I draw my strength from my people, from all the free people in the world, from friends and the families of the prisoners who continue day and night chanting for freedom and an end to the occupation. My health has deteriorated dramatically and I’m hung between life and death. My weak body is collapsing but still able to be patient and continue the confrontation. My message is that I will continue until the end, until the last drop of water in my body, until martyrdom. Martyrdom is an honor for me in this battle. My martyrdom is my remaining bomb in the confrontation with the tyrants and the jailers, in the face of the racist policy of the occupation that humiliates our people and exercises against us all means of oppression and repression. I say to my people: I'm stronger than the … [read more]

No sane person can refuse lightly everything that can stop or ease the suffering of our people and their great sacrifices, but this does not mean, that we have to accept and support any initiative claiming it is seeking to do so. The judgment on such initiatives is subject, from our point of view, to the criteria meeting the following conditions: to provide for the masses the ability to re-establish their fight and struggle to topple the dictatorial regime, that does not provide for the latter to prolong its time or survival, and in particular that allow the space for radical change from below in favor of the popular classes and to serve their direct and general interests. (NCCDC) and Sheikh Moaz initiatives both converge in calling for “change from above”, with the difference … [read more]

1. Consider the International Geneva Agreement as a valid basis for implementation, and first and foremost to simultaneously stop the violence. 2. To work on the establishment of a political process though negotiations between the opposition and the regime to implement the International Geneva Agreement, for issuing a constitutional declaration to create on this basis a Government with full power to administrate this stage, and work to bring about fair legislature and Presidential elections, under international supervision. 3. To convene the International Geneva Conference 2, which takes into consideration developments on the ground and requirements on the one hand, with the presence of a binding mechanism on the result of negotiation, from the Security Council under Chapter VI on … [read more]

Just as other oppressed Arab people, Iraqis have been demonstrating on the streets not only since February 25, 2011 —the date in which their demands were echoed by some foreign media— but three years before, when the Revolutionary Youth Movement was founded. At that time, Iraqis demonstrated from the Northern —Erbil— to the deepest South — Fao— and also in Nayaf, Kut, Basra and Naseriyah. They demanded public services (water and electricity) and also denounced the Iranian toxic spillages in the South of Iraq. Iraqi Security forces violently repressed the first demonstrations, causing several deaths and injuring many people. The international community made no response. That no one in the media or in the diplomatic sphere did anything to stop Nouri al Maliki … [read more]

Sin embargo, no está muy claro el estatus de esa propuesta. ¿Cuenta con la aprobación del Presidente? No lo sabemos. Pero Sharaa se atrevió a manifestarla y sigue en su puesto. Es obvio que hay un cierto ancho de banda de posiciones dentro del régimen y la política revolucionaria debe intentar debilitar a los de la línea dura, quienes, obviamente, también están ahí. Rusia, el principal patrocinador de Asad, dejó al mismo tiempo claro que no va a seguir apoyándole a cualquier precio. Esto, por un lado, es una advertencia a Asad para que cree las condiciones previas para una transición y, por otro, es una señal a los rivales geopolíticos de Moscú de que Rusia está dispuesta a llegar a un compromiso. Y está también en línea con la propuesta iraní. El cambio que … [read more]

The Media Committee for the Syrian International Conference has released more information and details about the Conference: "For a Democratic Syria and Civil State", which is due to take place on Monday and Tuesday, 28 - 29 January 2013 in Geneva. The Committee stressed that the Conference has been arranged following requests by prominent figures and countries, including requests from within the European Union, to promote the democratic civil opposition and to hold a conference for this. In preparing the Conference, the organizers have sought to bring together more than 100 people from the opposition from both within Syria and from different movements and opposition political parties, and to highlight the importance of breaking the siege against the peaceful uprising and the civilian … [read more]

“For Palestinians, the right to return home and the right to live in dignity and equality in their own land are not any less important than the right to live free of military occupation.” –Prof. Saree Makdisi[1] For more than a century, Zionists have sought to construct a “Jewish state” through forced removal of the indigenous Palestinian people. In 1948, this state was established through the Nakba (Catastrophe): erasure and occupation of more than 500 Palestinian towns and villages, dispossession of over 750,000 Palestinians, and a terror campaign of which the massacre at Deir Yassin is but the most infamous example. Since 1967, Israel has also occupied and colonized the remainder of historic Palestine. Today, this relentless ethnic cleansing continues — armed and … [read more]

