2007年VOA标准英语-Funeral Held in Beirut for Slain Anti-Syrian Le

Lebanon's top political leaders and hundreds of ordinary citizens turned out for the funeral Friday, of slain¹ Christian² lawmaker Antoine Ghanem. Edward Yeranian reports from Beirut.

Church bells tolled³ as thick clusters of mourners crowded the streets leading to the Sacred Heart church, where funeral services were held to honor slain Christian member of parliament Antoine Ghanem.

Ghanem died Wednesday after a car bomb targeting his vehicle exploded during rush hour traffic in an East Beirut suburb, killing⁴ him and six others.

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Relatives and friends of Ghanem carry coffin draped with Lebanese flag, 21 Sep 2007

Ghanim's coffin, draped with the flags of Lebanon, was carried into the church as young supporters waved flags of his Phalange political party.

Family members, including his widow and daughter, greeted a long-line of celebrities⁶ and politicians come to pay their last respects.

Lebanon's top leaders, including pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud were present for the service, alongside former President Amine Gemayel, Druze Leader Walid Jumblatt, Christian Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and pro-government coalition⁷ leader Sa'ad Hariri.

Former president Gemayel, whose party the Ghanem belonged to, delivered the eulogy⁸ saying that Lebanon's upcoming presidential elections will proceed next week, as scheduled.

Every martyr⁹ that falls among us, he said, is a force propelling us forward, to a more prosperous future, but the time has come to get rid of our fear for one another because fear of outsiders unites a people, but fear amongst ourselves divides us.

Schools, universities, stores, and many government offices were closed.

Security remains¹⁰ extremely tight along arteries¹¹ leading to the funeral and vehicles were towed from busy commercial districts to prevent the occurrence of another car bomb.

Ghanem was a member of the pro-government coalition locked in a power struggle with opposition¹² groups backed by Syria.

Supporters of the embattled pro-government coalition were angry, accusing Syria of killing Ghanem to make way for their own candidate for president.

Syria has denies the charges. Pro-Syrian Parliament speaker Nabih Berri insists that parliament will meet as scheduled this Tuesday, despite the assassination¹³, to chose a new president for Lebanon.

Ghanem was the fourth member of parliament and eighth prominent anti-Syrian figure to be killed in Lebanon in the last two years. Syria has denied involvement in any of the attacks.