Press Release: International conference “Against Dictatorship and Foreign Intervention in Syria” – 12 September 2013, Brussels, Belgium – organized by the Global Network for Rights and Development (GNRD) in cooperation with the Alliance of Civil and Political Forces against Dictatorship and Foreign Intervention in Syria. The conference aimed to identify and discuss potential solutions for the situation in Syria.
The panel consisted of Mrs. Anne-Marie Lizin – Honorary President of the Senate of Belgium,
Dr. Hayatham Manna – Spokesperson of the Arab Commission for Human Rights,
Dr. Loai Deeb – President of GNDR
Khaled Izza – President of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD).
Dr. Haytham Manna opened the conference with the introduction of Mr. James A. Paul, an American writer and nonprofit executive, who sent his greetings to GNRD from New York, the USA. Mr. Paul announced that many European states and their officials stepped away from the support of a potential US military attack after the Parliamentary vote on August 29th in the United States. Even the public opinion in the USA is strongly against military scenario and made the pro-Israel lobby fail with its efforts to reverse the trend in the favor of war. Even though Russia had come with an alternative of a non-military scenario in an extremely violent system, Mr. Paul calls again for a continuous support of negotiations and active international actions for a peaceful outcome in Syria.
Mrs. Rim Turkman, from ‘Building the Syrian State’, highlighted that the conditions by external actions also influence the agenda for Syria. The conflict came out as a political one but now it is seen also as rooted in weak social and economic situation. There are other influential factors such as sectarian problems between cities and religions, and they need solutions too. The first and essential step to solve such complex of problems is to stop international confrontation on Syrian land, that will open a door for work on social problems.
Dr. Loai Deeb declared that we are now talking about an economic market war which has turned into a diplomatic playing arena for international intervention which must be stopped. Dr. Deeb set his main point as the following: the choice of ordinary Syrians to participate in the civil war on the governmental forces or on the rebels’ side is based on their fear of reprisal, or on their ethnic affiliation, or on the area where they live if it is controlled by rebels.
Thus Dr. Deeb stressed the necessity to spread awareness amongst Syrian people on the reality of the situation; to make them realize that more killings is not the answer; and to help them understand that the reasons of the crises has shifted dramatically from civil demands for more freedom and rights to a regional struggle between secularists and theocrats, and even to a proxy war between international and regional powers to gain more influence in the region. Dr. Deeb appeals to Syrian national opposition to focus on the political solution rather than the military one, including Geneva process as the best option to end the crisis in Syria. Dr. Deeb also presented the extremely high costs of the war in Syria and warned that the humanitarian aid is not reaching the concerned people because of the ongoing confrontation by other countries.
Mr. Khaled Izza spoke against the Dictatorship and the international intervention. Mr. Izza talked about Syria as nonwilling regime to implement any type of democratic elements. The regime is rejecting all type of proposals for democratic change because of self-interest. The regime gains a lot by continuing its own war against the people since countries such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia are supporting the internal tyranny for economic reasons and benefits. Mr. Izza also explicated that the voice of the Kurdish people in Syria needs to be heard. The Kurd civilians are facing mass slaughter by the al-Qaeda linked organizations in Syria, where the attacks against the Kurds continuous.
Mrs. Anne-Marie Lizin presented the importance of coordination of the opposition that is not dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood, and includes Kurds and Christians. Mrs. Lizin highlighted that such opposition is an essential component for a peaceful solution for Syria. She calls the Belgian government to take its responsibility by working properly for Syria and not follow the United States and Israel who are trying to set the position for the EU to support military intervention.
Friends of Syria also participated at the conference, and called for stronger actions from the international community. More pressure must be put on the actions that are harming the people – sanctions on weapons rather than medicines. The Syrian people must receive humanitarian aid without political decisions. We need international pressure in the next Geneva conference.
Global Network for Rights and Development and Alliance of Civil and Political Forces against Dictatorship and Foreign Intervention in Syria state that:
“All human experiences have proven that occupation – foreign aggression – does not create a remedy for the internal tyranny of any dictatorship, and Syria at the brunt of a possible foreign military intervention has two options, and not three:
1. Reproduction of the tyranny that exists today, or the coming one from a foreign and internal military confrontation;
2. The national democratic civil peaceful project that opens the door, at least partially, to stop dictatorship and tyranny.
Let us firmly grasp our realistic dreams which the Syrian youth initiated for a strong civil and democratic Syria, and raise our voice against all forms of old and new domination that put us between the choice of dictatorship and dependency.”
Claudia Polstierna, GNRD Project Manager.
Fatima Tahere, GNRD Assistant Project Manager.
Brief on GNRD
The Global Network for Rights and Development (GNRD) is International NGO established in June 2008 with the aim to enhance and support both human rights and development by adopting new strategies and policies for real changes.
To these ends, the GNRD as a neutral and impartial organization concentrates on:
– enhancing cooperation and partnership between the private and public sector in the academic, technical and political spheres;
– providing technical and humanitarian assistance in developing countries
GNRD | Avenue Louise 89, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
TEL.: 003225383036 – 003225394636 FAX: 003225345801 – 003225342701
www.gnrd.net
post@gnrd.net
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Links to the photos (please, feel free to like them, tag yourself and your friends):
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.680304015333384.1073741832.349398548423934&type=1
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbTDFA1bI0Q (Preview)
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DZrmTe0q0V-o&h=NAQG-8Gtf&s=1
Quaker statement: http://www.quaker.org.uk/news/quakers-urge-nonviolent-response-syria-crisis:“Quakers in Britain are appalled by the suffering and loss of life on all sides in Syria. We understand – and share – the wish of the international community to take some form of action to reduce the bloodshed, but we strongly urge those who are tempted to respond militarily to think again.
“Air strikes will kill people just as surely as chemical attacks. All weapons must seem equally abhorrent if it is your family that is being killed. Punishment for use of specific kinds of weapon is no justification for further acts of war or for supplying yet more weapons.
“New participants in a war will breed new hatreds. Experience of other conflicts shows that supposedly simple or ‘surgical’ military interventions usually become messy and hard to end. We are convinced that even when some kind of victory is claimed, the deep harm done by violence always outweighs the supposed benefits.
“We beg those in power to work with diligence through the United Nations and all diplomatic channels to bring peace nearer. We challenge them to use their resources and imaginations creatively. Please don’t fall into the old trap of thinking that taking any action is bound to be better than doing nothing.“We will pray for peace in the region, and continue to voice our deep opposition to war.
“signedPaul Parker, Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain.
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Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtibJ8i6pHg (Preview)