Syria Support Movement solidarity with the Syrian people
May 25, 2014, NSNBC
In 2012, when Syrians held a referendum and adopted the by far most democratic constitution among Middle Eastern countries, they slapped a smelly shoe into the face of Zionism and Modo-Colonialism. In May 2014, Syrians unite again and extend their arms to slap an even more smelly shoe into the face of Zionism and Modo-Colonialism on June 3, 2014 when they hold the country’s first democratic election.
The old shoes have been worn by Zionism and Modo-Colonialism for years. Just in case that the mere stench is not enough to throw them into convulsions, this time around the people of Syria will make sure that the slap in their faces will be a knock-out blow.
Genuine Reform Comes from Within. In early 2012 the people of Syria adopted a new constitution. The draft had been written with participation of the a broad spectrum of Syrian experts, including those who can be counted to the real, the genuine, Syrian opposition.
An opposition that has now, for more than three years, participated in a political discourse aimed at reform in four consecutive steps.
The adoption of a new constitution, the adoption of a program toward political reform, presidential, and parliamentary elections. It is when these preconditions for reform with the people of Syria, not Zionism, not modo-colonialism, but the people of Syria as “sovereign” have been fulfilled, that a sovereign people can and will determine how to reform their country and its political system.
Let us for a moment reflect on the term modo-colonialism and why it is that I use it. It is not neo-colonialism, as narrowly defined by the early post-colonial African thinkers. Modo-Colonialism is colonialism here and now, its manifestation within the actuality of an ongoing, living and lived political discourse. It is the “nous” of the philosophers if you will.
It is the fashion of the day; the bloody garments of oppression, subversion, usurpation and right-out murder which it fashions to wear here and now at the ticking heart of history.
Adoption of 2012 Constitution a Slap in the Face of Zionism and Modo-Colonialism.
When the people of Syria adopted the proposed draft resolution in 2012, they shun a light; as if a beacon had been lit in an Arab world where neighbors like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, politically and with regard to human rights, never progressed from the dark ages of medieval tyranny.
No other Arab people and nation have a constitution that guarantees and protects the rights of minorities as well as the rights of women and children as much as the Syrian constitution.
In fact, with regard to enshrining human rights in the constitution, the people of Syria could teach valuable lessons even to Israel, which likes to describe itself as the “only democracy in the Middle East”, or Germany which does not enshrine human rights in its, still intermediate” basic law.
What endowed the adoption of the constitution with the quality of a “slap in the face” of Zionism and Modo-Colonialism was the fact that it was adopted under the hardships which were unleashed against the people and the nation of Syria.
Let us recall, for a moment, the words of former French Foreign Minister Roland Dumas, who admitted that the war on Syria was planned two years before “The Arab Spring”. Dumas stated in a TV interview, that “top British officials” confessed that they were preparing a war on Syria and asked “If I wanted to participate”. Dumas appeared in a TV interview with the French TV Channel LPC, saying:
“I am going to tell you something. I was in England two years before the violence in Syria on other business. I met with top British officials, who confessed to me, that they were preparing something in Syria. …This was in Britain not in America. Britain was organizing an invasion of rebels into Syria. They even asked me, although I was no longer Minister of Foreign Affairs, if I would like to participate. Naturally, I refused, I said I am French, that does not interest me. …This operation goes way back. It was prepared, preconceived and planned… in the region it is important to know that this Syrian regime has a very anti-Israeli stance. …Consequently, everything that moves in the region…- and I have this from a former Israeli Prime Minister who told me ´we will try to get on with our neighbors but those who don´t agree with us will be destroyed. It is a type of politics, a view of history, why not after all. But one should know about it”.
Everyone who cares can study the constitution and convince him- or herself about how human rights and minority rights, as well as political, participatory rights have been enshrined in its architecture. It has been translated into a number of languages, including English.
That said, let me quote a few passages from its preamble, which really turned it into a slap in the face of Zionism and Modo-Colonialism. That includes the faces of Modo-Colonialism’s Vice-Roy’s and Quislings in the Middle East.
“Arab civilization, which is part of human heritage, has faced through its long history great challenges aimed at breaking its will and subjecting it to colonial domination, but has always risen through its own creative abilities to exercise its role in building human civilization.”
“The Syrian Arab Republic is proud of its Arab identity and the fact that its people are an integral part of the Arab nation. The Syrian Arab Republic embodies this belonging in its national and pan-Arab project and the work to support Arab cooperation in order to promote integration and achieve the unity of the Arab nation.”