It is, however, not quite clear which status this proposal has. Did the president approve it? We do not know. But Sharaa dared to speak out and he is still in office. It is obvious that there is a certain bandwidth of positions within the regime, and revolutionary politics must try to weaken the hardliners who are obviously also there. Russia, the main backer of Assad, at the same time made it clear that they will not keep supporting Assad at any cost. This is on one hand a warning to Assad to create the preconditions for a transition, and on the other hand a signal to Moscow’s geo-political rivals that Russia is ready for a compromise. This is in line with the Iranian proposal as well. The change in these positions is that they moved away from elections under the current regime – … [read more]

Q: What are the Unity Brigades (UB) and how did way come into existence? The UB are composed of people and groups originated from the civil revolutionary movement organised in the Tasiqiat [pl. for Tansiqia organisation which are local committees]. Some are also defected soldiers of the regular army. We formed our one brigades to defend us and our movement against the extreme violence and systematic killings by the regime which follows a sectarian method. We think that we ought not to respond by employing sectarian patterns as well as some groups do. This results in a political help to the regime. The armed struggle needs a clear political agenda which many armed groups lack. Q: Are you part of the Free Syrian Army (FSA)? Formally the UB are part of the FSA. But until now there … [read more]

We, the undersigned, who are part of an international civil society increasingly worried about the awful bloodshed of the Syrian people, are supporting a political initiative based on the results of a fact-finding mission which some of our colleagues undertook to Beirut and Damascus in September 2012. This initiative consists in calling for a delegation of high-ranking personalities and international public figures to go to Syria in order to discuss the current situation with the main political actors and to pave the way for a negotiated political solution of the armed conflict in Syria which seriously threatens world peace and the existence of Syria as an independent and sovereign nation. In this perspective we fully support the following declaration: All eyes are presently on the … [read more]

1) As always the US firmly stood on the Israeli side. They, however, pressurized their main partner to accept the truce. Furthermore they made clear that they are strongly opposed to a ground offensive which would further inflame the region. But Hamas refused to accept the usual Israeli conditions. So the cease fire became possible only with significant concessions namely the partial lifting of the blockade. This success for the Palestinian side could be achieved thanks to the unabated resistance (which, whoever, has been a constant throughout the last decade) and the pressure of the regional and international public. 2) The decisive new factor has been the changed role of Egypt, the central Arab power. Until recently the Islamic president Mursi had had only few improvements to offer … [read more]

The ensuing gun battle reportedly claimed several lives. The “Revolutionary Co-ordination Committee Qardaha”, whose mere existence is an important fact, wrote on October 1 that Mohamed al Assad died from his wounds in the hospital of Tartous. Different Syrian websites reported that the town was cordoned of and communication networks temporarily severed. Conflicts between family clans are not new. In the past years they were mainly revolving around mafia-type businesses as Qardaha is also known a centre of the Shabiha, the pro-governmental militias having emerged from the mafia. Although the illegal businesses have been under the tutelage of the regime conflicts could not always be suppressed. But this time we are faced with an explicitly political clash. Its occasion was the … [read more]

It was the first public meeting of opposition forces since June 27, 2011, when they held the famous conference in the Samiramis hotel. From the side of the authorities the meeting was not only tolerated but they also provided security. Official signals, however, were quite equivocal. Only three days ahead of the conference senior leader of the NCB have been kidnapped. The NCB blames the air force intelligence while the authorities refuse any responsibility and point at “terrorist groups”. This can be read both as a double game or as differences within the apparatus. The great interest of Russia, Iran and China in such an event, who were present with high-ranging representatives, were certainly a factor which contributed to make such a gathering possible. In a statement of … [read more]

