Fazl-e-Umar — Page 366
Fazle Umar 366 T H E I n d E P E n d E n C E OF L E b A n O n In November 1943, Lebanon presented a Bill to parliament to change the consti- tution so that Lebanon could enjoy complete independence from France. However, instead of following the constitution, France arrested all the ministers including the Prime Minister through the use of force and coercion and took them to an unspecified location. They introduced Martial Law and used French troops to disperse the enraged protestors. The army took over from the Arab police. Along with Beirut, a dangerous situation also developed in Tripoli. Demonstrations took place. Apart from the 20 Lebanese delegates the French army also arrested many other distinguished leaders. On this issue Hadhrat Musleh Mau’ood [ra] stated: “The countries of Syria and Lebanon were once under Turkish rule and the Turks gave them every kind of freedom which any occupied State can be given. When the previous war broke out the Europeans said to these nations that we would grant you independence if you rebel against your occupiers. Hence, these nations stood up and behaved treacherously towards their leaders and prepared to fight them thinking that this would result in independence. However, when the war ended and the land of Arabia and Syria was painted red with their blood, some areas were given over to the British to patrol and some areas were handed over to the French. Now this second war has come and right from the start of this war France was defeated. Because the lands of Syria and Lebanon were under the French government which had connections with Germany, the Allied Powers became worried that Germany and her ally France might make these areas a permanent base and start to spread discord in their areas. Hence, they took the very clever step of attacking these areas and the Commander of the Independent French detachment announced that Lebanon had demanded independence for a long time. However, the French government was not willing