Michel Aoun/Archive1 - Biography - Rival Governments

Rival Governments

On 22 September 1988, the outgoing President, Amine Gemayel, dismissed the civilian administration of Prime Minister Selim al-Hoss and appointed a six-member interim military government (as prescribed by the Lebanese Constitution should there be no election of a President as was the case at the time), composed of three Christians and three Muslims, though the Muslims refused to serve. Backed by Syria, Al-Hoss declared his dismissal invalid. Two governments emerged (one civilian and mainly Muslim in West Beirut, headed by Al-Hoss, the other, military and mainly Christian, in East Beirut, led by Michel Aoun acting as Prime Minister).

Gemayel's move was of questionable validity, as it violated the unwritten National Pact of 1943, which reserved the position of prime minister for a Sunni Muslim. Gemayel argued, however, that as the National Pact also reserved the presidency for a Maronite Christian, and as the Prime Minister assumes the powers and duties of the President in the event of a vacancy, it would be proper to fill that office temporarily with a Maronite. Gemayel referenced the historical precedent of 1952, when General Fouad Chehab, a Christian Maronite, was appointed as prime minister of a transition government following the resignation of President Bechara El Khoury.

Aoun could rely on 60% of the Lebanese army, including nearly all tanks and artillery, as well as on the Lebanese Forces (LF) militia headed by Samir Geagea and the National Liberal Party headed by Dany Chamoun. He also received the support of Iraq's President Saddam Hussein.

Aoun controlled parts of east Beirut, some neighbouring suburbs, and part of Mount Lebanon. In the spring of 1989, the alliance with the Lebanese Forces abruptly fell apart. Aoun denounced the Lebanese Forces militia as a "mafia-like organization" . LF's head Samir Geagea questioned Aoun insistence with continuing the losing war against the Syrians, and a bitter, full-scale armed fight ensued in the Christian region. Michel Aoun gained advantage and used the army to wrest control of LF held ports, in order to collect customs revenues for his government. At the same period, Syria and its allies had put Aoun's entire area of influence and its population under a draconian economical blockade.

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