The new Syrian National Council (SNC) formed last month represents the most serious attempt so far by the diverse Syrian opposition to form an alternative to the al-Assad regime. One of the main driving forces behind it are oppositional Syrians abroad, in particular Syrian Americans.
On Thursday, the Syrian opposition group told AP that they will announce a national council made up of 60 Syrians in exile and 70 dissidents inside Syria. The announcement follows meetings in neighboring Turkey.
The Syrian American Council (SAC), which has played an important role in forming the group, presents itself as a “grassroots organization devoted to promoting educational, civic, economic, and human development, as well as advancing civil liberties and human dignity in Syria,” on its website.
The Epoch Times spoke to SAC’s PR Chairman, Hussam Ayloush, over the phone, about how the SNC came about, and what it’s plans and aims are.
“It was the result of demands from the Syrian people and supported by voices of the Syrian opposition abroad,” Ayloush said. “People who had already been in touch before started talking about it. SAC took the lead, because we felt that we were respected; people know that we are diverse and have no self-centered interests in this.”
He further said that the aims of the SNC is to “chart the course for the future of a democratic, post-Assad Syrian talks about a road map, how to proceed, and how to talk to the rest of the international community to make sure the concerns of the Syrian people are addressed.”
So how does such a diverse group communicate and work together? According to Ayloush, all forms of communication are necessary, such as email, phone calls, Skype, and when possible physical meetings. Of course, the last is currently impossible for many members inside Syria, many of whom are keeping their identities hidden for now.
“Once their names are known, they will be targeted by the regime, detained, tortured and killed, as has happened to others,” Ayloush said.
The SNC hopes that as the council receives even more recognition from both Syrians and others, more will join them.
“We will never be able to do justice to the full richness of all the Syrian ideologies and ethnicities, but the people who formed the council have worked very hard to make it as representative as possible, considering the challenges on the ground,” he said, and added that they are doing their best to add more people.
One question that has been raised is whether there is enough know-how in the opposition to take over government of Syria. Ayloush pointed out that the council has intentionally recruited as many technocrats as possible, and that the Syrian people have a long history of political activity before the repressive al-Assad regime came to power.
“The Syrian people are educated; we will be more than capable to run the affairs of the country, bring democracy and human rights, and ensure pluralism and freedom in Syria,” he said.
Ayloush added an appeal for recognition and support worldwide. “We urge people who care about democracy and freedom all over the world, including Syria, to provide support to the council by endorsing it, in order for it to gain more standing and effectiveness. The sooner the council can lead Syria out of the current bloodbath, the sooner we will have stability in the region.”
Not all Syrians opposing the regime are sure yet that the SNC will be the definitive alternative, however. Hozan Ibrahim of The Local Coordination Committees of Syria, which keeps track of and helps organize peaceful demonstrations against the regime in Syria, is taking a carefully positive stance
In a Skype interview, Ibrahim said that the organization in general supports any move that helps bring about a peaceful regime change in Syria, but that the SNC cannot be called a proper national council yet.
“It’s not clear how it will end up. The people we know of [on the SNC] are just some independent persons, and some are not politicians. Talks are still going on with others about joining, or if there should be another, new form with a wider range,” he said.
He also commented that despite the SNC’s claim that the council is broad-based, the majority of the members right now are islamists.
Meanwhile, the demonstrations and military operations continue unabated in Syria. Right now, the military and regime militia are chasing down defected soldiers in Idleb and conducting operations in Zabadani and Madaya to punish the residents, according to Hozan Ibrahim.
“Many houses have been demolished, dozens killed in random gunfire and artillery shellings, hundreds detained,” he said.
