A Syrian who does not want to be identified sent me this: "My father is in Istanbul for the opposition conference that is sponsored by
the MB. He was in Berlin last weekend for the secular opposition conference but
withdrew. The secular opposition is refusing to call for the downfall of the regime ,
they want the downfall of the regime's security apparatus (a euphemism for
allowing Bashar to stay as long as he pulls the army out and implements reforms) when someone asked
the sponsors to survey the attendees about what they want in Syria (90% voted
for the over throw of the regime) that result shocked Samir 'atiya and Haytham
Manaa' who are leading the secular wing of the opposition but want the regime to
lead the reform more or less. During the conference every person that spoke in favor of overthrowing the
regime was not allowed to finish and was asked to stop , my father's speech was
cut half way because they felt he was too harsh (the official reason was he went longer than the allowed
time slot). The secular conference did not invite any Islamists and are preaching about
the need for reform and the non violent resistance. The Istanbul conference is trying to unite the opposition under the "over
throw the regime" banner, and I agree. Arab regimes can not be reformed ,
expecting them to lead reforms is like expecting the wolves to guard the sheep and not eat any. They invited
everyone to Istanbul and more secular figures are expecting to show up today
like Burahn Ghalyoun and others. On the inside from my cousin who is one the coordinators in Daraa, the
people are fed up and can not take it anymore. They are arming and waiting for a
green light to start an armed rebellion. Trucks are coming and distributing weapons to everyone in Daraa and Deir
Ezzour, in Daraa a month ago Haytham Manaa' was highly thought off , but after
agreeing on NOT to overthrow the regime , his popularity is almost completely gone. People like in ww2
write on doors of people collaborating with the mukhabarat "Traitor" those
people do not leave the house people are taking the law into their own hands punishing those who work
with the regime. There has been improvised attacks on Shabeeha in Jeeza (a Zu'bi village)
and Busr Al Harir (a Harriri village) a large score of shabeeha were killed
after they killed a number of farmers then went inside the mosque to beat up some of the people inside. People on the inside are angry with the opposition on the outside because
they can not agree on anything and are not providing them with support (they need medicins and first aid
materials to treat the wounded who are afraid of going to the hospitals because
the shabeeha attack them there) It appears the regimes self fulfilling prophecy is coming true, the
revolution is going to turn militant soon and in the open and according to my
dad the direction that the conference is going is will lead to the unification of the opposition
(without Khadaam , Rif'at ..etc) and the deceleration of armed struggle against
the regime. I think the secular opposition is myopic , they
are preemptively marginalizing and excluding the Islamists (although they are a
significant % ) and they are trying to be "civil" and have "dialog" with a barbaric regime and ask for "reforms" , they are losing support fast
and if they do not get on board with the people in the streets they will be the
ones marginalized at the end. You can not ask for a democratic change and exclude significant portions of
the population. People should have confidence and in a free election people
should be able for self determination, if the Islamist come to power democratically , there will always be another election to
drive them out or another revolution ...For now Syria is going into a dark path, a bloodier future and the regime's
extreme violence is leading it into the abyss. Syrians now want to overthrow
Assad by any means necessary."
PS Another well-informed source told me later that his impression was that the Muslim Brothers were more reluctant to call for the overthrow of the regime than the secular segment of the opposition.
PSS I learned that Haytham Al-Manna` is not opposed to the overthrow of the regime.
PS Another well-informed source told me later that his impression was that the Muslim Brothers were more reluctant to call for the overthrow of the regime than the secular segment of the opposition.
PSS I learned that Haytham Al-Manna` is not opposed to the overthrow of the regime.
