What do the demonstrators against Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham in Idlib want?

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Idlib -

The scene has become more complex after the expansion of demonstrations against Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and the Syrian Salvation Government, which are taking place in several areas in northwestern Syria, demanding the resignation of the leader of the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, "Abu Muhammad al-Julani," and the election of a Shura Council and a council to lead the liberated areas.

During the past week, demonstrations took place in the regions of Idlib, Binnish, Taftanaz, Sarmada, Hazano, Al-Atareb, Ta'um, Al-Fu'a, and Darat Azza, in a scene that heralds a popular revolution against governments that "oppress the people," as they describe it, and seize power without participation with the segments of society.

This comes against the backdrop of the arrests carried out by Tahrir al-Sham during the past year regarding the issue of “agents of Russia, the Assad regime, and the international coalition,” bringing the number of detainees to approximately 1,000 people, including military and security personnel and leaders. The authority later released a portion of them, and traces of them appeared on them. Torture during their imprisonment.

The demonstrators in Idlib consider that the removal of Al-Julani is their main demand (Al-Jazeera)

Accumulations and blockage of the horizon

Professor of Modern History at the University of Idlib, Dr. Kamal al-Abdo, says, “The issue of what is known as the agent cell within the ranks of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham cast a shadow over the public scene in Idlib, after the arrest campaign that included military and security leaders, and after months passed, some of them were released with a declaration of their innocence.” False confessions were extracted from them under severe torture, and investigators were thrown into prisons.”

Al-Abdo added in statements to Al-Jazeera Net that "the popular tension came as a result of many accumulations, due to the blockage of the horizon for any political solution to the Syrian revolution, and the lack of military action as a result of regional and international understandings that tied the hands of the factions, led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, in addition to the daily bombing by the regime forces and their allies." On the villages and towns of Idlib and its countryside, this was accompanied by a reduction in humanitarian aid provided by international organizations, the spread of poverty and the high cost of living.”

In turn, the leadership of “Tahrir al-Sham” quickly held a number of meetings, the first of which included the leader of the group, “Al-Julani,” with community elites, notables of villages and towns, members of the Shura Council, and the Salvation Government. During these meetings, the elites and notables presented the demands of the demonstrators, as they were promised to achieve them, and it was announced that the process had begun. Implemented.

The second meeting was also held between the official in the Department of Political Affairs, Zaid Al-Attar, and a number of media figures, journalists, and activists, who conveyed the demands of the street during the meeting.

Popular demonstrations against Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham continue despite the holding of meetings and the release of some detainees (Al-Jazeera)

Demands of the popular movement

In his speech to Al Jazeera Net, the activist in the revolutionary movement, Khairu Al-Ali, summarizes the demands of the demonstrators to “remove the leadership of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham from the sovereign decision of the liberated area, so that it will be for society as a whole. This requires the presence of a supreme council to lead the revolution, and a real Shura Council that society will select in a way that suits it, and the whitening of prisons.” And the separation of powers and the liberation of civil society from them.”

In turn, activist Abdul Rahman Al-Taleb considered that "Tahrir Al-Sham's response is slow, as it has begun to remove the detainees and makes promises to implement the demands, but it stops at the main and most important demand, which is to remove Al-Julani from the scene."

Asaad Al-Asaad, a member of the Popular Movement for Change in the city of Binnish, said, “The demonstrations are peaceful and the demands are specific. They begin with the overthrow of Al-Julani and the election of a Shura Council from the people. This council elects a president of the country who rules according to God’s law, in addition to overthrowing the corrupt security forces.”

In a move to absorb the demonstrations, Tahrir al-Sham took a number of measures and decisions last week, such as forming committees to hold meetings with civil and popular activists to listen to their demands, facilitating the communication mechanism between the people and the responsible authorities, issuing a general amnesty for prisoners, and exempting and reducing building permit prices.

A spokesman for Tahrir al-Sham considered that the formation of a leadership council for the revolution has become an urgent requirement (Al-Jazeera)

Revolutionary Command Council

In his response to the popular demonstrations that took place, the spokesman for the Political Affairs Department of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, Obaida al-Arnaout, said, “Everyone has the right to express his opinion and have his say, and we must listen to the demands of our people, so that their demands are the focus of consideration and attention, and we look at the demonstrations in their current form.” It is a case of expressing anger, and as a result of the accumulation of several decisions and procedures that lack professionalism, due to the immaturity of the revolutionary institutions, because we are a nascent experience that needs to be evaluated and reviewed at every stage of maturity, even though the revolutionary model that the revolution produced was accepted and much appreciated.”

He added in statements to Al Jazeera Net, "In the face of this reality, the Syrian Salvation Government and the General Shura Council took several steps, based on many meetings, discussions and deliberations, in which proposals and opinions were heard. They issued a decree addressing the rise in fees and taxes related to the Ministry of Local Administration, and a general amnesty was also issued for some of the convicts." According to certain standards, there are steps that will further enhance community participation in institutions, by electing representatives of various segments of society, in addition to working in successive steps to establish an office to redress grievances, and establishing a central oversight body that monitors the powers of each authority and prevents abuses.

Al-Arnaout warned that “some of the demands are valid and some require an ideal situation, and we are in a reality governed by war. The revolution has not ended, so it is not possible to risk the unknown. Reform has its correct methods and straight paths, and our doors are legitimate for all, and we must look at the liberator as a refuge and safety.” For all of us, and there are enemies who will not miss any opportunity for internal weakness.”

He stressed that "forming a leadership council for the revolution or the liberator has become an urgent need to move away from the cloak of the faction and its mentality to the state of general leadership, which seeks to renew the social contract with our people in the liberation, and the elite finds in it a greater ability to participate, and everyone bears his responsibilities, because our destiny is one, and it will come." From the standpoint of responding to the voice of our people, because we are part of the people, and also in compliance with the demands of the elites and opinion-makers among those working in this blessed project and advising it.”

Source: Al Jazeera