The Muslim Brotherhood (MB)has reiterated its adherence to the Damascus Declaration (DD), and stated that the principles of the National Salvation Front (NSF)_are not in contradiction with those the DD. The MB also noted that the DD does not restrict the political activities of its signatories (Arabic. Levant News, 4/7/06).
This comes after the temporary committee of the DD debated on April 6th how to react to the MB's alliance with former VP Abdel Halim Khaddam, and concluded that the MB should decide whether it wishes to remain within the parameters of the DD.
The MB responded by stressing that the opposition groups that were invited to the Brussels conference in March where the NSF was formed were Syrian political forces abroad that are supportive of the DD. The MB has maintained that the work of the opposition abroad complements that of the opposition inside Syria, only with more freedom to operate.
There were also rumors of stress inside the MB over the alliance with Khaddam. Muhammad Farouq Tayfour, Bayanouni's deputy and head of the MB's politburo, was said to have left the Brotherhood because of Bayanouni's contacts with Khaddam. Tayfour was quoted as saying that Khaddam was "the last to talk about reform in Syria" (Arabic. Al-Diyar via Pax Tharwa, 4/6/06).
However, in an exclusive statement to Levant News (Arabic. 4/6/06), Tayfour described Khaddam's switch to the opposition and the formation of the NSF, as "one of the most important slaps to the Syrian regime of tyranny and corruption," adding, "[it] opened the door wide for the members of the crumbling regime in Damascus to defect and join the ranks of the honorable national opposition, under the ceiling of the principles of the DD which is the common ground for all parties of the Syrian opposition."
Tayfour went on to say that the MB in Syria "through its cohesion and the unity of its ranks and through the work of its leadership, led with a team spirit by the General Guide Ali Sadreddine al-Bayanouni, has managed to achieve more in the way of bringing together the factions of the Syrian opposition." He expressed his hope for "the NSF to be one of the active pillars of the Syrian opposition and one capable of bringing about change."
Tayfour further praised the Bayanouni's leadership stressing his consultative approach "which makes everyone a partner in the decision making."
Bahia Mardini, who also covered this story for Elaph, quoted sources inside the MB as saying that Issam Attar, the former leader of the MB now living in Germany, was not trying to form a rival wing inside the MB (Arabic. 4/6/06). Bashar Asad had appointed Attar's sister, Najah Attar, as second VP in March, fueling speculation about the regime's intentions behind this move.
The story about the alleged split inside the MB, which appeared in the pro-Asad Lebanese daily Al-Diyar, also claimed that the alliance with Khaddam had caused a split in the Canada-based Democratic Syrian Gathering , which participated in the Brussels conference. The Gathering issued a statement denying any such split, saying that the story was a plant by the Syrian regime (Arabic. Via "Free Syria", 4/16/06).
Posted by: pyncorepe | August 08, 2007 at 12:18 AM