SOHR exclusive | Feminist activist Moufida al-Khateeb: no dialogue with murder and crimes machine …. Toppling regime first step for settlement, peace …. We should work on empowering Syrian women more

Obviously, the Syrian woman was the first victim of the crazy war and the first harmed side of the continuous conflict deteriorations. Since the beginning of the conflict, women have contributed to reaching a political solution because they were forced to deport their house to send their families to a safe place. Women also encountered pains of displacement, migration, arrests, torture, and security purse by the regime and the armed factions. Women are the weakest ring in the chain as they suffered all types of violations. It is worth noting that SOHR has documented the death of thousands of women since 2011.

Feminist and political activist Moufida al-Khateeb told SOHR that women’s reality in Syria is very difficult in light of the severe brutality of the regime and the armed factions that looted the bright of the revolution and militarized it. She stressed that the liberation of women is associated with its presence in a diversified democratic country that believes in the importance of the peaceful transfer of power.

Question: Ten years passed on the first revolution light in one of the marginalized Syrian villages that lived under a machine of oppression and tyranny for decades. As years passed, the Syrians couldn’t impose a political solution on UN resolutions bases. In your opinion, who caused the destruction of Syria, and when did the crazy machine of murder, oppression, and blood stop?
Answer: Certainly, the Syrian regime is the cause of destruction because it chose the military and security solution to oppress the peaceful revolution in Syria. The machine of violence and crimes wouldn’t stop until the regime stopped its cruel activities and leave, so Syria would be a civil diversified democratic country to achieve the objectives of our revolution in dignity and freedom.

Question: You said before in one of your statements that the political solution if not accompanied by stopping machines of crimes and death from all sides will be valueless. How can we stop and stand against those crimes that deported starved the Syrians and what is the value of all the conferences and meetings while war machines continued in claiming lives and incomes?
Answer: The war machine wouldn’t be stopped unless all the occupying forces in Syria leave, the armed militias dismantled, and borders controlled by the so-called opposition and the regime should also create a safe environment for reaching political solution according to the international legitimacy and resolutions. As for the benefits of holding meetings while the war is underway, I think after internationalizing the Syrian issue, some international resolutions were announced, so it is important to take part in the international meetings and conferences to achieve the aspired solutions and just freedom for our country.

Question: Regrettably, Syria is the third fragile country in the world in 2021, what is your opinion?
Answer: Certainly, I’m deeply sad that Syria has reached that deteriorating level but any change and rebel against tyranny are priced. I believe in the Syrian people who proved despite the encountered tragedies their resilience everywhere. We will return back to build Syria when the tyrant regime is toppled.

Question: Some observers said that in Syria, the war has threatened the Arab national security and the Syrians wouldn’t be the only victim. In your opinion, how does the Syrian war affect the whole region?
Answer: Syria couldn’t be isolated from the Arab region, and there are dangerous projects that threaten Syria and the Arab countries including the Iranian Parisian project, the Zionist project, and the Turkish ottoman projects. The Arab countries couldn’t live in safe until Syria is freed of the occupation projects that target its unity and lands.

Question: There are Kurdish calls for holding serious dialogue with Damascus to stand against the Turkish occupation in north Syria. Do you agree with those calls or as a feminist and political activist, do you reject any connection tool with the regime no matter what the reasons are?
Answer: We are against any dialogue with a regime that grants the Kurds their rights. The experience proved that the Syrian regime isn’t trusted and hasn’t considered the minimum level of human rights. Meanwhile, the regime has also lost its legitimacy after using internationally prohibited weapons against its people.

Question: Women in Syria weren’t excluded from torture and violations of the regime forces and its armed factions, militia, and groups affiliated with the opposition. Women remained the victim of war. How could women’s status be restored?
Answer: Yes, Syrian women suffered tyranny and oppression from the regime. They also were exposed to kidnap and disappearance by the terrorist and the sectarian militia. We wouldn’t forget Razan Zytounah, Samirah Khalil, and Samar Saleh that were kidnapped by ISIS. Sorry for each lady I forgot her name because all those women are considered as a medal of honor for the past, future, and present of Syria. Restoring a women’s position requires ensuring her rights and dignity in light of the Syrian constitution and giving her an honorable and pioneering role in the future of Syria.

Question: How could we empower the Syrian women at the political level, though their participation in the political equation after the revolution has become very weak due to the masculine mentality that undermines the women’s role?
Answer: The Syrian women have participated in the political world in light of the opposition institution. But, in my opinion, that level of participation hasn’t reached the aspired one and her role wasn’t effective. Women worked within civil institutions and have a courageous and pioneering role.
All Syrian women should bear the responsibility of lightening their honorable role that suits their dignity via more involvement in public affairs to serve the freedom and dignity of society.
Women should be empowered at all social, political, and cultural levels. The most dangerous weapon for challenging the difficulties is the social and political awareness and the real contribution despite all obstacles.

Question: Till today, feminist activists are blamed and threatened. How could we employ the current conditions to establish social, political, and liberal movements for serving women’s roles?
Answer: Yes, women have challenged many difficulties and obstacles by all. The Syrian lady shoulders historical responsibility and burden and she has to not surrender and continue its struggle for restoring its position and exercising an active role in promoting the future of Syria.

Question: The reality of women is met with a bad and unstable political reality and a crazy war that destroyed the country and murdered its sons, do you think it is easy today to achieve a political settlement to end the tragedy first and adjust the position of women, do you see hope looming?
Answer: I believe that the political settlement couldn’t be reached without the toppling of al-Assad regime, building a democratic national state that ensures the dignity and rights of the Syrian people. When tyranny and oppression are uprooted, all obstacles will be removed. Women are part and parcel of building the nation and bear many responsibilities and challenges. When Syria is restored as a free country, women will restore their dignity, freedom and will live with the dignity that was looted for decades.