Martyrs' Day (Lebanon and Syria)
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Martyrs' Day عيد الشهداء | |
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Observed by | 6 May |
Next time | 6 May 2024 |
Frequency | annual |
Martyrs' Day (
Rise of nationalism in early 20th century
The
Turkish nationalism
In the early 20th century, a new wave of
Arab nationalism
Inspired by the Young Turk Revolution, Arab delegates and political figures of the Empire started speaking of the Western notion of
However, as the Turkish nationalism grew, discussion of Arab cultural identity and demands for greater autonomy for Greater Syria grew. These demands had been predominantly taken up by Christian Arabs for years but were now joined by some Syrian Muslim Arabs. Various public or secret societies (the Beirut Reform Society led by Salim Ali Salam, 1912; the Ottoman Party for Administrative Decentralization, 1913; al-Qahtaniyya, 1909; al-Fatat, 1911; and al-Ahd, 1913) were formed to advance demands ranging from autonomy to independence for the Ottoman Arab provinces. Members of some of these groups came together at the request of al-Fatat to form the Arab Congress of 1913. The dissolution of the Ottoman Empire had begun.
Resultantly, in 1913, intellectuals and politicians from the Arab Mashriq met in Paris at the first Arab Congress at which desired reforms were discussed. They produced a set of demands for greater autonomy within the Ottoman Empire. They again demanded for Arab conscripts to the Ottoman army not to be required to serve in other regions except in time of war.
Fall of Arab nationalism
Jamal Basha
The situation, however, lost momentum and took a blow with the events that unfolded next. In 1914, the
The outbreak of World War I brought
Indeed, in February 1915, frustrated by his unsuccessful attack on the British forces protecting the Suez Canal, Jamal Pasha initiated a blockade of the entire eastern Mediterranean coast to prevent supplies from reaching his enemies. Lebanon suffered more than any other Ottoman province. The blockade resulted in a grave food shortage with swarms of locust invading Lebanon. The result was famine, followed by plague, which killed more than a quarter of the population.
French and British support
Because of the growing dissent against
The Arab nationalists in
In the meanwhile, the British authorities were also secretly corresponding with the
French and British betrayal
At the same time, collusion was happening across the borders. A secret agreement was struck between the governments of the United Kingdom and France where they agreed to subdivide the Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire (excluding the Arabian peninsula) into areas of future British and French control or influence. The agreement came to be known as the infamous
In a devious scheme in which the French consul had to escape Beirut, which was in Ottoman territory, it is said[by whom?] that the French purposely left behind evidence of the Arab Nationalists' correspondence with the French Consulate for the Turkish authorities to find them. The French Consulate burned all diplomatic papers except the specific letters of the Arab Nationalists.[citation needed] The purpose is proclaimed to be the premise of the Sykes-Picot Agreement. If the allies won the war, the Arab nationalists would never let them divide their lands and "rule" over them since the promise was to help them gain autonomy.
Execution of Arab nationalists
The Turkish authorities found the evidence of the Arab-French correspondence which incriminated the Arab nationalists as "traitors" to the Ottoman Empire.
On May 6, 1916,
Nationalists executed in Damascus
The following nationalists were executed in Marjeh Square, which came to be known as Martyrs' Square, in Damascus on May 6, 1916:
- wāli of Damascus and Egypt Nassouh Pasha al-Azm. Shafiq al-Azm is also the grandfather-in-law of former Lebanese prime minister Abdallah El-Yafi.
- Abdelhamid al-Zahrawi: Journalist and founder of Homs-based newspaper "al-Minbar". In 1913, he called for and headed the first Arab Congress in Paris.
- Rushdi al-Shamaa: MP for Damascus in 1908.
- Omar al-Jazairi
- Shukri al-Asali: MP for Damascus in 1908.
- Salim Ahmad Abdul Hadi: Member of the Decentralization Party
- Rafiq Rizq Salloum: Lawyer and Poet
Nationalists executed in Beirut
The following nationalists were executed in "Sahat al-Burj" or "Place des Canons", which later came to be known as Martyrs' Square, in Beirut on May 6, 1916:
- Emir Aref Chehab
- Father Joseph Hayek
- Abdul Karim al-Khalil, from Chyah
- Abdelwahab al-Inglizi
- Saleh Haidar, from Baalbek
- Joseph Bshara Hani
- Mohammad Mahmassani, from Beirut
- Mahmoud Mahmassani, brother of Mohammad
- Omar Ali Nashashibi
- Omar Hamad, from Beirut
- Tawfiq al-Bsat, from Saida
- Philippe El Khazen, journalist from Jounieh, Lebanon
- Farid El Khazen, younger brother of Philippe and also a journalist and editor from Jounieh, Lebanon[1]
- Sheikh Ahmad Tabbara
- Petro Paoli, late husband of Mary Ajami
- Abdel Ghani al-Arayssi, editor of al-Mufid newspaper[2]
- Muhammad Chanti, publisher of ad-difa'a newspaper in Jaffa.
- George Ibrahim Haddad, journalist and poet
The martyrs of May 6, 1916 have been immortalized in Lebanese history textbooks, and historical events leading to their hanging are often compulsively memorized by school children.
Martyrs' Square in Beirut has become an even more pivotal landmark for the Lebanese people as it held the famous 2005 Cedar Revolution following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.
Consequences of the war
The periphery of the Empire started to splinter under the pressures of local revolutions and Allies' victories. The Ottomans eventually lost the war and the Ottoman Empire was dissolved. The Arabs' were given none of the things that were promised by the Allies.
The
It is impossible to say what directions the proposed Arab Nationalistic reforms of 1913 would have taken if the war, the
Current day
Some remains of the old Cinema Opera building (now a Virgin Megastore) and the bronze Martyrs statue are the only features left of the Martyrs' Square. The statue, which was inaugurated on March 6, 1960, is the work of Italian sculptor
The Martyrs' Square is a common location for protests and demonstrations, among the more notable demonstrations were the 2005
Commemoration
Traditionally, on this day the presidents of both countries pay their respect by visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
References
- ^ Kissed from a Distance, 2007, Chapter 9
- ISBN 978-0253004925.
- ^ Mattiti, F.: Mazzacurati, Renato Marino, Italian Biographical Dictionary. URL retrieved 2011-08-23.