Biographical Briefs of
Members of the 1992 Parliament
Continued
Ali Ammar: Former member of the Amal Movement, joined Hizballah
in 1983. Founder of the Martyrs’ Institution, which compensates the families
of Hizballah members killed in combat. Ran as an independent in Ba`abda.
Khalil Abd al-Nour: Sixty-five year old Greek Catholic from Joun
in the Shouf. Brother of former deputy Salem Abd al-Nou, whose seat he
took over. A chemical engineer and well-known industrialist. Head of Joun
municipality from 1963-65. Among those currently responsible for return
of Christian displaced to Shouf.
Marwan Abu-Fadel: Greek Orthodox entrepreneur from Aley, born
in 1958. Son of former deputy speaker of Parliament Munir Abu-Fadel. Degree
in law from University of Paris, Sorbonne, and Master’s degree in Political
Science, also from France. Member of the Unified Front of Ras Beirut.
Riyad Abu-Fadel: Greek Orthodox lawyer from Beit Meri (Metn),
born in 1930. Studied at the St. Joseph University. Unsuccessful candidate
in the 1968 elections.
Talal Arslan: Druze from Aley. Appointed to Parliament in 1991,
taking over the seat of his father Emir Majid Arslan. Minister of Tourism
in the Karami government.
Ghassan Ashqar: Maronite from Deek al-Mahdi (Metn district).
Member of the Syrian social nationalist Party, and son of Asad al-Ashqar,
a former official in the party. Brother of Lebanese actress Nidal al-Ashqar.
Mahmoud Awad: shi`a surgeon from Almat (qada` of Jubayl), born
in 1946. Without political affiliation, candidate of one of the Shi`a families
in Jubayl.
Samir Awn: Maronite from Damur. Son of deceased deputy Aziz Awn,
who was member of the Struggle Front headed by Kamal Junblat.
August Bakhos: Seventy-year old Maronite lawyer from the Bawshriyyeh
suburb of Beirut. Educated at St. Joseph University. Elected to Parliament
as representative of the Metn district in 1972.
Shahe Barsoumian: Armenian Orthodox from Beirut, Lawyer and member
of the Central Committee of the Tashnag party. Appointed to parliament
in June 1991. Minister of State in the Hariri cabinet.
Nabil Boustany: Maronite businessman from Debbiyeh in the Shouf,
Resident of Monaco, where he owns a hotel. Represents Boustany family which
has traditional ties to the Junblats. With Walid Junblat, was responsible
for return of tens of Christian displaced families to Debbiyeh in mid-September.
Mansur al-Bone: Maronite businessman and landowner from kisirwan,
born in 1953. President of the Fouad al-Bone Social Foundation, and honorary
president of the Al Ghanem Association.
Faris Buwayz: Maronite from Kisirwan. Foreign minister in Solh
and Hariri cabinets. Appointed to Parliament in 1991. Son of former Deputy
Nuhad Buwayz and son-in-law of President Hrawi.
George Deeb Ni`meh: Maronite head of the municipality of Dayr
al-Qamar in the Shouf. Close to the Chamoun family, he was instrumental
in maintaining Christian presence in Dayr al-Qamar in 1983. Known as a
partisan of Christian-Druze coexistence.
Jean Ghanim: Maronite candidate from Ba`abda. Former member of
the Kata`ib Party. Close to Elie Hubayqahh, on whose behalf he participated
in the Tripartite negotiations in Damascus in 1985.
Habib Hakim: Maronite from Sin al-Fil, born in 1927. Head of
the Sin al-Fil municipality since 1963. Elected president of the Federation
of Metn Municipalities in 1980.
Marwan Hamadeh: Druze from the Shouf. Minister of Health in the
Solh and Hariri cabinets. Degrees in Law and Economy from the St. Joseph
University. Appointed to parliament in 1991, and subsequently Minister
of Economy and Trade in cabinet of Omar Karami. Lawyer and close advisor
to Walid Junblat.
