New Year’s celebrations are a heady time – a powerful mix of collective hope and excitement at new beginnings. For the Syrians who packed the streets of Old Damascus and other cities as the clocks struck midnight yesterday, these new beginnings are not just about their own individual futures but those of the country as a whole.
This new national future is rapidly taking shape. This week, Mohammad Khaled, a political affairs representative of Syria’s interim government, told The National that a national dialogue conference will be held in Damascus this weekend. It will include “more than 1,000 people participating from every Syrian province” across “the spectrum of Syrian society and its sects”, he said.
Mr Khaled’s remarks chime with similar statements from the country’s interim leader, Ahmad Al Shara. Since the fall of the Bashar Al Assad government last month, Mr Al Shara has insisted that the new Syria will be just, pluralist and will not allow a return of the abuses of the past. These are important positions to take if the new authority is to retain the confidence of regional neighbours, the international community and – most importantly – the Syrian people.
But when it comes to the actions taken thus far by the Hayat Tahrir Al Sham-led authorities the picture is more mixed. On Tuesday, the interim government appointed Maysaa Sabrine as the first woman to lead the country's central bank. However, this historic decision was preceded by reports that Syria's newly appointed head of women's affairs told a Turkish broadcaster that women should "not to go beyond the priorities of their God-given nature".
Even more concerning is the appointment of Islamist militants to official security roles. The nearly 50 senior military appointments at the weekend included several foreign fighters, such as Abdulsalam Yasin Ahmad, deputy head of the Turkistan Islamic Party, a faction that called for global violence after the Assad government fell on December 8. Another appointment is that of Abdul Jashari, an Albanian who leads Xhemati Alban, a small group of militants from the Balkans.
The appointment of Islamist militants to official security roles is concerning
There may be sound, pragmatic reasons for integrating such figures and their militias into government structures. Law and order in Syria is precarious, and alienating armed rebel factions would create a serious security and political challenge for the new authority in Damascus. However, having militants in the ranks of the armed forces may do little to foster the kind of confidence Hayat Tahrir Al Sham requires if it is to meet the many challenges that lie ahead.
What everyone wants to see is a better Syria. To help this process, the interim government must do as much as it can to engender trust at home and abroad. So far, it has done a good job in committing itself to building a rights-based system and restoring the rule of law. It has also been careful to manage expectations and has avoided rash or unrealistic promises of sudden improvements. The coming national dialogue is a chance to build on the progress made so far, but this must not be undermined by decisions that could dash the hopes of the many excited Syrians who rang in the new year this week and seek new beginnings.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
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- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
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Sukuk explained
Sukuk are Sharia-compliant financial certificates issued by governments, corporates and other entities. While as an asset class they resemble conventional bonds, there are some significant differences. As interest is prohibited under Sharia, sukuk must contain an underlying transaction, for example a leaseback agreement, and the income that is paid to investors is generated by the underlying asset. Investors must also be prepared to share in both the profits and losses of an enterprise. Nevertheless, sukuk are similar to conventional bonds in that they provide regular payments, and are considered less risky than equities. Most investors would not buy sukuk directly due to high minimum subscriptions, but invest via funds.
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Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
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Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
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