By Abdullah Raja; Translation by Yusra Ahmed
In an interview with Zaman Alwasl, Mustafa Sabbagh, the National coalition member, said that the National Coalition confirmed in Geneva2 its support and acceptance to a political solution to solve the crisis, and fulfills Syrian people’s demands to overthrow the regime and stop the bloodshed. However, according to Sabbagh, the problem is that Syrian regime refused any solution, when its arrogance was clear through its acts even during the conference, when it kept bombing Aleppo, Darayya and other areas with barrel bombs, besides putting people under heavy siege which systematically hunger and killed them. “Of course the Syrian regime would not be able to commit all those crime without the support from its allies like Russia and Iran” Sabbagh added.
The coalition member thinks that International community is in real dilemma, as it insisted on the political solution, in the same time it confessed that political solution suggested in Geneva2 has failed. Besides believing that it would be difficult to go for Geneva3 while the Syrian regime continues its assault and there is no Russian-American agreement.
Sabbagh sees it would be waste of time to go for Geneva3 if no significant military changes took place on ground and seriously threaten Assad’s regime, like what happened when America gestured for a military strike after the chemical weapon attack on al-Ghouta in August last year.
In regard to the interior matters of the National Coalition of Syrian revolution and opposition forces, Sabbagh said: “The latest meeting for the General Assembly of the coalition was like an ice breaking between different opposition forces and figures” the coalition member revealed and pointed out that Coalition forces have reach to an acceptable harmony and agreement can be relied on during the next stage and help in getting out of the state of polarization and political conflicts to support important fronts like the coast, Homs, Aleppo, Deir Ezzor, countryside of Damascus and Dara’a. He confirmed that refugees, displaced people and institutionalizing the Aid Coordination Unit were discussed in the meeting as well.
Sabbagh feels that electing Ministers of Health and Higher Education in the Interim Government, was done at high level of agreement reflected the mutual will to make real changes on ground by providing public services. Moreover, the coalition member considers election the new Political Assembly a part of that trend, hoping to manage ending the static stage affecting the Coalition, and hoping to reach to an agreement about goals and plans for future work.
“many members in the coalition are working hard to form a consultative body consists of opposition’s groups and bodies, to work on implementing principles to achieve political harmony and agreement among the revolutionary and opposition institutions, however, this body has not been formed yet, and if it happens, it would be a unique addition to the coalition” Sabbagh detailed.
Sabbagh feels that coalition needs some changes to turn into a revolutionary parliament representing Syrian people and acts like a “Legislative Power” to support and observe the Executive Power exemplified in the Interim Government. Moreover he thinks that it would important to establish a Justice Power independent from the coalition and the Interim Government representing the Syrian revolution and its aims for a fair transparent and credible regime.
According to the coalition member, the main job of the Coalition these day is to support the Syrian people and internationally representing them, and collecting the international attitude to support them. Besides working to overthrow the Syrian regime and judge its members for their crimes, and building a fair regime where all people are equal.
Mr. Mostafa Sabbagh thinks that the most important job at present is to help the Interim Government to enter inside Syria and provide services to all people through local councils, the high council for Local administration, social committees and civil community.
The coalition member sees that supporting people inside Syria through a professional and technical bodies would form a Legislative power in the country and will get some load off the coalition and increase the institutionalization are sought for. All that would help the coalition and give it the time to do its political role in this sensitive period of the revolution.
Sabbagh feels that performance of the Interim Government was not up to the expectation recently as it did not manage to enter inside Syria and its reports presented during the General Assembly meetings were not as professional as they should be, which required the coalition to request highly professional financial transparency.
In a relavent content, Mustafa Sabbagh considers mending and supporting the Military body represented in the High Military Council and the Staff Major is a priority. Besides fixing the disagreement happened inside the military body and convincing countries to support it. The main point in mending the military body would be by explaining work strategies with clear separation among powers and authorities.
Sabbagh confessed about the disagreement between him and Ahmed Jarba, the Coalition president, however, he confirmed that overthrowing the Syrian regime is their mutual goal, but they disagree about the priorities, and their disagreement in purely political. “In the end Syrian people are the judge for Jarba’s and the coalition performance during his ruling period.
In regard to the fighting groups and conflict in between them, Sabbagh said: “I have been trying to unite the military groups under the Staff Major umbrella in an institutional form. I supported the idea of the National Army that includes all fighters and respect others’ different beliefs and do not exclude any party accordingly, while its aim is to fulfill the Syrian people demands of overthrowing the Syrian regime” Sabbagh said and considered that al-Qaeda, Al-Nusra and ISIS as extremists threatening the future of Syrian revolution and the structure of conservative Syrian community. Furthermore, he thinks they increase separation among the armed opposition and threaten of stopping support from other countries. He thinks that Coast battle must have most fighting battalions to unite at least in one battle to change the forces’ balance and put pressure on the cradle of the Syrian regime, besides securing a seaport for the liberated areas in Syria. The same principles are applied on other hot battles in the country.
Sabbagh thinks that Assad would not mind dividing Syria if he were put to choose either to leave ruling the country or stay as a president on part of it.
However the revolutionary and opposition forces have confirmed many time their keen to keep the unity of all Syria’s land and they tried to prevent plans aimed to divide the country via quantum operation in Homs and the coast. “On the other hand, we must admit that it would be difficult to return to centrally-ruled country controlling all sectors and decisions all over the Syrian land as Assad does now, Syrians have to work to reach to solutions guarantee the unity of Syrian land which might be achieved via Syrian agreement about the form of the government and the rule”
The Coalition member believes that solution for the Syrian crisis would be political, military and statutory, where effort from the three parts must unite to form a versatile political administering team has a clear vision and able to balance between two sides, the first is the interest of the regional and west countries which is part of the regional geo-political security, besides fighting terrorism and assuring minorities that their role and position are secured in the political future beside insuring not to form bodies threaten the region politically and securely. The other side is Syrian people and their best interest political and economical best interest in overthrowing Bashar al-Assad and building a civilized fair lawful country and Providing welfare to Syrian people with insuring versatility and circulation of power.
Mostafa Sabbagh participated in many revolutionary and opposition bodies and worked on establishing the Syrian forum in 6th of June 2012 aims to support and develop the Syrian institutions working inside Syria through providing the developmental and administer services to local councils and our partners inside the country.
Since establishment, The Syrian Forum provided medical services, teaching, civil services and food support beside relief and securing clean source of water and empowering women. In coming stage, the Forum will concentrate on the media issues and strategic studies. Many highly qualified people are members in the it and it work within a specialized teams to provide political solutions and visions aiming to reach to a collective views able to fulfill Syrian people demands instead of waiting for solutions from abroad like what happened in Geneva.
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