In Lebanon, which was torn apart by a Civil War from 1975 through 1990 that left some 150,000 people dead, a motorcycle club has brought together former enemies to become brothers. George Greige is Maronite Christian; Marwan Tarraf is Shia Muslim; Jamal Kahwaji is Sunni Muslim; and Ghassan Haider is Druze. They were all swept up into the violence of the war where weapons were plentiful and community attacked community. A Harley Davidson Motorcycle Club became the meeting ground where former enemies discovered a common love that grew into common bonds. They formed their own special branch of the Motorcycle Club. Others have joined this group of biker brothers who have now become intentional in their reconciliation, including urging people not to take up weapons. To view the BBC story of these biker brothers who came from opposing sides in the Civil War, click here. To read the Al Jazeera story about these bikers, click here.
Film-maker Rami Kodeih produced a documentary film about these Lebanese bikers that aired of Al Jazeera:
Within the on-going fragility of Lebanon as the Syrian Civil War rages nearby involving some Lebanese folks and bringing over a million refugees to their tiny country, former combatants have formed a group Fighters for Peace. They bring together people who participated in the Civil War to share stories, dialog, and raise awareness about how people can be used for stirring up conflict.
As the Lebanese city of Tripoli erupted into violence in 2015, it brought back chilling memories to many ex-fighters from the Lebanese Civil War. A number of them banded together to form Fighters for Peace to reconnect former enemies with the new cause of building peace. They especially seek to reach the younger generation to urge nonviolent means to solve problems. They have brought improve theater into many of their events, providing opportunities for people to tell their stories and have them reflected back dramatically. Their slogan is, “We cannot undo the past, but we can change the future.” To visit the Fighters for Peace website and view testimonies of former combatants: Click here. To view the BBC story of these war veterans fighting for peace, click here.
Wow , am so overjoyed about this. Motorcycles are my thing. I would love to connect with Marwan and George. Email: philipstargate@gmail.com