projectavalon.net/forum/showthreat.php?t=

Retrieved Aug 14, 2009, from http://www.u.arizona.edu/awbrayon/global

Knchr position of amnesty for alleged perpetrators of post-election violence.(n.d). Kenya

National Commission on Human Rights. Retrieved Aug 12, 2009, from

Mallinder,L.(2009). The role of amnesties in conflict transformation. Queen’s University

Belford. Retrieved Aug 12, 2009 from http://papers.cou.ssm.com/sol3/

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