Damascus Spring
Encyclopedia
The Damascus Spring was a period of intense political and social debate in Syria
which started after the death of President Hafiz al-Asad in June 2000 and continued to some degree until autumn 2001, when most of the activities associated with it were suppressed by the government.
; the head of state since 1970 has been a member of the Assad family
.
Under Hafiz al-Asad, president of Syria from 1970 until his death in 2000, political activity had been strictly controlled, and from 1980 on effective opposition activity had been almost impossible. Five principal security agencies served primarily to monitor political dissent: A state of emergency had existed since 1963, with military courts applying martial law and special courts trying political cases with little regard for human rights or due process. Prisoners were routinely tortured and held in appalling conditions.
From 1998 on, the level of repression diminished noticeably. Following the death of Hafiz al-Asad in June 2000 his son, Bashar, was installed as president of Syria
.
and to a lesser extent in other cities. Long-standing members of the Syrian opposition were notable in animating the movement, as were a number of intellectuals who resolutely declared themselves apolitical, such as film-maker Omar Amiralay
. Members of the Syrian Communist Party
and reform-minded Ba'th Party members also took part in debate. The most famous of the forums were the Riad Seif Forum
and the Jamal al-Atassi
National Dialogue Forum.
The Damascus Spring can be seen as having mobilised around a number of political demands, expressed in the "Manifesto of the 99" signed by prominent intellectuals. These were, principally, the cancellation of the state of emergency and abolition of martial law and special courts; the release of all political prisoner
s; the return without fear of prosecution of political exiles; and the right to form political parties and civil organisation. To these was often added the more precisely political demand that Article 8 of the Syrian constitution be repealed. This article provides that "the Arab Socialist Ba'th Party leads the state and society".
The Damascus Spring made a major impact across the Arab world, and initially there was considerable optimism that it would lead to real change. The editor of the Syrian state Tishrin newspaper announced his intention of forming a committee, to comprise prominent intellectuals such as Maher Charif
, Ahmad Barqawi and Yusuf Salameh, to edit a new opinion page, but this never came about. The salons debated many political and social questions to a wider nature, from the position of women to the nature of education methods and the Israel
i occupation of the Palestinian Territories
.
Initially, the regime seemed unsure how to respond to the Damascus Spring. In November 2000, hundreds of political prisoners were released as the infamous Mezze prison
was closed. Eventually, however, the regime fell back on its tried methods of repression and in 2001 a number of jailings coupled with the forced closure of the salons brought it to an end. Some of the forum participants and organizers who were jailed for a longer period of time were Ma'mun al-Homsi and Riad Seif
who were accused of "attempting to change the constitution by illegal means" and "inciting racial and sectarian strife" and were sentenced by the Damascus Criminal Court to five years in jail. The other eight activists, Riad al-Turk, Aref Dalila
, Walid al-Bunni, Kamal al-Labwani
, Habib Salih, Hasan Sa`dun, Habib `Isa, and Fawwaz Tello were referred to the Supreme State Security Court which issued prison sentences between two to 10 years.
Though the arrests ended the Damascus Spring, its effects persist: Syrian intellectuals have released further statements echoing that of the 99; some small demonstrations have taken place in Damascus; and until 2005 one salon, the Jamal al-Atassi
National Dialogue Forum, was still permitted to function. The Atassi
forum was shut down after a member had read a statement from the banned Syrian Muslim Brotherhood
, a Sunni Islamist organization which had rebelled against the government of Hafiz al-Assad in the early 1980s by murdering thousands of government officials and civilians, which culminated in the Hama Massacre
, a dark time in Syrians' memories. The regime has made clear that any collaboration with the Brotherhood, which despite the exile of its leadership is considered to be by far the strongest opposition movement in Syria, is a "red line" not to be crossed.
prime minister Rafik al-Hariri in February 2005 and the release of the UN Mehlis report
, intellectuals have again grown more outspoken. Pro-democracy and human rights activists, such as Wissam Tarif
http://www.fdpoc.com, have continued being active in their call for democratic change within Syria, despite being expelled from the country. In late October 2005, a declaration calling for democratic reform was issued by most of the opposition, notably including the Muslim Brotherhood
, and the government has so far refrained from any serious actions against the signers. On January 18, 2006, the government released 5 political prisoners linked to the Damascus Spring, in what analysts have called an attempt to rally support for the beleaguered government after unprecedented international pressure in the wake of the assassination.
