Opposition not targeting minorities: Alkhatib

The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and the Heir Apparent H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with other Arab leaders at the opening of the Arab League Summit in Doha yesterday.

BY MOHAMED OSMAN

DOHA: An estimated 100,000 people, among them innocent women, children and old men, have been killed in Syria since violence erupted there two years ago, the Arab Summit, which concluded here a day ahead of schedule yesterday, was told by Syria’s top opposition leader. 

Moaz Alkhatib, head of Syria’s opposition National Coalition, told the Arab Summit, which was originally slated to end today, that the death toll in state-sponsored violence in his country had soared to 100,000. 

In a veiled criticism of the US-led West, Alkhatib said despite the high death toll some countries were still undecided about what to do to stop the violence in his country. 

Alkhatib was, in an historic move, earlier invited by the Emir, H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who took over the Summit’s presidency from Iraq, to occupy Syria’s chair at the conclave amidst thunderous applause.

Lauding the Arab League, he described its move to offer Syria’s vacant seat to the National Coalition as brave. It was a big achievement in the fight of the Syrian people for freedom from the fetters of a repressive regime, he said.

Alkhatib said there were some misgivings about the Syrian opposition overseas and there was propaganda that the minorities were being targeted and isolated by them.

“This is not true. The Syrian regime is trying to divide the people and creating a wedge among the Syrian people. The regime itself is killing members of the minorities. All the people of Syria, irrespective of their ethnic or religious background, are united in their fight against the oppressive regime.”

Another propaganda being spread was that once the chemical weapons in Syria’s possession were transferred to the opposition after it took over the country’s reins, there was a strong likelihood of these landing in the hands of extremists, said Alkhatib.

“Let me assure the international community that the future of these weapons would be decided by the people of Syria through a national conciliation, so there is no chance for the extremists to get hold of the weapons.”

As for the question of terrorists and the presence of foreign terrorists in Syria, Alkhatib said it was tragic that the international community was ignoring the fact that foreign forces such as Russia, Iran and Hezbollah were backing the Syrian regime.

“What are these foreigners doing on the Syrian soil? They must leave the country”

He said the National Coalition was in favour of a peaceful political solution, emphatically insisting, though, that President Bashar Al Assad and his security and military commanders be kept out of that process.  

About Ghassan Hitto, who has been elected prime minister of the provisional government in Syria, the National Coalition chairman said that he had begun contacting different factions and groups in the liberated areas as his government prepared to work in those areas.

He urged fellow Arab nations to provide financial support to the Syrian people and said currently they were routing their aid through the UN. The UN is distributing aid mostly in regime-controlled areas.  

According to Alkhatib, while Nato is expected to play a role to protect innocent civilians from the repression of the regime, it is not desirable at all that its forces fight. “We only want Nato forces to protect civilians.”

Alkhatib urged the international community to help release the $2bn of Syrian assets that remain frozen overseas and said the Syrian Free Army must be armed.

In reply to a question from The Peninsula about why he had quit as head of the National Coalition, Alkhatib said it was in protest at the international community’s reluctance to support the Syrian people.

“Also, I want that the Coalition be expanded and give representation to all Syrian factions and groupings.”

Asked why he chose to tender his resignation on the eve of the Arab Summit, he said it was an important event and many promises that had been made to the Syrian people had not been fulfilled. 

Bahrain’s foreign minister, Khalid Al Khalifa, meanwhile, told The Peninsula the allotment of Syria’s vacant seat at the Arab League to the National Coalition was a great achievement for the Syrian opposition and would immensely help their cause.

The Peninsula