[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Syria and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Syria Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to syria@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every week.]
International and Regional Perspectives
Syriac-Kurdish Cooperation in Northeast Syria Carl Drott on a Syriac Christian militia known as Sutoro wearing the same uniform as a Kurdish police force affiliated to the Democratic Union Party (PYD).
À Zahlé, un malaise bien plus social qu’économique Soraya Hamdan provides an economic profile of Zahle, in light of the Syrian crisis.
The French mother who lost her sons to the war in Syria Colin Randall on the mother’s project following the passing of her sons.
From Commander of the Resistance to Secretary General of Hezbollah to Leader of Militias Walid al-Bunni asks: “Has any other organization serve the Israeli racist project as much as Hezbollah and its leader?”
Syria is top training ground for al Qaeda, Senate is told Jaime Crawford Rep
US Ambassador Ford on what`s gone wrong in Syria and where it`s headed The seven key takeaways from Ford’s remarks.
Israel celebrates seizure of Syrian rockets bound for Gaza reports Mohamad Bdeir
Russian ambassador upbeat over Lebanon and Syria, warns West over Ukraine Firas Choufi reports: “Russia does not differentiate between the conflict in Ukraine and the battle in Syria. According to the Russian ambassador in Beirut, Alexander Zaspikin, Russia is keen on Ukraine’s unity and the lives of its citizens at the same time. His country is also convinced that no one can change the equation in Syria anymore. And as for Lebanon, Russia is quite optimistic.”
A Comprehensive Strategy for Syria: Next Steps for the West Lina Khatib prepares this report for the Carnegie Middle East Center.
Exiled Syria opposition confirms new army chief “The Western-backed coalition`s higher military council issued a statement Saturday confirming Brig. Gen. Abdul-Ilah al-Bashir was their new chief, replacing Gen. Salim Idris,” reports AP.
Four arrested in Manchester and Oxford for Syria-related offences reports Haroon Siddique
Syrian refugee children forced to work to support families in Lebanon According to Ben Gilbert, the children are working to help their families pay the basics: food, shelter and transportation.
In Ukraine as in Syria, Western words are hollow if not backed by steel Faisal al Yafai says “the fact is the current global order is broken. America’s brief unipolar moment lasted for just over a decade, until the swamp of Iraq sapped its political will and snapped its military threat.”
People’s Assembly Begins Discussing General Elections Bill according to the pro-government newspaper al-Thawra, whose update was translated by the Syrian Observer.
It’s Time Russia Published Its Dodgy Chemical Weapons Dossier “Moscow submitted a dossier to the UN claiming that Syrian rebels, and not Assad, were behind the Aug. 21 chemical attack on Aleppo—but this week, after reviewing the evidence, the UN disagreed,” reports Eliot Higgins.
Saudi: Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group “The U.S.-allied kingdom has also designated as terrorist the Nusra Front and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, whose fighters are battling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Interior Ministry said in a statement published by state media.”
Why European Muslims fight in Syria Colin Randall provides an overview of the various reasons motivating foreigners to go fight in Syria.
From Qusair to Yabrud: Shiite foreign fighters in Syria Saud Al Sarhan reports on those developments.
Syria government forces seize strategic town near Lebanon border “The military takeover of Zara, in Homs province, is the latest advance in the effort to block rebel supply routes from Lebanon,” suggest Nabih Bulos and Patrick J. McDonnell
Syrian Narratives
Who`s who: Abdulbaset Sarout A profile of the famous Homsi goalkeeper turned fighter.
Who is George Haswani, Who Helped Release Maaloula Nuns? All4Syria met with one former employee, who said that “Haswani is from Yabroud and he was the assistant manager of Banias refinery. He was temporarily assigned as a manager when the General Manager resigned. After a new manager was assigned to the position, Haswani resigned and went to Russia, where he studied and married.”
Syria`s President al-Assad helps secure release of kidnapped nuns “Newsday`s Tom Hagler talks to Joshua Landis, Director of the Centre of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oklahoma to find out how.”
The Conscience of Syria An interview with Yassin al-Haj Saleh in which he concludes that “ however grave the deficiencies of the Syrian opposition are—and they are grave—it has been impossible for us to convince the “international community” that we are “victim(s) who are worthy to be assisted in the name of a general defense of ‘European values.’"
