As more tragic reports of increasing suffering comes out of Syria, we see an intensification of the international conferences and meetings regarding Syria. One week, it’s a London conference, the next week, something in Geneva and the next week somewhere else. Recently, Saudi King Salman spoke to Russia’s Putin and the Americans claim to be speaking to everyone – all claiming they are attempting to find a ‘solution’ to the fighting in Syria.
External powers (U.S., Russia, UK, France) – who divided the region, and have a bloody history of colonialism and who openly support dictators and despots in the region are now some of those professing concern for the Syrian people just as they continue to light the fires that are burning Syria. The deal between the U.S. and Russia can be summed up as: Russia does the heavy lifting by directly intervening and bombing on Assad’s behalf, whilst the U.S. helps Assad by talking and convening conferences and the like – no matter what Assad does – while the U.S. attempts to cobble together a new set of Syrians who can sign up to an imposed political settlement and carry on serving its interests in Syria. They both agree that all who oppose this must be fought as ‘terrorists’.
The Muslim rulers in Saudi, Kuwait, Turkey and elsewhere keep promoting and participating in these so-called ‘conferences for Syria’ which are convened under Western auspices. They promote the idea in the Ummah that the solutions for Syria can only be delivered through the solutions crafted in Western capitals. King Salman of Saudi Arabia recently said he backed a political solution in accordance to Geneva I, an initial round of talks held in the Swiss city. While Allah سبحانه وتعالى ordered us to help those asking for help
وَإِنِ ٱسۡتَنصَرُوكُمۡ فِى ٱلدِّينِ فَعَلَيۡڪُمُ ٱلنَّصۡرُ
“And if they seek you help with respect to the Deen, it is your duty to help them.”
(Al-Anfal 8:72)
The rulers ignore Allah’s command. No humanitarian conferences whether held in Kuwait or London can resolve the fundamental problem in Syria today. The specific figure of $9 billion that is said to be needed by the Syrians can be funded by the Muslim world in a heartbeat. The Muslim rulers have a duty to address the humanitarian needs of the Syrian people whether it is in Syria itself, or in the camps in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon, however this will not solve the main problem which is their slaughter and displacement by Bashar Al-Assad’s regime.
The main problem is the war itself which is killing the people at an alarming rate and making them homeless and the regime is now starving the people on top of its other atrocities. There is a solution to this that would be possible but there is no political will among the region’s rulers. Regional states, especially Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia have the power to intervene and defeat Assad, and stop western interference. Rather, they have not done so and continue to fulfil the objectives of foreign powers in the region – whilst some even aid Assad. Until these countries are based on Islam, with a sincere leadership that acts on the basis of Islam for the people, rather than acting according to what the US and its allies want, they will continue to neglect their duties.
The western governments, who claim to be helping the Syrian people, are in fact making things worse through their bombing and foreign policy. They were the ones who sponsored coup and counter coup, who supported Assad and who today want a political settlement that entrenches their ideological and political hegemony. The many conferences under Western auspices are designed to choose a new elite who will help implement a political settlement chosen by the West. There is even talk of incorporating the remnants of the Assad regime – which has long served Western interests.
The rulers of the Muslims participation, support and sending of envoys to these conferences rather than directly intervening to defeat Assad is a crime against our Ummah in Syria. They are the ones in the region and with the armies that are easily capable to defeating Bashar’s forces and liberating the people. Do we as an Ummah put enough pressure on these rulers to act or are we too busy with life as ‘normal’?
Taji Mustafa
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in Britain