In 2011, following a wave of popular uprisings and revolutions in the Arab world, Syria detereorated into civil disorder and unrest, developing into an uprising against Asad's regime. As for summer 2011, the uprising had been brutally suppressed by Bashar al-Assad, in a similar way his father dealt with the Islamic uprising in Syria
some three decades earlier.
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
which started after the death of President Hafiz al-Asad in June 2000 and continued to some degree until autumn 2001, when most of the activities associated with it were suppressed by the government.
Background
Officially a Republic, Syria is under Emergency Law since 1963 and governed by the Baath PartyBaath Party
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
; the head of state since 1970 has been a member of the Assad family
Assad family
The Assad family has ruled Syria, since Hafez al-Assad became Syrian President in 1971 and established an authoritarian regime under the control of the Baath party. After his death in 2000, his son Bashar al-Assad succeeded him....
.
Under Hafiz al-Asad, president of Syria from 1970 until his death in 2000, political activity had been strictly controlled, and from 1980 on effective opposition activity had been almost impossible. Five principal security agencies served primarily to monitor political dissent: A state of emergency had existed since 1963, with military courts applying martial law and special courts trying political cases with little regard for human rights or due process. Prisoners were routinely tortured and held in appalling conditions.
From 1998 on, the level of repression diminished noticeably. Following the death of Hafiz al-Asad in June 2000 his son, Bashar, was installed as president of Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
.
Events
The Damascus Spring was characterised above all by the emergence of numerous muntadāt, referred to in English as "salons" or "forums". Groups of like-minded people met in private houses, with news of the occasion spread by word of mouth, and discussed political matters and wider social questions. The phenomenon of the salons spread rapidly in DamascusDamascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
and to a lesser extent in other cities. Long-standing members of the Syrian opposition were notable in animating the movement, as were a number of intellectuals who resolutely declared themselves apolitical, such as film-maker Omar Amiralay
Omar Amiralay
Omar Amiralay was a Syrian documentary film director and prominent civil society activist. He is noted for the strong political criticism in his films and played a prominent role in the events of the Damascus Spring of 2000....
. Members of the Syrian Communist Party
Syrian Communist Party
The Syrian Communist Party was a political party in Syria, founded in 1944. It became a member of the National Progressive Front in 1972...
and reform-minded Ba'th Party members also took part in debate. The most famous of the forums were the Riad Seif Forum
Riad Seif Forum
The Riad Seif Forum is or was a political forum, or muntadat, founded by "businessman-turned-dissident" Riad Seif, promoting political debate and freedom in Syria...
and the Jamal al-Atassi
Jamal al-Atassi
Jamal Al-Atassi was a Syrian nationalist, politician and author. He was one of the earliest ideologues of the nascent Syrian Baath Party, which he joined soon after it was founded...
National Dialogue Forum.
The Damascus Spring can be seen as having mobilised around a number of political demands, expressed in the "Manifesto of the 99" signed by prominent intellectuals. These were, principally, the cancellation of the state of emergency and abolition of martial law and special courts; the release of all political prisoner
Political prisoner
According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....
s; the return without fear of prosecution of political exiles; and the right to form political parties and civil organisation. To these was often added the more precisely political demand that Article 8 of the Syrian constitution be repealed. This article provides that "the Arab Socialist Ba'th Party leads the state and society".
The Damascus Spring made a major impact across the Arab world, and initially there was considerable optimism that it would lead to real change. The editor of the Syrian state Tishrin newspaper announced his intention of forming a committee, to comprise prominent intellectuals such as Maher Charif
Maher Charif
Maher Charif is a Palestinian Marxist historian specialising in modern Arab intellectual history and the history of Arab political movements...
, Ahmad Barqawi and Yusuf Salameh, to edit a new opinion page, but this never came about. The salons debated many political and social questions to a wider nature, from the position of women to the nature of education methods and the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i occupation of the Palestinian Territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
.
