(Zaman Al Wasl)- The time of former President of Interim Government Ahmad Tumaa has finished. The ex-president who only did short visits to free Syria and whose government was frozen until it was transferred to surgeon Jawad Abu Hatab who preceded many politicians to work with Syrians inside of Syria.
However, will our new optimism lead to a new shock as in all the stages of opposition political work?
Zaman al-Wasl confronted Abu Hatab about his government program inside of Syria and about the government work awaited by Syrians. Abu Hatab confirmed he will work to create financial resources of what is left of the burned Syrian land.
Abu Hatab in his dialogue with Zaman al-Wasl specified the roadmap of the work of the interim government in which education, health, and services take the lead. Abu Hatab pointed out that the government headquarters will not carry flags and will not have any political or military work.
The interview:
ZA: You are the first government president who has been working inside of Syria before appointment, what are the biggest challenges of working inside of Syria?
Abu Hatab: We can talk about three real challenges facing our work inside. First, the continuous bombing by Russian enemy and Assad regime. This prevents the government to work safely and its ability to provide services and communicate with the inside as it should be. Second, the challenges are lack of financial resources of the government, but this will not be an obstacle for the government work. Third challenge is the ability to get one of the Syrian cross point either in the north or in the south since a cross point provides a good opportunity to strengthen the work of the government and we are working on that.
ZA: The order of priorities of the work of the government inside, relief, hospitals, education, naturalizing life for civilians?
Abu Hatab: Regarding the priorities, I can say I am very busy and quite interested in education, education and education. This is the most prominent goals of the government to secure education for Syria children. The bridge that is being destroyed by the Russian enemy of Assad forces can be rebuilt again and so are the streets and buildings. However, a child who lost his education in his start, that cannot be compensated. That’s why the government is exerting major efforts for this purpose and there is continuous work to implement this priority.
The rebuilding of the Syrian state needs staff and hence we have to focus on higher education and vocational institutes. These will graduate a generation capable of work and building. Future Syria will be rebuilt by the productive and educated as well as technicians. We are depending on those in addition to health, services and local administration. Also, we will focus on agriculture since the north is an agricultural area and we have to take care of that because it has a big role in supporting the society and securing peoples’ needs.
ZA: Who protects the government headquarters and how much coordination there is with the rebel factions?
Abu Hatab: Protection the government will have special security procedures and this is not the time to talk about that due to its security nature.
ZA: You are resident in Idlib province which is controlled by factions including al-Nusra Front, what is the relationship between the government and al-Nusra Front? And How do you cope with an organization that is listed as “terrorist”?
Abu Hatab: The role of the government is service-oriented. It is to offer services to the society. Hence, we do not have any relation with the political sector. This is the mission of Syrian National Coalation. So is the military sector. Also, it is the same for judiciary which is responsible for judicial council. Our objective is to be inside to help the affected and fill the void in the liberated areas. We only have one enemy and that is the Syrian regime.
ZA: What about the recet of the ministers in the government, will they work inside of Syria aswell?
Abu HatabCertainly, the work of all ministeries will be inside. There will a coordination office abroad, but we are here to communicate with the Syrian population and to be beside them living as they live.
ZA: Will the government headquarter be public and how it will be able to work amid the continuous bombing?
Abu Hatab: All the government headquarters will be horizontal and we have a special tactic for the government mail signature. We will not place any flag related to revolution on the government headquarters at least in the current stage due to security conditions.
ZA: What is the budget of the government now? And what is your estimating of the daily spending?
Abu Hatab: We formed few days ago a financial committee consisting of Doctor Abdullah Hamadi and a number of academics and economists from Aleppo Free University and Idlib Free University to put a working budget for the government vision and plan which was proposed. The budget will be ready during the coming two weeks.
ZA: How will the government coordinate with the local councils and what are their role?
Abu Hatab: The local councils are partners with the government and so is the case for organizations and activists. We see everyone who is working inside of Syria as a partner for the government and we need every person who can do a positive and active role for the Syrian population.
ZA: What are the geographical borders for your work, and what about the Islamic State-controlled areas?
Abu Hatab: All the besieged and liberated areas are included and is the speciality of the work of the government in the north and south. Regarding the eastern regions, we will meet soon with brothers in the local councils and activists. This meeting will be special since we will get to know if the government will be of use for Syrians in the eastern regions. They are the ones who can decide the cooperation procedures since they live there.
ZA: Did you receive financial support from Syria friends and who heads the list of the supporters?
Abu Hatab: I have not communicated with any of the friends or funders until now. I was very busy lately working inside of Syria and did not have the chance to do anything related to this issue. But, in the past two days, I met with some activists and political blocs in the Syrian National Coalation in Turkey.
We have a plan regarding the financial support and needs which is being prepared for in conjunction with the budge preparation. At the same time, we have an opportunity to find financial resources inside of Syria.
For example, al-Rawj Plain is 100000 Acres that can be invested. It can give a big investment in grains. It is the same in al-Ghab Plain, there are 20000 Acres that can be invested in sugar beet. There are many olive projects in Idlib that can be invested especially that locals could not export it recently. If we could obtain customs certificate and a cross point, we can export these products especially it is exportation to Turkey is banned and the regime is benefiting from it.
Hence, a cross point is very crucial to the work of the government to be able to dispense the regime and deprive it from benefiting from the oil. That’s if we could have a cross point to transport oil across borders. This can be applied to both north and south. If we could achieve that and got cross points, we could establish industrial areas on the borders. This will encourage the reactivation of factories inside of Syria and in turn use the raw materials and human resources which ends in getting new productions.
