Antoine (Antun in modern Lebanese colloquial) Saadeh was the founder of the Syrian Social National Party (SSNP) in the 1930's in Lebanon, which advocated the creation of a Greater Syria. For him, the newly established Republic of Lebanon was an anathema, the creation of the French mandatory power, through the direct complicity of the Maronite Patriarchate. Saadeh, himself a Christian (although not a Maronite) never looked into the issue from a pure religious perspective. He was more interested in the ideological and geopolitical framework of the Greater Syria he advocated as a complete entity. Saadeh was condemned by a military court and shot to death in 1949.
Even with a cursory Look at the events that are unfolding in Lebanon today, one can see how right Saadeh was in his analysis of the situation in the 1930's and 1940's. The endemic problems that he feared at the time still exist today and a permanent solution for the Lebanese problem is yet to be found. Tuff luck!
This translations represents some reminisces about him through the eyes of some of his friends and relatives. This translation is one of several that I have been doing over the last months with the intention of later joining them together under a single volume. I hope that its on-line publishing and the comments I might get from the several installments will help me in my editing of the final product.
Nawwaf Hardan Reminisces
Saadeh
We finally reached the airport… Thousands of SSNP members had crowded both sides of the road leading to the airport entrance under the supervision of the party's security coordinator, George Abd al Masih. The airplane that was bringing Saadeh from Cairo started roaming above the airport. The hearts and eyes of SSNP members were with the plane. They wanted time to fly by in order for them to see Saadeh.
After the airplane docked and national security procedures were completed and, after minutes that seemed like hours, we finally saw him. He walked in very sure steps surrounded by party central executive members Naameh Tabit, Fu'ad Abi Ajram, Maaruf Saab, Abdallah al Qubersi, Abdallah Saadeh, Fayiz Sayigh, Elias Jirji, Ma'mun Elias, Abdallah Muhsin, Jubran Jrayj, and others. We saw him coming towards us, the thousands of SSNP members waiting for him. He was there in his inspiring face and big stature. His right hand was high as he waived it at us. He had a smile on his lips. His eyes were inspiring confidence. He was bringing hope to all of us. He was the embodiment of heroism and knighthood. He brought with him the trust of victory.
He started roaming amongst the waves of his followers who waived his pictures and the party flags. It was a scene to be remembered. It was an organized demonstration. He was finally inside the car of one of the party leaders. His convoy was led by police motorcycles to the home of central committee member Ma'mun Elias in Ghbayri.
We followed his entourage on foot. He came out of the car and went inside to the open hall surrounded with pine trees. The crowd waited for Saadeh to reappear and to talk to them. He finally came out from the second story balcony to talk to the gathered masses of people.
The crowd started shouting as soon as Saadeh appeared on the balcony surrounded with high party officials. Saadeh once again waived his right hand at the crowd and everybody saw his comforting smile again.
“Long live Syria. Long Live Saadeh,” shouted the crowd. “O sons of life…who is life for…”
-To us.
-To whom we do live?
-To Syria.
-Who is our leader?
-Saadeh is.
-Long live Syria.
-Long live, long live, long live…
-Long live Saadeh
-Long live, long live, long live.
At this point Saadeh raised both his arms in a parallel fashion, a sign that he wanted us to stop. Everybody was silent.
Fayiz Sayigh asked Saadeh: “O our honored leader. If I am standing here at this very special and happy moment, it is because the heart of every SSNP member is happy for your presence. If I stand here to explain to you how each and every SSNP member misses you, I am trying to the impossible. The feelings that this big crowd expressed is impossible to describe in words. I think that you understood that from the moment your plane touched the ground at the airport and we are looking at you whenever you go. At the midst of all this there is one thing that expresses everybody's wish: We are ready. There is no vote of confidence that is stronger than that given by the hearts and souls of this big crowd. Very near to where we stand sleeps a martyr. He was our first martyr. He will vouch for what I say: It is in his deep silence that our martyr cries; Saadeh, We are honest in our oath. We walk behind you till death, so that the nation can walk on our bodies toward life.”
