The first day of April is an occasion in Syria and Arab countries to exchange white lies, jokes and banter under the tradition of "April Fools".
Syrian activists exploited it this year to make up lies about some of the intractable elements of their revolution, as a kind of mitigation.
"Perhaps the lies become a reality," is a saying they use.
Since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in March 2011, a number of rumors have circulated about the defection of Farouq al-Sharaa, the Vice President to Bashar Assad, who enjoys some support from the opposition given his reputation for not having "his hands stained with the blood of Syrians."
However, none of these rumors were believed. Sharaa is still in Damascus and has been kept out of sight for more than 18 months, and was notinvolved in any of the political events during this period.
The lie regarding oppsoiton Syrian National Coaltion President, Ahmad Jarba's resignation comes after numerous calls within the Syrian opposition recently demanding his resignation due to accusations of mismanagement of the political and military issues since he took office in the middle of last year.
Activists circulated other lies, including the liberation of Brigade 17, located in Raqqa and the liberation of Deir El-Zor Military Airport, the two strategic locations still controlled by regime forces in the eastern provinces that have been besieged by regime forces for more than a year and a half.
A media activist from Deir El-Zor, Mohammed Khalaf, said that April Fools is an ancient tradition among Syrians, practiced since childhood, where students in schools would lie to each other about the absence of a teacher or his death, for example.
Khalaf said that "today, after more than three years since the outbreak of the revolution, the activists have invested this tradition to promote the intractable or almost impossible things for the rebels."
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
He pointed out that "with the large number of tragedies experienced by the Syrian people, some activists are trying to create a kind of humor and hope through the revival of a tradition known to the Syrians, a tradition holds their old memories".
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