Date: Apr 15, 2019 Source: The Daily Star Lebanon marks 44 years since civil war BEIRUT: Lebanese civilians, activists and politicians alike Saturday marked the 44 years that have passed since the official outbreak of the 1975-90 Lebanese Civil War, which took the lives of an estimated 120,000 people. On April 13, 1975, militiamen from the Kataeb Party opened fire on a bus carrying Palestinians in the Beirut suburb of Ain al-Rummaneh, killing more than 20 people in an incident widely regarded as the catalyst that sparked the 15-year civil war. The two sides traded blame for the incident, with the Kataeb accusing Palestinian gunmen in the bus of opening fire on the militia’s supporters, killing a bodyguard of the party’s then-leader Pierre Gemayel and another man. The Palestinians meanwhile charged Kataeb militiamen with the attack. The NGO Fighters for Peace, which brings together former combatants in the civil war to promote peace and reconciliation, organized a memorial event Saturday, titled "We can't change the past, but we can build a better future." Speaking to local TV channel Al Jadeed, one of the former fighters Assaad Chaftari stressed the importance of reconciliation and accountability, saying that "Lebanon without accountability is Lebanon without a future." Prime Minister Saad Hariri Saturday tweeted that "remembering April 13 is not enough ... we must remove the spirit of the civil war from politics and protect Lebanon from the evil of surrounding conflicts." In a similar vein, Interior Minister Raya El Hassan wrote on Twitter that in order to “ensure the specter of war doesn’t return,” Lebanon must continue to “strengthen the capabilities of its military and security services.” Lebanese civilians also shared messages of remembrance on social media. On user tweeted: “We must never forget so that it’s never repeated,” while another named the anniversary “the most painful date in Lebanon’s history.”