Syrian Minister Commits Suicide Ahead of UN Assassination Report

Just three weeks after he faced questioning by a UN investigative team concerning former Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri's assassination, Syrian Interior Minister Ghazi Kanaan apparently committed suicide Wednesday. Mr Kanaan, who was the security chief and key enforcer of Syrian policy in neighbouring Lebanon, was found dead in his office from a gunshot to the head.



October 14th, 2005 marks eight months to the day since the assassination, by massive road-side bomb, of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, an event which shocked the world and sparked the "Cedar Revolution" in Lebanon. Most of the stated goals of that revolution have been achieved, including the complete withdrawal of Syrian forces to end a 29-year occupation of the country, and the dissolution of the pro-Syrian regime headed by (former) Prime Minister Omar Karami. But one important goal still remains unachieved, and that is the exposing of Hariri's killers and by whose order the assassination was carried out. With only eight days until the "Mehlis report" on the investigation into Hariri's assassination is submitted to the UN Security Council, coupled with continued criticism from Washington that Damascus is not doing enough to stop foreign fighters joining the Iraqi insurgency, things are certainly heating up in the region, with suspicious "suicides" to-boot.

The progress of the Cedar Revolution hasn't been all smooth-sailing. The pro-Syrian regime was effectively dissolved, reformed and dissolved again, wrangling between political and military figures in the pro-Syrian and anti-Syrian camps is rife, and assassinations of anti-Syrian figures has continued, all of which threaten political stability in the country.

Major Events in the Cedar Revolution
2004 Sep - UN Security Council resolution demands Syrian troops leave Lebanon. Syria refuses. Pro-Syrian President Lahoud's term extended by three years. Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri resigns in protest.

2005 Feb - Hariri assassinated in Beirut, sparking massive anti-Syrian rallies. The cabinet of Prime Minister Omar Karami resigns.

2005 Mar - Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese rally in Beirut in support of Syria. Pro-Syrian former PM Omar Karami is asked by the president to form a new government.

2005 Apr - PM Omar Karami fails to form a government, resigns. Karami is succeeded by pro-Syrian MP Najib Mikati. Syria completes full withdrawal of its forces from Lebanon.

2005 Jun - Prominent anti-Syrian journalist Samir Qasir is assassinated by car bomb. Anti-Syrian alliance wins control of parliament following elections, appoints Fouad Siniora as PM.

George Hawi, anti-Syrian former leader of Lebanese Communist Party, killed by car-bomb.

2005 July - PM Siniora meets Syria's President Assad. Talks end in an agreement to revuild damaged relations.

2005 Sep - Four pro-Syrian generals charged in connection with the assassination of Hariri.


The UN earlier this year compiled the Fitgerald Report, which was the result of a month-long initial fact-finding mission into the circumstances surrounding the Hariri assassination. The report is very critical of all parties involved and implicated in the event, citing undue influence in the political workings of the country by Syria, tense political polarization between pro and anti Syrian factions including accusations from each side as to who was responsible, and general incompetence on the part of the Lebanese government and security forces. The report also cast doubt on the ability of proceeding investigations to produce a result concerning the perpetrators of Hariri's killing.

Fitgerald Report - domino.un.org

On the Lebanese side of the investigation, four pro-Syrian generals have been arrested and charged in connection with the assassination.



The UN's full investigation will be wrapped up this week and team-leader Detlev Mehlis is expected to submit his findings, dubbed "The Mehlis Report", on October 21st. While anti-Syrian factions in Lebanon are hopeful that the report will implicate Syria and Syrian elements, it is doubtful such will be the case due to hindrances to the investigation created both in Syria and in Lebanon by elements from both sides of the debacle. But if the report does indeed show the direct involvement of Syrian Interior Minister Ghazi Kanaan in the assassination - a possibility that many have speculated about in light of his recent suicide - then the consequences for Syria may be dire indeed...even more-so if the investigation implicates Syria's President Assad.

Did Kanaan commit suicide because he feared the implications of the report, or was his death unconnected? Or was he perhaps "suicided"?



Will the Mehlis Report produce international repercussions for Syria? Or will it simply be another wishy-washy factfile like the Fitzgerald Report? Will the truth of Hariri's assassination ever be known?

With Lebanon's political situation, there appears to be more internal conflict than productivity, and there appear to be more questions than answers. One thing is for sure: Syria's involvement in Lebanon has been a complicated and ultimately disastrous move from day one, and the effects of that involvement will still be felt for a long time to come. The "Cedar Revolution" may turn out to be the most drawn-out revolution in recent history.

FURTHER READING:

Syria's Assad willing to cooperate with US on Iraq - Reuters

Bush warns Syria over Lebanon, Iraq - Reuters

Lebanese shed few tears for Syria's feared enforcer's suicide - Reuters

The Cedar Revolution - wikipedia

Syrian presence in Lebanon - wikipedia

There is no hiding from Mehlis' report - (Lebanon's) Daily Star

The political situation in Lebanon is a very complex one. I welcome any corrections to the material presented here.

[edit on 2005-10-14 by wecomeinpeace]

[edit on 10/17/05 by FredT]

Good article layout, but title reads incoherently since suicide is a noun not a verb.
Maybe change it to: Syrian Minister Commits Suicide Ahead of UN Assassination Report


Syrian Interior Minister Ghazi Kanaan (Reuters Photo)

If he did commit suicide I suspect Bashar al-Assad is going down in flames when the UN report comes out.

FM: Syrians feel `noose tightening' - Haaretz

covered: Ghazi Kanaan Commits Suicide

But I must say. Although its a repeat its one of the best submissions by a contributers at the moment. It shows that time and effort and research went into it. Should be more like it.

Well done