Initially, the regime seemed unsure how to respond to the Damascus Spring. In November 2000, hundreds of political prisoners were released as the infamous Mezze prison
Mezze prison
Mezzeh prison is a now-defunct Syrian prison overlooking the capital, Damascus. Mezzeh is the name of a neighborhood in western Damascus....
was closed. Eventually, however, the regime fell back on its tried methods of repression and in 2001 a number of jailings coupled with the forced closure of the salons brought it to an end. Some of the forum participants and organizers who were jailed for a longer period of time were Ma'mun al-Homsi and Riad Seif
Riad Seif
Riad Seif is Syrian political dissident, formerly a member of the Parliament of Syria and prominent businessman, who founded and lead the Forum for National Dialogue. Seif was elected to parliament in 1994 as an independent and again in 1998...
who were accused of "attempting to change the constitution by illegal means" and "inciting racial and sectarian strife" and were sentenced by the Damascus Criminal Court to five years in jail. The other eight activists, Riad al-Turk, Aref Dalila
Aref Dalila
Professor Aref Dalila is a Syrian economics professor and former Dean of the Faculty of Economics in Damascus University. He was arrested for his political activity during the Damascus Spring period.-Life:...
, Walid al-Bunni, Kamal al-Labwani
Kamal al-Labwani
Dr. Kamal al-Labwani is a Syrian doctor and artist, considered one of the most prominent members of the Syrian opposition movement. He was imprisoned in Adra Prison, near Damascus until November 15, 2011, according to state media. Amnesty International considers him a prisoner of conscience.- Life...
, Habib Salih, Hasan Sa`dun, Habib `Isa, and Fawwaz Tello were referred to the Supreme State Security Court which issued prison sentences between two to 10 years.
Though the arrests ended the Damascus Spring, its effects persist: Syrian intellectuals have released further statements echoing that of the 99; some small demonstrations have taken place in Damascus; and until 2005 one salon, the Jamal al-Atassi
Jamal al-Atassi
Jamal Al-Atassi was a Syrian nationalist, politician and author. He was one of the earliest ideologues of the nascent Syrian Baath Party, which he joined soon after it was founded...
National Dialogue Forum, was still permitted to function. The Atassi
Atassi
Atassi, also spelled Atasi is the name of a prominent family of city Notables in Homs, Syria dating back to the 16th century AD. Members of the family lead the national movement against the French mandate...
forum was shut down after a member had read a statement from the banned Syrian Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
, a Sunni Islamist organization which had rebelled against the government of Hafiz al-Assad in the early 1980s by murdering thousands of government officials and civilians, which culminated in the Hama Massacre
Hama massacre
The Hama massacre occurred in February 1982, when the Syrian army, under the orders of the president of Syria Hafez al-Assad, conducted a scorched earth policy against the town of Hama in order to quell a revolt by the Sunni Muslim community against the regime of al-Assad...
, a dark time in Syrians' memories. The regime has made clear that any collaboration with the Brotherhood, which despite the exile of its leadership is considered to be by far the strongest opposition movement in Syria, is a "red line" not to be crossed.
Aftermath
Following the intense international pressures on the Syrian regime after the death of LebaneseLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
prime minister Rafik al-Hariri in February 2005 and the release of the UN Mehlis report
Mehlis report
The Mehlis Report is the result of the United Nations' investigation into the 14 February 2005 assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri. The investigation was launched in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1595 and headed by the German judge, Detlev Mehlis...
, intellectuals have again grown more outspoken. Pro-democracy and human rights activists, such as Wissam Tarif
Wissam Tarif
Wissam Kassem Tarif has played a key role in the field of pro-Democracy and Human Rights work in Syria and Lebanon, as both an intellectual and activist...
http://www.fdpoc.com, have continued being active in their call for democratic change within Syria, despite being expelled from the country. In late October 2005, a declaration calling for democratic reform was issued by most of the opposition, notably including the Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
, and the government has so far refrained from any serious actions against the signers. On January 18, 2006, the government released 5 political prisoners linked to the Damascus Spring, in what analysts have called an attempt to rally support for the beleaguered government after unprecedented international pressure in the wake of the assassination.
In 2011, following a wave of popular uprisings and revolutions in the Arab world, Syria detereorated into civil disorder and unrest, developing into an uprising against Asad's regime. As for summer 2011, the uprising had been brutally suppressed by Bashar al-Assad, in a similar way his father dealt with the Islamic uprising in Syria
Islamic uprising in Syria
The Islamic uprising in Syria was a series of revolts and armed insurgency by Sunni Islamists, mainly members of the Muslim Brotherhood from 1976 until 1982. The uprising was aimed against the authority of the Ba'ath Party-controlled government of Syria, in what has been called "long campaign of...
some three decades earlier.