[Vredeslijst] U.S. - Russian Role Denounced by Prominent Syrians

[Jeff]

https://www.thenation.com/article/syrian-writers-artists-and-journalists-speak-out-against-us-and-russian-policy/

Syrian Writers, Artists, and Journalists Speak Out Against US and Russian Policy

They say the two powers have been working to co-opt the Syrian liberation 
struggle under the rubric of the “war against terror.”

By Syrian Writers, Artists, and Journalists Against US and Russian Policies in Syria

SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

A group of 150 Syrian intellectuals, composed mostly of writers, artists, 
academics, and journalists, all identifying themselves as secular democratic 
opponents of the Syrian regime, have issued the statement below to express 
their condemnation of the role played by both Washington and Moscow in their 
country. The signatories include globally known figures such as Paris 
Sorbonne professor Burhan Ghalioun, who was the first chairperson of the 
Syrian National Council in 2011-12; award-winning novelist Samar Yazbek, 
whose works are published in many languages; famous Syrian intellectual 
Sadik Jalal Al-Azm; Farouk Mardam-Bey, a writer who edits the most important 
collection dedicated to the Arab world in France; playwright Mohammad 
Al-Attar; and Yassin al-Haj Saleh, a prominent independent voice in the 
Syrian opposition.

We the undersigned are democratic and secular 
Syrian writers, artists, and journalists who have 
opposed the tyrannical Assad regime for years, 
even decades. We are participants in the struggle 
for democracy and justice in our country, our 
region and in the world. We unreservedly, and in 
the strongest language, condemn the Russian and US 
approach of intervening in our internal Syrian 
affairs. At least since 2013, these two powers 
have been working to co-opt the Syrian liberation 
struggle under the rubric of the “war against 
terror.” This is a war that has failed to score a 
single success since its outset, and has led 
instead to the destruction of a number of 
countries.

Three years ago the two imperialist 
nations signed a reprehensible deal on chemical 
weapons that resolved a problem for the United 
States, Israel, and Russia, and even for the Assad 
regime, which had just murdered 1,466 of its 
subjects. The deal however did not resolve any of 
the problems facing the Syrian people. Rather it 
gave free rein to an extremely criminal regime 
that kills Syrians, destroys their villages and 
communities, and drives them into exile. The deal 
has also proved to be a priceless gift to Islamist 
nihilistic groups like Daesh and Jabhat an-Nusra. 
Three years into this contemptible deal—with the 
death count now at around half a million 
Syrians—Russians and Americans have agreed to 
freeze the current situation so that the two 
military powers can carry on their endless war 
against terror. The agreement remains silent on 
the untold number of detainees held in brutal 
conditions, and includes no call for lifting the 
blockade on besieged areas, or the withdrawal of 
Iran, the Hezbollah militia, or any other 
sectarian militia. It is also devoid of any 
reference to the concept of a new and democratic 
Syria. Nor are the warplanes of Bashar al-Assad 
restrained from bombing areas that will ultimately 
be the subject of a later agreement between Russia 
and the United States. Not only does this show 
complete lack of a moral sense of justice on the 
part of the Russian and American negotiating 
teams, it also exposes the degradation of politics 
and the lowly level of officials in the two most 
powerful nations in the world today.

THE SIGNATORIES:

