Dr Marwa Daoudy comments on Syria facing a political crossroads
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Marwa Daoudy has been interviewed on the unfolding social and political unrest in Syria: on 24, 25 and 30 March on BBC Radio 4, and again on BBC News at 10pm (19 April).
Marwa has also written an article for the May edition of the Chatham House magazine The World Today. In it she argues that, although this unrest has offered the Syrian president an historic opportunity to introduce effective reforms in a national dialogue with his people, the door is gradually closing on the opportunity for a transition to peaceful change in the political system.
She writes,
Bashar al-Assads much awaited speech, on March 30, failed to meet even the more moderate demands . . . Many amongst the Syrians were bitterly disappointed; renewed waves of protest spread to other parts of the country. The speech oscillated between forceful language and promises of reform, but with few practical results . . .
Bashar al-Assad is widely believed to be genuinely intent on reforming his country. He now has a unique opportunity to enter Syrias history as a real reformer and moderniser. Moreover, he can show vision in domestic affairs, without giving up on the independent foreign policy which is so popular with his people. But meaningful political and judicial reforms will need to be delivered soon and the repression of non-violent demonstrations stopped. Since 1963, the law of emergency has allowed successive Syrian governments to ban public demonstrations (except the ones in favour of the regime), detain civilians without warrants and try them in military courts. Its effective abrogation would be a significant step forward.
