\nBy Joshua Landis, Aug. 1, 2009<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bp1.blogger.com\/_lBBoq6AQ780\/R0-dC_r190I\/AAAAAAAAAAM\/rHlyDxcqev8\/S220\/%D8%A8%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%B1+%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B9%D9%8A.jpg\")
Bashar Sba’i, a leading member of the Syrian opposition in exile, has thrown in the towel. He quit the opposition movement and has found an accommodation with the Syrian government that allowed him to return home after 28 years.<\/p>\n
Syria’s opposition movement is in shambles. Obama’s victory changed the calculations of the opposition in exile. US government supplied MEPI money, which sustained some, has dried up. But mostly, Syrians, who had hoped that President Bush would “reform the greater Middle East” as promised, understood it was not to be. President Assad is firmly in control at home; the Iraq fiasco has re-legitimized authoritarianism in the Middle East, at least tmeporarily; and Obama has little choice but to engage with America’s erstwhile enemies in the region, as he is now doing.<\/p>\n
The National Salvation Front, of which Sba’i was a leading member and articulate and passionate spokesperson, has crumbled. The Muslim Brotherhood announced it was pulling out of its alliance with ex-Vice President Khaddam in April and was seeking a new relationship with the Assad regime. The immediate pretext for this move was the Gaza war, but the M.B’s rational for linking up with old Baathists, such as Khaddam, disapeared with the departure of President Bush.<\/p>\n
Bashar Sba’i, who had joined Khaddam’s effort as the director of his Zenobia TV, also decided the time had come to mend fences with the Syrian government. Having lived abroad since 1981, he was lonely for his homeland. The pull of family must be great. America, as well, is less the attraction that it was some years ago. In full recession, with a budget that has grown out of control, the US has seen its best days as a symbol of world leadership. Prejudice against Arabs and Muslims is at an all time high. Sba’i also tells us that the leadership of the Syrian opposition in exile was not inspiring.<\/p>\n
It is in this context, that Bashar al-Sba’i, whose articles are copied below, must have negotiated a deal with the Syrian government to go home a short time ago.<\/p>\n
Bashar al-Sba’i writes a long article extolling the wisdom of Assad’s rule in Syria, explaining that the president is responding to the demands of the age for stability, security and keeping the country from being torn apart by sectarian and ethnic divisions.<\/p>\n
He apologizes for working with the opposition, claiming that the opposition painted an unjustifiably bleak picture of conditions in Syria and blamed the president wrongly. He claims that after living in the West and American, he was taken by the rule of law, democracy and progress he saw around him and naively wanted it for Syria. He did not take local conditions into account…..<\/p>\n
Here is the original All4Syria, April 22 story<\/a> about the break up of the Salvation Front. Bashar Sba’i’ announces and explains his resignation.<\/p>\n “Damascus Spring”<\/a> is Bashar el-Sba’i’s <\/a>blog. He wrote frequent and lively commentary on these pages under a pseudonym.\u00a0 Many of the participants on Syria Comment had long conversations with Bashar, both on the phone and in the comment section over the last three years.<\/p>\n The following is a translation contributed by JAD of a only a part of Bashar al-Sba’i’s first article after returning to Damascus.<\/p>\n \u201cAll I can say today after having arrived a few days ago in my hometown, Damascus, is that Syria today is changing for the better, developing, flourishing, and enjoy security, tolerance and love under the same leadership whose good intentions I questioned for months. What I couldn\u2019t imagine or expect, what I saw and heard about the President of the country exceed my expectation of enlightened thoughts and acts in the interest of the country, the homeland and the citizen, that was truly unexpected.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Today I am unable to find words to express my thanks and my gratitude for this leadership to allow me to be a witness and a participant on the ground in the building of this fatherland and it\u2019s primacy in my future field of work.\u00a0 I hope that my own personal experience is proof of the change and reform Syria is going through and is an example of trust and confidence for all Syrian citizens abroad to return home.\u201d Bashar Siba’i<\/p><\/blockquote>\n ????? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ????..! !<\/p>\n ???? ?? ???? ????? ??? ????? ???? ??????? ????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?????? ??????? ??? ???? ?? ????? , ????? ?????? ?? ??????? ?????????? ???????? ?? ????? ?? ???????? ??????? ?? ?????? ????? ?????? ??????? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ???????? ?????? , ??? ???? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ???? ??? ???? ?? ????