Building the Syrian State (BSS) President Louay Hussein's escape from Syria has begun to reveal rifts within the movement’s factions, where news of his escape from Syria raised anger and indignation among many of the party’s members. BSS members accuse Hussein of treason following his sudden decision to flee, according to sources inside the political movement speaking exclusively to al-Souria Net.
The sources claim: "Hussein went undercover to Turkey without informing or coordinating BSS offices in Damascus. He intended to stay in Qamishli for a while until he announced his move to Turkey, but when the news leaked to the Kurdish media there, Hussein was forced to issue an official statement announcing his escape from Damascus, and freezing the activities of the BSS".
On Sunday, a German news agency claimed "Building the Syrian State has announced its plans to freeze its activities inside Syria after news of Louay Hussein's departure". The agency added the political movement released a statement claiming: "Many security reasons have forced the BSS to freeze all its activities inside Syrian territory, where it will carry out a number of projects outside the country in the upcoming period, until the re-establishment of its new headquarters".
Sources within the BSS confirmed to al-Souria Net that following the movement’s statement, "at-Tafkir" Journal and "as-Souriat" radio station (both affiliated to the BSS) were shut down, in addition to the arrest of Abdul Rahman Fattouh, angering party members.
BSS Vice President Anas Joudah commented on the news of Hussein's departure through his Facebook page saying: "I heard President of Building the Syrian State Louay Hussein and his deputy, Mona Ghanem, had arrived in Turkey. I deny any knowledge of the visit and the escape to Turkey. I denounce this individual act of Mr. Hussein and Mrs. Ghanem, and I declare that I bear no responsibility considering any decision, action or meeting these two persons engage in there".
"I think that this is the end of the BSS here in Damascus. The departure of Louay Hussein and Mona Ghanem was a nail in the coffin of the movement. We have worked together for more than a year, and most of us were subjected to detention and humiliation, while the leaders remained inside their offices. When they were arrested, they were detained in five star-detention. We have been cheated, everyone was against us, both the regime and the leaders of the BSS, we now live in an atmosphere of frustration", the BSS member, Adnan, said.
Another member of the BSS, Reem, told al-Souria Net: "I think that all the members of the movement, who worked for years in Damascus under a kind of protection, are now targeted by the regime, and the arrest of Abdul Rahman is a clear message to all the members of the BSS. I think that when Louay Hussein abandoned all the factions of his party here and left without telling anyone, he also erased all talk of a participatory solution with the regime from his political dictionary, leaving us here under the mercy of the regime".
Sources claim Hussein will form a new lineup and then announce his "divorce" from Assad's regime, while other BSS members believe Hussein betrayed them, leaving everything behind to escape the country.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