The Incompetence of Syria’s Security Services Ahmad Hassan explains how “most Syrians are suspicious of the intelligence services and accuse them of committing many violations, yet they show total confidence in the military institution and count on the army to preserve national unity”
The Syrian Regime and its Truce Tactics Souad Khibyeh reports that “while Bashar Assad`s delegation was busy putting sticks into wheels and throwing around public accusations and insults, the regime was also busy concluding truces in various areas around Damascus.”
Questioning the Sectarian Background to the Syrian Uprising (1 of 2) Mamoun Jabari reports that “the regime leased the most important productive sector, the port of Latakia, to a French company, which led to hundreds of workers losing their jobs.”
The mufti of the Syrian opposition Suhaib Anjarini provides a brief biography of Abu Basir al-Tartousi, arguing he “played the role of the opposition’s mufti - issuing a number of religious edicts on how the uprising in Syria should take shape. Even though they might not have heard of him before, many protesters who took part in the demonstrations were following his edicts.”
Syria`s unknown victims: the thousands missing or dead in regime custody Mona Mahmood suggests that the numbers might be much higher than the estimates.
Counting Syria’s Dead Lina Sergie Attar reflects on the Syria crisis as it enters its fourth year.
The most powerful rebel alliance in Syria-the Islamic Front-is on the verge of collapse. Hassan Hassan says the Islamic Front is on the verge of collapse as a result of ongoing infighting.
Searching for the Smoking Gun: An Interview With Åke Sellström Aron Lund interviews the professor who led the UN team investigating the chemical weapons attack in Ghouta last August.
The Miserable Afterlife of Michel Aflaq Aron Lund writes about “‘the March 8 Revolution.’ On that day in 1963, a hastily assembled military junta overthrew then president Nazim al-Kudsi and declared itself in control of Syria. Within a few months, officers loyal to the Baath Party had outmaneuvered their allies and assumed sole control. Five decades later, the party is still clinging to power.”
Damascus Preachers and the Armed Rebellion Aron Lund says “Syria’s indigenous Islamist traditions still remain a formidable force on the ground.”
Amid carnage of war, Syria readies for Assad re-election reports Reuters.
Manna: Elections Cannot be Held While Half of Syrians Have no Humanitarian Cover Manna made this statement in a lecture he gave in Paris last week.
"It is time to change the general perceptions in the West of the Syrian conflict" Abdulhamid Qabbani provides a profile of a “hairdresser-turned-jihadi.”
Siege of Syrian arms depot exposes chemical weapons fears “With rebels closing in on the fortified bunker at the Tal Al Jabiyeh military complex in south-western Deraa, military and intelligence officers from the US, Europe and Arab states who staff a clandestine operations room in Amman, scrambled to make sure the weapons inside did not fall into the hands of Al Qaeda-affiliated rebels,” report Phil Sands and Suha Maayeh.
Syria: Jihadist Factions Close to Civil War According to Al-Akhbar, “it appears as if Syria is on the verge of a new stage of the conflict between ISIS on one side and al-Nusra Front and the Islamic Front on the other”
Who’s who: Abdulhakim Bashar “Rustom Mahmoud writes on the leader of the oldest Syrian Kurdish party”
Rule of Fear: ISIS Abuses in Detention in Northern Syria Firas Choufi reports.
Riyadh puts ISIS, al-Nusra Front, Muslim Brotherhood, and Houthis on list of terrorist organizations
Inside Syria
A Damascene Morning: The Hustle of Life in Death An Al-Hayat article translated by the Syrian Observer, about the markets in Damascus during the war.
`He Knew That Death Was Coming`: Survivors Mourn after a Massacre by Syrian Rebels Joshua Hersch reports from Obeen.
Sharing the scars of Syria`s war Basma Atassi reports from Syria’s Qalamoun
Jaramana or Beirut`s southern suburb? Yahya Alous says that “today Jaramana can no longer claim such a neutrality, with a recent proliferation of sectarian representations and demonstrations, displayed on vehicles in the form of explicit slogans and religious images. The city has become a magnet for external sectarian affiliations, which have intruded upon Jaramana.”
