UN and Druze Spiritual Leader Warn on Syria’s Future
UN and Druze Spiritual Leader Warn on Syria’s Future
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Two separate reports on the situation in Syria highlight the fragility of the country’s reconstruction efforts and a deep-seated lack of trust between the government and key communities.
According to the Shia Waves Agency, citing Al Jazeera, senior United Nations officials warned the Security Council that Syria’s initial steps toward reconstruction could quickly collapse. Geir Pedersen, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, stated that the transitional authorities in Damascus have inherited “buildings in ruins and a deeper disorder in the social fabric, worn-out institutions, and a collapsed economy.” Pedersen, who announced his resignation, added that for reconstruction to succeed, the international community must stand against foreign interference and Damascus must truly become a government for all its citizens.
In a related development, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, the spiritual leader of Syria’s Druze community, stated that his group will not negotiate with the provisional government in Damascus. According to a report by the Shia Waves Agency, which cited Al-Arabiya, Al-Hajri said the crisis in the province of Suwayda can only be resolved through fundamental changes. He added that recent bloody events require an international investigation and that the government’s actions have destroyed all bridges of trust.
Al-Hajri called for a new constitution and the formation of a government that represents all Syrians. While emphasizing that the Druze have never sought separatism, he stated that they have been forced to form alliances for survival due to pressure.
