Christian's election discredits Assad's claims

Electing a Christian to the helm of the Syrian opposition discredits Assad's minority claims

A lot can be said against the Syrian opposition and the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria. But despite it all, they were able to elect a Christian leader to their representative body, the Syrian National Council, noted Tariq Al Homayed, the editor of the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Al Awsat.

"It is an achievement that couldn't have seen the light of day if it weren't for concerted efforts from Arab, regional and international players in Doha," he said.

Since the very beginning of the revolution in Syria, many have claimed that the biggest challenge facing the opposition is its lack of unity.

"To this we always responded that the Syrian opposition would unite when it receives genuine international support similar to the support the Iraqi opposition was given at the London conference before the invasion of Iraq," added the writer.

If President Bashar Al Assad is aware of what he sees before him and of what is going on around him, he should take a good look at the historic images from Doha that included ministers from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. Similar images made the rounds of international media outlets during the Friends of Libya conference that paved the way for Muammar Qaddafi's collapse.

The Syrian opposition, along with the Brotherhood, have understood that the international outlook has changed. They are required to demonstrate more severity and selflessness if they are to prepare for the final moments before Mr Al Assad's fall, politically and militarily.

The election on Saturday of a Christian to head the SNC can be seen as proof of great flexibility on part of the various opposition factions. It was also the result of vigorous efforts on the part of the Arab and international sponsors of the Doha meeting.

In fact, the appointment of George Sabra to the helm of the SNC in itself discredits the "fear for minorities" card that Mr Al Assad tried to play during his last interview with the Russia Today TV network.

In this regard, Al Homayed went on to say: "As a matter of fact, it was Mr Al Assad himself who gave the opposition the final push to get them to choose a Christian to lead them, especially when he attempted to convince the world that his regime 'is the last bastion of secularism and coexistence in the region'."

Mr Sabra's election isn't necessarily the apex of reform in Syria. A few decades ago, before the disastrous military coups that brought loss and deprivation to the region, the rise to fame and leadership positions of minority leaders was a non-issue.

"But the importance of this election is that it abrogates the claim that the Assad regime is the protector of minorities and that it limits the greed of the Muslim Brotherhood who managed in the span of one year to lose all of their credit," concluded the writer.

Yemen's dialogue congress a key test

Yemen is still going through the labour pains of transition, which started with the unseating of President Ali Abdullah Saleh last February. However, if successful, a congress for national dialogue slated for this month is likely to make the country's road to stability a little less bumpy, the Sharjah-based newspaper Al Khaleej suggested in its editorial.

Yemen's various socio-political forces are expected to meet later this month to discuss the country's future challenges and ways to avert lurking division.

This congress is arguably "the most important event since the revolution of February 6, 2011", Al Khaleej said, "and the country's political future, regional standing and unity depend on it".

For years, the old regime nurtured bitter disputes within Yemeni society and marginalised whole demographic segments. "The old regime operated like an extended family … that turned the country into its own farmhouse."

As a result, the relationship between the south of the country and the centre of power in Sanaa has dramatically frayed. For years now, voices in the south have being calling for secession. This "justifies the fact that this [issue] is going to take centre stage in the upcoming congress", the paper noted.

Dialogue, though not always easy, is the way to go for the new Yemen, the paper said. "The most important thing is for the country to remain united."

Morsi must attend Coptic ordination

Bishop Tawadros of the Coptic Church in Egypt, elected as the Coptic pope this month. will be ordained next week as Pope Tawadros II.

In an opinion article for the Cairo-based newspaper Al Ahram yesterday, columnist Hazem Abdul Rahman said Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi, who has had a long-standing affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood, must be present at the event.

"We urge President Morsi to accept the invitation and to personally attend the ordination of the new pope of the Egyptian Orthodox Church next Sunday," he wrote. "A great significance will be attached to his presence.

"His attendance will amount to a statement saying that a church is just like a mosque in the spiritual conception of Egyptians, and that there is no difference between the Bible and the Quran, the two being divine revelations, in the same way both Jesus and Prophet Mohammed are messengers of God."

It would also be a welcome gesture if President Morsi took the opportunity during the ordination to issue a decree - to be later duly debated in parliament - homogenising the law on building mosques and churches.

"We demand that Mr Morsi stress in his address that national unity … takes priority over creed," the writer noted.

* Digest compiled by The Translation Desk

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