Smell of fear in Damascus proves Assad’s illegitimacy Jasmine Roman writes: “After 18 months away, and with a sense of feverish homesickness and peculiar lack of belonging, I have again walked the streets of Damascus and hardly recognised it or its people.”
Authorities Confiscate Stolen Archeological Artefacts in Palmyra The Syrian Observer translates this update by Al-Baath.
In Barzeh, Two Versions of a Truce Sadek Abed Alrahman and Karen Leigh “spoke to a civil activist and a regime loyalist for two different views of the event”
The Syrian government’s secret cells in al-Raqqa Firas al-Hakkar says that “Over the past month, the official Syrian flag–as opposed to the rebel flag–has been hoisted more than once in the rebel-controlled governorate of al-Raqqa in northern Syria.”
Assad Forces Hit Yabroud Medical Centers An update by Zaman al Wasl, translated by the Syrian Observer.
Conversations: A Pharmacist in Qalamoun “Here, Nawwar discusses his day-to-day role with the organization in a city beset by fighting between rebel groups and government forces.”
Syrian government, rebels clash for future of Aleppo Raja Abdulrahim reports
Arts and Social Media
Media on the Margins: An Interview with Muhammad Ali on his Frontline Documentary "Syria`s Second Front" Malihe Razazan speaks with Syrian-born Frontline correspondent Muhammad Ali about his most recent reporting trip from the town of al-Atārib near Aleppo in northern Syria, which is the subject of his Frontline documentary, “Syria’s Second Front.”
#WithSyria and Banksy: Saving Syria through Orientalism Hisham Ashkar discusses Banksy’s graffiti of a veiled young girl for the #WithSyria campaign. He writes: “Maybe Banksy didn’t think much of that while drawing his work. But this reveals an unbearable amount of ignorance, stereotyping and orientalism"
Watch a Powerful Twist Happen as This Girl Grows up a Second Per Day An ad by Save the Children
Syrian TV Celebrates Sayyeda Zainab Anniversary The Syrian Observer reports.
Among the Wounded in Syria’s War: Ancient History A report by Alissa J. Rubin
Syria : Immense injustice and a fallen comrade A piece on the slain freelance photographer Ali Mustafa, killed in Aleppo last week.
SAIA York Statement on Ali Mustafa
Ali Mustafa (1984-2014) A touching Facebook note by Mustafa’s friend.
Photos by Ali Mustafa Mustafa’s major photo projects.
Policy and Reports
Quantum of Surveillance: Familiar Actors and Possible False Flags in Syrian Malware Campaigns The following joint report by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and The Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto was published by theElectronic Frontier Foundation on 23 December 2013
Zooming in on Syria: Adapting US Policy to Local Realities Faysal Itani and Nathaniel Rosenblatt “argue that in order to bring about such a change, there must first be a coalition of local actors inside the country who are powerful enough to fight against the Assad regime and negotiate on behalf of Syrians at the national level.”
Urgent Call for Immediate Release of Three Peaceful Activists “Statement from the VDC condemns forced confessions broadcast on Syrian television”
Report Cites ‘Devastating Toll’ on Health of Syria’s Children “The Syrian civil war’s impact on the health of Syria’s children is far more insidious than has been widely understood, a leading children’s advocacy group reported Sunday, with large numbers dying or at risk from chronic and preventable diseases that have flourished because the country’s public health system has basically collapsed,” Rick Gladstone reports.
Open Letter: Urgent Need for Cross-Border Aid for Syrians The following open letter was published byDoctors Without Borders on 18 December 2013
Committee to Protect Journalists: Second Worst Year on Record for Jailed Journalists
Statement: Release Mazen Darwish! “22 civil society groups call for the release of a leading journalist and rights activist”
Economy and Agriculture
Entrepreneurship Remains Alive in Syria Rory Jones reports on the “Damascus for Startup Weekend – a global phenomenon where entrepreneurs come together for 54 hours to team up, create a business from scratch and receive mentorship and advice from seasoned professionals,” organized by young entrepreneur Ahmad Sufian Bayram.
Central Bank Policies See Return to Nationalism “The Central Bank of Syria has reinstated a move to stop banks in Syria from issuing any loans in order to preserve cash liquidity,” reports Adnan Abdulrazzak.