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ??????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????? . Syria renaissance excludes human rights<\/a> In a quiet neighbourhood in the centre of Damascus Michel Kilo sits in his small flat sipping coffee as his wife shells beans for lunch…..<\/p>\n Weeks after finishing a three-year prison sentence, Mr Kilo dedicates his time to family life, while the enthusiasm that characterised his writing before his arrest is now directed solely at articles focusing on pan-Arab and regional issues, rather than local ones.<\/p>\n In 2006, Mr Kilo and 10 other activists were arrested after signing the Damascus-Beirut declaration…. But today, the situation has changed. The country is no longer isolated by the West and key Western leaders have approached Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to help stabilise the region.<\/p>\n The country has attracted both foreign investment as well as tourism – signs it is beginning to come in from the cold.<\/p>\n But the authorities show no sign of relinquishing the tight control which the Baath Party has exerted since it took power in a 1963 coup and banned all opposition.<\/p>\n “The priority is not to have any opposition or independent voices and it is successful in oppressing this scene,” says Yassin Haj Saleh, a writer and human rights activist. A campaign of arrests has left an estimated 6,000 people in jail as political prisoners.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, about 400-450 people are subject to official travel bans, although the real number could be in the thousands, human rights groups say.<\/p>\n The measures are extended to young bloggers and some internet users, as well as civil society activists and some artists.<\/p>\n Civil society needs to be revived and reactivated and this is only in the hands of the authorities” “There is a continuous deterioration in the human rights situation in Syria,” says lawyer and head of Syrian Human Rights Organization Mohannad al-Hassani.<\/p>\n But the worst situation is suffered by the Islamists, according to Yassin Haj Saleh.<\/p>\n “There are many young people who are arrested for their Islamic affiliation, but they are not organised. They are mostly villagers and their families are being harassed and pressured,” he says.<\/p>\n The crackdown has attracted little media attention, especially in suburbs and rural areas.<\/p>\n Last year, riots erupted in Sadnaya prison. A number of prisoners were reported killed. The government said then the prisoners were Islamists.<\/p>\n Human Rights Watch recently called on the Syrian government to provide information on the incident.<\/p>\n “The Syrian government should end the anguish of the prisoners’ families, disclose the names of those injured or killed, and immediately grant them access to their loved ones,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.<\/p>\n ‘Lack of vision’<\/strong><\/p>\n There is no organised opposition in Syria, just individuals who oppose government policies.<\/p>\n And even these figures are fragmented and lack vision says Omar Amirallai, an intellectual and filmmaker. “The opposition in Syria is in need of self-criticism, reform and reconciliation,” he says.<\/p>\n But others believe that even with more vision and organisation, their efforts will come to nothing under current government restrictions.<\/p>\n The streets of Damascus have the feel of a relaxed and bustling city.<\/p>\n Around cafe and restaurant tables, discussions are heated about global and regional politics – but no one talks about the political situation in Syria.<\/p>\n Mohannad al-Hassani believes the country should embrace international and regional changes with its own progress on the level of civil and human rights.<\/p>\n “Civil society needs to be revived and reactivated and this is only in the hands of the authorities.<\/p>\n “They should look into these needs seriously as it is difficult for Syria to continue in isolation from what the whole world is moving towards.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Syria: Human Rights Lawyer Held<\/a> Syrian authorities arrested a leading human rights lawyer, his colleagues said Thursday. The lawyer, Mohannad al-Hussani, who has been handling high-profile political cases, was summoned Tuesday to State Security, one of many intelligence agencies in Syria. Mr. Hussani has not been heard from since then and no charges have been lodged against him, his colleagues said. There was no comment from the Syrian authorities. Arbitrary arrests in Syria are common, international human rights organization say, and it is common for detainees to remain in jail for months before facing any charges.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n See Siba’is most recent article<\/a> (in Arabic)<\/p>\n ??? ????? ??? 28 ??? ?? ????? ?????? : ???? ????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ?????… ??????? ?????? ?????<\/p>\n ???? ??????? ??? ???? ?????? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ??? 