Memorial Benches
A memorial that raises awareness of the number of missing and forcibly disappeared in Lebanon and around the world. It engages the public and encourages people to contribute to the clarification of the whereabouts of the missing and forcibly disappeared, thus providing support to the families’ advocacy efforts.
Background
During Lebanon’s civil war (1975 – 1990), over 100,000 people were killed and thousands disappeared. The 1989 Taif Agreement, also known as the “National Reconciliation Accord,” allowed for some political compromise, which was enough to end the war but failed to initiate a reconciliation process. In the following years, little was done to address the root causes and repercussions of the conflict. At the heart of the legacy of the Lebanese war lies the unresolved fate of thousands of people who went missing during the conflict that lasted from 1975 to 1990. Most of the people who went missing were civilians, and many were kidnapped from their homes, from the streets, or at checkpoints controlled by militias or foreign troops. The families of these missing and forcibly disappeared people are still waiting for information on the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones.
About Act for the Disappeared
Act for the Disappeared (ACT) is a Lebanese Human Rights association founded in 2010. Its mission is to contribute to the clarification of the fate of the missing and forcibly disappeared in Lebanon, to foster a sustainable reconciliation process, and to prevent the recurrence of violence in the country. Since its inception, ACT has been working with the Committee of the Families of the kidnapped and Disappeared in Lebanon to lobby for creating a national commission to investigate the fate of the missing. Learn more about ACT here.
Project Description
As part of the fourth cohort of GIJTR’s Forensics Academy, Act for the Disappeared proposed and developed “Memorializing the missing and forcibly disappeared through Memorial Benches,” a project that brought together families of the missing and disappeared in Lebanon to share messages of hope to their missing loved ones, but also to the Lebanese society. The project involved the placement of two “Memorial Benches” in Horsh Beirut. On the first bench, families wrote messages to their missing loved ones. By doing this exercise, families could write unsaid words or thoughts they had been feeling for several years about their missing relatives. On the second bench, families drafted messages to the Lebanese society, reminding them of the 17,000 people who went missing in the country between 1975 and 1990.
Both benches hope to raise awareness about the history of Lebanon, mainly focusing on the younger generations who have been taught a partial history of the country, ignoring the civil war and the fatalities that resulted from it. The impact of the benches has been felt since day one when visitors of the park stopped to see the benches and ask the families of the missing about them during the installation event. Families could share their feelings with visitors and encourage them to support their advocacy efforts to learn the truth.
Memorial Benches
In a country facing a lot of social and economic problems, memorial benches will serve as a statement to address the issue of the missing and forcibly disappeared in Lebanon by:
1. Sharing a more complete narrative of the history of Lebanon with the youth, who are key members of society. By involving young people, this project will help promote awareness and prevent the recurrence of violence in the country.
2. The memorial benches will serve as a tool for the older generations who have witnessed the war to share their knowledge and contribute important information to the clarification of the fate of the missing.
3. These benches will also serve as a tool and a reminder for all Human Rights Organizations on the issue of the missing and forcibly disappeared to lobby the efforts in future projects.
