President of the Syrian Opposition Coalition, Anas Abdah, on Friday delivered a televised speech to the Syrian people to mark the anniversary of the Evacuation Day. He called on all Syrians to combine their efforts to achieve the revolution’s ultimate goal of gaining true independence and building a state that is based on freedom and dignity.
“When the makers of the first independence chose this flag to be the flag of Syria’s independence and freedom, it did not occur to them that a million Syrians will sacrifice their lives to raise this flag high on the path of freedom, dignity and independence,” President Abdah said.
He pointed out that “over the past nine years, our revolution has gone through many junctures. As a result of many reasons, including the crimes and havoc that the regime has wreaked on our country, some mistakes happened at some junctures of our revolution.”
“We must work together to correct these mistakes so that we get our revolution back on track.”
President Abdah went on: “One of the factors that caused the most harm to our revolution is the multiple, conflicting agendas, which has always been in the interest of the criminal regime.” He pointed out that the Assad regime is Syria’s real epidemic as it “bombs cities, public facilities, medical centers, and uses chemical weapons.”
“Having made all these sacrifices, our people deserve a state for all Syrians, away from extremism and sectarianism, a state in which no one is excluded, a pluralistic, civil democracy that guarantees the dignity of all citizens, a state in which the great, creative Syrian people can show their true potential so that they obtain the status they deserve among the peoples of the world.”
He continued: “Our people deserves a state that is based on the rule of law, freedom, and equality, a state in which the citizens will not be discriminated against for their ethnic, religious or political affiliations nor for their ideas and beliefs.”
Moreover, he said that “the revolution will continue as long as the objective reasons that prompted the Syrian people to rise up are there. We must not allow the pain and suffering we are going through today to make us forget the real reasons that sparked the revolution. We need to keep in mind that freedom and dignity are worth it.”
“I will cite our fallen hero Abulbasit Sarout, the guardian of our revolution, who once said: “Our revolution will emerge victorious as long there is a Syrian whose heart is beating with dignity.” (Source: SOC’s Media Department)