According to Haitham Manna, the international spokesman of the NCB, the arrests took place by the hands of the Air Force Intelligence. They are held incommunicado in the prison of the Al Mazzeh military airport near Damascus. The regime, however, denies any involvement and accuses “terrorist groups”. This happens against the backdrop of an opposition conference scheduled for Sunday 23rd. Organised by the NCB, the conference calls for a political solution in order to stop the violence. Despite the kidnapping of important leaders the organisers nevertheless will attempt to hold the event. The conference has fallen victim to character assassination from both sides, the regime as well as mainly foreign opposition groups. Formally they speak of their readiness for negotiations but … [read more]

The NCB released a statement: We at the NCB decided to postpone the publicity for the following news, hoping to find out what has happened. We have called several Embassies, numerous national and Arabic personalities – inside and outside the country: Any infringement of the freedom and safety of Iyas Ayash, Abdelaziz Alkhayyer and Maher Tahan is an infringement of the concept of citizenship, and of moral and political commitment to the Syrian citizen and their natural right to security, freedom and dignity. We demand that whoever can put an end to the disappearance of these three civilians should act immediately in accordance with their national responsibility in respecting other citizens and ensuring their freedom and safety. Any harm inflicted upon our partners, regardless … [read more]

The blast The bomb blast of July 18 inside a governmental building killing four top leaders of the security apparatus was a very heavy blow for the regime. Regardless whether the perpetrators were part of the opposition or opponents within the regime it shows an acute stage of weakness, destabilisation and insecurity. Everybody was looking to the reactions of the top echelon of the apparatus. At the same time news from the massive loss of territorial control in the countryside, oer border crossings and an almost complete withdrawal from the Kurdish area enhanced the picture of the possibility of a quick end of the regime. Then there were the armed insurgency in Damascus reaching close to the centres of power in the quarters which had been centres of civil rebellion before. From … [read more]

Gathered in Rome at the Community of Sant’Egidio, we who belong to various groups of the Syrian democratic opposition, active both inside and outside the country, address this appeal to the Syrian people, to all sides involved and to the international community. We have different opinions and experiences. We have struggled and continue to struggle for freedom, dignity, democracy, human rights and to construct a Syria that is democratic, civil and safe for all, without fear and without oppression. We love Syria. We know that Syria, a place where different religions and peoples have coexisted peacefully, today runs a deadly risk that threatens the unity of its people, their rights and the sovereignty of the state. We are not neutral. We are part of the Syrian people, which is … [read more]

The Assad regime used Kaileh’s Palestinian decent as an excuse to legitimise the deportation. His tendency has been fully immersed in the popular revolt from the very beginning. Salameh Kailah was invited to Vienna by the Arab Austrian Cultural Center (OKAZ) and the Union of Syrians Abroad to deliver a speech on the civil disobedience movement in Damascus. The Anti-imperialist Camp participated in the organisation of the event and in the discussion.. Kaileh’s intervention came in the aftermath of the bomb attack in Damascus which killed four high ranking officials of the security apparatus. The political situation on the ground hints that the final battle is coming closer. For Kaileh it is of utmost importance that the victory of the popular uprising is possible without … [read more]

Speech and public debate with Haytham Manna Thursday, August 23rd, 9pm The NBC is a coalition of democratic forces which are taking part in the popular rebellion under the well-known slogan of the three NOs: No to foreign intervention! No to militarization and civil war! No sectarianism! In difference to the “Syrian National Council” (SNC) it is based within the country and includes representatives of all religious communities as well as the Kurds. It has come into sharp conflict with the SNC which way accuse of committing exactly what the SBC is opposing with the three NOs. The NBC reproaches to the SNC in substance to follow foreign agendas. While fully supporting the popular movement and the democratic demands, it is until now favouring a negotiated transition to avert … [read more]

The people now is waging one of the most important battles of the revolution. We should not misjudge what happens and reduce it to a decisive military battle with this regime. It’s an open Damascene popular uprising in which the revolution mobilizes all its forces and capabilities and all possible forms of struggle, military and popular. What gives the Damascene events all this importance that it is not confined to military action. We experience the participation of the people with all his revolutionary capabilities and energies in the "Damascus uprising". (This has been true since the beginning of the revolution but is especially important in the present moment.) We witness in addition to the armed clashes in the districts of the capital, road blockades, strikes, and social support … [read more]