1981? ???? ????? ??? ??????? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? (??????) ?? ?? ???? ???? ???? ???? ??? ???????? ??????? ????????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ???????? ?? ??? ??????? ?????? ?????????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???????? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ????????? ??????? ?????? ??? ??? ?????? ????????? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ??????? ????????? ?????? ???????. ???? ??????? ??? ???? ?????? ?????? Commentary: Death in Iran touches lives in Syria<\/a> DAMASCUS, Syria; I cried when I saw the video of Neda Agha-Soltan, covered in blood after being shot to death in the streets of Tehran…..I feel she died not only for her country but also for my freedom.<\/p>\n Before the protests began, I had never even thought that people brave enough to protest like Neda existed in Iran.<\/p>\n It’s no secret that Syrians don’t have much in common with Iranians. For the older generation, it’s a religious issue: Most Iranians are Shias; the majority of Syrians are Sunnis.<\/p>\n And younger Syrians, especially the Westernized ones, are appalled by the numerous restrictive religious rules their Iranian peers are forced to abide by.<\/p>\n Syrian dissidents regard Iranians with disdain for supporting the regime in Damascus, as well as other extremist groups in the region.<\/p>\n To many Syrians like me, Iran is populated by angry men and women endlessly chanting “Death to Israel and America” and blindly following their religious leaders.<\/p>\n When we come across Iranians in Damascus, the women are usually draped in black and the men wear long beards.<\/p>\n So the fact that there are young Iranians willing to take to the streets and courageously face the security forces came as a complete surprise to us.<\/p>\n Today, I hear a growing number of people around me say that they couldn’t believe that Iranians could speak openly about freedom and act so bravely.<\/p>\n The protests in Iran have become the most important topic of conversation wherever I go in Syria. Some Syrians are saying, “We wish we were with them.” Many young Syrians feel a desire to support their peers in Iran, but have done so only via the Internet. They send messages of support, sign petitions against the suppression of the marches, circulate updates on the protests and join electronic support campaigns.<\/p>\n Even a political prisoner here who is serving two and a half years in jail for supporting democratic change, made a statement from his cell condemning the Iranian regime and praising the Iranian people.<\/p>\n This solidarity stemmed from the fact that freedom matters to people everywhere. Like Iranians, we see ourselves enslaved and oppressed.<\/p>\n Every young Syrian who has ever prayed for change in their country has been touched by the bravery displayed by the young men and women marching in Iran…….<\/p>\n Our hearts are with the Iranians. I hope when it’s our turn to demand democratic change that their hearts will be with us.<\/p>\n And I hope we don’t wait too long for that to happen.<\/p>\n ABOUT THE WRITER<\/strong>: Layal Demashqi is a reporter in Syria who writes for The Institute for War & Peace Reporting, a nonprofit organization that trains journalists in areas of conflict. Readers may write to the author at the Institute for War & Peace Reporting, 48 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8LT, U.K.; Web site: www.iwpr.net. For information about IWPR’s funding, please go to http:\/\/www.iwpr.net\/index.pl?top-supporters.html. No statements have been issued by Iraqi political parties that got their start in exile in Iran during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. Although as many as 2,000 Iranian religious pilgrims enter Iraq daily, there have been no demonstrations, like the sympathy protests that have taken place from New York to Dubai….<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/a><\/p>\n
\n07\/ 07\/ 2009<\/p>\n
\n??? ??? ?? ???????? ????????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ???? ??????? ???????? ??????? ?? ??????? ??????? , ???? ???? ????? , ?? ?? ????? ?? ????????? ???????? ???? ??????? ?? ????? ????? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ???????????? ????? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??? ??? ????? ???? ??????? ??????? ?? ??????? ???????? ????? ?????? ??????? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ????? ??? ??????? ????? ???????? ????????? ??????? ?? ????? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ??????? ?????? ?? ???? ??????????? ??????? ????? ??????? ???? ?? ????? ???? ????? ??? ?? ???? ????? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ??????? ?? ?????? .
\n???? ????? ?????? ???????? ????? ????? ???????? ??? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ??? ??????? ????? ??????? , ???? ??????? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ??? ??????? , ?? ??? ??? ??? ??????? ????? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ???? .
