M.U.R. was a Lebanese clandestine liberation armed group fighting

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

's occupation by foreign armies in the 1990s, after the

Lebanese civil war The Lebanese Civil War ( ) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 150,000 fatalities and led to the exodus of almost one million people from Lebanon. The religious diversity of the ...

was officially ended. The group's name was an initialism of Unified Movements of the Resistance (). M.U.R. was founded in 1991 by Michel Elefteriades who led it until 1994. It was instigated after

General Michel Aoun A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED Online. Mar ...

's defeat by the

Syrian army The Syrian Army is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. Up until the fall of the Assad regime, the Syrian Arab Army existed as a land force branch of the Syrian Arab Armed Forces, which dominanted the military service of the fo ...

that took control of most of Lebanon's territory. In that context, M.U.R. was an illegal organization as

's regime was under Syrian dominion. Leader Of M

Principles & Objectives

* Freeing the Lebanese territory from all foreign military presence * Rejecting

feudalism Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was a combination of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe from the 9th to 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of struc ...

and political

sectarianism Sectarianism is a debated concept. Some scholars and journalists define it as pre-existing fixed communal categories in society, and use it to explain political, cultural, or Religious violence, religious conflicts between groups. Others conceiv ...

in order to establish a

secular democracy Democracy (from , ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state. Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitiv ...

* Struggling to achieve

social justice Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has of ...

* Edifying a modern, independent and sovereign state within Lebanon’s internationally recognized boundaries * Respecting and implementing the

International Bill of Human Rights The International Bill of Human Rights was the name given tUN General Assembly Resolution 217 (III)and two international treaties established by the United Nations. It consists of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted in 1948), the In ...

* Fighting collaboration, treason and corruption * Advocating the recovery of the

Lebanese Army The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; ), also known as the Lebanese Army (), is the national military of the Republic of Lebanon. It consists of three branches, the ground forces, the air force, and the navy. The motto of the Lebanese Armed Forces is ...

's authority over all of the land

Internal Memos

Some of M.U.R.'s internal memos in 1991: 1- Fellow brother and free resistance fighters!!! Resistance is an organized action. Planning and awareness are indispensable. Liberation is our goal. Resistance begins with determination and joy. It is each true

patriot A patriot is a person with the quality of patriotism. Patriot(s) or The Patriot(s) may also refer to: Political and military groups United States * Patriot (American Revolution), those who supported the cause of independence in the American R ...

's responsibility. The nation is calling to get rid of occupation and its local apparatus. Their judgement hour is near... Fellow free resistance fighters, We know that you will answer the call, that you are strong, determined and effective. Organize your cell. Avoid hastiness. Do not distribute despicable

pamphlets A pamphlet is an unbound book (that is, without a Hardcover, hard cover or Bookbinding, binding). Pamphlets may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths, called a ''leaflet'' ...

. Do not use cheap language. Your cell is one of many that adhere to M.U.R. The choice is yours. See you soon and hoping for your cooperation. From the National Committee of Resistance to the United Movements of Resistance (M.U.R.) 2- On a first step, the United Movements of Resistance (M.U.R.) will put emphasis on pamphlets as well as written

slogans A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a clan or a political slogan, political, Advertising slogan, commercial, religious, or other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose, with the goal of persuading members of the pu ...

everywhere (walls, stickers, banners...) We shall supply you with announcements. You will receive well studied pamphlets that you shall photocopy and distribute on a large scale. You shall write slogans as much as you can with a sole and unique signature: The United Movements of Resistance (M.U.R.). The strength of our unity will bring confidence to our oppressed people and "imprisoned" army. Traitors and enemies will fear us. From the National Committee of Resistance to the United Movements of Resistance (M.U.R.) 3- The United Movements of Resistance or M.U.R. represents several organizations that refuse the "Etat de fait" imposed since October 13, 1990. Our main purposes are: • Liberate the country from all foreign occupations. • Reject the

Taif Agreement The 1989 Taif Agreement (, ), officially known as the ('')'', was reached to provide "the basis for the ending of the civil war and the return to political normalcy in Lebanon". Negotiated in Taif, Saudi Arabia, it was designed to end the 15 y ...

s and their results. • Reject the religious, sectarian and political feudalism. • Fight the traitors and agents. • Believe that the Lebanese army is our nation's hope and salvation. • Seek the implementation of social justice. • Respect Human Rights. Young patriots, wake up and unite, your country needs you, Answer to our call before it's too late, Remember that

freedom Freedom is the power or right to speak, act, and change as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving oneself one's own laws". In one definition, something is "free" i ...

is given to those who deserve it, Living without freedom is a form of death! The United Movements of Aounist Resistance M.U.R.

Articles

An-Nahar ''An-Nahar'' () is a leading Arabic-language daily newspaper published in Lebanon. In the 1980s, ''An-Nahar'' was described by ''The'' ''New York Times'' and ''Time Magazine'' as the newspaper of record for the entire Arab world. History and p ...

26-5-1992 2- An-Nahar 21-7-1992 3- An-Nahar 18-8-1992 4- An-Nahar 25-8-1992

Michel Elefteriades

During this period, Michel Elefteriades is the victim of two failed assassination attempts: the first time, his car is trapped, the second, he is the target of fire. This leads him to exile in France and then in Cuba between 1994 and 1997. In 2005, he was particularly active in the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon and in April, he organized the mega-concert of the Festival of National Unity which took place in Down Town Beirut and attracted hundreds of thousands of people celebrating this event, that some have called the Spring of Beirut or Independence 05. The same year, in May, Elefteriades helped organize the festivities for the return of the leader Michel Aoun to Lebanon, after fifteen years of exile.

References

External links

* Michel Elefteriades talking about MUR on Lebanese TV - {{cite web, url=http://www.lbcgroup.tv/watch/chapter/30226/57003/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%B3%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B9/ar , title=مواكبة الانتخابات الرئاسية, website=www.lbcgroup.tv Factions in the Lebanese Civil War