The Syrian government has dispersed by force the conference of the National Democratic Front (NDF), which was supposed to convene on Saturday morning, in Damascus.
The Preparatory Committee, entrusted in holding the meeting, said in a statement Saturday morning that “security authorities” had contacted leaders of components participating in the conference at midnight and told them the conference could not be held without prior approval of the official Party Affairs Committee.
The NDF Preparatory Committee added that “the despotic regime in Damascus” does not accept “any democratic and revolutionary national activity that opposes it and seeks to change the current conditions that have exhausted Syria and the Syrians.”
The ban came only hours before the conference, “so that there is no opportunity to move or do anything.”
The NDF was planning to propose a vision to find an exit from the current impasse, based on “a fundamental change of the tyrannical ruling regime with all its foundations and symbols, as well as removing all foreign armies and militias from Syria and withdrawing weapons.”
The NDF draft documents call for “ending the war and military actions in Syria from all parties, and to start a political solution according to the international resolutions, including Geneva 1 and the UNSC Resolution 2254 to form a transitional governing body with full executive powers, leading to a democratic atmosphere that allows writing a new constitution for the country, and fair elections under UN supervision that refer to the civil country.”
NDF personalities have rejected the presidential elections that the regime intends to hold in June, considered them illegal elections, and called on the Syrians in general to boycott them.
The NDF demanded the release of the detainees and uncovered the fate of all forcibly disappeared.
The NDF described the government’s move as a “violation of all international laws and human rights, and a criminal suppressive act to be added to the regime’s record of everything that disgraces.”
It said it was studying “all possibilities, as it will not waive its right to peaceful struggle against tyranny, oppression, and corruption, and its work against killing and destruction. It will see what can be done to follow up on what began as an endeavor to unite the forces of the national democratic opposition and its solidarity with the Syrians everywhere inside. And abroad to fulfill their dream of freedom, dignity, and life.”
It held the regime and the governments that support it, as well as the influential countries in Syrian, responsible for the security and safety of the opposition members at home. It called for an international diplomatic intervention to preserve their safety, and for the regime and its security agencies to stop suppressing the peaceful national civil movement in Syria.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.