The Timing of the Brigades’ Statement Is Not Appropriate, But We Should Understand Their Concerns

Mr. Anas Al Abda, member of the Political Committee of the Syrian National Coalition, said that the “timing of the statement released by the Islamic brigades yesterday was not appropriate at all and is searching for reasons for the publishing of this statement in conjunction with the Coalition delegation’s visit to the United Nations aiming to gain new friends for the Syrian cause.” Al Abda added, “The brigades that signed the statement do not represent the most important Free Syrian Army brigades on the ground; there are large brigades that did not sign the statement.” Al Abda reiterated, “it should be noted by everyone that the nature of the future government in Syria will be the choice of the Syrian people by way of suggestion boxes and voting and no one has the right to force their ideas on the Syrian people and announce the type of governance or the laws that will govern the country. Naturally, it is possible for those who have done this to convince the Syrian people in the phase after freedom from the regime and not now.” Al Abda said, “Suggesting such ideas and prescribing a specific color to the type of governance at this time causes rifts among the revolutionaries and brings into the question the strength of the revolution inside and outside Syria.” Al Abda feels that is of the utmost importance for the Coalition to engage in a dialogue with these brigades – except for Jabhat Al Nusra – to try and understand the points of their concern and take them into consideration.  Al Abda suggested, “That it was a mistake to add Jabhat Al Nusra to the statement because no project unites us in Syria that is tied to Al Qaeda that has a working agenda that is not Syrian, and which goes against the nationalistic project.” Al Abda added, “The temporary government is an urgent need to serve the Syrian people in the liberated areas, headed by a known person from inside Syria that conducts consultations with the brigades and revolutionary powers to choose the members of the government.”  A group of 13 Islamic rebel brigades announced yesterday evening in Aleppo their call to “unify under a clear Islamic framework based on Islamic principles.” The brigades stated that they did not recognize any of the opposition “groups” outside Syria.  The groups also said, most notably Jabhat Al Nusra, Liwaa Al Tawheed, and Liwaa Al Islam, “all groups formed outside Syria without consulting those inside Syria will not be recognized.”