The
Syrian issue entered a critical juncture after the Syrian government
refused the solution offered by the Arab League in order to put an end
to the killing machine and stop the situation from moving further toward
a full scale war.
This development came along with the regional and international efforts
to convince Russia to change its position on Syria after the failure of
all previous initiatives to contain the situation under the Arab League
umbrella.
In Turkey, the foreign minister of which stated “Should the Syrian
regime continue to kill its people and refuse all the Arab solutions,
the door to intervention by the United Nations will certainly open,
which Turkey will then not hesitate to support,” USAK expert Ali
Hussein Bakeer conducted an interview with the Secretary General of the
Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammed Riad al-Shaqfa, who is currently
staying in Istanbul.
Answering questions about the latest news from Syria, al-Shaqfa stated
that the Syrian people will not pull back and the revolution will
continue until the Assad regime is toppled. He also said that the Syria
resolution should be discussed in the Security Council, stressing the
refusal of any kind of dialogue with the Syrian regime or sharing the
power with it, and emphasizing the necessity of answering the public’s
demands to topple al-Assad.
Al-Shaqfa indicated that the Muslim Brotherhood rejects Iran’s offers
and does not trust Hezbollah. When it comes to the issue of minorities,
al-Shaqfa stressed that Syrians did not used to have the concepts of
majority and minority. He further stated that it was only under the bad
administration of al-Assad that they started to hear about them,
emphasizing the importance of the citizenship principle in which
everyone has equal rights and responsibilities.
Lastly, al-Shaqfa expressed their openness for dialogue with all sides
and segments whether domestic or foreign, regional or international, and
their readiness to also cooperate with everyone as long as it serves
the interest of Syria on the basis of mutual interest and respect.
Q: Arab observers could not accomplish their mission in Syria. Afterward, what should the stand taken against Syria be?
A: We support the protection of civilians so we think the Syrian
file should be analyzed in the Security Council. The regime's repressive
actions and efforts to gain time while brutally suppressing protesters
convinced us to arrive at that conclusion.
We believe that the Syrian people will not pull back and will continue
their protests until they get what they want. We call on international
actors to exclude the Syrian regime, withdraw their ambassadors,
continue the economic sanctions and narrow the field of action of regime
supporters.
Q: You demanded a no-fly zone in order to protect civilians. What
makes you think that Turkey will accept this demand? How could it be
implemented despite opposition from China and Russia?
A: We have not officially discussed this issue with Turkish
officials yet. However, we don’t think that Turkey will oppose a
Security Council resolution that will protect civilians.
Q: There is dissatisfaction with the performance of the opposition.
There are also people who say that the opposition in Syria does not
follow a balanced attitude. How do you evaluate all this?
A: We think that the losses of the people are more important than
the performance of the opposition. There is nothing so powerful as to
equal the self-sacrifice of those people.
As for the Syrian National Council and Muslim Brotherhood, our
conviction is that the situation in Syria has come to the boil. Sharing
power with Bashar al-Assad or entering into dialogue with the regime
cannot be solutions from now on. The only solution is to topple the
regime.
Q: There are rumors that the Syrian regime will make peace with
Israel if the pressure established on it by the international community
is reduced. How do you evaluate these rumors?
A: We do not have detailed information on this issue, but we refer
to the famous statement by al-Assad’s cousin, Rami Makhlouf, that the
security and stability of Israel depends on that of Syria.
Q: In his speech on January 20, 2012, Qassem Suleimani, the leader of
the Al-Quds Force (IRGC Unit) responsible for external covert
operations, has stated that the Syrian people support the Syrian regime
completely. He used his claim that the opposition could not manage to
organize protests in millions as proof. What is your comment?
A: What prevents the Syrian people from organizing protests in the
millions is the brutal repression, repression that even prevents people
from expressing their personal beliefs, leaving aside organizing
large-scale protests. For instance, all of the people in Hama went out
into the streets when the governor of Hama prohibited security forces
from attacking protesters. Subsequently, the regime changed the governor
and sent the security forces and shabiha [pro-government paramilitary]
to attack protestors.
Q: How do you evaluate Iran’s role played in Syria recently?
A: We have specific information regarding Iran’s supply of weapons
and ammunition to the Syrian regime, and we know there are Iranian
experts sharing their experience in suppression with Assad regime units.
Q: We have learned that Iran proposed you a government under Bashar
al-Assad if you stop the protests. In this context, is there any detail
you have not mentioned?
A: First of all, I would like to state that we do not have any
relationship or dialogue with Iran. The Muslim Brotherhood refused to
enter dialogue with Iran and did not get any direct offer because we
reject Iran’s attitude in supporting the Syrian regime. We did not even
discuss the offers Iran sent or tried to send us through mediators.
Q: What is your message to Hezbollah, which claims that the Syrian
revolution serves the U.S. and Israel, and that the Syrian regime should
be supported as it plays a crucial role in the so-called “resistance”?
A: Hezbollah does not deserve a message from us because of the
stance it took in support of the Syrian regime. If Hezbollah had really
been against persecution as it claims, it would be on the side of the
Syrian people who are oppressed.
Q: There is a rumor that Hezbollah does not hesitate in exhibiting a
pro-regime stance because it knows that you will need it later as
leverage against Israel, since your lands are still under its
occupation, even if the Assad regime is toppled. How do you evaluate
this?
A: As long as Hezbollah supports the Syrian regime, we do not trust
them. If Hezbollah changes its attitude toward the regime, then we may
talk about the issue.
Q: Some people say that the Muslim Brotherhood is a threat for
minorities and that if the Assad regime is toppled, radical Islamism
will overrun Syria. What is your comment on this?
A: We are Muslim. Our religion is based on peace and respect to
others. The history of the Muslim Brotherhood is proof of this. During
the Imam Hassan al-Banna era in Egypt, Copts were working in Muslim
Brotherhood offices. In earlier periods of the Syrian regime, Christian
candidates were running in elections from Muslim Brotherhood lists. We
did not have the concepts of majority and minority before; it was only
under the bad administration of al-Assad that we started to hear about
them. We assure you today that we side with the citizenship principle,
in which everyone has equal rights and responsibilities.
Q: What are the current or future criteria in directing your
relations as the Muslim Brotherhood—in case you govern Syria—with the
U.S. or other effective regional and international countries?
A: We exhibit a positive stance toward all states and segments as
long as they are willing not to interfere in our internal affairs. We
are open to dialogue with all sides and ready for collaboration with
everyone in order to prevent the spilling of our people’s blood and
serve the interests of our country. When a democratic state is
established in the future, international agreements, charters and
conventions will shape our relations with other states according to
mutual interest and respect.
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