Ibrahim al-Jabin, Novelist, journalist;   Ahmad Barqawi, Philosopher;   
Ahmad Hasso, Journalist;   Ahmad Omar, Writer;   Ahmad Isha, Translator;   
Usama Muhammad, Film director, screenwriter;   sama Nassar, Journalist, 
activist;   Assaad al-Ashi;   Islam Abu Shakir, Story-teller;   Anas Yusef, 
Physician;   Anwar al-Omar;   Anwar Omran;   Aws al-Mubarak, Writer;   Iyad 
Hayatleh, Poet;   Iyad Abdullah, Writer;   Ilaf Yassin, Journalist;   Iman 
Shaker;   Aya al-Atassi, Journalist;   Basil al-Awdat, Journalist;   Badr 
al-Din Arudaki, Writer, translator;   Burhan Ghalioun, Writer, academic;   
Bakr Sidqi, Writer, journalist;   Tammam Hunaydi, Poet;   Jamal Said, 
Writer;   Jamil Nahra, Novelist;   Jihad Yaziji, Economist;   Hazem Kamal 
al-Din;   Hazem Nahar, Writer;   Hizam Zohur Uday, Writer, journalist;   
Husam al-Saad, Academic;   Husam al-Din Muhammad, Writer, journalist;   
Hasko Hasko, Artist;   Hasan Shahut, Poet;   Hala Omran, Actress;   Hikmat 
Shata, Engineer, artist;   Khaled Sulayman al-Nasseri, Poet, filmmaker;   
Khodor al-Agha, Writer;   Khatib Badla, Writer;   Khaldun al-Shamaa, 
Literary critic;   Khalaf Ali al-Khalaf, Poet;   Khalil al-Haj Saleh, 
Translator;   Khayri al-Zahabi, Writer, novelist;   Dara al-Abdullah, 
Writer;   Durayd al-Bayk, Journalist, engineer;   Dima Wannous, Writer, 
journalist;   Raed Wahsh, Poet;   Rateb Shabo, Writer, translator;   Rashid 
Issa, Journalist;   Rustom Mahmud, Syrian writer, researcher;   Rasha Abbas, 
Story-teller;   Rasha Omran, Poet;   Rashid al-Haj Saleh, Writer;   Rosa 
Yassin Hasan, Writer;   Rima Flayhan, Writer, activist;   Zahir Omareen, 
Writer;   Zoya Bustan, Journalist;   Samer al-Ahmad, Journalist;   Saad 
Haju, Caricaturist;   Said Ghazul, News editor;   Samar Yazbek, Novelist;   
Samih Shuqair, Artist;   Samih al-Safadi, Writer;   Salam al-Kawakibi, 
Writer, researcher;   Salam Muhammad, Screenwriter;   Sulayman al-Buti,;   
Charbel Kanoun, Photographer;   Sadik Jalal al-Azm, Thinker;   Sadik Abdul 
Rahman, Writer;   Safi Ala al-Din, Publisher;   Subhi Hadidi, Writer, 
literary critic;   Subhi Halima, Writer, journalist;   Dahir Ita, Writer;   
Duha Hasan, Writer;   Duha Ashour, Writer;   Talib al-Ali, Writer;   Talal 
Daqmaq, Photographer;   Adil al-Ayed, Journalist;   Asim al-Basha, Sculptor; 
  Asim Hamsho, Writer;   Abdul Rahman Matar, Writer;   Abdul Rahim Khalifa, 
Political and human rights activist;   Abdul Aziz al-Tammo, Syrian Kurdish 
writer, politician;   Abdullah Turkmani, Researcher;   Abdullah Maksur, 
Novelist;   Urwa al-Ahmad, Journalist, actor;   Assaf al-?Assaf, Writer;   
Ali Diab;   Ali Safar, Writer, journalist;   Ali al-Ayed, Journalist;   Imad 
Huriyyah, Theater critic;   Imad Obaid, Artist;   Ammar al-Jumaa, Poet;   
Ammar Qat, Journalist;   Omar al-Asaad, Journalist;   Omar Kaddour, 
Novelist;   Omar Kush, Writer;   Ghassan al-Muflih, Journalist;   Ghayyath 
al-Madhoun, Poet;   Fadi Dioub, Activist;   Fares el-Helou, Actor;   Farouk 
Mardam-Bey, Writer, publisher;   Fayez al-Basha, Physician;   Fayez 
al-Abbas, Poet;   Fadwa Kilani, Poet;   Faraj Bayrakdar, Poet;   Fuad 
Muhammad Fuad, Professor, poet;   Qusay Assef al-Shuwaikh, Engineer;   Karim 
al-Afnan, Journalist;   Luay Skaff, Engineer;   Laila Safadi, Journalist;   
Lina Atfa, Poet;   Majid Rashid al-Ouayd, Novelist, writer;   Majid Matrud, 
Poet, critic;   Mazen Haddad, Engineer;   Mazen Darwish, Human rights 
activist;   Malik Daghistani, Writer;   Mamoun al-Shari, Writer;   Mahir 
Junaydi, Writer, journalist;   Mahir Massud, Writer;   Muhammad Haj Bakri, 
Economic researcher, writer;   Muhammad al-Haj Saleh, Writer;   Muhammad 
Khalifa, Writer, researcher;   Muhammad al-Abdullah, Syrian lawyer, 
activist;   Mohammad al-Attar, Playwright;   Marwan al-Atrash, Engineer;   
Mustafa Suleyman, Artist;   Mubid al-Hassun, Writer;   Mufid Najm, Poet;   
Malaz al-Zoabi, Journalist;   Mansour al-Sulti, Theater actor, director;   
Munhil Barish, Journalist;   Munir al-Khatib, Writer;   Maurice Ayiq, 
Writer;   Musa Rammo, Artist;   Maya Sharbaji, Artist;   May Skaf, Actress;  
 Michel Shammas, Lawyer, human rights activist;   Mikhail Saad, Writer;   
Nahed Badawia, Writer;   Najat Murshid, Teacher;   Nashwan Atassi, Writer;   
Nouri al-Jarrah, Poet;   Hala Mohammad, Poet, film director;   Hala 
Alabdalla, Filmmaker;   Hind Muri;   Hushang Usi, Writer;   Haytham 
Abdallah, Translator;   Wael Tamimi, Journalist;   Wael Marza, Writer;   
Wijdan Nassif, Writer;   Wafai Layla, Poet;   Yara Badr, Journalist;   
Yasser Munif, Academic;   Yassin Suwayha, Writer;   Yassin al-Haj Saleh, 
Writer;   Yamin Hussein, Journalist;   Yusef Duays, Writer, journalist