Fifty-one years since the outbreak of the 1975-90 civil war, Lebanon continues to grapple with unresolved legacies of conflict, including transitional justice, truth and reconciliation, and collective healing, particularly for the families of the missing and forcibly disappeared.

In the decades since the end of the war, the country has made some progress on this issue, such as the establishment of the National Commission for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared. Yet, significant institutional, legal, and political challenges remain, compounded by limited public awareness, fragmented knowledge, and fading memories.

It is in this context that the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies (LCPS) is launching a series of papers addressing the issue of the missing and forcibly disappeared, focusing on themes related to “Dealing with the Past.” Through this endeavor, LCPS aims to inform policymakers, raise awareness, and advance practical solutions, with a particular emphasis on conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and social justice.

In this installment of Dealing with the Past Series, Dima Smaira shows how unresolved cases of the missing and forcibly disappeared from the war still shape Lebanon's political and social landscape. It outlines key legal frameworks, reviews patterns of disappearance, and critiques post-war state responses marked by denial and impunity, while noting some steps in the right direction. The paper argues that real progress toward truth and justice depends on sustained political will and institutional action.