Lebanon.

Tens of thousands protest against Hezbollah's arms deposit English.news.cn   2011-03-14 02:45:27 FeedbackPrintRSS BEIRUT, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Supporters of Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri took to the streets on Sunday to demand the disarmament of the Shiite armed group Hezbollah. Tens of thousands of people gathered in the Martyrs' Square in downtown Beirut to show support for Hariri, whose national unity government collapsed after the withdrawal of ministers affiliated with Hezbollah over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), probing the 2005 assassination of the caretaker prime minister's father, statesman Rafik Hariri. The protesters waved national flags, and flags of the parties in the western-backed March 14 Alliance, and up held slogans saying "democracy, freedom, no non-state arms", "support for STL" and others. "Hezbollah's weapons are very dangerous for us, and also for our country," Mohammad, a 22-year-old Sunni college student from eastern Bekaa Valley told Xinhua. Saad Hariri began his speech by taking off his jacket and tie, and rolling up the sleeves of his white shirt, saying disarming the Hezbollah was not an "impossible" endeavor. Weapons out of the control of the state of Lebanon will be handed over to the Lebanese army, he told a cheering crowd, noting "this is not impossible." Talking about the assassination of his father, Hariri said since the incident, rival Lebanese factions have attempted to conceal "the truth, justice, and prevent people from gaining their freedom and independence." He told the supporters that they have achieved justice and independence, but are still waiting to gain freedom. "There isn't freedom for a people whose government is under the tutelage of arms ... and they tell you it is impossible but that won't work." "What was impossible six years ago, will be achieved today. It will happen," Hariri said. Hezbollah is the only Lebanese group to keep its arms after the end of the country's 1975-1990 civil war, who has made use of its arsenal to fight Israeli occupation in south Lebanon. Hariri and his allies in the March 14 argued that Hezbollah's weapons were no longer necessary after the withdrawal of Israeli troops in 2000, however, Hezbollah said its arsenal was meant to fend off Israeli attacks of Lebanon. Speaking at the rally, Hariri's Christian ally Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said the Lebanese only wanted the Lebanese army to protect them. "They hide behind their weapons in order to control the country and the people." Geagea also rejected claims that disarming Hezbollah was " impossible", expressing his trust in the will of the Lebanese people. "We refuse to have our destiny be in the hand of others or our decisions made outside of our borders," Geagea said. Editor: Mu Xuequan ====================================================================