Aoun Marks Ehden Anniversary: Lebanon Must Choose State Authority Over Militia Rule
President Joseph Aoun said on the 48th anniversary of the assassination of former minister Tony Frangieh, members of his family, and his companions in Ehden, that remembering the painful event should serve as a lesson drawn from the bloodshed of the past.
He stressed that a sincere national memory does not choose among its wounds but embraces them all to build a future where such tragedies are never repeated.
Aoun stated that Lebanon is now facing a decisive choice: either its people unite behind a sovereign state that holds a monopoly on arms, upholds the rule of law, and protects all citizens regardless of their background, or the country remains hostage to the logic of militias and a culture of exclusion.
He added that the current moment leaves no room for sectarian divisions or regional rivalries, describing national unity as an existential necessity that must be built through honesty, strengthened by justice, and rooted in fairness for all components of Lebanese society.
The president also renewed his commitment, before the memory of the Ehden victims and all those who lost their lives during the Lebanese Civil War and subsequent conflicts, to work toward a Lebanon where citizens live as free and equal individuals united by genuine citizenship and allegiance to a state founded on law and justice.
May God have mercy on the martyrs and help Lebanon overcome its challenges, Aoun concluded.
