Hizb Allah holds massive pro-Syria rally


Tuesday 08 March 2005, 17:21 Makka Time, 14:21 GMT

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/4A02EB97-5B87-4F28-8B91-523CCAA3FE92.htm

More than 100,000 pro-Syrian demonstrators have gathered in Beirut to denounce
what they see as Western interference in Lebanon at a rally highlighting deep
divisions in the country over Damascus' role.

The gathering, called by the Shia Muslim group Hizb Allah and its allies, is
expected to attract tens of thousands of people to a central Beirut square only
300m from where opposition protesters, largely Christian, have held daily
rallies
to demand a complete Syrian withdrawal form Lebanon.

Hizb Allah chief Hasan Nasr Allah had said the rally would be held to thank
Syria
for what he called its sacrifices in Lebanon and to oppose a UN resolution
demanding the disarming of militias. Shia Muslims are Lebanon's largest
religious
sect.

Hizb Allah, which began as a small guerrilla force devoted to ending Israeli
occupation in the south of Lebanon, has developed into a sophisticated group
with
political, military and welfare bodies. It has several MPs in parliament and
runs
several charities.

Syrian pullback

Meanwhile, Syrian troops in a mountain ridge east of Beirut continued
preparations to pullback from their posts, a day after Syria promised to
redeploy
its troops to eastern Lebanon this month under a two-stage withdrawal.

The United States has dismissed the plan for failing to set a deadline for a
full
pullout.


Syrian President Bashar al-Asad agreed the withdrawal plan in talks with
Lebanese
President Emile Lahud in Damascus earlier in the week. Syrian forces intervened
in Lebanon's civil war in 1976 and Damascus still has about 14,000 troops in the
country.

Buses and cars were ferrying supporters of Hizb Allah and its allies from across
Lebanon. At the Riad al-Sulh Square, Hizb Allah members were setting up loud
speakers and putting up Lebanese flags and banners.

Young men in black were looking after security, searching streets and even
drainage holes for suspect objects.

"Thank you, Syria's Assad," a large banner said. "No to foreign interference,"
another said. "Beirut is free, America out," protesters chanted.

Nasr Allah had urged demonstrators to carry only Lebanese, not party, flags.
Pictures of al-Assad and Lahud were also hoisted.

Pressure on Damascus

US President George Bush's administration warned Syrian leaders it would "hold
their feet to the fire", and Britain, Germany and Lebanon's former colonial
power
France also put pressure on Damascus.


Hizb Allah (Party of God) warned of mayhem if Syrian troops were to leave
Lebanon, where the 1975-90 civil war ended with a fragile balance between the
country's diverse main religious groups. Lebanon is due to hold a general
election by May.

Set up by Iran's Revolutionary Guard in 1982, Hizb Allah is the only Lebanese
faction to keep its guns. It won wide popularity after helping drive Israeli
troops from southern Lebanon in 2000.

Syrian forces are credited with helping ending the civil war that tore Lebanon
apart. Christian, Muslim and Druze militias fought each other in rounds of
sectarian and inter-sectarian fighting. About 150,000 people were believed to
have died.

A historic day

"This is a historic day in the history of Lebanon, a day that will found the
future of Lebanon," Hizb Allah's media director Muhammad Afif told Aljazeera.

"This huge crowd is gathered under the title of rejecting resolution 1559, as
many Lebanese people, including some opposition elements, reject this
resolution.

"This demonstration does not come against the opposition protest in al-Shuhada
(Martyrs) Square. We respect all Lebanese opinions, as they are democratic
expressions.

"Lebanon is a democratic and free country. Everyone wants to express their
opinions," he said.

Anti-Syria protests

Syria's role in Lebanon has come under fierce fire since a 14 Febuary bomb
killed
former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri. Damascus denied any involvement
in the blast.

Opposition demonstrators, mainly Christian and Druze with some Sunnis, have
staged several large anti-Syrian protests since al-Hariri's killing. On Monday,
tens of thousands of flag-waving opposition demonstrators again took over
central
Beirut's Martyrs Square to demand a complete Syrian withdrawal.


Syrian soldiers based in the Lebanese mountain towns east of Beirut were
dismantling military and communications equipment for a second day on Tuesday.

A Lebanese security source said the troops were sending equipment to other posts
closer to the Syrian border to enable them to move out quickly when orders come
later this week.

The source said a joint Lebanese-Syrian military committee would meet on Tuesday
to fine-tune the pullback plan and give the go-ahead.

New government

Under the agreement by al-Assad and Lahud, Syrian troops will complete their
move
to eastern Lebanon by 31 March. The Syrian and Lebanese militaries will then
decide how long the troops should stay in the eastern areas before returning
home.

Bush and French President Jacques Chirac confirmed in phone talks they were
determined to obtain the full application of a UN Security Council resolution
calling for all foreign forces to leave Lebanon, French officials said.

Lebanon's Lahud was set to hold consultations on Wednesday with parliament
before
naming a new prime minister-designate.

Political sources said outgoing Prime Minister Umar Karami appeared favourite to
be asked to form a new government.

Karami, a staunch pro-Syrian politician, submitted the resignation of his
cabinet
on 28 Febuary under pressure from the opposition and street protests.
Aljazeera + Agencies



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