Syria’s Nightmare: The View from the Country’s Communists
Ben Chacko asked Nizar Trabulsi of the Syrian Communist Party about the situation there.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) swept to power in Syria surprisingly quickly following a civil war of well over a decade.
Was this because the previous Assad government had lost all support? Were there other reasons?
The regime’s downfall has many internal and external causes. Its most important internal causes include the deteriorating economic situation in Syria due to the long and ongoing blockade since the beginning of the crisis. This includes the US, European, Arab, and international blockade, in addition to the unjust US Caesar Act against the Syrian people.
There was also a shortage of basic and daily necessities due to the US and Turkish occupation and the seizure of essential resources such as oil, gas, wheat, and cotton. This was aggravated by the deteriorating internal situation, including theft, war gangs, exploitation by warlords, bribery, and other factors that led to the regime’s collapse.
In addition, there were external factors, including attempts by the United States, the West, and some Arab countries to overthrow the regime, the introduction of terrorists and armed groups into Syria to destabilise the security situation and create a state of fear and panic, and the shortage of aid and supplies, to the point of complete non-existence. All of these factors accelerated the fall of the regime.
Western governments say the HTS led by Ahmad Sharaa has changed since it was an al-Qaida affiliate and abandoned extremist Islamist ideology for a more moderate political orientation. What is your view on that and how would you characterise the new government?
What we have seen since 8 December, the day Hayat Tahrir al-Sham entered the capital, Damascus, is the issuance of polished political statements and positions, sweetened with honey.
However, the reality on the ground is something else, and sometimes the actions are completely contradictory.
Their actions fall far short of the minimum aspirations, ideas and expectations of the Syrian people.
Even the behaviour of some faction members indicates that they have not changed and remain committed to al-Qaida’s extremist ideology.
They are negatively impacted by the group’s statements. They often even declare that these actions are individual acts.
This cannot convince Syrians, and the legitimate president must control these elements. Syrian society is a cohesive society of participation and political, cultural, social, and religious diversity. All of this constitutes this distinctive Syrian mosaic. As for the current Syrian government, it is of one type and colour, consisting of Islamists and the Idlib group.
We have seen that, even if it were a transitional government, it should have been comprised of all Syrian political,
trade union, cultural, artistic and other groups and components.
I understand your party has been banned by the new authorities. What was the justification for this according to
the new government, and what is the real reason in your view? Have other political opposition groups been banned?
Unfortunately, this was one of the victory decisions announced by the appointed president: the dissolution of the National Progressive Front and its parties, including our party, the Unified Syrian Communist Party, and the rest of the Front’s parties.
It should be noted that these parties are licensed and public and operate according to the party law in effect under the previous regime.
It should be noted that our party’s history has exceeded 100 years since its founding. Their goal is to abolish the daily political life practised by the Syrian people through their political parties, whether within or outside the Front.
The killings of Alawite civilians in coastal areas recently have been shocking.
What was the trigger for this extreme violence? Was the new regime responsible?
What the Syrian coast has been exposed to in recent days reflects the extent of sectarian hatred and the effort to mobilise the Islamic street for a destructive sectarian war against the Alawites. This is evidence of President Sharaa’s lack of control over these armed and extremist groups, whose ranks include extremist foreign Islamic
terrorist elements from Uzbekistan, the Uighurs of Asia, and some Arab and Islamic countries, who adhere to al-Qaida’s ideology.
The horrific massacres and killings committed against humanity reflect systematic hatred and malice, under the pretext of the existence of remnants of the regime and its supporters. The largest number of victims were unarmed civilians, including women, children, the elderly and entire families. There were also Christian victims.
A large number fled to the mountains and a portion crossed the Lebanese-Syrian border into Lebanon. An estimated 10,000 went to the Russian base in Hmeimim, Latakia.
We have warned and we warn again of the danger of the stagnant situation, which is liable to explode at any moment in a more violent and horrific manner. This requires calm. We must defuse the fuse of war, violence and sectarianism. We must begin a real and transparent investigation, bring the criminals to justice, and expel the extremist and foreign armed groups and elements from the country. We must restore confidence and spread reassurance among the citizens.
The government says it is holding an inclusive nation-building conference to determine Syria’s political future, and that a transitional period without elections will last five years. How inclusive is the conference and how are its members selected? What is your view on the postponement of elections?
First, the five-year transitional period announced is a long time. The dialogue conference that was held was merely formal and had no connection to any dialogue, as the majority of participants were selected from a single background and orientation.
Given that the number exceeded 700 people, what could they discuss over four hours? It was merely folklore and the recording of positions. We demand a comprehensive national dialogue for all political, cultural, social and union groups, free from exclusion and marginalisation.
It should have a comprehensive programme that explores a path for a modern Syria. It should produce binding decisions that encompass the transitional period, which we have set at a maximum of two years.
Constitutional committees should be appointed, preparations should be made for parliamentary and presidential elections, and a transitional national unity government should be formed to prepare for the modern civil process in Syria, in accordance with international resolutions and Security Council Resolution 2254, which is internationally agreed upon and is set for a period of 18 months. This is the transitional period, during which all issues identified in the transitional period will be resolved.
The new government seems indifferent to the continued US and Turkish military presence in Syria and even to the expanding occupation of land by Israel in the south. Why? Is Syria likely to be dismembered?
Regarding the American, Turkish, and Israeli military presence, they are all occupying armies and must withdraw from the occupied territories. This is especially true due to the repeated Israeli attacks, especially after the fall of the regime and the destruction of all existing Syrian army capabilities.
Israel exploited the chaos and collapse of the army and violated the 1974 armistice lines, penetrating into Syrian territory and approaching the capital, Damascus. This is in addition to the presence of American and Turkish occupying forces in northern Syria.
This is in addition to their attempts over the years to plunder Syria’s wealth, including oil, gas, wheat, barley, cotton, and other resources.
The previous Syrian government was forced to deliberately purchase its national wealth from the Americans. This, in addition to the internal economic crisis, was partly responsible for the theft of these resources from the Syrian
people.
As for the partition projects sought by the Israeli, Turkish and American occupiers, these plans are not new, and these circles have hinted at them for years to divide Syria into sectarian and ethnic cantons to weaken Syria and force it to normalise relations with Israel, and to achieve Israel’s expansionist programme in the region.
Unfortunately, the threat of division still exists and is being promoted on many occasions.
Retrieved from The Workers Weekly Guardian: Guardian-2140_7th-April-2025.pdf
