No idea and no ideal however heroic it might be can justify the death of thousands of innocent people. No matter can be so important that it deserves that millions are fleeing their homes just because they want to survive. And no war should continue if it is aimed at the destruction of one’s own country. This is the lesson of nearly every war and this is also the lesson of the war in Syria which already cost the lives of 70 000 Syrians. However the big question remains: How to stop this vicious circle of violence, which dominates the country since almost two years? Syria is situated in a multicultural environment there are many people on both sides of the political spectrum who just want democracy and social justice to be built from the bottom up in their urban and rural … [read more]

This Alliance seeks to bring together all democratic forces and political parties that are opposed to tyranny and corruption, that reject sectarianism and violence, that rely on the notion, components and execution of the Syrian-based solution, and that accept participation in a political process aimed at ending the Syrian crisis and transition to a democracy through a peaceful political path. The Democratic Civil Alliance sees the necessity for all Syrian parties to participate in creating the solution. The Democratic Civil Alliance does not set preconditions to negotiations with the regime, but maintains that it is necessary for the appropriate climate for this negotiation to be in place, and for this negotiation to have a clear title: to agree on a transitional phase in … [read more]

For the time being it as been mainly the Tahrir democrats and left around the “National Co-ordination Boy for Democratic Change” (NCB) which systematically warned of the dangerous dialectics unfolding between militarization and sectarianism. From the very beginning they have been calling for a political solution by negotiations and advocating a defensive, de-escalating strategy facing the regime’s repression (option I). Given the rigidity of the ruling apparatus’s reaction the official opposition – “official” because being recognised by the western rulers of the world – could easily sideline and isolate the NCB as “agents of the regime”. This was possible despite their doubtless credentials having spent decades resisting the regime including long-term … [read more]

We are the family of Mohammed Abdel Ghani Saba'na, who has been arrested by the Israeli Occupation Army as he was coming back home from Jordan through Al-Karama crossing. And since that day his lawyers was unable to meet him and all their requests were rejected. We – Family of Sabaaneh – and after the death of Arafat Jaradat during investigation by Israeli army, at Aljalameh compound or after that in Majeddo prison, We appeals to all parties especially humanitarian organizations all around the world to interfere fast to help us visiting our son to check on him and his safety we appeal to them to work hard to save our our Son and all prisoners from the Occupation prisons to end their suffering by lifting their case up to international forums to assure their safety and their legal … [read more]

I draw my strength from my people, from all the free people in the world, from friends and the families of the prisoners who continue day and night chanting for freedom and an end to the occupation. My health has deteriorated dramatically and I’m hung between life and death. My weak body is collapsing but still able to be patient and continue the confrontation. My message is that I will continue until the end, until the last drop of water in my body, until martyrdom. Martyrdom is an honor for me in this battle. My martyrdom is my remaining bomb in the confrontation with the tyrants and the jailers, in the face of the racist policy of the occupation that humiliates our people and exercises against us all means of oppression and repression. I say to my people: I'm stronger than the … [read more]

No sane person can refuse lightly everything that can stop or ease the suffering of our people and their great sacrifices, but this does not mean, that we have to accept and support any initiative claiming it is seeking to do so. The judgment on such initiatives is subject, from our point of view, to the criteria meeting the following conditions: to provide for the masses the ability to re-establish their fight and struggle to topple the dictatorial regime, that does not provide for the latter to prolong its time or survival, and in particular that allow the space for radical change from below in favor of the popular classes and to serve their direct and general interests. (NCCDC) and Sheikh Moaz initiatives both converge in calling for “change from above”, with the difference … [read more]

1. Consider the International Geneva Agreement as a valid basis for implementation, and first and foremost to simultaneously stop the violence. 2. To work on the establishment of a political process though negotiations between the opposition and the regime to implement the International Geneva Agreement, for issuing a constitutional declaration to create on this basis a Government with full power to administrate this stage, and work to bring about fair legislature and Presidential elections, under international supervision. 3. To convene the International Geneva Conference 2, which takes into consideration developments on the ground and requirements on the one hand, with the presence of a binding mechanism on the result of negotiation, from the Security Council under Chapter VI on … [read more]

