EGYPT: Syrian opposition in Cairo say U.N.-Arab League representative for Syria, Lakhdar al-Brahimi is destined to fail in mission, call for no-fly zone

Record ID: 276413

  • Title: EGYPT: Syrian opposition in Cairo say U.N.-Arab League representative for Syria, Lakhdar al-Brahimi is destined to fail in mission, call for no-fly zone
  • Date: 18th August 2012
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (AUGUST 18, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF NEW HEADQUARTERS OF 'COUNCIL FOR THE SYRIAN REVOLUTION' IN CAIRO LEADERS OF GROUP, HAITHAM AL-MALEH AND LUAY AL-ZOIBI STANDING AT PODIUM FOR NEWS CONFERENCE MEMBERS OF GROUP AND JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE SIGN FOR GROUP, WHICH READS 'COUNCIL FOR THE SYRIAN REVOLUTION' (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN OPPOSITION LEADER
  • Embargoed: 2nd September 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA9EK4DD28KISIBRPX4WG35JPRJ
  • Story Text: One of the leaders of a Syrian exile opposition group said on Saturday (August 18) the new United Nations (U.N.) envoy for Syria is destined to fail in his mission to end the conflict in the country because of the determination of President Bashar al-Assad's regime to continue to use violence against its opponents.
    Syrian opposition activist Haitham al-Maleh, one of the founders of the Cairo-based Council for the Syrian Revolution, made the comments at the opening of the group's new headquarters in the Cairo suburb of Maadi.
    The Council is one of several exiled Syrian opposition groups and its members have been at odds with the more prominent Syrian National Council, with both groups promising to form a transitional government.
    Al-Maleh said Lakhdar al-Brahimi, the veteran diplomat who will take over Kofi Annan's role as the U.N.-Arab League mediator for the Syrian conflict, is unlikely to succeed given the nature of the Syrian regime.
    "I do not think that he will be able to accomplish anything, because when you have a faction like the Syrian regime, or the gang that rules Syria, who have killed this huge number of citizens -- as of now there are more than 2,000 children who have been killed, and the same number of women and there are 1,600 cases of rape -- so there is no way this gang could offer anything, so any mission will fail practically," he said.
    "The only solution is to remove this regime, which is like a cancerous tumour and there is no remedy for it but to eradicate it," al-Maleh added.
    Brahimi takes over the role at a time when fighting between government forces and rebels is in full swing with no sign of an imminent ceasefire. More than 18,000 people have been killed and some 170,000 have so far fled the country, according to the U.N.
    Syrian opposition leader al-Maleh also said he expected the international community to impose a no-fly zone on Syria, which would allow exiled opposition groups to begin operating in areas in northern Syria.
    "We have founded offices and in the near future we will announce their opening officially. The other matter is that we are preparing for some of us to return to northern Syria, and all of us will return once the problem of airstrikes ends. In my opinion, the time when a no-fly zone will be imposed on the Syrian armed forces is nearing. Therefore if the no-fly zone is put in place moving to northern Syria will be a simple matter and we will conduct our work from there, God willing," he said.
    Air strikes by Syrian fighter planes have devastated parts of the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's largest city, which is now the focus of the battle for control of Syria between the Assad government and a loose coalition of lightly armed rebel fighters.
    The fighting in Syria has taken on an increasingly sectarian nature and al-Maleh tried to soothe fears in the minority Alawite community, from which president al-Assad originates, that the majority Sunni population would take revenge upon them.
    "I call on everyone, among them the Alawite sect, that revenge will not be hidden in our hearts and that revenge will not be one of our aims. We want to return to Syria its real character and its history as a world civilization," he said.
    With the Muslim holiday of Eid beginning tomorrow at the end of the holy month of Ramadan, al-Maleh said it was difficult for Syrians to celebrate with their country still ruled by the Assad regime.
    "Can I possibly say to you 'may every year bring you blessings' (the traditional greeting for the Eid holiday)? I hope the Eid will not pass by without us celebrating two holidays -- the blessed Eid al-Fitr, and a celebration of the liberation of Syria from this ruling junta -- this corrupt junta that has weighed on us for around 40 years," he said tearfully.
    Humanitarian conditions in Syria have deteriorated as fighting worsens, cutting off civilians from food supplies, health care and other assistance, UN agencies said.
    Some 1.2 million people have been uprooted from Syria, many staying in schools or other public buildings, said the U.N., and the organization's humanitarian chief Valerie Amos, ending a visit to Syria, said on Thursday (August 16) up to 2.5 million people needed aid there.
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