However, will our new optimism lead to a new shock as in all the stages of opposition political work?
Zaman al-Wasl confronted Abu Hatab about his government program inside of Syria and about the government work awaited by Syrians. Abu Hatab confirmed he will work to create financial resources of what is left of the burned Syrian land.
Abu Hatab in his dialogue with Zaman al-Wasl specified the roadmap of the work of the interim government in which education, health, and services take the lead. Abu Hatab pointed out that the government headquarters will not carry flags and will not have any political or military work.
The interview:
ZA: You are the first government president who has been working inside of Syria before appointment, what are the biggest challenges of working inside of Syria?
Abu Hatab: We can talk about three real challenges facing our work inside. First, the continuous bombing by Russian enemy and Assad regime. This prevents the government to work safely and its ability to provide services and communicate with the inside as it should be. Second, the challenges are lack of financial resources of the government, but this will not be an obstacle for the government work. Third challenge is the ability to get one of the Syrian cross point either in the north or in the south since a cross point provides a good opportunity to strengthen the work of the government and we are working on that.
ZA: The order of priorities of the work of the government inside, relief, hospitals, education, naturalizing life for civilians?
Abu Hatab: Regarding the priorities, I can say I am very busy and quite interested in education, education and education. This is the most prominent goals of the government to secure education for Syria children. The bridge that is being destroyed by the Russian enemy of Assad forces can be rebuilt again and so are the streets and buildings. However, a child who lost his education in his start, that cannot be compensated. That’s why the government is exerting major efforts for this purpose and there is continuous work to implement this priority.
The rebuilding of the Syrian state needs staff and hence we have to focus on higher education and vocational institutes. These will graduate a generation capable of work and building. Future Syria will be rebuilt by the productive and educated as well as technicians. We are depending on those in addition to health, services and local administration. Also, we will focus on agriculture since the north is an agricultural area and we have to take care of that because it has a big role in supporting the society and securing peoples’ needs.
ZA: Who protects the government headquarters and how much coordination there is with the rebel factions?
Abu Hatab: Protection the government will have special security procedures and this is not the time to talk about that due to its security nature.
ZA: You are resident in Idlib province which is controlled by factions including al-Nusra Front, what is the relationship between the government and al-Nusra Front? And How do you cope with an organization that is listed as “terrorist”?
Abu Hatab: The role of the government is service-oriented. It is to offer services to the society. Hence, we do not have any relation with the political sector. This is the mission of Syrian National Coalation. So is the military sector. Also, it is the same for judiciary which is responsible for judicial council. Our objective is to be inside to help the affected and fill the void in the liberated areas. We only have one enemy and that is the Syrian regime.
ZA: What about the recet of the ministers in the government, will they work inside of Syria aswell?
Abu HatabCertainly, the work of all ministeries will be inside. There will a coordination office abroad, but we are here to communicate with the Syrian population and to be beside them living as they live.
ZA: Will the government headquarter be public and how it will be able to work amid the continuous bombing?
Abu Hatab: All the government headquarters will be horizontal and we have a special tactic for the government mail signature. We will not place any flag related to revolution on the government headquarters at least in the current stage due to security conditions.
ZA: What is the budget of the government now? And what is your estimating of the daily spending?
Abu Hatab: We formed few days ago a financial committee consisting of Doctor Abdullah Hamadi and a number of academics and economists from Aleppo Free University and Idlib Free University to put a working budget for the government vision and plan which was proposed. The budget will be ready during the coming two weeks.
ZA: How will the government coordinate with the local councils and what are their role?
Abu Hatab: The local councils are partners with the government and so is the case for organizations and activists. We see everyone who is working inside of Syria as a partner for the government and we need every person who can do a positive and active role for the Syrian population.
ZA: What are the geographical borders for your work, and what about the Islamic State-controlled areas?
Abu Hatab: All the besieged and liberated areas are included and is the speciality of the work of the government in the north and south. Regarding the eastern regions, we will meet soon with brothers in the local councils and activists. This meeting will be special since we will get to know if the government will be of use for Syrians in the eastern regions. They are the ones who can decide the cooperation procedures since they live there.
ZA: Did you receive financial support from Syria friends and who heads the list of the supporters?
Abu Hatab: I have not communicated with any of the friends or funders until now. I was very busy lately working inside of Syria and did not have the chance to do anything related to this issue. But, in the past two days, I met with some activists and political blocs in the Syrian National Coalation in Turkey.
We have a plan regarding the financial support and needs which is being prepared for in conjunction with the budge preparation. At the same time, we have an opportunity to find financial resources inside of Syria.
For example, al-Rawj Plain is 100000 Acres that can be invested. It can give a big investment in grains. It is the same in al-Ghab Plain, there are 20000 Acres that can be invested in sugar beet. There are many olive projects in Idlib that can be invested especially that locals could not export it recently. If we could obtain customs certificate and a cross point, we can export these products especially it is exportation to Turkey is banned and the regime is benefiting from it.
Hence, a cross point is very crucial to the work of the government to be able to dispense the regime and deprive it from benefiting from the oil. That’s if we could have a cross point to transport oil across borders. This can be applied to both north and south. If we could achieve that and got cross points, we could establish industrial areas on the borders. This will encourage the reactivation of factories inside of Syria and in turn use the raw materials and human resources which ends in getting new productions.
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