Ahmad Mouaz Al-Khatib’s Speech
at Group of Friends of The Syria People Meeting in Morocco
12/12/2012
In the name of God, the most Gracious, the most Merciful.
Syria’s tragedy is far greater than what words can describe. Twenty months of systematic mass destruction which involved the human beings by torturing, killing and detaining, and that involved the infrastructure by destroying, looting and burning it and for the first time the Russian made MiG jet planes, which our people paid for from its blood and children’s milk, have bombardon civilian neighbours on a daily basis and in a savage way.
The regime tried irresponsibly to mess out with the Syrian national fabric and deceived many that it represents the key to security for all, forgetting that Syria and its people existed since the beginning of the history not with the start of the Baath Party, and if there is any dark stain in our history, it is this regime alone.
Syria represents the core and the spirit of this world, but the regime tried with its barbarism to obliterate all Syria’s landmarks of civilization. It has put the Syrians in fight against each other and worked to erase the names of the founding fathers of Syria’s independence from the education curriculums such as Mr. Hashim Alatassi, Ibrahim Hanano, Khalid Alazem, Faris Alkhouri, shikri Alquatli thinking that it can cover facts that are as bright as daylight.
Let this regime with its unprecedented barbarism fall, and let there be a legitimate leadership of the Syrian people which expresses their goals and aspirations. For that the Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces was born, to bring back hope and smile to our people. It was born from the womb of endless suffering and it includes many forces and many others will join. We welcome our Kurds brothers who came yesterday to join our coalition to be dear partners to us in building a free dignified country which preserves the unity of the Syrian land and people.
The coalition’s goal is to bring down the regime, then to prepare for a national conference which will pave the way for a promising future for Syria. At that moment, the coalition will self-dissolve and we are all confident that the sons and daughters of Syria are capable of leading it to regain its position on the Arabic, Islamic and international level.
What we want for Syria is a safe, multi-cultural community based on justice and equality in rights and duties which respects human rights and preserve the unique and variant social and cultural structure of Syria.
Our strive to overthrow the regime and dismantle its security structure does not mean at all undermining the structure of the state. The regime is corrupt and it must go. However, the state institutions belong to the people whom we ask to maintain fully as they have paid for them in blood and sweat.
Those faithful to our people are working hard for their cause and have made many gains like withdrawing the international legitimacy of the regime and rallying the political support to uproot it, in addition to establishing a wide humanitarian support that became united. All that remain less than what is required due to the huge destruction performed by the regime. Besides, a joint command of the military forces was established led by highly qualified sincere people whom we congratulate on their efforts in defending our people to make up the nucleus of a national army. There are also relief and judicial bodies which are working in extremely difficult conditions
It is time for the international community to take a decisive step against the regime as our people had enough dying and being displaced to exile, children dying of cold in the camps, girls being raped, youths being executed and structure being destroyed.
Under these circumstances, and in this universal meeting, the Coalition calls upon the international community to perform their international, moral and humanitarian duties for the Syrian people. These people are not asking for a charity! They ask for their international right that cost them a very expensive price. The price has been paid in blood by Syrian men and women and even their children. Our demands are:
1. To recognise the coalition as the legitimate representative of Syrian people and then it can be given all the authority accordingly.
2. To provide urgent financial, health and relief supports in order to reduce the long-suffering that is worsen every day.
3. To set up an open fund for reconstruction and renewal of Syrian infrastructure. Furthermore, to provide all kinds of technical support for reconstruction.
4. To recognize the right of Syrian people to defend themselves by all possible means.
5. To freeze the funds of this gang ruling Syria. These funds sacked from the Syrian people and it should be kept for reconstruction.
6. To prepare the required files in order to bring those responsible of criminal acts in Syria to the International Criminal Court.
7. We call on all countries to facilitate the procedures of residence, movement and work for Syrians, in addition to the education and medical care as much as possible. Furthermore, we ask them to provide care for Syrian communities that have no family without a prisoner, a martyr or an immigrant. We also call on all Syrian embassies to respond to the needs of Syrians and facilitate their requirements.
There are few other issues have to be mentioned:
1. We bear the international community, especially Russia, as fully responsible if the regime used chemical weapons against our people and we ask Russia to lift the entire political cover and stop any military support to the regime. We expected Russia to keep even a simple relationship with Syrian people who wants balanced and equal relations with the entire world as one of the founders of the Non-Alignment movement and will regain its role.