Pierre Helou: Maronite Deputy, businessman, and former minister,
born in Beirut in 1929. Elected to parliament in 1972 for Aley. With Fuad
al-Sa`ad vowed to resign from 1992 Parliament by Christmas unless substantial
progress was made in returning displaced Christians to Aley and Shouf.
Elie Hubayqah: Maronite from Biskinta. Minister of State for
Social Affairs and the handicapped in the Hariri cabinet. Joined Kata`ib
Party in 1977, appointed head of LF intelligence in 1982. Became head of
LF in 1985. Overthrown by Samir Ja`ja` as LF chief in January 1986; established
pro-Syrian breakaway LF in Zahleh. Founded al-Wa`ad Party in 1989. Appointed
to parliament in 1991.
Walid Junblat: Druze from the Shouf. Minister of State for the
Displaced in the Hariri cabinet. Appointed to his father, Kamal Junblat’s
seat in June 1991. Head of the Progressive Socialist Party and the Druze
community since his father’s assassination in 1977. Headed Shouf list in
elections.
Antoine Khalil: Maronite from Dbayyeh. Member of the Syrian Social
Nationalist Party; was official responsible for the party’s finances.
Zahir al-Khatib: Forty-eight year old Sunni from the Iqlim al-Kharroub.
Elected deputy for Shouf in by-election after the death of his father in
1970, and reelected in 1972. Member of the Progressive Socialist Party.
One of only two deputies who voted in Parliament against the May 17 Agreement
between Lebanon and Israel.
Elias al-Khazen: Maronite deputy and businessman born in Ajaltoun
in 1926. Elected to parliament for Kisirwan in 1964 and 1972. Served as
Minister of the Interior in Salim al-Hoss’s cabinet of 1990-91.
Rshayd al-Khazen: Maronite businessman and landowner born in
Ghadir near Jounieh. Member of the influential Khazen family from Ghosta
in the Kisirwan, he is the cousin and rival of deputy Elias al-Khazen.
President of the “Alka” contracting firm.
Maha Khuri As`ad: Maronite from Qartaba (qada` of Jubayl). Sister
of assassinated former Kata`ib head in Jubayl, Ghaith Khuri. Heads a small
business office. Friend of Lebanon’s first lady Mrs. Muna Hrawi.
Michel al-Khuri: Maronite from Amshit. Retired army general,
formerly in military intelligence. Brother of former Army Commander Victor
Khuri.
Nassib Lahoud: Maronite from Ba`abdat in the Metn district. Appointed
to Parliament for Metn district in 1991, replacing his relative Fuad Lahoud.
Electrical engineer trained in the U.K. Appointed Ambassador to Washington
in 1990. Despite candidacy, one of five Maronite deputies who called for
rescheduling of elections until more favorable circumstances existed for
holding them.
Michel al-Murr: Greek Orthodox politician, engineer, and entrepreneur
from Bteghrine in the Metn. Deputy Prime Minister in the Hariri cabinet.
Represented the Metn in Parliament in 1968-72. Played an important role
on behalf of Elie Hubayqah in negotiating Tripartite Agreement in 1985.
Fuad al-Sa`ad: Maronite from Aley. Appointed to parliament in
1991 taking over the seat of Aziz Awn. Trained in law, politics, and history
at the St. Joseph University. Practices law. Relative of Habib Basha al-Sa`ad.
former President of the Republic during the French Mandate. With Pierre
Helou, vowed to leave parliament if there was no substantial progress on
return of Christian refugees to Aley and the Shouf by Christmas.
Basim al-Saba`: Shi`a journalist born in Burj al-Barajneh (qada`
of Ba`abda in 1951. Degree in journalism from the Lebanese University.
Secretary of the Press Syndicate; worked for the Al-Safir newspaper,
among other publications. Assistant secretary-general of the Union of Arab
Journalists since 1983. Member of the board of Télé-Liban.
