Marada Movement
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This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. (January 2011) |
| Marada Movement تيار المردة |
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| Leader | Suleiman Frangieh, Jr. |
| Founder | Suleiman Frangieh Tony Frangieh |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Headquarters |  Zgharta, Lebanon |
| Ideology | Feudalism, Social conservatism, Lebanese nationalism, Arab nationalism |
| Political position | Right-wing |
| Religion | Christian, predominantly Maronites |
| National affiliation | Change and Reform bloc |
| Parliament of Lebanon |
3 / 128
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| Cabinet of Lebanon |
2 / 30
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| Website | |
| Official Site | |
The Marada Movement (Arabic: تيار المردة | Tayyar Al-Marada) is a Lebanese political party and a former militia active during the Lebanese civil war, named after the legendary Armenian Marada or Mardaites warriors of the early Middle Ages from mardistan. Originally designated the Marada Brigade (Arabic: Liwa al-Marada), they were the personal militia of Suleiman Franjieh, president of Lebanon at the outbreak of the war, otherwise known as the Zgharta Liberation Army – ZLA (Arabic: Zgharta Jayish al-Tahrir) or Armée de Liberation de Zgharta (ALZ) in French, after Franjieh's home town of Zgharta in northern Lebanon.
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Motto, Flag and Logo [edit]
Motto [edit]
El Marada: The modernity of heritage, The evolving legacy, Clarity of purpose, Firm attitude, Pride, glory, potency, depth
Flag Explanation [edit]
The Sword: Symbol of justice
Lighting: Creativity and sharpness
Red Color: Symbol of Sacrifice
Green Color: Cedar of Lebanon
Blue Color: Blue Horizon [1]
Logo Explanation [edit]
Pi: Unity of purpose, Depth in justice, Core values, Perseverance through adversity, Resilient stands,
Circle: Unshakable loyalty, Evolving dynamism, Genuine relations, Eternity of being,
Compass: Right direction, Clear decision, Safety value, Genuine legacy
Green Color: Eternity of life, Versatility of nature, Promise of prosperity, Power of giving, Color of safety, Bounty flow.[2]
Marada in Lebanese History [edit]
During the Lebanese civil war, Zgharta being the frontline and Christian stronghold of the north, it was the frontline in the war for northern Lebanon as the Zgharta-based Marada Brigade militia successfully repulsed and responded with attacks on Muslim LNM and PLO militias from neighboring Tripoli.
In March 1976, they supported the hard-pressed Republican Guard battalion in defending the Presidential Palace at Baabda from a two-pronged combined LNM-LAA assault, though prior to the attack the President had decamped to the safety of Jounieh.[3]
They were initially allied with the Kataeb but in 1978 the year when Suleiman Frangieh's son Tony Frangieh was murdered, Frangieh became firmly pro-Syrian and stopped attending meetings with the Lebanese Front. After the killing of a Kataeb member in the district of Zgharta Zawie, the latest being Jude Al-Bayeh, the Kataeb party decided to react. On 13 June 1978, at 4am while everyone was sleeping, the Kataeb, launched a surprise attack on Tony's summer mansion in Ehden. About 28 guards were killed. About 10 Kataeb members were killed in the attack. The Marada's top commander, Suleiman Franjieh's son Tony, his wife Vera and their 3-year-old daughter, were also killed. The incident is known as Ehden massacre.[4] Kataeb member at the time Samir Geagea was the leader of one of the attacking groups. Samir Geagea denies that he took part in the murder since he was injured in his right hand before getting to the castle and was taken to the hospital. Elie Hobeika has always denied taking part in the killing although this also was never proven. Bashir Gemayel denied being responsible for the killing.
There are many current political identities who admitted to the fact that Bashir Germayel was the one who ordered the attack on their allies[citation needed].
After Tony's assassination, Tony's brother Robert took control of the Marada and nowadays Suleiman Frangieh, Jr., Tony's son, controls the Marada. He is a close personal friend of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad[citation needed]. He was serving as Interior Minister, one of the most powerful positions in the Lebanese government, when Rafiq al-Hariri was assassinated on 14 February 2005.
After the 2005 legislative elections, the Marada became member of the opposition alliance (pro-Syrian) together with Hizbullah.
In June 2006, the Marada Movement was officially launched as a political party during a ceremony attended by supporters and representatives from Hizbullah, Amal Movement, the Free Patriotic Movement, and some pro-Syrian political figures.
List of Marada leaders [edit]
- Tony Frangieh (1967–1978)
- Robert Frangieh (1978–1982)
- Suleiman Frangieh Jr. (1982–1990)
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ El Marada Logo. http://www.elmaradaaustralia.org
- ^ El Marada Logo. http://www.elmarada.org
- ^ O'Ballance, Civil War in Lebanon (1998), pp. 46-47.
- ^ "The Ehden Massacre: This is how the MOSSAD chose Samir Geagea". MARADA. May 14, 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
Bibliography [edit]
- Claire Hoy and Victor Ostrovsky, By Way of Deception: The Making and Unmaking of a Mossad Officer, St. Martin’s Press, New York 1990. ISBN 0-9717595-0-2
- Denise Ammoun, Histoire du Liban contemporain : Tome 2 1943-1990, Fayard, Paris 2005. ISBN 978-2-213-61521-9 (in French)
- Edgar O'Ballance, Civil War in Lebanon, 1975-92, Palgrave Macmillan, 1998 ISBN 0-333-72975-7
- Rex Brynen, Sanctuary and Survival: the PLO in Lebanon, Boulder: Westview Press, 1990.
- Robert Fisk, Pity the Nation: Lebanon at War, London: Oxford University Press, (3rd ed. 2001). ISBN 0-19-280130-9
- Matthew S. Gordon, The Gemayels (World Leaders Past & Present), Chelsea House Publishers, 1988. ISBN 1-55546-834-9
External links [edit]
- المَــوقع الرسمي لتيار المَـــرده - El Marada Party Official Website
- El Marada Movement - Australia
- Martyrs of 13 June 1978, Ehden
- Lebanese civil war 1977 Full of Pictures and Information
- Zgharta.com
- Pro-Syrian Al-Marada party re-surfaces with a revised platform
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