Government and Currency Depreciation Take Syria Back to Bartering Era “Syrian merchants are having to exchange goods instead of receiving cash for exports,” according to the Syrian economic magazine Iqtissad.
Seizure of MTN`s Assets
More than 500,000 in Syria without food aid “The World Food Programme said Monday insecurity in Syria was cutting off half a million people from the food aid they need, while a lack of funds has also forced the UN food agency to slash rations.”
Prices Rise in Kfar Nabel after Closure of Border Crossing “The prices in the markets of Kfar Nabel, a city of over 30,000, were affected by the repeated closure of the Bab Al-Hawa crossing, around 100 kilometers from the city,” reports the Damascus Bureau.
Smuggled goods bound for Assad’s family intercepted report Anas al-Homsi.
Assad`s Grievous Plan: Turning Damascus into Cantons “Damascus has been exposed to major attempts to change its demographic nature according to loyalty standards to Assad,” according to Zamal al Wasl (article translated by the Syrian Observer).
Events
Beirut Event--Syrians in Their Neigbhourhood: A One-Day Symposium on the Syrian Refugee Crisis (13 March) by the Refugee Research and Policy in the Arab World Program at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs (IFI) at the American University of Beirut (AUB).
Actes du colloque Syrie: reconstructions, immatérielles et matérielles? A detailed summary of a conference helf in France, on the intellectual, cultural, and civil reconstruction of Syria.
International Peace Initiative to convene conference on Syria “The meeting, called `After the Geneva negotiations: All sides consultation for a political solution in Syria`, will bring together approximately 50 Syrian activists, intellectuals, professors, journalists, doctors, artists and religious dignitaries of various political, cultural and religious affiliations and identities associated with the different sides of the conflict.”
Harvard Event: The History of Syrian Revolt: Structural Causes and Dynamics (4 March) Bassam Haddad addressed “the history, causes, and dynamics of the Syrian uprising by examining state and society, the domestic and external opposition, the Islamicization of major parts of the opposition, the humanitarian/refugee crisis, and the international context.”
Texts
Les quartiers populaires et les printemps arabes: Elements pour une approche renouvelee Eric Denis reviews the book edited by Pierre-Arnaud Barthel et Sylvy Jaglin.
Arabic
اليرموك، عندما تولد لاجئاً
الميليشيات الموالية في حلب: قبضة النظام وضحيته
هل نفذ الجربا ومصطفى أول "انقلاب" مابعد الثورة..؟
الإعاشة غير الإنسانية للسوريين
الأزمة السورية... سوق لإبرام صفقات السلاح
أزمة أوكرانيا: امتحان جديد للقطبية الروسية
داعش» والأقليات»
من تحت ركام اليرموك ومنزلنا المدمّر
!زياد ماجد والثورة السورية «اليتيمة»: عندما يكتب الرفيق
Abdallah Amin al-Hallaq writes about Ziad Majed and his new book “Syria - The Orphan Revolution.”
!مفتي الثورة» أبو بصير الطرطوسي: هدفنا إســقاط حزب الله»
Sohaib Anjarini imitates Assadist propaganda when writing about Abu Busair at-Tartousi, the “Mufti” of the revolution.
الأمن السوري يوقف المخرج السينمائي الشهير محمد ملص
«ليسوا أرقاما .. للاجئين السوريين في مصر «حكايات
Susan Abdel Ghani writes about the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights’ series of interviews with a group of Syrian refugees, who were detained while trying to illegally flee Egypt through the Mediterranean and heading towards the European coast.
معبر بستان القصر: ...وما هم بسكارى
عن نشاط حزب PYD في سوريا
An Anonymous study of the activity of the Kurdish party, the PYD in Syria.
مستقبل سوريا
رياح القرم و... الخليج تؤجج النار السورية
دعوا السوريين وشأنهم
رزان
Al-Arabiya interview with Rim Zeitouna, the sister of known Syrian activist Razan Zeitouna, who was kidnapped two weeks ago and remains missing till this day.
المشرقية والقومية العربية... تناقض أم تكامل؟
عن اليسار مرّة أخرى: الشيء وعكسه
الإمبرياليّة الأميركيّة والحـنين إلى الحرب الباردة
