The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

SOHR Exclusive | Journalist and regime-opponent Ahmed Mazhar Sa’du: Algerian efforts to readmit Syrian regime to Arab League, and EU disapproval

As millions of Syrians are concerned about their unpleasant present and uncertain future, all conflicting powers in Syria are still clinging to military solutions, refusing to negotiate or agree on a political settlement based on the 2015 UN Resolution No.2254, which could potentially put an end to this protracted war.

 

In an interview with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the Syrian journalist and regime opponent, Ahmed Mazhar Sa’du, has stated that the Syrian opposition has to intensify its efforts to reach anew “ social contract” for Syria and put marginalization and ethnic disagreements and differences aside, so that the Syrian people can enjoy democracy, freedom and pluralism.

 

Q: Iran continues strengthening its presence throughout Syria, disregarding Syrian sovereignty, how can Iran’s blatant ambition in Syria be foiled?

 

A: There is no doubt that the Iranian ambition in Syria is limitless. Iran has been all along dreaming of imposing its influence on Damascus and leading all decisions and affairs in Syria, converging on the same road of Ruhollah Khomeini who wanted to revive the “Persian Empire”, through “Shi’aism” and proselytising operations (conversion to Shiite) by continuous usage of religion and sectarianism.

 

Iran has intervened into the Syrian conflict, citing the Palestinian problem and the engagement in fight against Israel as excuses. In fact, the Iranians could not care less about the Palestinian people or restoring the occupied Syrian Golan, as they only seek to achieve their narrow interests in Syria. And let us not forget the “Iran-Contra scandal” during the Iran-Iraq war.

 

 

Q: The participation of a delegation representing the Ministry of the Interior Affairs of the Syrian regime in the 89th Interpol General Assembly has raised alarms among the opposition outside Syria, who are worried about the regime’s fabricated accusations issuance of “red cards” against them in order to be handed over to the Syrian authorities, in light of the collaboration between the regime and Interpol, is Interpol, at legal and humanitarian levels, able to do so?

 

A: I do not think that Interpol will depend on requests filed by a regime which killed over one million of its people and displaced over 14 millions. It is common knowledge that Al-Assad’s regime is the internationally recognized power in Syria. However, some countries do not comply with its requests. I also do not think that such “cooperation” may poses a threat to some anti-regime figures, especially since the Syrian regime and its affiliates are still sanctioned under “Caesar Act”

 

 

Q: In light of the disastrous living conditions throughout Syria, how can assistance be delivered to the needy without being seized by Shabiha (regime loyalists who abuse power and conduct illegal actions for the benefit of the regime) and mercenaries and sold on the black market?

 

A: Russia has been exploiting this issue, and the Russians still insist that the humanitarian assistance provided to Syria has to enter through regime crossings only. However, the entry of humanitarian aid via one crossing in north Syria region, from Turkey, came after Russian-American consensus.

 

I think that all regional and international powers will not accept to allow their assistance to cross into Syria via crossings controlled by the Syrian regime and its Shabiha gangs. All these powers are aware of the regime’s policy, with repression and dictatorship being the cornerstone of its structure, especially when the assistance is provided to north Syria at a time when the Syrian regime see that this region hosting most of the opponents and consider them as “terrorists”. Accordingly, regime crossings cannot been depended on to deliver humanitarian assistance provided to the Syrian people.

 

 

Q: All people around the world condemn human rights violations, in your opinion, how much are human rights respected in a country witnessing war, widespread injustice and rampant terrorism, like in Syria?

 

A: Even before its systematic war against the Syrian people, the Syrian regime has been working on rehabilitating the security system and eliminated the concept of the political approach. Since Hafez Al-Assad control, security services have imprisoned every one opposing the Syrian regime. Accordingly, the regime has succeeded in instilling fear and terror in all the segments of the Syrian society, especially since political prisoners were rarely released, particularly those detained in Palmyra and Al-Mazza prisons.

 

With the first spark of the Syrian Revolution in 2011, repression by security services reached its peak, as over 900,000 people were arrested during the revolution. No one can guess if these prisoners will leave prisons alive or not. All Syrians know what happens in Saydnaya’s notorious prison, the “human slaughterhouse”, and the other prisons and detention centres in the security branches across Syria, especially those in Damascus. In a security state -Syria with Al-Assad and its Al-Baath party being the holders of power- human rights are not respected and the Syrian people are “worthless”.

 

 

Q: In light of the military conflict, violence plagued the Syrian women, while the ongoing violations to the rights of women have weakened their role in the Syrian society, amid lack of legal protection of basic rights, how can women’s rights be preserved, and how can Syrian women gain dignity, respect and their rightful place in society rehabilitated?

 

A: Definitely, many years will be needed to ‘right’ all the ‘wrongs’ for Syrian women who have been affected greatly by the repercussions of the war, as many have been imprisoned, tortured, and raped. The Syrian regime has never respected humanity, and it followed a systematic policy contributed to increasing family break-ups, while the rights of women have been infringed for long time due to this policy, let alone the prevalence of masculism and patriarchal ideology among the Syrian people.

 

Q: With the failure of UN resolutions, Resolution No.2254 in particular, to reach a workable solution putting an end to the bloody conflict in light of intransigence by the Syrian regime and opposition, what are the basic conditions for a political settlement in Syria?

 

A: The revolutionary groups, opposition and all segments of the Syrian society are supposed to exert serious efforts to reach a “Syrian social contract”, so that all ethnic groups and communities can live together, and all the Syrians realize that this contract is the only way for the unity of the Syrian society.

 

If we keep waiting for solutions by international powers, then these powers will provide solutions serving nothing but their interests, as they could not care less about the unity of people of Syria or about reaching a political settlement based on UN resolutions. For over ten years, the Syrians have waited for a workable solution to their crisis, but to no avail.

 

 

Q: Can the ongoing efforts by the Algerian diplomacy help or lead to admitting Syria to the Arab League in the coming summit? And will this be the first step towards normalization of relations with the Syrian regime?

 

A: The Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs exerts diligent efforts to bring Syria and Al-Assad’s regime back to the Arab League, and this may be the reason behind postponing the incoming summit to March. On the other hand, it seems that the USA and Europe have no intention to rehabilitate Bashar Al-Assad, before he starts political transition. Algeria and some other countries are not able to bring the Syrian regime back to the Arab League, unless the USA and Europe change their policy, and I do not think that will happen soon. Russia will not be granted a gift for nothing, especially since the Russians insist on the reconstruction of Syria, a scheme that is totally rejected by the USA and Europe.