Sheikh Samy Gemayel, son of former President Gemayel

The following is an interview with Sheikh Samy Gemayel, son of former President Amine Gemayel of Lebanon. Sheikh Samy Gemayel is a political activist and a lawyer.

WSN: What is your political background?

Sheikh Samy Gemayel: I became politically active in 1997, as a member of the student movement that opposed Syrian presence and interference in Lebanese domestic and external affairs. Back then, everybody was against us including some members of the present opposition. If now they are against Syria, at that time they were against us.

WSN: Were you the leader of the Kataeb student group in 1997?

Sheikh Samy Gemayel: Not at first. I was just a student that took part in every demonstration organized by other student groups and organizations. After a while we decided to create a student cell in Kataeb and I took over its leadership for a period of a few years.

WSN: Besides the opposition towards Syria, did you also oppose the policy of the Lebanese government? ...more