Media advisor to Saudi-Lebanese businessman, Rafiq al-Hariri.
Michel Samaha: Greek Catholic from Jouar (Metn). Minister of
Information in the Solh and Hariri cabinets. Degree in Business Administration
from the St. Joseph University in Beirut. Former member of Kata`ib Party.
Represented Elie Hubayqah at Damascus Tripartite talks in 1985.
Akram Shuhayyib: Druze from Aley. Head of Aley list. Trained
in history at the Lebanese University and the University of Cairo. Member
of the PSP polit-bureau and close advisor to PSP leader Walid Junblat since
1982. Appointed to Beirut Druze Parliamentary seat in 1991. Elected parliamentary
secretary in 1992.
Ayman Shqayr: Druze from Arsoun in the qada` of Ba`abda. Appointed
to parliament in 1991. Businessman trained in economics and business administration
in Lebanon and Europe. Close to Walid Junblat. Son of the late Shawqat
Shqayr, politician and general in the Syrian Army.
Ala`iddine Tirro: Thirty-nine year old Sunni from Barja in the
Shouf. Member of the Progressive Socialist Party led by Walid Junblat,
he was the party official responsible for the Iqlim al-Kharroub region.
Camille Ziadeh: Maronite lawyer and businessman born in Beirut in 1943, yet registered in the Kisirwan. Degrees inLaw and Political Science from the St. Joseph University in Beirut. Practicing lawyer, he is also a director of the Société Générale Bank and the Prisunic department store. Elected parliamentary secretary in 1992.
Ahmad Ajami: Shi`a from Abbasiyyeh (qada` of Tyre), born in 1931.
Former teacher in the ja`fari School in Tyre (1950s). Moved to Liberia,
before returning to Lebanon in 1975 and working as a businessman. Business
partner of Nabih Birri’s.
Hasan Alawiyyeh: Shi`a lawyer from Aytaroun (qada` of Bint Jubayl).
Member of Amal, chief of staff of Nabih Birri’s private office.
Abdallah al-Amin: Shi`a born in Sawwan (South). Minister of Labor
in the Solh and Hariri cabinets. Former journalist and teacher. Appointed
to parliament in June 1991. Regional Secretary of the pro-Syrian wing of
the Ba`th Party in Lebanon since 1990
Sa`id al-As`ad: Sixty-four year old Shi`a doctor and diplomat
from the South. Studied medicine in Montpellier, France. Chief surgeon
at the Maqassid Hospital in Beirut. Former Lebanese ambassador to Iraq,
Jordan, Morocco, Switzerland, and Belgium. Married to the daughter of former
prime minister Riyad al-Solh.
Samir Azar: Maronite lawyer, born in Sayda in 1939. Vice-President
of the Council of the South. Studied law at the St. Joseph University.
Political heir of the former Cheehabist deputy from Jizzin, Jean Aziz.
Muhamad Baydoun: Shi`a from Beirut. Minister of Water and Electricity
in The Solh cabinet. Appointed to parliament in 1991. Doctorate in Mathematics
from Lyon University. Member of the Amal Movement since 1980; represented
Movement at 1985 Tripartite talks in Damascus. Headed Council of the South.
Nabih Birri: Shi`a born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, originally
from Tibnin in the South. Speaker of Parliament. Degree in Law from the
Lebanese University. Leader of the Shi`a Amal Movement since 1980, and
minister in a number of cabinets. Appointed to parliament in June 1991.
Headed winning list in South.
Muhammad Fnaysh: Shi`a from Ma`roub (qada` of Tyre) Under the
nom de guerre Abou Yasser, one of the heads of the Islamic resistance in
South Lebanon. Heads Hizballah political bureau; was one of the organization’s
two candidates in the South.
As`ad Hardan: Greek Orthodox, born in Rashayya al-Fuqhar in 1951.
