President of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), Salem al-Meslet, stressed that the SOC is an institution that belongs to all Syrians. He said that as the political representative of the great Syrian Revolution, the SOC will never give up the goals and demands of the revolution at a big rally in the town of Al-Raie in rural Aleppo.
Al-Meslet was accompanied by SOC’s Vice-president Ruba Habboush and members of the political committee and General Assembly Badr Jamous, Nazir Al-Hakim, Abdelbaset Abdullatif, Bahjat Al-Atassi, Muhammad Yassin, Atef Zureik and Najib Rahmoun.
Al-Meslet was speaking in front of about 1,500 people at the invitation of the Majadima clan of al-Jabbour tribe. Attendees included members of military, judicial and civil bodies, local tribal leaders and residents of the region. He talked about the latest political and field developments as well as the SOC’s political and diplomatic efforts at the regional and international levels.
Al-Meslet reaffirmed the SOC’s keenness, as an inclusive national institution, to be the umbrella of all political and revolutionary forces. He reasserted the SOC’s strong connection to its popular base, which is the basis of its legitimacy and strength in international forums and in representing the revolution.
Moreover, he stressed the need to reform the paths of political, field and civil action and to continue this work in all institutions of the revolution and its executive bodies. He said: “We have an obligation to carry out this work and reform. The circumstances over ten years of the revolution’s life did not only change, but also were turned upside down in many fields, which requires us to develop and change many of our tools and methods in political and field work.”
Al-Meslet stressed that “nothing is constant in this equation except the freedom of Syria, salvation from the Assad regime, the dignity of the Syrian people and their enormous sacrifices, which we will not give up no matter how circumstances and balances change.”
Al-Meslet praised the cohesion and solidarity being shown by the Syrian people as he commended the constructive role of the Syrian tribes and their importance in the unity of Syria’s social fabric. “What distinguishes the tribes and clans throughout history is their strong cohesion and loyalty to the tribe’s traditions. We hope that the Syrian society will act as one tribe of various ethnicities and religion that support one another and collectively seek Syria’s freedom, independence and strength.”
He urged everyone to “work to achieve the demands of the revolution of dignity, freedom; building a civil, democratic state; and force the murderous regime and foreign occupiers from our country.” (Source: SOC’s Media Department)
