Syrian Opposition Groups Unite to Demand Reform

Ferry Biedermann, The Financial Times:

Syria's fractious opposition groups are taking advantage of international pressure on the Ba'athist regime and joining forces to demand domestic political reform. The “Damascus declaration” a statement issued by secular and leftwing parties over the weekend and calling for radical change has gained support from the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist party that is outlawed but still thought to have an important constituency in the country.

Syria is facing mounting international pressure, particularly from the US, to cease its suspected support for militants in Iraq and alleged meddling in the Palestinian territories and in Lebanon.

The country is bracing for a United Nations report due out by the end of this week, on the February killing of Rafiq Hariri, Lebanon's former prime minister. Syria was in control of Lebanon at the time of the assassination and Syrian officials have been questioned by UN investigators.

The “Damascus declaration” was issued by an array of small and disparate groups that include leftwing liberals, pan-Arab nationalists and Kurdish nationalists. But it was bolstered by the support from the Muslim Brotherhood as well as groups of exiles in the US.

Activists said the declaration called for “ending all forms of political repression and opening a new chapter in the history of the country”.

It included a demand for the end to emergency laws that have been in place for decades and have been used to curb political activism. READ MORE

Many opposition and human rights groups had hoped for reforms after Bashar al-Assad succeeded his father Hafez in 2000. But after an initial “Damascus spring”, the government cracked down again in 2001.

The ruling Ba'ath party decided at a Congress in June to introduce gradual reforms. The leadership has said that it does not want to be forced into changes because of outside pressure.

“We have waited five years for change, since Bashar Assad became president,” said Haitham Mallah, a prominent civil rights lawyer who signed the declaration.

Yassin Haj Saleh, a leftist writer, said the declaration was designed to show that there was a nationalist alternative to the current regime, one that would be made in Damascus rather than Washington.

The “Damascus declaration” also comes amid increased government pressure on dissidents. One outspoken liberal politician recently left the country after receiving a warning from the security services. Meanwhile, Anwar al-Buni, a human rights lawyer, is still in hiding after apparent attempts last week to arrest him. Mr Mallah said that he has been told to appear before a “security court” this week.