The Face of Truth: The Fall of the Assad Regime: A Comparison Between Syria and Sudan
Ibrahim Shaglawi
Political crises in the Arab region have always reflected the conditions of the people and their struggle to reclaim their countries from the grip of tyrants. Between what happened in Syria and what is now occurring in Sudan, important lessons and insights emerge for those seeking justice and peace. Therefore, the key comparison between what happened in Syria and what is happening in Sudan lies in the restoration of a hijacked state for the sake of the noble values and ethics that people must strive for. These values are crucial for ensuring security and achieving peace.
Syria represents the fall of a tyrant who had kidnapped the state in service of an Arab nationalist project that was attacked from all sides and abandoned by its supporters. The regime was disconnected from the values of a people known for their resilience and noble qualities. What is happening in Sudan is also a war to regain a hijacked state in the service of a new colonialist project representing regional and international ambitions over the country’s resources.
In Sudan, the goal is to restore a unified state where the people are honored, sanctities are preserved, security is maintained, and peace is achieved. This is also the will of the people, who are now supporting their army in a battle for dignity and freedom. When cities like Homs, Hama, and Damascus fell in Syria, not a single civilian was killed, no homes were looted, no shops were pillaged, no universities or research centers were burned, no public property was destroyed, no women were raped, and no elders were dragged by their beards. There were no bank raids, nor were any soldiers killed after surrendering during the city invasions. The leaders of the revolution gathered people in mosques, raised the call to prayer, and addressed them with the necessary steps for the phase, outlining red and green lines. They did not destroy institutions, loot documents, or historical artifacts. Instead, the incumbent prime minister was tasked with managing state affairs and services. The ruler and the party fell, but the state did not.
This is the comparison between national opposition armies that respect the sanctity of blood and human freedoms and what happened in Sudan with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia and their local and regional backers. Therefore, Sudanese people are now reclaiming their state for the same values that protect lives, honor, restore security, and achieve peace.
In Syria, the opposition’s “National Transitional Council” issued Statement No. 1, reassuring the Syrian people and the regional surroundings with clear phrases that echoed the transition of soldiers from the battlefield to governance. The statement said: “People of Syria, after many years of injustice, oppression, and tyranny, and after the great sacrifices made by the sons and daughters of this dear nation, we announce today to the Syrian people and the whole world that the regime of Bashar al-Assad has fallen, and he has fled the country, leaving behind a legacy of destruction and suffering. On this historic day, we announce that the revolutionary and opposition forces have taken control of Syria, and we affirm our commitment to building a free, just, and democratic state where all citizens are equal without discrimination. We pledge before God and the people to: maintain the unity and sovereignty of Syrian territories; protect all citizens and their property regardless of their affiliations; rebuild the state and its institutions based on freedom and justice; seek comprehensive national reconciliation; and safely and honorably return refugees and displaced people to their homes. We also pledge to hold accountable all those who have committed crimes against the Syrian people according to law and justice.”
The statement called on all Syrians to unite in this historic phase, emphasizing that the new Syria would not belong to any one group but would be a homeland for all. Congratulations to the Syrian people on their victory over the most brutal sectarian Baathist dictatorship that ruled Syria for over half a century with iron and fire, killing and displacing millions of Syrians. This victory marks the beginning of a radical change in the Arab region. It is a warning to every military dictator or party that seeks to rule without mandate or by force. It also marks the beginning of the end for all wars in the region, especially in Sudan. The leader of the Syrian opposition factions’ alliance, “Abu Mohammed al-Jolani,” who played a key role in the fall of Bashar al-Assad, is now recognized by regional and international powers, including Turkey, Iran, and even the United States.
This man has earned respect from all these parties without imposition. However, some of our compatriots in the civil forces coordination “Taqaddum” seem not to understand the political equations of governance, which favor the most mature, resolute, and wise positions. When they took power after the fall of President Omar al-Bashir’s regime in 2019, they practiced the worst forms of dictatorship against their Islamist opponents, thinking that aligning with foreign powers could be achieved by confiscating the freedoms of their adversaries, ignoring and marginalizing them, and positioning themselves against them. They believed that suppressing the freedoms of others, violating their rights, and crossing red lines would make them acceptable to their foreign backers, even throwing them into prisons without fair trials. They thought this would pave the way for the victory of a revolution they had emptied of its substance and failed to uphold its principles. Let them know that neither the external will protect you from your weakness nor the internal will forgive your betrayal of national principles.
It is time to regain awareness and move beyond the divisions for the sake of Sudan. You must acknowledge these mistakes and start anew to be accepted by others. A new page must be opened with both Islamists and non-Islamists, with all the people of the nation, free from zero-sum conflicts. Reconciliation is not a luxury but a necessity to save the nation, which is suffering from fragmentation. We must move beyond political exploitation to work together in a spirit of cooperation, placing our nation’s interests above all else, free from division and polarization.
This is the face of truth, and this is our initial reading of the comparison between what happened in Syria after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad, who subjected his people to suffering and pain, and what is happening in Sudan, where there is a determination to liberate the country. The impact of this will continue to affect Sudan as it works to restore security and the Sudanese state, which nearly fell victim to the Framework Agreement and the lawyers’ constitution that entrenches civilian dictatorship and allows for regional and international ambitions to take hold.
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Monday, December 9, 2024
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