Popular rejection to government-imposed settlements in Syria’s Suwayda
SUWAYDA, Syria (North Press) – Samir Radwan, 30, a pseudonym for a resident in Suwayda, says the recent settlements imposed by the Syrian government on the governorate “did not provide anything new.”
Since late 2012, Radwan has been confined to his city after defecting the conscription in the Syrian government forces. ”I rejected my hands be stained with Syrian blood.”
Radwan told North Press the leeway the new settlement gives is a only six-month. “In such a period, an evader or deserter cannot get a passport.”
The young man says the Syrian authorities should know such settlements are not a “success” amid no vision for the future of the country.
On October 6, the Syrian government initiated a settlement for wanted persons for the compulsory and reserved services in Suwayda Governorate under Hussam Luqa, director of General Intelligence, and the Fourth Armored Division in the 7th of Nisan Hall (April 7th) in the city.
However, contrary to previous ones, this settlement does not allow administrative deferral as the one in Daraa which allowed evaders to leave the country for a limited period of time.
In its struggle to gain more control and influence, the Syrian authorities use the notion of “settlement” with no legal foundation. Some people say there is no need for a settlement in your country while others say it is just a tool to impose power.
Fate of settlement
Political activist in Suwayda Fadi al-Jabal says “nothing new” in this settlement: “It is a desperate attempt by the regime to revive the role of security branches whose role in supporting and funding crimes is not a hidden one.”
Though no figures are available on the number of evaders in the governorate, the number is estimated to be 30.000 young men.
Out of thousands of evaders of both compulsory and reserve services, no more than 1.000 young men have undergone settlements.
According to an official statement made to the semi-official Al-Watan Newspaper, Brigadier-general Yaser Khuzam said, “Wanted persons who visited the committee to settle their legal status exceeded 900.”
Deaths
Writer and politician Hafez Karkout says, “People, and young men in particular, in Suwayda know well that this regime does not fulfill its promises nor its settlements.”
Karkout says, “If people of Suwayda accept the settlement they sign their death warrant, as they would be sent to battlefields in the [Syrian] desert or areas in Idlib.”
“Regime’s solutions are security leaned. They do not recognize that there is a settlement and that files should be closed,” he said.
Regarding those going to settlements, Karkout say that they have gangs-related security problems. “They shield themselves via these settlements.”
“After the popular uprising late in July [2022] and the fall of gangs supported by security [branches], they were no longer protected and became in need of new protection via these settlements,” Karkout said.
Karkout says the government previously supported such gangs and now it alleges that it is against them and forgives its members who undergo the settlement.
The need to settlements
coinciding with the settlement in Suwayda, another is taking place in Hama. In addition, days ago an overall settlement took place in Duma that cover cities and towns in Eastern Ghouta and a number of affiliated sub-districts (Adra al-Balad, Duma, Al Nashabiyah, Irbin, Kafr Batna, Saqba, Ein Tarma and Zamalka.
Karkout says the aim of these settlements is to demonstrate that the government is still present. “So basically the regime promotes itself, but all of that leads to nothing.”