“The Syrian Arab Republic considers international peace and security a key objective and a strategic choice, and it works on achieving both of them under the International Law and the values of right and justice.”
“The Syrian Arab role has increased on the regional and international levels over the past decades, which has led to achieving human and national aspirations and achievements in all fields and domains. Syria has occupied an important political position as it is the beating heart of Arabism, the forefront of confrontation with the Zionist enemy and the bedrock of resistance against colonial hegemony on the Arab world and its capabilities and wealth. The long struggle and sacrifices of our people for the sake of its independence, progress and national unity has paved the way for building the strong state and promoting cohesion between the people and their Syrian Arab army which is the main guarantor and protector of the homeland’s sovereignty, security, stability and territorial integrity; thus, forming the solid foundation of the people’s struggle for liberating all occupied territories.”
Sportsmanship and The Honorable Thing To Do for A Real Syrian.
All honor and respect belongs to anyone who registered his candidacy for the presidential elections. That includes those who registered their candidacy but failed at gathering the sufficient number of signatures to have their candidacy approved by the Supreme Constitutional Court. Each of these candidates has defied threats against his life and safety and made an unequivocal and implied statement, saying
“I defy your threats, your murderous terrorism on behalf of Zionism and Modo-Colonislism, and I denounce anyone who wants to impose a solution on me and the people of Syria that would deprive us of our constitutionally guaranteed rights.”
The three candidates who succeeded at gathering the sufficient number of signatures have shown further honor and sportsmanship. This includes candidate Dr. Bashar al-Assad as much as Maher Abdul-Hafiz Hajjar and Dr. Hassan al-Nouri.
Their names will remembered in Syria’s now more than 6.000 year-long history as the first presidential candidates who contested Syria’s first fully democratic presidential elections. Allow me to forecast what history, “Syrian” history will have to report about them.
Dr. Bashar Hafez al-Assad will be remembered as the founding father of Syria’s democracy who succeeded at implementing the most democratic system among Arab nations while the country was under a sustained and vicious attack by a 4th generation, unconventional war that was forced upon it by Zionism and Colonialism.
Maher Abdul-Hafiz Hajjar and Dr. Hassan al-Nouri will be remembered as two honorable Syrians who rose to the occasion, knowing that the circumstances of war would make it unlikely that they would win, but they participated anyways.
They defied personal risks, defied those foreign powers who wanted to denigrate them, and stood up for Syria because it was the right thing to do.
They will have an eternal place in the history of Syria and the history about the birth of Syrian democracy.
All three of them, Dr. Bashar Hafez al-Assad, Maher Abdul-Hafiz Hajjar and Dr. Hassan al-Nouri, will rightfully be remembered as the three founding fathers of Syria’s democracy.
The people of Syria can hardly wait until June 3. Eager to launch those smelly shoes into the faces of Zionism and Modo-Colonialism, they are rallying. They defy Washington’s Ankara’s, Qatar’s, Saudi Arabia’s death squads and take to the streets.
A comparison with a religious proverb that is shared by the Mosaic faith, Christianity and Islam comes to mind.
“Let him who is free of guilt throw the first stone”.
After three years of war forced upon them by Zionism and Modo-Colonialsim, after more than 160.000 lost lives, after the displacement of over 2.5 million, the people’s reply to that proverb is an unequivocal.
“I want to be the first to throw a rotten, smelly shoe in their faces, in fact, I want to rub their noses with it first and slap them until they faint from their own stench.”
Over the last days, the people of Syria have held election rallies throughout Syria. In Tartous, the people rallied, announcing their commitment to elect their president against all odds and honoring the martyrs who have given their lives to bring them to this point in history.
In Damascus, the Kurdish National Movement for Peaceful Change rallied at Omayyad Square under the motto “together, towards a new Syria”.
Another rally was held in Quneitra where people celebrated the election as victory over terrorism. In Sweida, the Teachers Syndicate celebrated a festival in support of the elections and in support of the Syrian Army that made it possible.
In the village of al-Soura al-Saghira people rallied in defiance of threats. Thousands of citizens of al-Dabbousiyeh and neighboring villages in the countryside of Homs took to the streets in support of the elections.Other rallies were held in al-Qabo, al-Insha’at, al-Naisiye, in Talkalkh, al-Slalibeh, Jableh, Kalmako,Qamishli . ….. .. .
All of them, everywhere are ready to cast their vote on June 3 and to throw that smelly rotten shoe right there where it is most well deserved.