Just as other oppressed Arab people, Iraqis have been demonstrating on the streets not only since February 25, 2011 —the date in which their demands were echoed by some foreign media— but three years before, when the Revolutionary Youth Movement was founded. At that time, Iraqis demonstrated from the Northern —Erbil— to the deepest South — Fao— and also in Nayaf, Kut, Basra and Naseriyah. They demanded public services (water and electricity) and also denounced the Iranian toxic spillages in the South of Iraq. Iraqi Security forces violently repressed the first demonstrations, causing several deaths and injuring many people. The international community made no response. That no one in the media or in the diplomatic sphere did anything to stop Nouri al Maliki … [read more]

Sin embargo, no está muy claro el estatus de esa propuesta. ¿Cuenta con la aprobación del Presidente? No lo sabemos. Pero Sharaa se atrevió a manifestarla y sigue en su puesto. Es obvio que hay un cierto ancho de banda de posiciones dentro del régimen y la política revolucionaria debe intentar debilitar a los de la línea dura, quienes, obviamente, también están ahí. Rusia, el principal patrocinador de Asad, dejó al mismo tiempo claro que no va a seguir apoyándole a cualquier precio. Esto, por un lado, es una advertencia a Asad para que cree las condiciones previas para una transición y, por otro, es una señal a los rivales geopolíticos de Moscú de que Rusia está dispuesta a llegar a un compromiso. Y está también en línea con la propuesta iraní. El cambio que … [read more]

The Media Committee for the Syrian International Conference has released more information and details about the Conference: "For a Democratic Syria and Civil State", which is due to take place on Monday and Tuesday, 28 - 29 January 2013 in Geneva. The Committee stressed that the Conference has been arranged following requests by prominent figures and countries, including requests from within the European Union, to promote the democratic civil opposition and to hold a conference for this. In preparing the Conference, the organizers have sought to bring together more than 100 people from the opposition from both within Syria and from different movements and opposition political parties, and to highlight the importance of breaking the siege against the peaceful uprising and the civilian … [read more]

“For Palestinians, the right to return home and the right to live in dignity and equality in their own land are not any less important than the right to live free of military occupation.” –Prof. Saree Makdisi[1] For more than a century, Zionists have sought to construct a “Jewish state” through forced removal of the indigenous Palestinian people. In 1948, this state was established through the Nakba (Catastrophe): erasure and occupation of more than 500 Palestinian towns and villages, dispossession of over 750,000 Palestinians, and a terror campaign of which the massacre at Deir Yassin is but the most infamous example. Since 1967, Israel has also occupied and colonized the remainder of historic Palestine. Today, this relentless ethnic cleansing continues — armed and … [read more]

It is, however, not quite clear which status this proposal has. Did the president approve it? We do not know. But Sharaa dared to speak out and he is still in office. It is obvious that there is a certain bandwidth of positions within the regime, and revolutionary politics must try to weaken the hardliners who are obviously also there. Russia, the main backer of Assad, at the same time made it clear that they will not keep supporting Assad at any cost. This is on one hand a warning to Assad to create the preconditions for a transition, and on the other hand a signal to Moscow’s geo-political rivals that Russia is ready for a compromise. This is in line with the Iranian proposal as well. The change in these positions is that they moved away from elections under the current regime – … [read more]

Q: What are the Unity Brigades (UB) and how did way come into existence? The UB are composed of people and groups originated from the civil revolutionary movement organised in the Tasiqiat [pl. for Tansiqia organisation which are local committees]. Some are also defected soldiers of the regular army. We formed our one brigades to defend us and our movement against the extreme violence and systematic killings by the regime which follows a sectarian method. We think that we ought not to respond by employing sectarian patterns as well as some groups do. This results in a political help to the regime. The armed struggle needs a clear political agenda which many armed groups lack. Q: Are you part of the Free Syrian Army (FSA)? Formally the UB are part of the FSA. But until now there … [read more]