Member of the Syrian Social National Party (SSNP) since 1968. When the
party split in 1986, he sided with Issam Mahayri and the SSNP-Emergency
Council. Official responsible for defense and resistance operations in
the SSNP. Minister of State in Omar Karami’s government of 1991, and appointed
deputy the same year.
Bahiyya al-Hariri: Sunni born in Sayda in 1952. Sister of Prime
Minister Rafiq al-Hariri, and member of the board of the Hariri Foundation.
Degree from the National Teachers Institute in Sayda; until 1979 taught
in a number of schools in Sayda and the South.
Ayyoub Hmayyid: Shi`a from Bayt Lif (qada` of Bint Jbayl), born
in 1954. Former Director General of the Ministry of Information. Member
of the Amal Movement since 1973, he is President of the Executive Committee
of the organization.
Imad Jaber: Fifty-eight year old Shi`a agricultural engineer
from Nabatiyyeh. Director general of the National Tobacco Régie.
Unsuccessful candidate in the 1968 and 1972 elections, he is considered
and independent.
Sulayman Kan`an: Maronite cardiologist from Jizzin, born in 1955.
Educated at St. Joseph University and in France. Grandson of Sulayman Kan`an
and nephew of Maroun Kan`an, both former deputies.
Ali al-Khalil: Shi`a deputy from Tyre, born in 1934. PhD in Political
Science. Elected deputy for Tyre in 1972. Minister of State in 1973 cabinet
of Taqieddine al-Solh. Minister of Finance in Omar Karami’s government
of 1991.
Anwar al-Khalil: Druze born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1938. Degree
in Law from the University of London. Between 1972-74, President of the
ULCM, the main organization grouping Lebanese emigrants internationally.
Close to the Progressive Socialist Party. Elected deputy for Marja`youn-Hasbayya.
Minister of State in Hariri cabinet.
Michel Musa: Greek Catholic doctor from Magdousheh, born in 1949.
Has been a practicing doctor in Sayda since 1980. Studied at the University
of Montpellier in France.
Muhammad Ra`ad: Shi`a from the South. Founding member of Hizballah
organization in Jba`a in the Iqlim al-Tuffah (qada` Jizzin).
Mustapha Sa`ad: Sunni agricultural engineer born in Sayda in
1951. Son of the late Ma`rouf Sa`ad, deputy from Sayda assassinated in
1975. Educated in the Soviet Union. Lost his sight in an assassination
attempt in 1985. Heads the Popular Nasserite Movement.
Habib Sadiq: Shi`a writer and poet from Khiyam (qada` of Marj`ayoun).
Studied in public schools and received diplomas in Economic and Administrative
studies from the Lebanese University. Unsuccessful candidate in the 1972
parliamentary elections, he is considered close to the Communist Party.
Founding member of the Cultural Council of South Lebanon; became its Secretary
General in 1975. Member and former secretary of the Lebanese Writer’s Union.
Nadim Salem: Greek Catholic engineer from Kfar Falous, born in
1936, Son of late deputy Nicolas Salem. Elected deputy for Jizzin 1972.
Former Minister of Public Works in the government of Omar Karami.
Ahmad Suwayd: Sixty-three year old Sunni lawyer and writer from
Kfar Hamam (qada` of Hasbayya). Degrees in Law from the Syrian University
and the St. Joseph University. Former Nasserite, was an official in the
Lebanese Writer’s Union. Unsuccessful candidate in the 1972 elections.
Ali Usayran: Shi`a deputy born in Sayda in 1947. Son and political
advisor to former minister Adil Usayran. BA in political science and economics
from the University of Maryland. Minister of State in Hariri cabinet members.)
Abd al-Latif al-Zayn: Shi`a deputy, former minister, and lawyer born in Kfar Remmane (south) in 1932. Educated at the American University of Beirut and St. Joseph University. Elected deputy in 1960, and reelected deputy from Nabatiyyeh in 1964, 1968, and 1972.