\n?? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ????? ??? ???? ????? ?? ????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? ????? ????? ??? ?????? , ????? ?????? ????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ??????? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ?? ??? ?????? ??????? ? ?? ?? ????? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ? ??? ??? ???????? ???? ????? .
\n???? ????? ???? ?? ????? ??????? ??????? ?? ????? ????????? ???? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ???????? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??? ????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ????????? .
\n?????? ?? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ????? ?????????? ??? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ???? .
\n???? ?????
\n??? ???? ?????? ?????? ? ???? ??????? ???????? ?? ???? \/ ??????<\/p>\n
\nBy Lina Sinjab, BBC News, Damascus<\/p>\n
\nMr Kilo was in prison for three years after signing the declaration<\/p>\n
\n
\nClampdown<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nMohannad al-Hassani
\nLawyer and human rights activist<\/p>\n
\nSyrians pass under poster of President Bashar al-Assad
\nPresident Assad maintains a tight grip on opposition<\/p>\n
\nBy REUTERS, July 30, 2009 in NYTimes<\/p>\n
\n23\/ 07\/ 2009
\n???????? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ???????? ????????? ??? ????? ???? ???? ??????? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??? ????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ????? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?? ????? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ???????? ????? ??????? ???????????? ???????? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ??????? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ??????? ???????? ???????? ????? ??????.<\/p>\n
\n???? ????? ??????? ?? ????? ??????? ??????? ?? ??????? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ???????? ??????? ???? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????? ??? ??????????? ?? ????? ????????? ????????. ?????? ?? ???? ??? ????? ?? ???? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ???????. ??? ???? ?? ????? ????? ?? ????? ??? ???????? ?? ??????? ??? ?? ????? ??? ??? ???? ????????? ????????? ????? ?? ???????? ???? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ??????.
\n????? ???????? ??????? ?? ??? ??????? ???????? ??????? ??? ?? ???? ????? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ??????? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ??????? ???? ??? ???????? ??? ??????? ???? ??????. ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?? ??????????? ?????? ?? ????? ???????? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ????? ??? ???? ?? ????? ???? ??? ??????? ??????? ????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??????? ????? ??? ?? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ????????? ???? ?? ??????? ??? ????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??? !
\n??? ???????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ?????.
\n??? ???? ????? ?? ??????? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ????????? ???????? ???? ???? ????????? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??????? ????? ????? ??????? ?????????? ???? ??????? ??????? ???? ????? ????? ????? ???? ???? ??? ???? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ?????????? ????????????? ????? ???????? ????. ?????? ????? ????? ????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ????? ???????? ??? ?? ???????? ????????????. ???? ?????? ?????? ???????? ????? ??????? ????? ????? ???????? ??????? ?? ??????? ?? ???? !
\n?? ??????? ?? ????? ?????? ??????? ????? ??? ?????? ????????????? ????? ????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????.
\n??? ?? ???? ?? ????? ????? ??? ?? ????? ??? ?? ??? ?? ????? ?? ??????? ???????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ?? ????? ????? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?? ?? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????? ??????. ???? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ??????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ?????????? ???????? ??????? ???? ??????? ??? ????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ?? ????? ????????? ????????? ?????????? ??????? ??????? ???????. ??? ??? ?????? ??????? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ???????? ?????? ?!
\n??? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?? ???? ??????? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ???????? ???????? ??????? ?? ??????.
\n?? ?????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???????? ??????? ?????????? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ??????? ?????????? ??????? ??????? ???? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ??? ??????? ???????? ?? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? ????? ??? ?????? ???????? ?????? ??? ??? ??????? ???????. ???? ????? ????? ?? ??? ???????? ??????? ????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ????? ??? ?????????? ?? ????? ???????? ?? ??? ??????? ?????? ???? ??????? ??????? ??????? ????????? ??? ????? ???? ??????? ?!
\n???? ????? ????? ?????.<\/p>\n
\n????? ????? ??????? ??????<\/p>\n
\nMcClatchy, By Layal Demashqi | The Institute for War & Peace Reporting<\/p>\n
\n
\nIraqis Stay Silent on Protests in Iran<\/a>
\nBY: DANIEL W. SMITH | THE WASHINGTON TIMES<\/p>\n