Interview- By Lama Shammas; Translation Dani Murad| Establishing a democratic civil state in Syria that brings together individuals from different ideological backgrounds is not an easy matter amid the continuous battles and demolished buildings, yet despite the sounds of bullets and mortars that echo everywhere, Syrians’ resistance voice is still heard.
To know the role of the opposition interim government in listening to the voice of Syrian street and meet its demands, we had the following interview with the vice-President of the Supreme Council of the local administration Dr. Jawad Abu Hatab:
The Ministry of Local Administration formed a committee to investigate the reasons behind the boycott local elections of rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, Damascus suburbs, by local administration councils, what are the findings of the Committee?
The formation of the interim Syrian government in all its different ministries, gave hope in the components of a revolutionary civil institution, and paved the way to the birth of a new leadership concerned with the strategic interests of the Syrian people, and when the boycott statement was issued, we received it in a positive way and therefore formed a legal committee to verify the legitimacy of all elections stages.
The committee was determined to address all the difficulties faced by the Preparatory Committee in dealing with the worst conditions that the Syrian governorates have suffered from.
With absolute positivity and multi reservations, we dealt with the so-called Local council administration in Ghouta, whether in their formation, or their way of imposing the policy of “the status quo” on local councils, and their attempts to talk in generalities.
Then we checked with many councils in Ghouta , and they denied any knowledge of the boycott and described the statement as an "individual act" that has nothing to do with the councils , and that most of the boycotters participated the election.
It was clear that double standards exist in local councils’ work in Easetern Ghouta, due to the individuality in decision-making, and in turn we considered this individual decision a disruptive to a great national institution in the process of forming.
The committee undertakes to review all papers, and documents, and contact local councils in Eastern Ghouta to verify the elections, while having in mind the magnitude of Damascus city and its difficult circumstances from one area to another.
-The ministry is accused of carelessness, corruption, and favoritism, how do you respond to that?
We often hear these statements, and it’s so easy to fabricate accusations especially in these difficult circumstances that our beloved country is facing, and the real standard to our work are the services and strategic plans which ministry has provided for the entire Syrian governorates, and I believe the ministry should be given a full opportunity to prove itself, because the dynamicity of work is difficult and differs from one area to another.
The new free Syrian experience represented by the ministry should take the time needed to crystallize on a correct and solid basis, and we don’t believe that the ministry who bears Syrians’ worries is characterized by corruption or anything else since its members are known for their work, dedication, and sincerity.
How was the Supreme Council of the local administration formed, despite the rejection of the ministry?
There is no doubt that there is an urgent need to form a council which takes care of the only civil institution in Syria which constitutes the initiating structure of building the free Syrian state.
Building this council requires unifications efforts in a framework that has a strategic plan, and its establishment is the complementary step to build the governorate’s local councils, based on law 107 in local administration.
- What are the future plans for the governorate’s council?
Based on the current sensitive circumstances, we framed our visions and objectives as follows:
The message of the governorate’s council:
Upgrading the local councils being the alternative civil authority of the regime to reach a comprehensive progress that prevails in our blessed country.
Vision of the governorate’s council
We seek mutual coordination between all sectors and administrative areas across Damascus countryside to reach a unified message that regulates work in multiple fields through Damascus’s local councils, and secure financial support, relief, medical, intellectual, cultural and social fields through administrative awareness, in addition to joining efforts and energies on the ground to reach these goals.
The objectives of the governorate's council
Short-term goals:
1 .Conducting a study and a field survey on Damascus’s rural areas and its needs.
2. Bringing all forms of support and directing it to local councils and distribute it fairly.
3. Following-up, documenting and putting a business strategy.
4. Supporting the revolutionary movement in all its forms.
5. Establishing local councils in the emerging towns and villages and not marginalizing them.
Mid-term goals:
1. Activating local councils and supporting the culture of teamwork.
2. Enabling local councils and revitalizing them by plans and scientific methodologies.
3. Restructuring institutions to save time, money and efforts.
4. Encouraging voluntary purposeful thinking
To develop the community and improve society’s cultural level.
Long-term goals:
1. Reaching an overall economic growth and a good standard of living and moving forward to a solid structure.
2. Upgrading civilians who have purposeful thinking the serves the country’s interest.
- Does the local administration play a role in reconciliations, which have been taking place in some cities under siege?
There is no doubt that the most important goals of the local administration is "governance", which can create a state of stability in the liberated areas through reconciliations and consensus built on a solid foundation in order to move forward in building the country on the right track.
Therefore, the ministry should be provided with talented, experienced people who believe in civil peace and have a significant role in resolving dispute and conflict between people of the city.
Recently, some food aid entered Ghouta, what is the role played by the local administration in the introduction of such assistance? And will this aid continue to be send until the siege ends?
The aid that entered Eastern Ghouta, which is one of the largest geographical areas in Damascus, doesn’t cover more than 1% of Ghouta’s population for only one day, and hasn’t alleviated much of people’s suffering there.
The local administration had a role in aid management in collaboration with the Red Crescent, which are civil institutions working to serve the people at home.
We cannot be certain constantly that this aid will enter the country, because the regime can’t be trusted and the international community failed so miserably in imposing its decisions inside Syrian territories.
The issue is too complicated to be solved through local administration since it’s an international moral responsibility, but the administration will not overlook its role in serving the country and its people’s interest.
Some proposed the project of (farming Ghouta) and self –reliance, is there any signs for the execution of this project?
Self-reliance and internal sufficiency are some of the strategic plans built by the local administration, and Ghouta is known for its fertility, abundance of water, and availability of wells, therefore, it was necessary to utilize and invest these advantages in strengthening Eastern Ghouta’s resistance.
We contributed immensely to this project through several agricultural projects that provide food security of wheat to summer and seasonal plants, and cover the market needs to achieve local stability.
- The coalition is going through a crisis today, after some community representatives demanded the overthrowing of Coalition president, Ahmad Jabra, what do you think?
Establishing a free Syrian state is a noble and great idea, and when the coalition was formed, it was its main concern to lead the revolution and achieve its goals of of freedom, dignity, justice and equality.
With all sincerity and honesty, The coalition holds itself responsible for the Syrian cause to reach safety; therefore its goal is noble but hindered by some errors made by bad management, and some problematic characters that don’t have national concerns and only care for power and personal gain, this is why there have been many demands in the Syrian street to eliminate certain opposition figures away from the national institution, and it’s the best solution because we are supporters of constructive criticism.
- The revolution is entering its fourth year, what is the best characteristic to describe the coalition?
As we said earlier, this institution is noble in its goals, and can’t be described or given generalized negative opinions due to some individual behaviors or mismanagement, and when we find any bias of this institution from the interests of the Syrian people, the Council will not dawdle to correct any problems even if that caused us to restructure the coalition.
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