Military Reform – 1989

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Lebanon had a 42,000 strong armed force factionalized along sectarian lines and of which Gen. Michel Aoun commanded about 20,000 — mainly Christian troops. Of the remaining 22,000 soldiers in the army, most were Muslims. General Aoun was interim military government and was fired by president Elias Hrawi immediately after his election in the special session of the assembly on 25 November 1989.[fn]”Lebanon’s New President Fires Interim Military Government,” Xinhua General News Service, November 25, 1989; for different perspectives see other other sources; for example Robert Rabil, Embattled Neighbors: Syria, Israel, and Lebanon (Lynne Rienner, 2003).[/efn_note] On 28 November 1989, the government appointed Adm. Emile Lahoud as the country’s chief of armed force replacing Gen. Aoun.[fn]”Lebanon’s Cabinet Appoints New Army Commander,” Xinhua General News Service, November 28, 1989.[/efn_note] These initiatives were taken in an effort to strengthen the armed force of Lebanon. But, the Lebanese army was yet to be redeployed, which is part of the program to secure territory.

Judiciary Reform – 1989

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The peace plan as laid down in the Taif accord was approved by the Lebanon’s Parliament on 5 November 1989.[fn]”Lebanon elects new president,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 6, 1989.[/efn_note] This approval materializes much needed shifts in the composition of Lebanon’s governance closer to changing demography. Since the independence from France in 1943, Maronite Catholics, the largest Christian sect, dominated top posts of the government, army, judiciary, and the central bank.[fn]”Light in Lebanon,” Christian Science Monitor, October 12, 1990.[/efn_note] By giving judiciary body to elect certain number of members of Higher Judiciary Council, the Taif accord brought significant judiciary reform. But it is unclear exactly how many members of the council were elected by the judiciary body.