We, the undersigned, who are part of an international civil society increasingly worried about the awful bloodshed of the Syrian people, are supporting a political initiative based on the results of a fact-finding mission which some of our colleagues undertook to Beirut and Damascus in September 2012. This initiative consists in calling for a delegation of high-ranking personalities and international public figures to go to Syria in order to discuss the current situation with the main political actors and to pave the way for a negotiated political solution of the armed conflict in Syria which seriously threatens world peace and the existence of Syria as an independent and sovereign nation. In this perspective we fully support the following declaration: All eyes are presently on the … [read more]

1) As always the US firmly stood on the Israeli side. They, however, pressurized their main partner to accept the truce. Furthermore they made clear that they are strongly opposed to a ground offensive which would further inflame the region. But Hamas refused to accept the usual Israeli conditions. So the cease fire became possible only with significant concessions namely the partial lifting of the blockade. This success for the Palestinian side could be achieved thanks to the unabated resistance (which, whoever, has been a constant throughout the last decade) and the pressure of the regional and international public. 2) The decisive new factor has been the changed role of Egypt, the central Arab power. Until recently the Islamic president Mursi had had only few improvements to offer … [read more]

The ensuing gun battle reportedly claimed several lives. The “Revolutionary Co-ordination Committee Qardaha”, whose mere existence is an important fact, wrote on October 1 that Mohamed al Assad died from his wounds in the hospital of Tartous. Different Syrian websites reported that the town was cordoned of and communication networks temporarily severed. Conflicts between family clans are not new. In the past years they were mainly revolving around mafia-type businesses as Qardaha is also known a centre of the Shabiha, the pro-governmental militias having emerged from the mafia. Although the illegal businesses have been under the tutelage of the regime conflicts could not always be suppressed. But this time we are faced with an explicitly political clash. Its occasion was the … [read more]

It was the first public meeting of opposition forces since June 27, 2011, when they held the famous conference in the Samiramis hotel. From the side of the authorities the meeting was not only tolerated but they also provided security. Official signals, however, were quite equivocal. Only three days ahead of the conference senior leader of the NCB have been kidnapped. The NCB blames the air force intelligence while the authorities refuse any responsibility and point at “terrorist groups”. This can be read both as a double game or as differences within the apparatus. The great interest of Russia, Iran and China in such an event, who were present with high-ranging representatives, were certainly a factor which contributed to make such a gathering possible. In a statement of … [read more]

According to Haitham Manna, the international spokesman of the NCB, the arrests took place by the hands of the Air Force Intelligence. They are held incommunicado in the prison of the Al Mazzeh military airport near Damascus. The regime, however, denies any involvement and accuses “terrorist groups”. This happens against the backdrop of an opposition conference scheduled for Sunday 23rd. Organised by the NCB, the conference calls for a political solution in order to stop the violence. Despite the kidnapping of important leaders the organisers nevertheless will attempt to hold the event. The conference has fallen victim to character assassination from both sides, the regime as well as mainly foreign opposition groups. Formally they speak of their readiness for negotiations but … [read more]

The NCB released a statement: We at the NCB decided to postpone the publicity for the following news, hoping to find out what has happened. We have called several Embassies, numerous national and Arabic personalities – inside and outside the country: Any infringement of the freedom and safety of Iyas Ayash, Abdelaziz Alkhayyer and Maher Tahan is an infringement of the concept of citizenship, and of moral and political commitment to the Syrian citizen and their natural right to security, freedom and dignity. We demand that whoever can put an end to the disappearance of these three civilians should act immediately in accordance with their national responsibility in respecting other citizens and ensuring their freedom and safety. Any harm inflicted upon our partners, regardless … [read more]

The blast The bomb blast of July 18 inside a governmental building killing four top leaders of the security apparatus was a very heavy blow for the regime. Regardless whether the perpetrators were part of the opposition or opponents within the regime it shows an acute stage of weakness, destabilisation and insecurity. Everybody was looking to the reactions of the top echelon of the apparatus. At the same time news from the massive loss of territorial control in the countryside, oer border crossings and an almost complete withdrawal from the Kurdish area enhanced the picture of the possibility of a quick end of the regime. Then there were the armed insurgency in Damascus reaching close to the centres of power in the quarters which had been centres of civil rebellion before. From … [read more]