Kassioun Editorial 1089: So That the Whole Country Does Not Drown!

While during the first years of the crisis, asylum might have been a direct result of the war, after that it became an expression of the catastrophic socioeconomic conditions. More importantly, it is an expression of a general sense that the conditions would only go from their current bad state to a much worse one.

Some argue that Western-imposed sanctions and blockade are the reason. Yes, they are a reason, but they are not the only reason. There are other key reasons, mainly the policies of the controlling system in the country have proven through the years that they benefit the corrupt plundering minority, and against the interests of the plundered majority. These policies are manifested in the various economic, social, political, and cultural aspects. One of its clearest manifestations is the irreversible adoption of economic neoliberalism.

During wars and crises, anywhere in the world, governments mobilize resources and distribute basic items on the people using vouchers. In Syria, the opposite happens; subsidies are steadily lifted, and the quantities of items are reduced while their prices are raised. Subsidies for industry and agriculture are lifted. Moreover, the political solution is evaded in every possible way, as are the needs to change.

The policies imposed by the dominant class groups within the existing regime are not directed only against the plundered, but they are also policies going step-by-step according to models imposed by the IMF and World Bank, regardless of the “slogans” raised while these policies are applied.

These policies revolve around holding on to the dollar, and drowning in all the aspects associated with the economic subservience system, the main aspect of which is destroying real production and encouraging migration of brains, and displacing people in general to the point of bulldozing Syrians out of their country.

This is not done just to pile profits, but to keep their source through preventing change, by evading the political solution and looking perhaps for a deal with the West, which for years has been holding the slogan of “changing the regime’s behavior”.

On the opposite side – or practically on the same side – there are the extremists within the opposition who continue to raise their extremist slogans, and beg countries to achieve said slogans for them, while they ask Syrians to pay the price.

The sinking boat is not the picture of all Syrian people, but it is also an image of the “elites” within the regime and the opposition, and an expression of their policies and slogans. It is also a strongly-worded warning to everyone, that the entire country is on the verge of drowning, and saving it necessarily passes through putting a stop to the destruction of the country and ending its misery and the misery of its people. The sinking boat is a clear expression of the “victories” achieved by the “victors” and a clear expression of the real defeats.

The sinking boat is one image of the comprehensive tragedy that should be immediately stopped. A complete stop should be put on claiming victory and claiming the ability to manage things, while life says the complete opposite of that. All sides must admit that ending the Syrian humanitarian catastrophe is the supreme task above which there is no other task, and must admit that ending it does not lie with one side without the others; rather, it will be through dialogue that includes everyone, through direct negotiations, and through concessions everyone makes not to one another, but to the Syrian people, to ultimately reach the full implementation of UNSC Resolution 2254 with all its contents, starting with the transitional governing body.

(النسخة العربية)