We completely refuse the intervention of any foreign troops. Syrians now wander: Why the silence on our slaughtered for twenty months and right now everybody starts to talk about this issue! At the same time I would like to say to our resistant people “Your awareness and efforts, which aims to avoid any sectarian strife or introductions to civil war, are the only guarantee to prevent any foreign intervention”.
2. I would like to send a direct message to our Alawites brothers and tell them frankly: The Syrian Revolution is offering hands to welcome you so offer yours back. You need to start civil disobedience against this regime. The regime has wronged you same as it did to us and then it put you in the front to justify its crimes. You have to refrain from responding to the orders and suggestions of such a regime. Our religion, morals and our whole life confirms that “no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another”.
3. We call on the Iranian regime to withdraw all its experts from Syria. We also ask the leaders of Hezbollah to withdraw any of their fighters if they are in Syria. Their blood shouldn’t be spilled defending such a Pharaonic, thoughtless regime.
4. I want to talk about a sensitive issue to all sides and I find it necessary to tell our people about: President Hashim Al-Attassi went with a delegation of senior national figures to Paris and stayed months for negotiation on the Syrian independence. Also, Fares Al-Khoury (Prime Minister from 14 October 1944 till 1 October 1945, then again president of the parliament till April 1949) went to San Francisco to explain the suffering of our people. We haven’t been to the Unites States up till this moment, and We haven’t signed any secret or public agreements with it. However, the US, by virtue of its responsibility, is making political contacts with various countries of the world to find out a better understanding which helps to end the plight of the Syrians. Despite some differences in opinion between the Syrians and the US, we appreciate the positive role played by the US towards our people, most recently, the US recognition of Syrian Opposition Coalition as a legitimate representative the Syrian people. Also, I have said more than once that I noticed a tear in President Obama’s eyes while thanking his campaign crew and this shows his love and loyalty for his own people and his staff. This also means he appreciates how much people love their own homeland and love to scarify their lives for the sake of their homeland.
Therefore, I can explicitly confirm that declaring one of the group (Jabhat Al-Nusra) that is fighting against the Syrian regime as a terrorist body should be reviewed. We love our homeland madly and we may disagree with some groups regarding their ideas or political and ideological views, but we can affirm that all rebels aim is to throw a criminal and an oppressing regime. Hence, there is nothing wrong with religion being the motivation factor for rebels to liberate their country, because any religion which doesn’t liberate people and does not stop oppression is a false religion. Thus, it is a positive thing that the armed resistance in general is of an Islamic tincture, as scarifying for the sake of God was always the main motivating factor for the freedom of mankind.
In Syria, my fear is not for Muslims or Christians; it is for any human being whose dignity is offended. We have been ordered by Allah to honour the human being as he honours him when he says “Indeed we honoured the sons of Adam”.
We are clearly against any expiatory trend. We are against any trend that transgress the blood of people and against all trends that want to impose its vision by force on everyone.
In addition to that, the social fabric of Syria is a red line that we will not allow anyone to cross. The people conscience can no longer bear the brutality of the regime. It is no secret that recent reports have documented thousands of murdered children. These numbers includes around three hundred children under the age of ten, who were tortured to death in the regime basements.
Finally, I would like to say to the world leaders and rulers:
The people are so tired of wars and blood and now it is the time for the international community to come to an understanding on universal humanitarian grounds that go beyond political interests towards humanitarian interests.
We do not believe in violence and we believe that words are stronger than fire and iron. All Pharaohs in this life have vanished while the word of God remains the supreme.
on behalf of Syrian people, I thank all governments, organizations and individuals that contribute to support of our people, and particularly the Kingdom of Morocco and King Mohammed VI, and I say to our people:
Our patient Syrian people,
It needs more patience and cooperation. The dream of every one of you was to visit his neighbour and his brother, and then hug them while saying “I love you”. Our dream was to do that without being considered a conspiracy against the state, insulting its prestige or offending the national security.
People of Syria, your day is getting closer
I greet you all, civilians and military personnel, working in the relief and civil works, stationed in the immigrant and exiles.
I greet the great Syrian woman whom takes the credit after God for the continuity of the revolution and I greet her persistent patience, and I say it frankly without the Syrian woman the revolution would have failed since the first few days.
I greet our free Syrian army and his brave leadership.
I greet the people of Syria who have enough love to provide the whole world with warmth and life.
People of Syria, the dawn are near and I entrust you to God, and may peace and blessings of God be upon you.
