.
By David
The statement below in solidarity with the Syrian revolution is
attracting an increasing number of signatures, including Richard
Seymour, Norman Finkelstein, and my fellow SOAS people Gilbert Achcar,
Laleh Khalili and Adam Hanieh. I've just added my name to the list.
If I have a reservation with the text, it's that it somewhat plays down
the way things have evolved since 2011. There's no question that
sectarian and extremist actors have increasingly come to the fore, as a
result of the conflict's dymamics. This report gets into some good detail on that.
Nevertheless, I don't think anyone argues that the non-sectarian,
democratic forces that began the revolution have simply been eradicated.
Nor, more fundamentally, have the socio-economic and political factors that are the root cause, not just of this uprising, but of all the uprisings in the region over the last two years
There has been some disagreement on the left over what's happening in
Syria. But fundamentally, given that this statement acknowledges and
rejects the sectarian and extremist dynamics that have emerged, rejects
imperial state intervention, and calls for a peaceful settlement, it
seems to me to be something that most of us should feel able to sign up
to.
***
Solidarity With the Syrian Struggle for Dignity and Freedom
We, the undersigned, stand in solidarity with the millions of Syrians
who have been struggling for dignity and freedom since March 2011. We
call on people of the world to pressure the Syrian regime to end its
oppression of and war on the Syrian people. We demand that Bashar
al-Asad leave immediately without excuses so that Syria can begin a
speedy recovery towards a democratic future.
Since March 2011, Asad’s regime has steadily escalated its violence
against the Syrian people, launching Scud missiles, using weapons banned
by the Geneva Convention such as cluster bombs and incendiary
munitions, and using aerial bombardment. The regime has detained and
tortured tens of thousands of people and committed untold massacres. It
has refused political settlements that do not include Asad in power, and
it has polarized the society through strategic acts of violence and by
sowing seeds of division. The regime has also, since the early days of
the uprising, sought to internationalize the crisis in order to place it
within geopolitical battles that would only strengthen the regime.
Staying true to the logics of an authoritarian regime, Asad could never
accept the legitimate demands of the Syrian people for freedom and
dignity. Thus, there is no hope for a free, unified, and independent
Syria so long as his regime remains in power.
This is a revolt that was sparked by the children of Deraa and the
sit-ins and demonstrations of the youth in the cities, the peasants of
the rural areas, and the dispossessed and marginalized of Syria. It is
they who rallied non-violently through protests and songs and chants,
before the regime’s brutal crackdown. Since then, the regime has pushed
for the militarization of the Syrian nonviolent movement. As a result,
young men took up arms, first out of self-defense. Lately, this has
resulted in attempts by some groups fighting the regime to force a
climate of polarization, and negation of the Other politically, socially
and culturally. These acts that are in themselves against the
revolution for freedom and dignity.
Yet, the revolution for freedom and dignity remains steadfast. It is
for this reason that we, the undersigned, appeal to those of you in the
global civil society, not to ineffective and manipulative governments,
to defend the gains of the Syrian revolutionaries, and to spread our
vision: freedom from authoritarianism and support of Syrians’ revolution
as an integral part of the struggles for freedom and dignity in the
region and around the world.
The fight in Syria is an extension of the fight for freedom regionally
and worldwide. It cannot be divorced from the struggles of the
Bahrainis, Egyptians, Tunisians, Libyans, Yemenis, and other peoples who
have revolted against oppression and authoritarianism as well as
against those seeking to usurp or destroy the uprisings and divert them
for their own agendas. It is connected to the Palestinians’ struggle for
freedom, dignity and equality. The revolution in Syria is a
fundamental part of the North African revolutions, yet, it is also an
extension of the Zapatista revolt in Mexico, the landless movement in
Brazil, the European and North American revolts against neoliberal
exploitation, and an echo of Iranian, Russian, and Chinese movements for
freedom.
The Syrian revolution has confronted a world upside down, one where
states that were allegedly friends of the Arabs such as Russia, China,
and Iran have stood in support of the slaughter of people, while states
that never supported democracy or independence, especially the US and
their Gulf allies, have intervened in support of the revolutionaries.
They have done so with clear cynical self interest. In fact, their
intervention tried to crush and subvert the uprising, while selling
illusions and deceptive lies.
Given that regional and world powers have left the Syrian people alone,
we ask you to lend your support to those Syrians still fighting for
justice, dignity, and freedom, and who have withstood the deafening
sounds of the battle, as well as rejected the illusions sold by the
enemies of freedom.
As intellectuals, academics, activists, artists, concerned citizens,
and social movements we stand in solidarity with the Syrian people to
emphasize the revolutionary dimension of their struggle and to prevent
the geopolitical battles and proxy wars taking place in their country.
We ask you to lend your support to all Syrians from all backgrounds
asking for a peaceful transition of power, one where all Syrians can
have a voice and decide their own fate. We also reject all attempts of
any group to monopolize power, and to impose its own agenda, or to
impose unitary or homogenous identities on the Syrian people. We ask you
to support those people and organizations on the ground that still
uphold the ideals for a free and democratic Syria.
Sign the petition:
The campaign page
http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/blog_comments/solidarity_with_the_syrian_struggle_for_dignity_and_freedom
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